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Rivalrx - 1972 Mazda 618 Coupe


rivalrx

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Build thread

 

//oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/41664-rivalrx-1972-mazda-618-coupe/

 

Right. I bought this last year or so from Idaho USA and now it is sitting in a barn in NZ...stoked.

 

I need to have it complied therefore the following I'm having done at the same time as the rust needs fixing

Rx2 rear beaver out on
Both rear quarter rust patches sorted
Area below the front and rear windscreen repaired for rust
Steering column moved to the right hand side (yes LHD to RHD conversion)
Steering box and idler arm switched

Once complied it can be certed for 13b and all the other bits before being road worthy.

It's spent its life in Idaho which is one of the top 3 driest states in the USA making it a perfect project. I bought it based on a few pics from craigslist so I'm stoked to land it in nz and find it's pretty solid.

These were only produced in USA for 1 year making this one rare Mazda...Wikipedia says...

616/618 (USA)[edit]
The 616 was a major component of Mazda's United States expansion in 1971, having been preceded by its rotary brother, the RX-2, the previous year. It featured the 1.6 L (1,586 cc) engine, which was later used in the 808. The American Capella was updated and renamed the next year. The 1972 618 had a larger 1.8 L (1,796 cc) engine. Lasting just one year, the 618 nameplate was not used again in the United States and the only Capella for 1973 was the RX-2.

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Crack up! The blanking holes are all there on the firewall so should be easy enough to do.

 

I have to apologise for the 'mega upload' of pics. I have a thread that not many people looked at on another forum so I'm updating it slowly but surely.

 

Pic's speak 1000 words and all that.

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I will load more later as I don't want to peak too soon.

 

I've not seen the car in the flesh as yet (should be checking it out this January. been living in London for the last 6 years so had this bad boy tucked in a shed waiting for me to get involved. I'd like to think I have 95% of the important bits to get it running....apart from an engine and exhaust that is....both reasonably important...

 

Should be a cool head turner and fun project that doesn't cost the earth...yet

 

I'm not planning to paint it at all.

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I bought the car from 1 pic in Idaho Craigslist. I paid the dude and he held it for me for 9 months until I saved up enough for shipping to NZ from LA. Top man.

 

You will see in later pics that the dude put 4 new tires on for me $100 US and they are NEW white walled 13's turned inside. So keen to reverse then on my steel rims with the chrome trim and centre caps..that or choose from the 2 sets of Mazda hub caps for it.

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The CB areal is gone haha. Although I can picture myself chatting to the truckies "shepherd to lost sheep - got ya ears on come back"

 

I will PM XSSteve re the lock up. I will be on the North Shore

 

Re the LHD - let me sit in it for a bit and get the feel. Something about LHD mazdas i'm uneasy with? I don't mind chev fords but personally I would prefer RHD.

 

Cheers for all the input and comments!!! 

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The CB areal is gone haha. Although I can picture myself chatting to the truckies "shepherd to lost sheep - got ya ears on come back"

 

I will PM XSSteve re the lock up. I will be on the North Shore

 

Re the LHD - let me sit in it for a bit and get the feel. Something about LHD mazdas i'm uneasy with? I don't mind chev fords but personally I would prefer RHD.

 

Cheers for all the input and comments!!! 

It's XSSpeed sorry. LOL

Here is his ad - he is a regular and GC so not shifty or anything.

 

//oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topic/39822-workshop-one-car-working-spacestorage-available-akl/

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Talk about rare.. seems to be fairly solid cept for the bits above the back arches, just well used. Concur with keeping it left hook as its a yank mazda might as well keep with its roots.. I reckon you should also keep it piston, you can get some pretty good power out of those 4 bangers, specially if you upgrade to the 2.0 and force feed it.. not everything needs a rota  :-D

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Hey mason- good to see you on here. Make sure you muck in heaps and bag a seat from Auckland for the nats in Nelson.

 

I reckon if you do keep the paint on this car as is it'll rock! Patina like that cant be made. Well it can.. but yours is original!

 

We need to get Hayden on here and get his UK rx3 on OS. I wonder when his arrives?

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618 Manual!!!!!! Awesome - do you have a pic?

 

the 1.8L was seized and potentially is still on the wheel barrow. I'm a rotor head so it must be rotorised to quench my urges.

 

As for the USA spec red 616/618 tail lights, these have been sold to aussie (for 1/3 of what I paid for the entire car)!!!! 

 

RE the wheel arch rust - I have 2 NOS RX2 rear quarter panels that I'm using the lower half for the repairs as they are the same as the coupe. Pics to follow. There is rust below the rear windscreen too - I tracked down a parcel tray cut from a wrecked coupe in USA for $400 delivered to NZ. This will save me bucket loads for the compliance repairs. For a bit of time spent on the phone and loads on the internet I should have saved myself most of the initial compliance quote of 4-6k as that was fabbing all the repair panels. Now I have all new or mint used replacement parts to cut and shut in.

 

I'm keen to prove that these cars needn't be out of budget for the typical joker. 

 

Patina - it shall stay the same. Ya just can't buy patina.

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