Like
most Americans in 1973 my family was driving big cars, and
my mother was no exception. Not that the '67 Impala 2-door
was a bad car, it could easily hold the whole family, which
included me and my two younger brothers, and the neighbors
kids as well. But with the oil crisis in the news, she thought
a smaller car would be the way to go.
A new dealership had opened just a couple of miles from
us back then, and I remember going there with my mother
to pick up the new ride. I was around 11 years old, and
it just so happened the car she chose was a "fresh
off the dock" RX3 Station Wagon (with fake woodgrain
on the sides no less !).
Ever since then, I have had a certain affection for rotary
powered Mazda cars. With a Rotary 13B being about
the size of a 5-gallon bucket and making several hundred
horsepower, I find it a fascinating little universal powerplant
for a car.
In my adult life, I have always wanted a model of a Mazda
RX3. While the chances of a wagon being issued by an
injection-molding model company are pretty slim, I am willing
to compromise my lust with a 2-door coupe. In this case,
Fujimi's RX3 Savanna GT. While not available in the U.S
at the time, a hobby shop in Asia ( Hobby Link in Japan)
carried them, and that is where I bought the kit. (Actually,
I bought two kits. More about that later).
This
curbside (no engine) kit is 1/24 scale. Even then, it is
still a small model car, and at first glance you might think
it's 1/25. The body, two taillight assemblies, and nose
piece are molded in white. The rest of the trees are molded
in black, with a clear tree provided for the headlights,
glass, and tail lenses. Four real rubber tires are included,
with one set of factory stock rims. Only a right hand drive
dash is provided.
As with most Fujimi models, the body and nose piece are
crisp and clean. You would be hard pressed to even find
a moldline anywhere. I would have preferred the grille not
be molded in, it would have been better if it were open
and you could see through it. I thought about trying to
open it up in back by grinding it with a Dremel tool, as
I have with other kits, but it appeared to be too thin to
do so. The honeycomb grille insert is molded with a very
fine detail.
The chassis is somewhat simple. The lower engine is represented
with an oil pan, the driveshaft and exhaust are also molded
in. Fortunately, the front and rear suspensions are made
up of a few separate pieces, so if you wanted to say, change
the rims and tires, you could probably do this with a minimum
of modifications.
Mazda
RX-7 Performance Handbook - Following a historical overview
of RX-7 evolution to the present, the author presents a series
of tried-and-true modifications for suspension and chassis,
brakes, drivetrain, body, interior, and the RX-7s innovative
Wankel rotary engine. Fully illustrated, this guidebook also
features restoration and modification plans specifically tailored
for high-performance street applications. RX3.
RX-7:
Mazda's Rotary Engine Sportscar -Revised 2nd Edition -
Mazda launched its first rotary-engined car - the Cosmo -
in 1966 and was the only car manufacturer to solve the major
problems associated with Wankel's radical engine design so
that the unit's potential could be exploited and enjoyed.
Launched in 1978, the RX-7 provided effortless and uncannily
smooth performance, attributes that endeared the model to
enthusiasts through three generations of production. With
each reincarnation the RX-7 became more of a Grand Tourer
and less of a sportscar (a mantle handed on to the MX-5/Miata);
global sales reduced as the car moved upmarket until, in the
new millennium, the model was only sold in its native Japan.
Boys'
Toys of the 70's & 80's: Toy Pages From the Legendary
Sears Christmas Wishbooks 1970-1989 - This thick, 192
page book is jammed with authorized reprints of rare Sears,
Roebuck and Co. Christmas "Wishbook" pages. Organized
by year from 1970 through 1989, these selected pages have
all the great toys collectors want to know about: Star Wars,
Marx playsets, electric trains, GI Joe, Action Jackson, He-Man,
Transformers, Hot Wheels and much more. A "Must Have"
for all toy collectors and perfect for everyone else who wants
to bring back happy childhood memories !
