Terry's MAZDA rx3 Restoration & rare parts store

Official 1973 RX3 Sedan Restoration Project Site. This project has been a W.I.P (work in progress, so far 3-yrs in the making) with an intended outcome of a meticulously rebuilt classic rotary car to a 'showroom' standard.

NOTE: Due to unforseen circumstances and other project deadlines, completion date has been extended to 2013.

• This car was featured in the 2009 New Zealand Rotary Nationals Show as a W.I.P project.

• I'm sure you'll be impressed with recent photos of the restoration process I'm putting it through? Check out the Photo-Gallery page Gallery

• A complete history of this project is presented here for your own eyes to see the car as it is put through all stages of the automotive restoration procedure - Yes, WARTS & ALL!
  Afterall, nothing worse than not seeing or knowing what's actually underneath that nice looking spray job? Not here.. you'll see the whole thing from start to finish!

• Feel free to 'Blog' me & check out my 'Rare Car Parts' store too.

History:

• 1973 Original Mazda NZ Assembled 10A Sedan. Shortly thereafter fitted with a 12A rotary engine.
  Car body colour; WHITE.

• Some time prior to my purchase between 1973-1988, the car was painted black.

• When I purchased it in 1988, I reconditioned the 12A Engine but only drove the vehicle a further 3500 Ks since (virtually brand new engine). 

• I repainted it metallic blue in December 1990 & retired the vehicle to my garage for 18-years, without re-registration (rego lapsed).

2007-2008:

• December 2007; - the car was inspected by an engineering certifier who deemed it to be in excellent structural condition, but required the following minor structural rework;
  - Upper firewall cowl plate rust removal.
  - 2 x "A pillar" rust repairs.
  - Right hand lower metal sill replacement.

• March 2008; car booked into 'Glen Eden Panelbeaters' for repairs under engineering recertification guidance.

• April 2008; car stripped bare & subjected to an 'acid bath strip' procedure, to dissolve all rust, afterwith the car body was etch sealed using Tergo-Epiphos metal etch primer.

• June 2008; Disk & drum brakes were reconditioned & the following items were subjected to 'Gold Pacifate' electroplating, by 'Terei Brothers LTD':
  - All disk & drum brakes.
  - All rear suspension leaf springs (special no-brittling process used)

• Repairs up to November 2008; car subjected to all engineering cert' work, plus the following extra repairs by 'Glen Eden Panelbeaters':
  - Right rear quarter panel metal section replaced.
  - All doors re-skinned lowers.
  - Boot floor chassis support repair.
  - Dents pulled from roof lower regions of the car.
  - 2-pac metal etch primer applied to all sections requiring metal work.

• Custom Teflon spacers made & fitted to leaf suspension springs.

Dec' 2008 - 2009:

• Internal cage + engine bay + boot sections, completely stripped back to bare metal and 'Bondo' rust prevention applied to al double skin seams, then sprayed with 'Lechler' 2-pac epoxy primer.

• Right-front guard lower regions re-skinned.

• Replaced the original 10A nosecone with another with a genuine metal savana lower valance. Paint stripped & 2-pac primer etch applied to shell.

• Inner front wheel walls & inner nosecone & inner front guards; ground back to bare metal and applied 'POR-15, BlackCote' permanent rust prevention paint & made sure that the paint ran into all double-skin seams & crevices.

• Front suspension struts re-cored with Munroe Gas shock absorber inserts.

• All front end rubber bushes, replaced with new nolathane types.

• Front sterring & suspension rack reconditioned with new ball joints & subjected to 'Gold Pacifate' electroplating, by 'Terei Brothers LTD'.

• Minor body filler applied to nominated outer panels in preparation for the painting process to follow.

• Jan 2009; Car entered into the 2009 NZ Rotary Nationals show as a rolling shell.

• Feb-June 2009; Front & Rear bumpers fully rechromed to show-car standard (ouch, very expensive).

• Dash Vinyl repairs under way.

Apr' 2009 - 2010:

• Purchased brand new deep-dish chrome mags.

• Purchased 2nd hand - original Savanna Steering wheel.

• Reminting plastic work around the center-dash-console.

• Panel skim finishing around outer panels, Still in progress...

2011:

• Not much work due to ill health (managed to skim-coat some pannels glide coat work)

2012:

• Planning to recommence final skim coat and glide coat prep work,  completed all panels excluding left-rear & left front gaurds (minor light skim required).

2013:

• Much to my regret (and your gain) due to personal circumstances this entire restoration project is now up for sale.
  Sale includes ownership of this site and it's 'rare parts store'. Full details published below.