The Mazda RX-3 is a gorgeous car with beautiful proportions and a unique engine layout. Really, Mazda designed it so well that it only has one glaring problem: The “3” in RX-3 doesn’t refer to the number of rotors sitting beneath the hood. That’s an issue that one enterprising builder has endeavored to fix, and the three-rotor fruit of their labor can now be yours to enjoy. You just need to finish actually building it.
This RX-3 popped up on Facebook Marketplace in Bridgeport, Connecticut, of all places. The seller claims its built three-rotor engine was professionally assembled before living life a quarter-mile at a time, powering an RX-2 to 9-second quarter-miles. That car’s since moved on to another engine, and the three-rotor now sits beneath the hood of this RX-3. Is it wired up? Plumbed for fuel and cooling? Is there a drivetrain? Listen. Don’t worry about the details.
Some assembly required
The Mazda may not be all put together, but it includes plenty of parts. There’s an engine (including Weber carbs), transmission, two driveshafts, two distributors, a fixed-back seat, a dashboard, a wiring harness, a radiator, a fuel cell, and about half a garage’s worth more. It’s not clear what the wiring harness goes to — the engine, the body, both, neither — but the seller claims the kit includes just about everything you’d need to put the car together. It’s like a model kit, only the parts you’re using come from different brands and you’re doing your best to mash them together without instructions. A wrencher’s dream, basically.
This build-it-yourself RX-3 could be yours for $25,000 — not an insignificant sum, but a hell of a deal for the final car if all the parts do indeed turn out to be included. Of course, you’re gambling on that when you make the purchase, but when has a Facebook Marketplace seller ever overestimated the condition or completeness of a project car? Take the gamble, and get the car kit of your dreams. I’m assuming my dreams are your dreams too.