Wankel was German, right?

[bumflick]

https://www.facebook.com/grassrootsmotorsports/videos/10154632010083140/


All, just thought I'd share this. If the link does not work, try going to the grassroots motorsports facebook page

I was part of a group that built this 86 n/a 944 with a turbo Mazda 13B rotary motor to compete in the 2016 grassroots motorsports challenge.

A few of you supported this efforts with the purchase of interior parts we removed, and I'd like to thank you again for that.

It was a lot of fun to build, and I learned a bit about rotaries. It runs and drives, but is obviously not street legal. Due to all-night efforts the night before the event, we missed the first event (autocross) and the turbo blew a seal and started spitting oil right after we got it off the trailer, so our drag performance was awful. But it's the journey that counts, and we are really ready for 2017.

We will be dialing in the suspension and alignment as we beat up on it at a few local (GA/FL/SC) autocross events.

Malcolm

[Arizona_928]

Lol gotta love those apex seals....

[DannoXYZ]

I remember running into Randy Beck @ Willow Springs. He had a 914-6 with 13B turbo. It kicked some serious arse with more power and lighter weight than the factory offering.

I thought it was a strange selection, but I didn't know much about rotaries back then. I think the 13B turbo still has the highest power-to-weight ratio of any engine. You can pick it up and install in car without needing a hoist.

[OPRN]

If I recall correctly NSU of Germany bought the paten rights from the original inventor(his last name was Wankel I think), VW later acquired those rights when it bought out NSU. VW experimented with the Wankel but never put it into production. GM of the US and Mazda of Japan(there may have been others too) purchased the rights from VW to produce the engine but Mazda is the only one to actually sell cars with them in as far as I know.
There have been a few over the years show up on the market in motorcycles and snowmobiles too but I don't know the history on them.
I have one designed and produced by Graupner of Germany for model airplanes.
Fascinating engine concept for sure!

Tell us more about this car please!

[DannoXYZ]

In the '70s, rotary-powered motorcycles were built by Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Norton (had them through the '90s). Even a Dutch outfit Van Veen had them in early '80s.

[Fast Freddy 944]

I had a buddy in the 80's in a drafting class show me the Wankle motor, he told me that it was used in rx-7 motors, and it had unlimited potential, it was fascinating back then, and it still is, I think it was created in Germany on the NSU? good stuff...

[OPRN]

I saw my first Mazda rotary back in about '71. It was the R100, a little 2 door car that they previously marketed with a 1200cc four cylinder engine in it. Then they came out with the RX2 line of cars followed by the RX3 and RX4s in the later '70s. You could even get at station wagon and my buddy bought a new RX4 pickup in the early '80s! These were all "family" type vehicles with the RX7 sports car coming out about '78 or so.
Problems with high fuel consumption and brittle apex seals plagued those early cars. They seemed to have cured those woes in the later RX7s though but I think the general public had a bad taste in their mouths by then and it was too late to reverse it.
The RX8 was quite the machine I have heard but it was puled off the market due to multiple warranty issues not at all related to the engine. Too bad, it was a very impressive power plant!

[J1NX3D]

I put some photos in your RL thread from an old book i have, Automobile-Year No 10, 1962-1963 on the NSU Wankel engine. I would post them here but pelican has a 2mb limit per photo.

[bumflick]

Thanks for the interest. Odly enough, I was reading about the Le Mans winning Mazda prototype with a 4 rotor motor and it had a transaxle setup from... Porsche. So we are emulating some history.

Turbo failed after it came off the trailer at GRM. We think we let the gas tank get too empty and sediment went down stream. Currently have drained/flushed fuel and oil and are replacing injectors and the turbo.

Also, will add a fuel gauge....

We plan to read enter the GRM 2017 challenge, so budget is a limiting factor. Alignment and tires is a must, and may look to upgrade sway bars if budget allows

[gtroth]

Mazda Cosmo must be mentioned when discussing rotary engines....

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_Cosmo