The Perfect Car List For a Game

[死の (Shino)]

Mazda RX-3 (S124) '73

The Mazda Grand Familia, as it was known in Japan, was sold as the Mazda 808 in some export markets including Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, and Mazda 818 in many others (presumably due to the usage of numbers with a middle zero by Peugeot for its automotive models). The body style configurations offered were a two-door coupé, a four-door sedan, and a five-door station wagon. The Grand Familia offered only inline four cylinder engines. In Japan, the largely identical rotary-powered versions were marketed as the Mazda Savanna, with export markets taking this model as the Mazda RX-3.

In late 1973, Mazda released the Series S124 in Japan. Externally the entire front end sheet metal was revamped and a different set of taillights with twin brake lights were included (commonly known as Savanna tail lights in Australia). The Series 2 RX-3 hit Australia in March of 1974 powered by the 12A single distributor (12B). Earlier 12A engines featured dual distributors. The starter motor was also relocated in the later engines from the top of the engine to the left hand rear side. Other internal 12A changes included moving from dual row side seals to single row and significant changes to apex seal design. The Series 2 was slower than the 10A series 1 down the quarter mile even with the 1,146 cc 12A's greater capacity and 15 percent more power. The Rotary Engine Anti Pollution System (REAPS) hurt torque. As a result, the Series 2 was slow off the mark but had a better top speed. The loss of torque plus a 44-kilo weight increase slowed the series 2 to a 17.8 second quarter mile. Additional exterior colors for the Series 2 like Bottle Green and Alexandria gold added appeal. Interior changes were minor and included a change from the km/h/mph speedometer to a 200 km/h speedometer (180 km/h for the 808), an exhaust overhead light, a 50 Amp ammeter (up from 30 Amps) plus design changes to the trims and seat belts. Notably the radio antenna was enhanced by a twin post (rather than single) design. The 1974 model kept the three spoke plastic wood grain steering wheel; the 1975 received a fake leather wheel with slots cut into its three spokes.

12A Engine output was 130 hp and 115 lb·ft (156 Nm). 0–100 km/h time was 10.8 seconds, and the car ran a 17.7 second quarter-mile (400 m).

The Savanna was updated in June 1973 for 1974. Mazda put the new 12A "AP" single-distributor engine in the RX-3. The body was also updated. It was refreshed again in 1975 with a "REAPS-5" engine.

In 1976 the Series 3 RX-3 was released in US and Japan but not Australia or New Zealand. There weren't as many changes this time around, but the few made were significant. The nose cone wore a new lower spoiler-type lip, the gimmick rotor badges were replaced with a simple Mazda badge on the grille. The RX-3 was finally dropped in 1978 to make room for the new Mazda RX-7.

Of all the pre-RX-7 rotary vehicles Mazda built (930,000 in total), the RX-3 was by far the most popular.

[死の (Shino)]

Yeah I'm finally back, by the way, congratulations on the 40.000 views.

[Miao]

Yeah I'm finally back, by the way, congratulations on the 40.000 views.

Welcome back. We love meaningless milestones, don't we?

[Viktor Karpenko]

De Joux Gran Turismo 1962


Some very rare New Zealand sportscar.

[Miao]

De Joux Gran Turismo 1962
[thumbnail]http://images.forum-auto.com/mesimages/264807/kdujf.jpg[/thumbnail]

Some very rare New Zealand sportscar.

This shows that there are still some cool cars to go look for.

[Miao]

De Joux Gran Turismo '62

The first two deJoux Gran Turismo cars were completed in 1962, the joint work of pioneer Kiwi car builder Ferris deJoux and Auckland mechanic Kevin Lamb. Another three including Paul's car were built over the next few years. (The most common example of Ferris deJoux's work are the Mini based specials with about 30 being built up through the 1970's).

Paul's car was originally 4 cylinder but displacement had grown progressively over 30 years to a 253" V8. Paul has upgraded to a 350" Chev V8 mated to a Toyota Celica gearbox. This move was in line with a goal to build up a car that was tractable around town but could boogie with the best of them on the open road! The body has hints of Maserati A6G and AC Bristol Zagato with 50's and 60's styling cues being evident. The interior is classic 60's with a plethora of Smiths gauges and the definitive period extra, a wood rimmed Moto-Lita steering wheel.

After 7 years, 3 gearboxes, and lots of late nights an almost complete rebuild of the DeJoux has been accomplished. Which makes Paul wonder if it's time to breath life into another Kiwi Classic, the Triumph T140 "Chopper" lurking in the back of the shed...

Specifications:

Engine: Chevrolet 5.7 ltr...Front Mounted
Length: 4200mm
Width: 1750mm
Height: 1080mm
Wheelbase: 2580mm
Track: 1350mm
Brakes: Disc Front/Drum Rear
Seating: 2
Kerb Weight: 1060 kg

[Viktor Karpenko]

How about an Armenian sports car?

Rafik Ordyan GT-77 1977

[死の (Shino)]

Subaru Baja '04

The Subaru Baja (pronounced ba-ha) is an all-wheel-drive, four passenger, four-door, open-bed vehicle manufactured from 2002 to 2006 by Subaru.

Working with technical support from Subaru Japan, a team led by Peter Tenn, Subaru senior designer, penned the Baja in the United States. According to an August, 2002 interview with Tenn, "the Baja's jarring look is homage to rally-race trucks. It's supposed to look funky, look different. It doesn't fit any category, and we knew that going in. It's not like anything else on the road. And that's important to a lot of people."

The Baja followed closely Subaru's ST-X (Sport Truck X-perimental) concept vehicle presented at the 2000 North American International Auto Show, and also designed by a special Subaru America design team. The ST-X offered a greater complement of features than the production Baja (power rear window, under floor storage compartment, tailgate cup holders), but nevertheless set the production groundwork for an Outback-based, four-door, car-truck hybrid.

In a package 150 mm (6 in) longer than an Outback, the Baja featured a four-door passenger compartment along with a 1,040 mm (41 in) open bed and drop-down tailgate. A system marketed as the "Switchback" allowed the rear passenger seat to fold down and a small thru-hatch to fold inward, allowing an extended length of 1,900 mm (75 in) to the end of the open tailgate. A light in the instrument cluster signaled an "open" status for the Switchback. The design featured two stainless steel exposed buttresses[1] behind the passenger compartment, marketed as Sports Bars, providing structural reinforcement for the open bed.

Feature details included tinted rear door windows and rear window; an integrated bed liner; a dual-illumination bed light; four bed tie-down hooks; molded-in recesses to receive standard 2x4's to enable customized (e.g., bi-level) storage; standard roof rails with cross bars; a tow rating of 1.089 kg, a rear seat center position rigid hinged storage compartment with integral twin cupholders, rear-seat power supply, rear-seat center storage net, map-pockets at rear of each front seat; an under-bed mounted spare tire, operable via a cable winch accessible from an access panel in the bed itself and a fold-up license plate holder with a mechanism allowing the plate to lock perpendicular to the tailgate, such that with the tailgate lowered, the plate remained visible – mimicking the tailgate and license plate arrangement on older station wagon / estates with biparting tailgates.

In 2004 Subaru introduced a new 2.5-liter turbocharged model producing 210 hp. This model featured standard manual or optional automatic transmission with Sportshift, a large hood scoop and color-matched exterior door handles and side mirrors. All models received increased ground clearance to 210 mm (8.4 in).

[Miao]

How about an Armenian sports car?

Rafik Ordyan GT-77 1977
[thumbnail]http://www.armeniapedia.org/images/a/af/Rafik08.jpg[/thumbnail]

Out of so many places to go look for a car you choose Armenia...

I'll make a post for that one soon®.

[Miao]

Rafik Ordyan GT-77 '77

Rafik Ordyan was a Soviet-Armenian engineer and handcrafter of automobiles, who designed and built the GT-77 race car which went on to capture 1st place in the 1977 Soviet Grand Prix.

By 1971, the design and construction of the GT-77 were in their beginning stages, and Rafik was experiencing first hand the difficulties of building a car with one’s own hands and from an image in the back of one’s mind. This undertaking proved to him that it takes much more than the knowledge of an engineer, he had to become a smith, welder, plumber and even a chemist also. Once construction had begun, Rafik chose the basement of his home in Arabkir district’s “Kanaker GES” neighborhood as his workshop, down one flight of stairs from his first floor home. It was dark, dusty and had a low ceiling at about 7ft., which for Rafik who was well over 6ft. tall, was uncomfortable to say the least.

In 1973 Rafik went to work for the Soviet Ministry of Transportation (КТБ) in their “experimental department”. Shortly thereafter he was promoted to Engineer, and eventually Lead Engineer. All his time outside of work was dedicated to the car, it took days, months, and years. The doors alone took 6 months to perfect. “I had one goal” he said in a 1978 interview, “to create a modern and original car, that is distinct from all others”. His friends and relatives tried to talk him out of it, believing his strength and patience did not suffice, but he proved them wrong, and they gladly joined him in his endeavor. His friends and colleagues would often be in his shop offering a hand where needed.

The car began taking shape and though almost entirely handmade, included a 47HP engine from a Czechoslovakian Škoda 1202, and steering gearbox and rear-end from a Soviet Moskvitch 412, which were allowed by the rules of the Grand Prix. The rest of the car, including the frame had to be, and was built custom by Ordyan. He even handmade and threaded his own nuts and bolts for the project. The trunk space, placement of instruments and plush interior added to it’s appeal while placement of engine, low center of gravity and an all-fiberglass body were defining characteristics of the final product.

On July 5, 1975 he married Emma Mailyan with whom he would have two children, world-renowned videographer Arman Ordyan was born in 1977 and Arevik Avedian in 1978. They had met first at the Department of Cybernetics where Emma was also a student, and ironically both later worked as Engineers for KTB. After their marriage Emma would put a great deal of support behind the project, and recalled picking up the sandpaper when it came time to smooth out the fiberglass body whose joints, when finished looked like what was later described by a reporter as “perfect”.

In June of 1977 the GT-77 saw the light of day for the first time and took Yerevan by storm. Wherever it appeared this bright orange car which boasted one of the lowest profiles (only 1.05 meters, or 3’ 5”) in the world at the time, attracted crowds of people who marveled at it’s unusual shape and meticulous equipment. But aerodynamics aside, the mere presence of a car with upward opening gull-wing doors and automatic hidden headlights, which would reveal themselves when the ignition was turned on captivated the Yerevanian public. Their reaction to his handmade creation assured Rafik of the success of the car and it’s ability to win in the upcoming Grand Prix.

The impact of Rafik Ordyan’s victory in the 1977 Soviet Grand Prix was significant in Armenia. The Yerevan Automobile Factory had planned to mass-produce Ordyan’s GT-77 in Armenia for the Soviet market but decided to scrap the plans after his death. Shortly thereafter the Armenian Autolover’s Club Հայաստանի Ավտոսիրողների Ակումբ was established in Yerevan and membership grew as Rafik’s friends, colleagues and fans carried on the tradition in his memory.

The Ordyan Prize Plaque.jpg (73.23 KiB) Viewed 1648 times

After the Soviet collapse, the use and legal ownership of precious metals in the newly independent Republic of Armenia gave way to the creation of a handmade memorial plaque which is given out every year by the Car Club to the best handmade car of the year. The plaque features a center relief of the GT-77 with the name “Ordyan, R.S.” at the bottom. The GT-77 still exists and is part of the Ordyan family collection in Yerevan.