Great Little Car

12

When I first saw photos of this car I thought perhaps someone had crossed a Chevette with a Pacer and stuffed a big intercooler into the front of it.

But after a quick search I learned that it is a 1977 Mazda 323, or Great Little Car as it was apparently called in North America.

Before coming across this particular one (which looks to have a boosted spinning Dorito power plant under the hood) I never really had a reason to look into these.

But now that I know they were at one point rear wheel drive I am a little bit more interested, it doesn’t hurt that this particular one looks bad ass to boot.

See the Pacer/Chevette resemblance?
I am not a rotary expert but 13b?
Even the back kind of looks like a Pacer... that is also a big fuel cell
I always thought the 323gtx was my favorite 323 but now I'm not so sure

At a reported weight of about 1800lbs stock this 323 probably went like a bat out of hell, I know these photos are a bit old but does anyone have some info on this car?

Here’s a video of another one I found on youtube in case nothing else pops up.

Happy Thanksgiving.

12 COMMENTS

  1. Dont know the specific car but its from New Zealand and they are quite a common vehicle to be rotary powered. Try and search for the 4 & Rotary Nationals or teh RotaNats for more pics of them

  2. The owner/builder of this car is a friend on mine. Sam’s 323 is driven on NZ roads, and drag raced when he has the time. Its currently for sale as the owner has found a passion for offroad racing and wants to build a trophy truck. Definitely one of the tidiest rotary 323 conversions Ive ever seen.

    Wet unprepped track, backed off and put it on the trailer after the run

    heres another http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABG2lHEc6q0

    lastly http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_BF1ZhfebI

  3. I find rotaries interesting, but that one sounds annoying as hell…. There probably isn’t a single 323 from that generation left anywhere in Canada.

  4. @Andrew – You guys out in NZ love your Rotaries eh? Thanks for the info

    @Ollie ya basically 😛

    @C thanks for the update, trophy trucks are pretty damn cool so I guess that’s a good reason to sell. That last video is wild!

    @Phil sadly you are probably right.

  5. In NZ we will pretty much rota anything! or drop a big straight 6 in it! light cars with shyte loads of power!!

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