Beauty is in the eye of the beholder mate.

Compared to the RX-7, they are ugly.

I have an RX-7 (00) & love it. A JC Cosmo (95) & love it too. I also have an LA43S Luce (81) plus the above HC3S Luce (87). Despite there lack of looks, I love there quirky character & sleeper styling. (talking about the HC here) The interior features & the fact that its plain & simple looks dont attract unwanted attention.

If forced to choose just one to keep. Id take the JC Cosmo despite the FD RX-7 being a sexier car.

Variety is the spice of life...............

 

DMRH,

I fully agree. It would be an awful world if we all had the same good/bad taste.

Just to illustrate this I don't find that the HC hardtop has a "lack of looks" - in fact, I find its exterior styling most striking and elegant.

It can be said that a typical Japanese model looks very much like other contemporary offerings from the other Japanese companies, e.g. the HC hardtop corresponds from a formal point of view to similar V6 4 door hardtop models from Nissan and Toyota.

However, for people with knowledge the HC is certainly distinct as being by a good margin the most "boxy" and "edgy" of these models. In fact, on markets where these models were not officially sold (e.g. Australia and Europe) the HC really stands out from the crowd. Do I like it?

From the pictures you have posted above, it appears that you have a model with AAS (automatic adjusting suspension) - how does this work in your opinion? The reason that I ask is that I have a Mazda HB also with AAS which I don't think is that useful. The suspension is OK with the front shocks on HARD, however, the rear setup is terrible with the shocks on HARD.

The "normal" HC sedan was sold in relatively large numbers in Europe, however, for some strange reasons the *** option was only offered on some minor markets, e.g. Sweden, but not on the by far largest market Germany.

Also, do you have any problems getting spares from Mazda Japan (or Mazda Australia) for models which were not offically imported to Australia? Any differences for "old" models such as your HC hardtop or the newer JC?

BR, Bo

 

G'day.

Thanks for the support on the HC Luce. My model is the top line "Royal Classic" so it got everything. (AAS included)

Parts are not an issue. I required a centre bearing for the tail shaft last year & the rotary version is different to the piston.

My friend at Mazda Australia imported it for me & I paid AUS$240 for it after a 4 week wait. JC parts are the same deal.

The AAS is great (luxury sedan perspactive) & the car starts to get dangerously floaty above 120kph. I have to press "hard" to give it better stability.

Around town having the "soft" setting is great to cruise over our poor quality roads.

You will find the European countries where high cruising speed were possible didn;t get the AAS as the "soft" setting would have been too dangerous for anything over 120kph. You simply couldn't trust all the buyers to switch over every time.

 

Do we know why the RX-9 was scrapped? The clearly put quite a bit of work into it, and evidently started production what with having badges made up and all. There must have been some catastrophe that ended its life.

 

Can the Luce drivetrain be swapped into a LHD 929?

 

Thats the ugliest car I've seen.

 

Has anyone got pics of the final facelifted single headlight pillared hardtop la43s...as i know 5 or 6 of these came to australia for testing/trials and would like pics for a current owner of one...

 

12ARX,

Check out this link http://www.car-net.jp/rotary/data/ca...la43s_7910.jpg from the Japanese "Rotary Maniacs" site.

If you know an owner of an LA43S it would be interesting to see a picture of the engine bay.

BR, Bo

 

http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/482284

check out my page, I have a 1st gen USDM Mazda 929, it has a factory 5 speed tranny borrowed from u RX7s. Im hoping to drop in a 13B turbo but dont have the funds right now. I also have the BBS RX7 rims borrowed form the conv RX7, real light, check it out....

 

Did anyone get the part number for the badge, I have a direct line into Mazda Japan for special occasions such as this...

 

In respect of the RX-9 badge I asked my Mazda mechanic (from where I got the above information) if he could find the badge he ordered many years ago. Well, he just found it so it DOES exist!!

BR, Bo

 

mazda used to make a cosmo back in the 70s that looked just like that supposed "rx9" and they did put a rotary in it.

 

OK.

 

Mmmm, I like the look of those late model rotary Luce's but the old 929 in the first post is not much of a sporty Mazda so it doesn't give me that usual cool sportscar vibe of all the Rx badged cars.
Some useful info here. Cheers to those who sent in the earlier posts.

 

Woah! I have never seen/heard of these models before. I think the HC3S is awesome looking. It would be a sweet project to get a usdm 929 and swap in a 13bt.

 

Do we ever get to see a pic or a part number? As they say, seeing is believing

 

one day...

 

That Cosmo from the mid to late '70s was designated the RX-5. It was actually way better looking than the RX-9 Luce--- smaller, sportier, and more aggessive in every way.

The RX-9 looks like it was cobbled together with parts from the '76 chev Malibu (front end), the Ford Granada (seats, interior and over-all size), and the AMC Ambassador (small wheel wells, roof line, doors and *** end). Also looks way too heavy to be quick enough with a carbureted emission-choked 12A.

Mazda did the right thing by killing the project--- the last thing they would have needed at a time when the rotary had a less-than-stellar reputation to out-live was an ugly car contaminating their gene pool.

 

I think that this is all a load of old bollocks......!

 

I'm sure that anybody who owned one could get lots for it since they're bound to be rare as hell. (if any beyond the prototype were ever sold)

And beauty being in the eye of the beholder, some people actually like the design. To each his (or her) own.

Of course, if we were to look far enough I'm sure we'd be able to locate a guy who thinks Linda Tripp is sexy...

 

guys, the LA43S LUCE '77-'81 was shipped to several countries but only in piston form, in oz it was the 929 and 929L. the rotary versions were JDM only as far as i am aware. the RE limited 4dr hardtop was the top of the range model and was even more expensive in japan than any version of the cosmo/rx5.
series 1 - quad headlights
1.8LT SEDAN 100hp
2LT SEDAN & HARDTOP 110hp
12A HARDTOP 125hp (claimed)
13B HARDTOP 135hp (claimed)
series 2 - rectangular headlights
1.8LT SEDAN 100hp
2LT SEDAN & HARDTOP 110hp
2LT injected HARDTOP 120hp
13B HARDTOP 140hp (claimed)
2.2LT DIESEL SEDAN 70hp
there is also a wagon version of the series 2 made up until 1985 but only in piston form.
i have a 13B series 2 4dr hardtop that as far as i have traced back was imported to australia with several others as an evaulation model then mazda australia at the time decided against a release here. DMRH also has a series 2. there are several differences between mine and the japanese release version. if you would like to see some pics pm me.
i have never heard from any source (not saying it is not untrue though would like to see a pic of the badge!!) about the RX-9 program........

 

yep it does

 

thats pretty sweet
s

 

anyone seen the rotary powered bus?

 

At least 2 parkways survive.