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’70s Mazda 929 Gets RX-8 Engine, Becomes Anti-LS Swapped Muscle Car

Engine swaps generally connotate a smaller engine being replaced by a bigger one. But what if instead of a larger engine, you wanted one that was altogether different? One that worked in a manner fundamentally not the same as the motor that was once there? Well then, you must be a fan of rotary engines.
Mazda 929 7 photos
Photo: CMZ Rotary
RX-8 929RX-8 929RX-8 929RX-8 929RX-8 929RX-8 929
Lucky for you, a Thai tuning shop called CMZ Rotary feels the same way you do. When most people think of an engine swap, they assume it's out with the small, in with the colossal. But not rotary fans. All they need is space for the rotors.

The early '70s Mazda 929 (also known as the RX-4 or Luce in export markets) CMZ Rotary chosen in this case was built at the same time as larger, less efficient muscle cars that so often came with engines nearly as big and heavy as this entire car. We'd like to see any of those old 440 Commandos and 427 big-blocks rev as quickly as the turbocharged 1.3-liter 13B rotary engine out of an RX-8 that finds itself under the hood here.

Anyone familiar with the RX-8's especially unique engine knows that turbocharger isn't stock. It's actually from GTX42, which goes along wonderfully with the four aftermarket 1600cc injectors, ORC twin-plate clutch, and Isuzu rear-end. So then, not much stock here at all, and built, not bought to match. In a body this light and this small, we can only assume that makes for a package with enough power to put a smile on your face.

This Mazda 929 sports a little bit of everything from an established line of some of the most famous Japanese sports cars of all time. The engine is from an RX-8, as we've said, but the front suspension and disk brakes come from an RX-7 FC. The wheels are aftermarket, of course, and may seem a touch out of place on a car this old. But, they do have their appeal and don't think they'll be off-putting to anyone.

We couldn't help but notice that the engine's radiator sticks out of the bottom of the front grille like buck teeth. You may say shoddy build quality, but we say free air cooling. Besides, when you're working on a limited budget and with limited resources like CMZ Rotary may possibly have been, the results are still nothing but impressive.

Much of CMZ Rotary's Facebook site is in Thai, so it isn't all that useable without google translate. Still, from what we can gather, this talented crew works on all kinds of different vehicles, and it appears that rotary engine swaps are their bread and butter. This little taste of what the shop is capable of has us wanting to learn Thai to learn more about what else they have in store.
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