Ben’s Car Blog

CarsGuide has a very poor storyby Paul Gover on the (un)likelyhood of a new RX-7.

There will be no new Mazda RX-7. That is the message, loud and clear, at the Tokyo Motor Show.

This line makes me think that an “RX-3″ is more and more likely:

But Mazda continues to deny plans to put a born-again RX-7 into its line-up. It says it has more than enough sports-car coverage with the MX-5 and RX-8.

I also like this:

Mazda Australia’s former managing director, Malcolm Gough, who is now general manager of overseas sales at Mazda headquarters in Hiroshima, says: “There is no plan for an RX-7. There is nothing firm. So far as I know, nothing is happening.”

It reminds me of Seargent Schultz from Hogan’s Hero’s. “I know nothing! Nothing!”.

Let’s not even discuss the “1980s RX-3″ part at the end. RX-3s ceased production in 1976, as can be ascertained from the Mazda Australia website.

I acquired a new project car on Saturday. I’m really quite excited. I’ve named it Harvey.

Harvey’s a Mazda 1500ss with a few, um, modifications.

Off the top of my head, he’s got:

• flared wheel arches front and rear
• RX-4 coupe roof console (woohoo! 20 year old rice!)
• old 929 seats

Oh, and let’s not forget that he’s got a Toyota 18r-g engine and Celica 5-speed gear box engine in place of the 1500ss motor and box. So he’s just a tad more powerful. Well, he will be when he runs.

The paint has been rubbed back sometime in the distant past but because of the lovely dry Canberra weather and the fact that it’s been in a shed the whole time it’s in fair condition for what it is.

Here is Harvey, just rolled out of the shed. My friend Jen came with me and provided much needed expertise in all project car acquistion and transport matters.

No doubt Jen is thinking “What has he got himself in to?”

This picture is a little misleading. The rear flare looks like it’s fibre-glass when it’s actually all steel. Also, Harvey is a complete car, but he’s stripped at the moment.

I’m thinking of keeping the tennis ball petrol cap, even though I have several spares, for that “rat rod” feel.

Harvey was so dusty and covered in spider webs that we literally broomed him off. The things hanging out of the headlight binacles are the under-bumper indicators and parkers. Oh, and Harvey has an early 1800 bonnet instead of a ventless 1500 one.

Harvey on Jen’s Dad’s car trailer. We had to winch him up. In the second shot of the right side you can see what the flares are supposed to look like.

I’ve since primered all the exposed bare metal.

Now all I need is money (ha!) and time (d’oh)!

In the last shot with Harvey on the trailer, you can see (just) a white car parked next to the fence. Here’s a better look:

I’ll be back for some parts off that one later.

There’s a few more pics of Harvey at my flickr, under the tag “Harvey“.