May 2008 Ride of the Month - SavannaDan (Winner of DGRR Old School Rotary)!
 

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e7...y/DSC02407.jpg

Year, model, mods, etc
1975, Savanna RX-3 (JDM/RHD)
- 12A to 6 port 13B swap
- Twin disc clutch
- 48 IDA downdraft Weber
- RB header & presilencer
- Front adjustable camber plates
- Front adjustable coilover springs
- Front vented/slotted/drilled brake rotors and 4 piston calipers from Aerospace Components
- Front added on sway bar
- Yokohama Advan Oni wheels, F 15x7, R 15x7.5
- Carbon fiber hood
- Rear spoiler
- Racing seats
- Racing steering wheel
- Battery relocated to trunk

Questions to the owner:

Q: Congratulations for winning Ride of the Month! Tell us about how you acquired this car?
I purchased the car while stationed in Okinawa, Japan in the Air Force in 1997.
Q: How did you first become interested in modified cars? Have you had any previously?
My friends and I would spend the night at our friends house, sneaking out after 10pm on our BMX bikes (because we were too young to drive) and ride to where the hot rodders/racers would drag race on the highway on Okinawa.
When I finally turned 16, my very first car was a 1974 Toyota Carina 1600GT w/ sidedraft Mikuni’s, headers/exhaust, racing shocks and XR-4 wheels.
While stationed in San Antonio in 1987 I bought a 1980 RX-7, installed a front spoiler and did a lot of cosmetic stuff to it-new paint, tinted windows, redid the interior in black, relocated rear license plate.
While stationed on Okinawa from 1995 to 2003 my daily driver was a 1985 FC RX-7 turbo. Had rear spoiler, aftermarket wheels. Did not spend a lot of money on it because I wanted to spend it on my RX-3. It had an LSD in the rear and it was a lot of fun using it as a drift car.


Q: Whats the biggest reason you chose a rotary powered car to modify?
As I grew up in Japan watching the drag racers, I was very impressed with how fast the rotary cars were with only few modifications done to the engine versus the Toyota 2T-G/18R-G and Nissan L series engines. I also like the old school muscle car look of the RX-3.

Q: Is this car your daily driver? Do you participate in any form of racing? (Drag, Auto-X, etc)
No, I have a 1999 Mazda B3000 P/U. However, if the wife is using the truck for work or shopping, I drive the RX-3 if I need to go somewhere even in the rain.
I am interested in trying Auto-X with the car soon. I think it would be too slow for drag racing as the engine is right now but would not mind going out just to see what it will run.


Q: What do you enjoy most about your car?
That it’s a rare nostalgic car and is very simple to work on.

Q: Do you have any future plans for the car, or any car?
I would like to go fuel injection with it to make it easier to start and drive. Looking for some type of front spoiler for it, and would like to stiffen the chassis with front strut tower bar and maybe a roll cage.

Q: Any other hobbies besides cars?
I enjoy riding my 1994 Honda CB1000SF motorcycle. It is another rarity in the U.S., only sold for 2yrs 94-95. I am into football too. Played in Highschool then I got to play again for 5years (2000-2005) while stationed in Japan.

Q: Anyone you'd like to thank?
Definitely my wife Marife for putting up with my love of cars/motorsports. She considers my RX-3 my girlfriend.
Thanks also go out to Steve in Okinawa for winning my wheels for me on Yahoo Auctions Japan. Thanks to Luis and Kenny on the Space Coast for helping me acquire and set up my front brakes/suspension, and Paul for towing my car to DGRR 08 so I could attend an awesome event and won 1st place in the Old School category. Look forward to next year.

More pics...

http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/i...DSC_0097-3.jpg
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/i...r/DSC_0101.jpg
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/i...r/DSC_0138.jpg
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/i...r/DSC_0432.jpg

photos by Allen Gibbs

hmm.. No one's congratulating Dan??

Or Questions about his 3??

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!! Car looks amazing!

So, because it is a '75 it was not a problem importing it?

Where are the booty shots?

:party::hurray:

Well I'll be the 2nd to congratulate Dan! :)


As far as questions... you've covered it all pretty much... except for one question... how much for your car? :302:

It is a beautiful car.

Mods; RX-8 Front rotary accent :D

very nice....

congrats, Dan. Next year we're caravaning to DGRR09 and you better bring that puppy.

Beautiful ride man, I drooled all over it at DGRR.

Old school rotary ftw- back when gas prices weren't a problem and everybody'd get smoked by us...

Congrats !! :party: ... there were alot of nice cars at the event , but yours I liked the best of all ... VERY clean , nice Car :) ... didn't know you , but we were the ones eating breakfast Friday morning at the Village next to your table , should have said Hello ... see you next year :cheers2:

congrats, super deserving of the win. i cant wait til i have the space/time/money to dig my hands into an old skool rotary project. would love to do a PP rx4

Yes, no problem since it's over 25yrs old. Didn't require any special safety modifications or emissions testing. Had it shipped to Virginia for free by the military when I got stationed there.

Sure, that would be fun. Yeah, I'd prefer to go up with a group just in case any mechanical problems happen to any of our cars. But I'm pretty confident the 3 can make the long trip without any problems. I enjoyed your photos on the DGRR forum. Great work.

Congrats! I love your car and I love the Q&A... very cool!

super clean. I love it. Congrats :drool5::hurray::bowdown: