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One of 800 Australian-Japanese Rotary Hybrids: 1975 Mazda Roadpacer AP
This 1975 Mazda Roadpacer AP is a real rarity, being one of just ~800 of the Autralian-Japanese rotary hybrids built over a three-year period ending in ’77. Whereas the Holden HJ these cars were based on utilized straight-sixes and V8s, the smallest of which was 2.8 liters, the Roadpacer AP (Anti-Pollution) made do with just 1.3 liters, 130 hp and 100 lb. ft. of Mazda 13B to motivate its ~3,500 lbs of curb weight. Performance and economy were of course dismal, and as a result very few of these cars ever sold–in fact, many sources report that the last few remained unsold until 1979 or even 1980. This one, like all Roadpacers, was built in Australia and shipped with an empty engine bay to Hiroshima, where Mazda dropped in the Wankel and called it a day. It’s now very rusty, but seemingly complete with a claimed 42k km. We’ve been hunting for one of these cars to feature for years now, and sincerely hope this one is put back on the road. Find it here on Jimoty in Osaka, Japan for 500k JPY (~$4,500 USD today). Special thanks to BaT reader Alex T. for this submission.
The Roadpacer was conceived as an upmarket offering intended to compete with the likes of the Toyota Century, Mitsubishi Debonair, and Nissan President. As such, Mazda went the extra mile, fitting interior amenities like rear-seat radio controls, central locking, dictation system, and sometimes even a drinks cooler. Priced at the equivalent of approximately $10,000 when new, the majority of these odd ducks are believed to have bought new for government administrative use, most of which were crushed even after a fairly cushy, well maintained life.
In contrast with those upmarket cabin amenities, the exterior was left virtually identical to Australian spec, with lighting and even the grille left unchanged, and fender mirrors and badges among the only differences. This example shows a very rough body on both sides, with extensive rust present on the lower regions of the rockers and fenders, along with upper bodywork showing many dents and even what may be evidence of previous corrosion repair. Interestingly enough, lighting and trim both appear to remain complete and intact all around. Wheels are not factory, as the originals used a simple steelie and hubcap combo nearly identical to that of the base Holden.
The lower extremities are photographed with a decent amount of detail, at least enough to determine that the car will require extensive corrosion repair. A chassis number is also pictured as having been masked off during an earlier respray, also with plenty of rust in view.
Peering past corrosion on the fenders, rockers and door frames, the cabin shows more of the same level of decay. Carpeting is rough along with upholstery that’s given way to the underlying foam in more than a few areas. Instrumentation and switchgear seem complete, but the door panels are damaged, and the stereo head unit is non-original.
Not unlike contemporary US GM offerings, the HJ offered a range of six and eight-cylinder engines, ranging from 2.8 to 5.0 liters with output covering a range of 135 to 240 hp. The Roadpacer came exclusively with a 1.3 liter 13B, topped by a 4bbl carb and developing 133 hp and just over 100 lb. ft. of torque, all sent to the rears via a Jatco 3N71 automatic trans. Top speed was advertised as 166 km/h, or just barely north of 100 mph–most reported economy of roughly 9 mpg.
Though mechanicals will probably be the least of any potential restorer’s worries, 13B parts aren’t hard to come by, and chances are you could almost stand alongside the little Wankel with more than enough room left to swing even the biggest wrench. Can anyone name a factory setup with a greater engine-to-engine bay size disparity?
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