Project Car Hell: Rotary Dilemma!

Stop the presses! Last Friday's Project Car Hell entries are locked in a seemingly unbreakable tie! At the time of this writing, the Volare "Road Runner" and the Ventura "GTO" each have 150 votes, possibly indicating that a big engine is just as cool as a 4-speed when you're dealing with a Malaise Era pseudo-musclecar. Or something. In any case, let's move on to a pair of vehicles that remain untainted by unfair comparisons to a Golden Age...

We love the Wankel! So, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Mazda rotary engine, how about this 1975 RX-4 wagon? The seller claims it runs, but it's clearly been sitting for a while; you might as well assume the apex seals aren't so great (actually, you should assume that anyway). There's a hole rusted through the hood, too, plus some of the side glass has been busted out. And, of course, it's an automatic. And there's no mention of registration or paperwork, a genuine concern when you're dealing with an Inland Empire car. But hey, the seller is "askin $800 obo," so you could probably haul this seriously cool rotary machine away for just a few Benjamins, de-slushbox-ize it, and add godzillions of rotary horses.

It's a damn shame that you can no longer buy any kind of truly small pickup truck in this country, and a rotary pickup? Forget it! Don't despair, though, because this '74 Mazda Pickup is being sold for the stunningly low price of $750. Sure, there are some minor issues. It doesn't run. And there's rust-through on the bed. And rust elsewhere. And the trim is missing. But the seller will tow it 100 miles! Best of all, the tailgate screams "ROTARY POWER" to the world!

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