Enigma

Pinto.

Mustangs (60's).

growley

I think the number is more around 30,000

El Negro

Who cares how many moving parts?

Ford hasn't "had" the rotary. They own a controlling share in Mazda, but they do not design their cars. Mazda has used Ford motors in their cars, but the Wankel and Renesis rotaries are all Mazda.

The Wankel rotary was patented in 1929. The old Ford flathead V8 developed in 1932. The Flathead V-8 hasn't been used since 1954, whereas the Wankel rotary was used until 1998.

The 4.6 modular Ford V8 was introduced in 1992. There are people running single-digit times in daily-driven single turbo 4.6 V-8 cars in this very board. There are daily driven N/A 4.6 modular cars running 10s on this board. These are in 3000+lb cars, mind you. How many rotaries do you know of around here than can say the same?

The Ford V-8's are their best motors. If Ford was smart, they'd tell Mazda to scrap the rotary as a failed project and stick developing decent economy and cheap family cars and leave sports car production to Ford.

Enigma

The Wankel rotaries were used in WWII plans correct? For the reliability and ease of rebuild along with the high rpm abilities in high altitudes. Now I'm not saying they won't make good power-houses for land vehicles..

The displacement in those motors are far greater than a rotary and fixing on is no easy task. With the properly trained machanic a rotary can be rebuilt in a day, less moving parts . Seen it.

The 13b's are the most common rotary motor, they only contain 2 rotors. The 20b is the rare rotary containing 3 rotors with twin-turbos from the factory. Replacing these with a turbo big enough to handle three rotors and a MBC can yield 500-600hp with the proper tune. The problem is there aren't enough people getting on these motors.. they could easily replace the piston motor. Being not only more cost effective, but more reliable.

It is the "new" that people are affraid of. Change, I like to call it.

BUT like I said.. there needs to be more research. I'd get a 20b Starion.. but it costs too much to get the work done and get a computer and wiring to handle it.. Mazda kinda fucked up there. On top of not making enough rotaries to go around

http://www.turborx7.com/20bbasics.htm
http://www.mazdarotary.net/technical.htm
http://cp_www.tripod.com/rotary/pg20.htm
http://www.northstarrotaries.com/links/
http://www.atkinsrotary.com/

One question: What would the displacement of your prefered V8 powerhouse be?

DOHC crx VTEC

even though ford sucks

Their a big part of our economy, if they crashed, we would be in a lot of financial trouble

Enigma

Oh, the 20b is a 1.962 liter motor, the 13b is a 1.3 liter.

LOL.. imagine a 4.6 liter rotary

Enigma

Don't worry, the Chinese almost own us now.. soon we will see brand new cars for less than 5k.

Cobra4B

There is really nothing funny about this...

Enigma

Well, it is good to know the Chinese are smart enough to not "beat" what they hold as an asset. We (The American Public) are now thier wallet.

El Negro

WWII Planes? Maybe as wheel chocks, not not as powerplants.

What does the displacement matter? It's still a more powerful and reliable motor.
Your average backyard mechanic can rebuild a SBC in a few hours. One-day rebuilds of Ford 302's are pretty much commonplace, as well. Hell, I've seen a 351 Windsor get rebuilt in 3 hours.
Mind you, I'm sure rotary-heads, get plenty of practice rebuilding their motors, but there are far more people who can rebuld a V-8 in a day than a rotary in a day.

Rotaries are FAR more expensive than most V8's.
And once again, reliable and rotary just don't go together.

The rotary isn't new. We already established that.

With almost 77 years of research and development, there still have been no great advances on making rotaries powerful and practical.

The modern small block V-8 has been around since for about 50 years and they have been and continue to be the most powerful, affordable and easily maintaned consumer-grade racing motor around.

My preferred one? 5.7L. But when did this become about displacement? We're talking about power, of which the V-8 makes more than the rotary, more reliably and cheaper.