Introducing one of the biggest flops in automotive history, the 1975 Mazda Roadpacer AP.





Now those who know a little about Australian motoring would probably point to it as a GM Holden HJ Kingswood. However it's not.

In the mid 70s Mazda needed a flagship large luxury car, and in an effot to cut development costs, put together a deal with GM Holden to import a bunch of rolling shells to Japan to use for this flagship car.

Holden sent them Premier sedans, essentially the top of the line model. Now the stock Holden came with a 202c.i. inline 6, the "red" motor and made bugger all power and had a huge job of propelling heavy car around.

When they arrived on Mazda's doorstep, Mazda dropped in 13B engines, backed by trimatic auto boxes. So they ended up with a car that was now slower and produced worse fuel economy than the original vehicle on which it was based. Not a bad effort.

In reality, the car wasn't all that bad. It came with power steering, air conditioning, AF/FM radio, central locking and fender mounted rear view mirrors...even the Holden product didn't have most of them!

But it wasn't to be, the car was wide enough to attract Japan's "large car tax" and prohibitivly expensive, at the equivalent of US$10,000 in 1975. Add to this the fact that Mazda's flagship local car was just so obviously foriegn.

This car almost single handedly bankrupted Mazda, to the point where not even the Japanese government could buy them out. So after the car's axing in 1978 negotiations began with Ford, and a little later Ford pulled rotories from all Mazdas. Had it not been for the success of the Series I RX7 the rotory engine probably wouldn't be here today.

Specs
Length, Width, Height (mm) 4850, 1885, 1465
Max. Power (ps/rpm) 135/6000
Wheelbase (mm) 2830
Max. Torque (kg-m/rpm) 19.0/4000
Track (front/rear) (mm) 1530/1530
Max. Speed (km/h) 165
Vehicle Weight (kg) 1575
Turning circle (m) 5.7
Seating Capacity 5 persons
Transmissions 3-speed automatic
Engine Type 13b Rotary
Suspension Type (front/rear) wishbone/4-link
Displacement 654cc2
Brakes Type (front/rear) disc/drum
Compressoin Ratio 9.4
Tires Size 7.50-14-4PR or F78-14-4PR

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Wow!
That car is ugly.

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'94 Prelude Si - SOLD
'98 Prelude - SOLD
'05 TSX -

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Yeh but you can make something pretty cool out of the V8 version



Also available in many types, sedan, coupe, ute, stationwagon and my favourite, PANELVAN!













A mid 70s Holden Panelvan is my dream car.

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hmmm... don't really know what to say about those

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01 F-150 SuperCrew 4x4 5.4 TritonV8 dailydriver 12mpg FTW!
91 Si 4WS frost white JDM B20A!! fixing/repainting
91 Si 4WS granada black pearl B21A1 (for now) knocking
91 Si 4WS red wrecked
90 Si black blown
86 CRX SI sold
90 F-150 300c.i. inline 6 5 speed work horse/huttin truck
02 Honda Magna VF750C- play toy

members ride thread: http://www.preludezone.com/members-rides/3023-91si4ws-1991-si-4ws.html

NOT ON ANY BANDWAGON!!

i think im in the same boat...it is ugly lol but thats all i have

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Not-on-the-H22-bandwagon: Member #1.2 92 Si 4ws | 92 Si | 93 Wagon

The first yellow one kinda reminds me of a Buick GSX



Slightly OT, but one of the guys I work with builds hot-rods, he's a huge fan of Buicks and GM's... he made car that he calls the
"X-Camino". It is the Front End (From the Front doors forward) from a GSX, and the Rear end (from the front doors back) of an El-Camino... he's got a 455 big block in it... and it... is... bad... ass....

I'll see if I can get some pictures up here, he did a stunning job.

Edit: Here's a link to the x-camino's page on his own personal webpage (he does custom classic car interiors). The pics are small, but they're the only ones I can find... I've actually been in the car before, and let me tell you, it is a work of art, inside and out. He fabbed it completely himself, all the frame welding, body welding, everything he did with his bare hands... it is simply stunning... and let me tell you, you put a 455 CI V8 in a car that has next to no weight over the rear wheels, and that thing can spin wheels on demand, whenever/wherever you want. (Sorry, I know I got a bit OT)

The coupe doesn't look too bad.

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'94 Prelude Si - SOLD
'98 Prelude - SOLD
'05 TSX -

1200+ Ban Club

There's a few good reasons for that...they're both GM, and both share a number of componants. Come to think of it, when they bring the Buicks in (and the Chevelles for that matter) they use steering and peddle systems from these cars for the RHD conversions.

And that X-Camino is a work of art!

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All I can say is they are ugly.......I like my lude haha

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