This Is a 20B, Otherwise Known As a 3-Rotor.

 

A friend of mine has had this 3-rotor twin turbo Mazda 20B engine forever and it haunts my soul. Over 10 years ago, it was going to be dropped into his 2nd generation RX7 which would have been an absolute monster. Sadly, just a short time after the engine was commandeered from a land far, far away, his RX7 was t-boned hard in the side.  He was fine, but the car was destroyed. The beautiful 3-rotor engine was then put into storage where it lived in the darkness up until recently, when it needed to be relocated.  So what’s the plan for it you ask?  That’s a super fantastic question, that I would love to know the answer to!  I know that I dream about owning it every single night, but honestly, it is worth more than any of my vehicles, so swapping it into any of them would just be shameful.

What would you guys do with an engine like this? Caterham? 3rd gen RX7? Miata? VW Bus? I’m out of ideas…

Jeremy Nutt

Hi, I'm Jeremy.

14 thoughts to “This Is a 20B, Otherwise Known As a 3-Rotor.”

  1. Wikipedia says output of 300HP/300TQ. Though Shane Racing offers a 20B crate “Dyno tested at 1180HP alcohol” so apparently this motor has some potential. They’re asking $6950 for a factory stock version like the one in the blog post…

    This is a great question! A real thinker.

    I’m thinking FC [2nd gen] RX-7. But that seems so closed-minded. You have me baffled, something to think about today.

    1. Arco – That is exactly the problem! The obvious decision would be a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd gen RX7, but I feel like there is a better idea out there. I just don’t know what it is. For the immediate future, it is back in the indoor storage. We’ll see what the future brings I suppose!

      1. I have thought on it some more and the only solid answer I can think of is to build a replica Mazda 767 from scratch, and use the 20B as an authentic power plant.

  2. You guys are all NUTTS! Lets go back to option number one and put the thing where it belong; in a 2nd generation RX7. Built from scratch? I like that, but these days, who has that kind of time? Are there factory stock versions available for the 20B? Great! I’d drop it in a well prepped RX7 frame, with a completely new front, and rear, steering, suspension, and brake system. BAM! I’m done in 4 weekends, and riding.

  3. Needs to go into an era correct ride…too beautiful to hot rod. Besides there are great kits to put LS mills into newer rides for street smokin’!

  4. I have an 84 B2000 that would love a rotary in it! Burnouts for days….. Course I’d have to paint the thing then.

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