5k: REPOldsmobile: 1974 Mazda Pickup Olds 455 V8

This next feature is about is a wonderful fusion of Asian and American automotive excellence, like a T-bone steak wrapped in rice and seaweed.  You might die of complications from obesity and heart disease from eating the previously described edible concoction, but that is only if you survive the fiery crash if you drive a mid engined Mazda pickup.  Find this 1974 Mazda REPU with Olds 455 power offered for $6,000 in Santa Rosa, CA via craigslist.  Tip from fueltruck.

The 2nd generation Mazda B-series pickup (colloquially known as the REPU — Rotary Engine Pick Up) was sold from 1965-1977 for light commercial and consumer use.  It is one of those long gone compact pickups that can haul a ton of stuff (if you don’t mind going slowly up hills).  As Joe at Wired Magazine pointed out, you don’t need some giant brodozer to get to work and an occasional Home Depot trip, you just need something small and with a bed…which isn’t what we’ve got here…it is small…just no functional bed left..

…because someone dropped a 455 cubic inch V8 mated to an Toronado transaxle in the back of this thing.   Where it gets really radical is in the use of Covair swing axles, which if they are from the first gen ‘Vair, might cause some sweet dynamic camber changes.  This might mean your shake-n-bake passing maneuver turns into a tuck-n-roll.

See another Mazda you can fix with a Cresent wrench? tips@dailyturismo.com