The Alternative spin: The Mazda REPU
Mazda compact trucks found their way into the U.S. market in the 1970s. If you have one from ’74-’77 it might be sporting rotary power. Let’s take a look at the iconic Mazda REPU.
Cars and trucks often depict points in time and symbolize the world in which they were created. Some even become “segment busters” that establish a new vehicle category. One such segment buster was the compact truck offered in the United States by multiple Japanese manufacturers during the 1970s.
Japanese pickups became the ideal type of hauler in the United States during the fuel-starved 1970s when the norm was odd-even days of gasoline rationing, long gas lines and high prices for whatever gas might be available. Overnight, these compact pickups became money-saving alternatives to those who needed to haul, but didn’t need much carry capacity or power to do it. Adding to their appeal, many found that the compact Japanese pickups could be cosmetically and mechanically customized, attracting many young men to them during the 1970s.
Datsun and Toyota were among those Japanese manufacturers that offered compact trucks for 1970, and in 1972, Mazda’s entry joined them. Meanwhile, Detroit’s Big Three offered no mini pickups and had none on the drawing boards. To quickly get into the compact truck game, General Motors and Ford Motor Co. entered into joint ventures with Japanese brands that already offered compact trucks. Chevrolet brought out the badge-engineered Isuzu Faster as the Chevy LUV (light utility vehicle) while Ford offered the Courier based upon a Mazda B-series pickup. Both began to be sold in the United States for 1972.
These compact pickups all had overhead-cam, inline four-cylinder engines in front, a rear axle, a four-speed manual transmission and an independent front suspension paired with a leaf-spring rear suspension. For 1974, Toyota’s little pickup had 106 hp, Datsun’s pickup touted 100 hp, Mazda’s version had 85 hp, the Chevy LUV put out 75 hp and the Ford Courier was good for 74 hp. Then Mazda stirred things up, and between 1974 and 1977, it offered the Rotary Power pickup, now referred to by enthusiasts as the REPU (pronounced rhee-poo, an acronym for Rotary Engine Pick-Up).
The Mazda REPU was the first and only rotary engine-powered pickup. Mazda’s Wankel (pronounced van-kel) engine is a combustion engine that makes crank power by rotation motion rather than reciprocating motion, as on a regular internal-combustion engine. The Wankel uses a triangular rotor that revolves in a chamber. In contrast, a piston moves up and down in an internal-combustion engine’s cylinder. There are fewer moving parts in a Wankel, and it is also smaller and lighter for a given horsepower than a conventional internal-combustion engine. Compared to the competition, the Mazda REPU made 110 hp, besting all other compact pickups of the day.
To match its unique power plant, Mazda’s rotary pickup had a distinct design with rectilinear styling. Like other pickups of the time, the cab was short and the bed was long. Pronounced lip flares around the wheels were stamped into the front and rear fenders that suggested muscular haunches. Track width, both front and rear, was greater than the competition, and the REPU was shod with larger tires. Low-beam headlamps were outside of the grille and within the grille were the high-beam headlamps in an arrangement reminiscent of the 1962 Dodge Dart. A large “Rotary Power” call out was on the tailgate.
These charming details and promise of more power caught the eye and swayed original owners to buy the REPU. The sporty steering wheel with two U-shaped spokes, the floor shifter, the pleated door panels and seat upholstery and the deep-pile-cut carpet gave the interior plenty of flair for the day. Woodgrain inserts on the instrument panel further provided the Mazda with a touch of refinement. Also on the instrument panel was a row of three round, deeply hooded gauges with white lettering on black faces. The three instruments included a 110-mph speedometer plus odometer; an 8,000-rpm tachometer; and the third dial housed the coolant level, ammeter and fuel capacity. The only seating option was a bench seat with a low backrest.
In printed advertisements of the day, Mazda said the rotary-engine truck came with power-assisted front disc brakes and a stabilizer bar and a warranty unmatched by any other light truck. Specifically, a 50,000-mile or three-year engine warranty. Rod Serling, of “Twilight Zone” fame, did television ads and hawked the 1974 Mazda REPU as “The pickup with pick up.”
Colton Broderick is the proud owner of the featured 1974 REPU. The Arroyo Grande, Calif., resident said, “I had been working for a shop called Lucky7Racing for a few years as a mechanic fixing rotary engines and the toys they are sold in. I was drawn in immediately to the classic body lines of the Mazda Rotary Power pickups. They were simple but spoke to me.” Broderick knew these trucks were innovative, ahead of the curve and a trend setter, and he eventually found one of his own.
“I personally like the aggressive fender flares, the unique and tasteful rotor-shaped hood emblem in the middle of the grille, the optional ‘Rotary Power’ on the tailgate, and the passenger-side battery box cover just in front of the rear tire,” Broderick says of the REPU.
When Broderick bought his REPU, it needed some refreshening and attention. As a caretaker of history, Broderick’s truck is more than a possession to him. It is a passion. As someone fanatically devoted to the rotary engine, Broderick did a body-up restoration.
“A full overhaul was done, and this includes anything and everything,” Broderick says. “Every nut, bolt and pre-existing thread was tapped or replaced. The frame was blasted, and the chassis savored. The bed was lined and protected. The dings and dents on the 22-gauge sheet metal were troublesome. On top of my 40-hour work week, I was determined to make this REPU beautiful.”
The body panels are smooth and accented with show-quality chrome. The blue paint is well applied, and the glass is exceptionally clear. The interior looks showroom-fresh again. Broderick is grateful to Fielding Steen-Larson for providing space to work and helping with the labor-intensive work.
Lucky7Racing specializes in upgrading Wankel engines. Motor-vation for Broderick’s pickup came from a more “vitamin enriched” engine using aftermarket parts.
“The truck has a factory 13B [engine] with the old-school vintage air (carburetor), correct rotor housings, and a mild street port,” Broderick says. “I would suspect upgrades of 180 to 200 hp, if not more.”
Mazda only sold 15,000 units in the United and Canada before it discontinued the truck. Today, the Mazda Rotary Pickup has a sainted standing as a cult classic.
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