I’m not really sure where the affinity with the Mazda rotary comes from, but it started around the time I was 13 or 14. A mix between the influence of a high-school mate who’s older brother was into rotors and the lustre of the Fast Fours & Rotaries magazines that came with him.
It was also a time when Brett and I started becoming interested in cars and Dad would take us to the occasional meet up or Small Car Sunday.
I can still remember the lumpy idle of a ported RX driving by and asking Dad “what is that…!”
Time for another rotary
Fast forward to Hobart, 2023 – 40 years of age and the demands of life were starting to call for a second car. Endless searching and fine tuning of the Car Sales filters really just led me back to one car.
Low cost, RWD, manual, rotary – the RX8.
I had literally been looking at them the whole time whilst living in Norway and this, now in Hobart would be my chance to buy one; under the main proviso that a child seat would fit in the back for Tommy. The RX8 being a 4 door, 2+2 style coupe.
Another Bruce
The funds we’re all but organised and I picked out a clean, 1-owner car in Victor Harbour, South Australia. It was the deceased estate of a lady who’d bought the car new for her 60th birthday… She must’ve been one cool lady – surname Bruce.
I’d planned to get Dad to test drive it or lean on Collectible Classics in Strathalbyn to do the deal. In the end, I was able to buy the car quite easily, with help from the son, who moved it back and forward to Strath for an quick inspection and test drive.
A couple of days later Mum and Dad picked it up from Strathalbyn, and Dad got the first drive taking it from Starth to the freight yard in Wingfield.
Within about 6 or 7 days it arrived in Hobart and I simply couldn’t contain my excitement…! First stop, Super Cheap auto for some oil.
