Rotary Survivor: 1967 NSU Wankel Spider
My first drive in a rotary engined car was amazing. The little Mazda RX2 was smooth and swift. The Wankel engine was a great idea except for the apex seals. They are light, and small but need rebuilding on a frequent basis. The tiny single rotor engine in this Spider is rated at 64 horsepower. As I recall, the engine was small enough that there was a little storage compartment above the rear-mounted engine. This Spider is listed on eBay in Bremerton, Washington with bidding over $12,000 at this time with 6 days left. Reserve has not been met. It is said to have been stored for over 30 years in southern California and is completely original.
The interior looks really nice from here, amazing actually. It even looks quity sporty for such a small car.
The little Wankel engine is hiding under that deck. The seller didn’t provide a picture of the engine. The engine is said to turn but hasn’t been started. It was likely parked because it needs apex seals and will need to be rebuilt. A picture would have been very nice. There are only a few hundred of these spiders left, but once again being rare does not mean it is valuable. Nice, running examples sell for less than $20,000. This one is likely going to need an expensive engine rebuild as well as the usual mechanical work necessary after sitting for so many years. It will be interesting to see how high the reserve is and what someone is willing to pay for this Spider. It would be a fun little driver after mechanical repair. It’s hard to imagine the new owner restoring it completely.
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Comments
I have driven a Wankel Spider — as well as a Ro80 — and enjoyed both. I recall that the Spider engine was not quite as smooth as a Mazda rotary, and it seemed to have little low-end toque, but it was happy to rev and pushed the car along pretty well. Otherwise, the car was nicely-assembled and well-finished for being based on the relatively inexpensive Sport Prinz.
When I drove the Ro80 (in Germany), I was told there is a fair amount of interest in these cars, both Ro80s (later VW K70s with piston engines) and Spiders, and parts can be had. This one doesn’t look as if it needs a full resto, but deserves to be put in top shape.
Indeed, the single rotary rotor was not as smooth as the later Mazda twin rotor engines, and they didn’t have as much torque. I owned several rotary Mazdas. It was amazing how they could run great and not smoke yet burn a quart of oil every hundred miles when the seals went. The rotary Mazdas did not sell well toward the end. My favorite was a leftover RX3 wagon that had been sitting on the dealer lot for over a year. It was really cheap as I recall, had great AC and ran great.
David, I had a ’73 RX3 and loved it. Until, that is, the engine burped up a seal and turned itself into a large water pump.
I’d still love to have a Wankel Spider….
Not mentioned, but this was actually the world’s first production rotary. 215 were imported the the US. Very neat little cars; not quite as pretty as the contemporary Mitchelotti BMW 700 or their own company’s rival Audi 1000SP but neat nonetheless. I wrote some interesting history up on one a bit back: http://germancarsforsaleblog.com/feature-listing-1965-nsu-spider/
German humor rarely translates well………when I lived in Germany, these and the RO80’s were fairly new. The Germans used to say when 2 RO80 drivers met on the road, they would acknowledge each other by lifting fingers off the steering wheel……..the number of fingers told how many engines they had changed in the car. They were a very cool sexy car built before the technology could be perfected. Off course…..all this went away with the establishment of the German Auto Confederation.
Great example of where money can be made as a flipper. This same VIN was sold no reserve for less than 5k no reserve on Ebay from its storage spot in Cali less than 2 years ago. I still have the print out from Ebay as I was one of the bidders. Quite a jump–would’ve expected some value add other than a spit shining. I was hoping to hear how the engine had been rebuilt. Guess not. So $50 in buffing pads polish and a grand in Tranportation costs from cali up north gets you how much more than was paid for it….?
Looks a lot like an Amphicar, to me.I like this.
Others may agree with you. In 2001 I purchased a 1967 NSU Sport Prinz, which has a very similar Bertone body to the Wankel Spyder (but with a roof) but is not a rotary, rather it has a mighty 2-cylinder, 4-stroke, 36hp engine. We were towing it back from NJ to NC on I-95 behind our Toyota 4Runner and we stopped at a rest stop in MD. When I came out of the rest stop I found a puzzled looking dude walking around the trailer, and he asked, “Is that one of them water cars?”
It would sit well next to Our AG VW Type 1 in the garage.
My cousin has one that’s been untouched for years. Was his father in law’s. His FIL also had a Ro80 but that’s with another in law
I knew a guy who raced one in 1967. It was a new car which had been lightly wrecked. It wouldn’t run with a straight pipe so it got a used motorcycle muffler It was fairly fast in the straights, but had no torque. Everything passed after a corner.
I remember the build quality was crude.
Yes these tiny engines can be rated at 64 HP because a little torque multiplied by big revs = decent HP, but that doesn’t translate into the vehicle being fast.
Love Ben T. Spanner’s comment “Everything passed after a corner”.
Big torque plus the ability to rev is king for on-the-road driving satisfaction, which is the reason I have never been tempted to own a car with a rotary engine, as interesting as they are.
And I remember an episode of Jay Leno’s garage where the featured car was an early Cosmo that had to be driven little, and gently, because the rotary was so fragile and needed frequent R&Rs.
But this little NSU sure is appealing, and definitely wears its Spider moniker well. It definitely deserves a full restoration, or maybe better, preservation.
Lots of interesting comments on it—thanks guys.
“…to own a car with a rotary engine, as interesting as they are.”
don’t confuse a Wankel w/a rotary engine. Mr. Wankel may have invented it but they were never any good as comments above show. The later improvements made a fantastic runner, too late to save the concept.
Luv the car – think it’s Italian style is Y (’60s ish).
“…doesn’t translate into the vehicle being fast…”
unless U C what I have at the drags