In a message dated 1/25/00 6:00:13 PM Pacific Standard Time, mrc01@flash.net
writes:
<< I read somewhere that NSU sold the patent to Curtis Wright, who
resold it to GM, Mazda, Mercedes and at least one other Japanese
car company. Mazda was the only company that pursued it and
turned it into a solid, reliable design. >>
You are Correct. Curtiss-Wright owns (or owned) the patent. All of the
companies mentioned above as well as others, licensed the patent from them.
Curtiss-Wright built some large rotaries for possible Marine use. Back in the
early 80's when I was at FMC, we talked with them about possible power plants
for Marine Corps vehicles. The 1975 Chevy Monza was designed around the
Rotary powerplant. The motor was cancelled so late, that the driveshaft hump
in the floor on the 75 Monza is quite a bit higher than the 76 and up. The
Rotary output shaft is not at the bottom of the motor like most other
Automotive engines, but just below the middle. To use it GM needed the higher
hump. There wasn't enough time to "fix" it for the 75 model year! - Seth
Emerson
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