Just SA's
06-10-09, 10:16 PM
#106
seats and steering wheel:
gearshift ****:
headliner. note the color change between the vinyl on the under side of the sunroof and the leather on the headliner:
you'd originally asked if the door panels were leather covered. not so on the LS, but here is a pic of the door panel on the LS for reference:
06-12-09, 04:03 AM
#109
Hey fellow SA-ers-
missed the last couple of days of this thread - beCAUSE (cue music): I actually got my SA on the road - F-I-N-A-L-L-Y! Won't bore with the deets but suffice to say RX8 seats needed to be re-thought for proper install and I am half way there... meaning I am driving "mono-posto" - driver seat only, just to get out on the road. Happily - inspite the seat headaches, the 12A fired up first turn of the key - no drama Mama!
Both Mike and Banzai have me hepped up to take more time when in Europe to see these damn race tracks! The 'Ring isn't that far (I mean, once you get to Europa!) from our place in Austria - plus I understand for about $18, they will let ANYone drive their car on it! Kewl.
So. Pic o' the Day-
Today its tail lights. I got a big buzz when I discovered that, due to European law, the rear yellow signal lenses MUST be on the outer-most side of the light cluster, so the RX7 SA's there got a revised cluster. Well, I always disliked the yellow lens being stuck in the middle on our version, so I hunted all over to chase these down - which I managed to do. I also include a somewhat goofy shot of my car mid-way thru the conversion but shows off the two types nicely...
Hmmm. Now some sorta Factoid...
Well, did you know that the JDM SAs only have the "RX7" badge (actually: "savannaRX-7") on the _passenger_ side of the car?? The driver fender is blank.
Another:
Did you know the last production run of the top-of-the-line Limited 1980 SA came with the REAR wiper?
Hope everyone's having a great RXSummer! light 24hrs here now - payback for the -40s in winter
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
missed the last couple of days of this thread - beCAUSE (cue music): I actually got my SA on the road - F-I-N-A-L-L-Y! Won't bore with the deets but suffice to say RX8 seats needed to be re-thought for proper install and I am half way there... meaning I am driving "mono-posto" - driver seat only, just to get out on the road. Happily - inspite the seat headaches, the 12A fired up first turn of the key - no drama Mama!
Both Mike and Banzai have me hepped up to take more time when in Europe to see these damn race tracks! The 'Ring isn't that far (I mean, once you get to Europa!) from our place in Austria - plus I understand for about $18, they will let ANYone drive their car on it! Kewl.
So. Pic o' the Day-
Today its tail lights. I got a big buzz when I discovered that, due to European law, the rear yellow signal lenses MUST be on the outer-most side of the light cluster, so the RX7 SA's there got a revised cluster. Well, I always disliked the yellow lens being stuck in the middle on our version, so I hunted all over to chase these down - which I managed to do. I also include a somewhat goofy shot of my car mid-way thru the conversion but shows off the two types nicely...
Hmmm. Now some sorta Factoid...
Well, did you know that the JDM SAs only have the "RX7" badge (actually: "savannaRX-7") on the _passenger_ side of the car?? The driver fender is blank.
Another:
Did you know the last production run of the top-of-the-line Limited 1980 SA came with the REAR wiper?
Hope everyone's having a great RXSummer! light 24hrs here now - payback for the -40s in winter
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
06-12-09, 04:05 AM
#110
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
06-12-09, 08:21 AM
#111
Rx-7 Heaven
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Making my days Stu with your string of fun factoids and photos. Never noticed the unique side badge difference of JDM Savannah models. Thanks!
Both times I've vacationed in Alaska were around the the Summer Solstice. Felt like I got twice the vacation time with all that daylight in BIG country.
Both times I've vacationed in Alaska were around the the Summer Solstice. Felt like I got twice the vacation time with all that daylight in BIG country.
06-12-09, 09:11 AM
#112
Stu, thanks for the info, I thought they were the same but with only a cutup one from a LE and never seeing an actual pannel from an LS (only pictures) I have wondered this for awhile. Thanks for the MazdaTrix tip, I'll check!
Yes, last time I was there it was about 14Euros for a lap of your lifetime. You got them out of a vending type machine. The lapping entrance is down the road a ways from the actual track's main entrance. There is a good chance you'll see some exotic machinery parked there as well. You enter along the long main straight adjustiant to the castle. They are open most every day for lapping but are closed at times for events and things. Consult the web site for the schedule (http://www.nuerburgring.de/home.html) You only get one lap at a time and must exit and re enter to go again. Go to the main track entrance too, their is a small museum there and you can see the old paddock and garage area. If those walls could only talk.........
Yes, last time I was there it was about 14Euros for a lap of your lifetime. You got them out of a vending type machine. The lapping entrance is down the road a ways from the actual track's main entrance. There is a good chance you'll see some exotic machinery parked there as well. You enter along the long main straight adjustiant to the castle. They are open most every day for lapping but are closed at times for events and things. Consult the web site for the schedule (http://www.nuerburgring.de/home.html) You only get one lap at a time and must exit and re enter to go again. Go to the main track entrance too, their is a small museum there and you can see the old paddock and garage area. If those walls could only talk.........
06-12-09, 10:24 AM
#113
No prob Banzai - Yes, same units (shift panel AND radio panel) -and I think mazdatrix still has some NOS ones available. the LE and LS radio hole (rectangle) is the same - Standard GS/S model SAs had the radio cut-out WITH separate **** holes. And of course there were BLACK panels on the earlier 79s, the late 79 and most 80s had the silver panels - but same shape/size....
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
as available any more. At least I know LS's could be possibile sources as well. 
06-13-09, 02:51 AM
#114
I think I owe an apology here! you said "LE" - I _read_ "Limited" - as in "79 Limited". Your LE is an FB (I know you know that - and I _should have_) and the SA / LS panels will NOT fit ;p
My Bad, bro - sorry...
Thanks for the 'Ring site - will add to the too-damn-long Must See List of Stuff to Do in Europe. I _DO_ know there is a small technical museum in SE Germany that has a Brand New Right-off-the-Truck, zero-mileage SA on display. Other than whatever Mazda Japan has sitting in ITS museum, this must be the freshest, newest SA in existence!! THAT I gotta see.
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
06-13-09, 03:03 AM
#115
Rummaging thru the Parts Shed tomorrow for more interesting stuff...
SA-guys (gals?) - there has GOT to be more you can contribute here? I can't be the only one this goofy about his car?
(can I?)
SA Factoids:
European-spec SA's did NOT come with the Thermal Reactor exh manifold in most markets, Nor the monsterous secondary heat-exchanger unit attached to it - it was a very standard-looking unit not dissimilar to the FB exh mani - but w/o the cat.
European SA's did not have the big piston impact units behind the steel bumpers like our 5mph-spec US models. Just a skimpy-wimpy looking little "Y" bracket on each corner. That also meant no metal reinforcement plate bolted into the insides of the bumper shell to attach said pistons to. This HAD to have shaved off a good number of pounds!
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
SA-guys (gals?) - there has GOT to be more you can contribute here? I can't be the only one this goofy about his car?
(can I?)
SA Factoids:
European-spec SA's did NOT come with the Thermal Reactor exh manifold in most markets, Nor the monsterous secondary heat-exchanger unit attached to it - it was a very standard-looking unit not dissimilar to the FB exh mani - but w/o the cat.
European SA's did not have the big piston impact units behind the steel bumpers like our 5mph-spec US models. Just a skimpy-wimpy looking little "Y" bracket on each corner. That also meant no metal reinforcement plate bolted into the insides of the bumper shell to attach said pistons to. This HAD to have shaved off a good number of pounds!
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
06-13-09, 08:55 AM
#118
My mistake
No, I think I did a Typo that confused you. I meant to type 79-81 (not 19-81) I am speaking of a 79 Limited vs a 80 Leather Sport. The pannel in Daves car looks like the same as the 79 Limited's cut out sizes an all. The actual electronic equip is slightly different but one looks to functionally interchange with the other.
06-14-09, 04:14 AM
#119
I am making it all up!
OK - ugly truth, what with seven l-o-o-ong winter months to ponder my Ride under a cover and 2 ft+ of snow , I have ample opportunity to explore the www (that would be "wacky world o' wankles"). for all things SA. In addition to ongoing parts hunt I have bought every OEM brochure, technical paper, dealer manuals, parts books, road test, etc. etc. from everywhere any SAs were sold -
The Crown Jewels being a near-complete collection of the spec-TAC-ular series of JDM dealer brochures for the SA released from early 78 to spring of 80.
The biggest of these are known as "honkata", which has GOT to translate to "Big Honkin' Brochure"
These works of graphic art can be up to 35 pages each, of cars, interiors, technical design stuff, etc. etc, many showing features never released beyond the Home Market.
Pic of some of the covers, but obviously does NO justice to the SA **** within-
Factoids & pics-
-A special series of JDM Limited 80 SA models came with Power windows!
-full, body-molded mud guards with "RX7" on them were an available option in Japan
-The top-line Limited in Japan had a similar cluster to the 79 Limited here with its digital clock -
I say "similar" because the speedo was metric/km, and the cluster was lit with RED bulbs
- a rear luggage rack was offered. You be the judge... ;p
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
06-15-09, 03:22 AM
#122
79 Limited got a 1-pg ad in various magazines, that is the extent of promotion I have ever seen for US "specials" for SAs. Truth was these cars were so, er, limited, that they sold out with out any promotion.
And the LS (and Anniv, and Limited) were all N.Am market only - Not even Japan got these, tho they had several specials of their own, as Brian Long's book on RX7 shows.
Mike - yer welcome - glad to give you a smile or 2
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
06-16-09, 04:49 AM
#124
How many even heard of the Overhead Console accessory in the SAs?? Ya, me neither till I caught a view of it in, of all places, the North American spec 1979 OEM parts manual (pic). Naturally, it was NOT offered here and, no, Mazda wouldn't supply one if ordered with the PN in the manual (believe me, I tried!). Finally I chased one down in Australia. This doo-dad came in at the tail end of the Japanese "overhead-console-craze" of the mid/late 70s. Any old timers who sat in an RX4 Coupe (and I think the RX5??)or a 74 Toyota Corona SR5 knows of this Japanese fascination with aircraft-ish overhead switches, lights, & what have you. Near as I can tell only the JDM and Auzzie markets got SAs with this feature, and, oddly - it was ONLY offered in NON-sunroof cars - which, not surprisingly, is all you could get for early SAs in the Home market - and anywhere else but N.America (no sun-roofed SAs were ever sold in Oz, Europe or UK AFAIK).
Anyway - kinda cool. As yet uninstalled because I am still puzzling how it mounts - there are distinct mounting points on its separate mounting bracket, but no apparent matching points on the roof frame, that I can tell. Plus I am non-too rushed to poke holes into my pristine head liner
RX fact-o-rama of the day:
Did you know the european SA front and rear badges were ALL chrome finish, not the black-with-chrome trim of the US cars?
Did you know the original design for the SA was supposed to have all black, a la FB, badges, but management made them chrome them up?
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska