I've searched for the list to no avail, so I'm asking here - What were the available color names for the first of the RX7's? Mine is an early 79 (SA22C509155) and there is no name plate color info.
Thanks in advance for the answer to such a weighty question.

 

1984 (R5) Sunrise Red power's activate>>>>>










But seriously google helps located color codes. It is stamped on your vin plate. Mine was R5 aka sunrise red

 

seems there was a similar thread like this yrs ago.

a quick google search found this:

https://erix7.home.xs4all.nl/rx7col.html

 

In 79 the color options were:

Sunrise Red
Sunbeam Silver Metallic
Sonic Bronze Metallic
Spark Yellow
Daytona Blue
Aurora White
Tornado Silver Metallic
Beat Black for the 79 Limited

 

In 79 and 80 the color code was on a decal on the underside of the hood. The color code on the firewall VIN tag began with the FB cars.

Dave's list is correct except that Tornado Silver was a 1980 color.

 

Thank you very much. I have a replacement hood and no decal.
It is silver, so it must be Sunbeam Silver Metallic

 

Thank you, two silvers is one too many,
it helps to have the list narrowed to one.

 

The Tornado Silver Metallic is a gunmetal gray. https://erix7.home.xs4all.nl/rx7col.html

 

I was thinking that but I wasnt 100% sure. My 79 brochure is upstairs and I was going off of memory. I appreciate you clearing that up!

 

ive been working on a list, the FC and FD were easy, its in the parts catalog, the SA-FB has been harder, factory info is a little skimpy

 

Would love to see some Mazda documentation on the FB 3A cars(Royal Maroon Metallic)...the why and whatnot. I'm unable to find anything but forum posts. Just curious.

 

In the US, the later model brochures at least do list the available colour options, see page 17 eg: http://foxed.ca/rx7manual/manuals/85_brochure.pdf
Also for 1982 (page 15): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzy...5NTYzMjNl/view
Other years may be the same.

I can only speak for Australia, but there was no documentation for colour options. Dealers were given colour chips for the available colours. I have all the Australian factory brochures and there is no mention of colour options. There is some info here:
http://www.ausrotary.com/viewtopic.php?t=119387

Another compounding factor is that not all colours were available in all markets.

For example, the two-tone silver and gold options were available in Europe, Australia and Japan in 84-85 but not the US. A few of the US colours were only available there. Canal Blue V4 was only available in Japan on the IMSA Special model (see here for info: 1985 Savanna RX-7 GT / GT Turbo "The IMSA Special" JDM brochure - AusRotary) There is a colour called Persimmon Red which I have only ever seen on 1 car: in Australia.

I have all the details on the Australian models and intend to put together an illustrated guide some day when I find time. I have been slowly collecting photos of actual cars in each colour - much better than colour swatch approximations. @j9fd3s I am happy to help contribute to your list if you'd like?

 

that color appears to have been GSL-SE only, and off the top, only on cars with the shaded glass and painted mirrors. i think that color appears on other cars, the FC too, but other than that i don't know anything more than you. i had one too, it is a really nice color, and looks great with the grey interior (mine was red, and it kind of clashes)

as to why the late GSL-SE's get a couple of special colors (PZ black is the other one), the shaded glass and painted mirrors (and taller gears), is a mystery. its almost a special edition, but you would never know it existed unless you have one, or spend WAY too much time in the parts catalog... it does make for a very nice car though.

 

i will send you a PM!

 

Almost done with the research on the 1979-1980 colors, the colors these cars came in by region are way more complex than anything 1981 and up.

 

Regional colors were certainly a thing that Mazda did. In 85 Ocean Blue Metallic, color code L6, was a regional color. Took me a coons age to find one.

 

those are even rare where they were sold.

as a spoiler the early 79's in Japan were red, but it is a different red than the US got. RT Cyclone Red vs RH Sunrise Red

 

I never knew they made a Cyclone Red!! I wonder how different of a shade it is.

Ste you saying that Ocean Blue was rare when new or regional colors in general? I can tell you it took me many many years to find an Ocean Blue 85. I've had it for 12 years now. Just pulled the injectors out of it last night. One is not working properly. I'm going to send them out.

 

its a rare color for sure, we had them here, but it was really uncommon.

 

Don't forget 'Space Yellow' which is more of a schoolbus yellow than the lighter spark yellow. This was available on non-US cars, and seems much more common in AUS circles. (*I'm partial, because I chose BZ21T - Chrome Yellow Clear coat from the 2005 Mazda paint codes for my 84SE to replicate that color).

 

i haven't! the Spark Yellow to Space Yellow chronology is the interesting part, it looks like it overlaps. so the USA keeps Spark Yellow for the whole 1979 run, and the rest of the world switches to Space Yellow

 

Space Yellow was certainly a common colour in Australia for both series 2 and series 3, all years from 81-85. I can't recall seeing it on series 1 here, but it was definitely available in Japan in that colour in 1980.

 

US colors available in 1984 - from the sales brochure;

 

Does someone know the colour codes for the gold and brown 2 tone? That looks tough and I'm thinking of adding the brown to my gold 7.

 

That's a very interesting question as we have no information on the two tone cars. Were they in fact stamped with two color codes? Was it just one code with the second color added as an option? This is definitely worth looking into!