early 79"s
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Joined: Feb 2014
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From: spanaway,wa
early 79"s
I have a low vin 79 with the hood prop rod attached to the hood on the right hand side not the left or attached to the body I have not seen one like this ever how many are out there like this I also have a fac. yellow 79 I hear only 300 were made I"d like to hear more about these 2 79"s from people that have real facts about these years please let me know thank you hope to hear from you thanks these are my 2 keepers forever
Welcome Keith-
Early production-year 1978s (sold as 79s) featured the RH mounted hood stay, a la JDM RX7s. A lot of these early models also had only the Driver-side door mirror as well.
Spark Yellow cars also unique to the 1978-79 (aka "1979") model run. But the 300-only production number is a fantasy tho. Tho a bit unusual, they made thousands in that color.
Post some photos so we can see your cars!
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
Early production-year 1978s (sold as 79s) featured the RH mounted hood stay, a la JDM RX7s. A lot of these early models also had only the Driver-side door mirror as well.
Spark Yellow cars also unique to the 1978-79 (aka "1979") model run. But the 300-only production number is a fantasy tho. Tho a bit unusual, they made thousands in that color.
Post some photos so we can see your cars!
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
Stu's right, no actual production numbers by color have ever been publicized or known. Although Spark cars are noticablly fewer in numbers, way more than 300 were produced. Daytona Blue cars are even more rare than Spark Yellow ones. What makes them more rare is that it they were a first year only color. The pre-production (lowest VINs) cars started out with the hood prop on the right and stowed in the hood itself. First change to it, was it folded and stowed in the fender, but still on the right. Sometime later in 78 they moved it over to the left fender where it remained. Several other small changes occured that first production year, like adding the passanger side mirror Stu mentions above.
I break the 79 model year down into 3 segments, Early production (Feb-May 78), Mid production (Jun-Dec 78) and Late production (Jan-June 79) vehicles. Across this time frame they changed small things while fine tuning things. Like Stu says, we need SA **** pictures!
I break the 79 model year down into 3 segments, Early production (Feb-May 78), Mid production (Jun-Dec 78) and Late production (Jan-June 79) vehicles. Across this time frame they changed small things while fine tuning things. Like Stu says, we need SA **** pictures!
I have a low vin 79 with the hood prop rod attached to the hood on the right hand side not the left or attached to the body I have not seen one like this ever how many are out there like this I also have a fac. yellow 79 I hear only 300 were made I"d like to hear more about these 2 79"s from people that have real facts about these years please let me know thank you hope to hear from you thanks these are my 2 keepers forever
And please do post up some pics. Pics are always great!
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
parts catalog shows the right side hood prop was used from SA22C-500001 to SA22C-531148, so there were somewhere around 31,147 cars built with the right side hood prop.
this isn't an exact number as it shows three hoods, the second goes to, SA22C-501799 and the third starts at SA22C-531149, so according to the parts catalog, between 501800 and 531148, they didn't have hoods, and you'd think we would have noticed this...
this isn't an exact number as it shows three hoods, the second goes to, SA22C-501799 and the third starts at SA22C-531149, so according to the parts catalog, between 501800 and 531148, they didn't have hoods, and you'd think we would have noticed this...
ill help him post a few pictures heres (that's my dad) a few of the earlier 79,
these are pretty old pictures
crazy appliance rotor lug basket wheels!
2 spoke steering wheel, the hood prop on the hood,has custom redone seats, pin striping
these are pretty old pictures
crazy appliance rotor lug basket wheels!
2 spoke steering wheel, the hood prop on the hood,has custom redone seats, pin striping
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I wish the PO of my car hadn't painted the spark yellow SA to gold. 
And that prop rod is damn anoying. especially if you want to mess with the distributer or battery. I have to make three trips around the front of the car to get to the battery. But I guess it is special or something. And it always falls down out of its hood mount durring hard connering.
And that prop rod is damn anoying. especially if you want to mess with the distributer or battery. I have to make three trips around the front of the car to get to the battery. But I guess it is special or something. And it always falls down out of its hood mount durring hard connering.
Both Sunbeam Silver and Spark Yellow are rare colors now a days. Your silver car is a base S model with an aftermarket sunroof. It has the early speaker dash and dash trim which indicates it to be an early production 78 car. You don't see many Rx-7s with wires either. Someone probably installed them to upgrade the factory steel wheels it came with. The S's are a little less desireable, mainly due to the 4 speed they were equiped with.
I'd guess the yellow car is a GS model since it has waffles. Not sure I ever remember seeing a Spark yellow "S" either although they must have made some as a base model. Two Spark car oddities are that they almost never have factory sunroofs (I've only ever saw a couple) and Spark cars seem to be the only color that got the optional Keyhole style alum wheel from the factory. But not all Spark cars got them, most got the waffles like yours. What color interior is yours? Spark cars were either black or a 2 tone brown.
I'd guess the yellow car is a GS model since it has waffles. Not sure I ever remember seeing a Spark yellow "S" either although they must have made some as a base model. Two Spark car oddities are that they almost never have factory sunroofs (I've only ever saw a couple) and Spark cars seem to be the only color that got the optional Keyhole style alum wheel from the factory. But not all Spark cars got them, most got the waffles like yours. What color interior is yours? Spark cars were either black or a 2 tone brown.
My car is vin # SA22c-523312 and came with the right side hood prop and drivers only mirror. (Im the original owner) Its an S model equipped much like the silver car above, 2 spoke steering wheel, four speed trans (you can tell by the ****) and lack of center console. There is quite a long list of things these stripped down cars came without, such as intermettant wipers and other such "luxury" items!!!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2014
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From: spanaway,wa
my silver 79 has only the driver mirror mfg 5 78 blk int wire bskt on chrome rims i have a spare still in the box from 79 my son kompressor logik posted pics of both 79"s I need to put my other motor in my yellow 79 it has brn int 5speed both mirrors mfg 5 79 thanks to all for the info
You never followed up? Filled a police report? Checked the junkyards? Did you just give up?
I just ran accross an April 1978 spark yellow 7 in the local pick and pull and it didn't have storage bins or back seats.
It did have waffle wheels, cruise control, rear sway bar and A/C. But it had an open diff.
It had the metal bracket peice that holds the storage bin doors, but there was no hole for the doors to the bins and the (looked pretty factory) carpet went right over them.
Was there a trim 7 that didn't have storage bins or back seats?
It did have waffle wheels, cruise control, rear sway bar and A/C. But it had an open diff.
It had the metal bracket peice that holds the storage bin doors, but there was no hole for the doors to the bins and the (looked pretty factory) carpet went right over them.
Was there a trim 7 that didn't have storage bins or back seats?
I just ran accross an April 1978 spark yellow 7 in the local pick and pull and it didn't have storage bins or back seats.
It did have waffle wheels, cruise control, rear sway bar and A/C. But it had an open diff.
It had the metal bracket peice that holds the storage bin doors, but there was no hole for the doors to the bins and the (looked pretty factory) carpet went right over them.
Was there a trim 7 that didn't have storage bins or back seats?
It did have waffle wheels, cruise control, rear sway bar and A/C. But it had an open diff.
It had the metal bracket peice that holds the storage bin doors, but there was no hole for the doors to the bins and the (looked pretty factory) carpet went right over them.
Was there a trim 7 that didn't have storage bins or back seats?
Rear seats were never offered in 1st Gen RX7s in N. America.
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 8,376
Likes: 30
From: Chino Hills, CA
That's due to additional body bracing in the SA's that would have made bins difficult. Braces were eliminated in the FBs.
When I did my bin mod, it took fair creativity to accommodate those braces.
When I did my bin mod, it took fair creativity to accommodate those braces.
Thats amazing. I thought bins were stock in my car.
Yeah, not putting htem in is kinda stupid IMO. All it is is a giant un-usable vacency in an otherwize small car.
I love them I keep a car cover and a gallon of pre-mix as well as a hand full of sparkplugs.
Yeah, not putting htem in is kinda stupid IMO. All it is is a giant un-usable vacency in an otherwize small car.
I love them I keep a car cover and a gallon of pre-mix as well as a hand full of sparkplugs.
Sin City Rotary
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,707
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas
I just ran accross an April 1978 spark yellow 7 in the local pick and pull and it didn't have storage bins or back seats.
It did have waffle wheels, cruise control, rear sway bar and A/C. But it had an open diff.
It had the metal bracket peice that holds the storage bin doors, but there was no hole for the doors to the bins and the (looked pretty factory) carpet went right over them.
Was there a trim 7 that didn't have storage bins or back seats?
It did have waffle wheels, cruise control, rear sway bar and A/C. But it had an open diff.
It had the metal bracket peice that holds the storage bin doors, but there was no hole for the doors to the bins and the (looked pretty factory) carpet went right over them.
Was there a trim 7 that didn't have storage bins or back seats?
All SA's were open Diff .... all the different things can be taking on or off to confuse matters ... I look at the roof
