I'm a land aprraiser and do thousands of miles a month and I come across some nice cars every now and then. I almost missed this lil girl but I it just caught my eye so I whiped around to have a look.

It's an SA with the manufacture date of 3/1978. This is the first, and only "1978" SA I've ever seen and it's a shame it was left to rot out on the side of the road. Oddly enough, the owner showed up while I was taking the pics and said I could have both for 200 bucks, the other being an 83 in slightly better condition. I know we've got an SA/FB registry but I don't know if ya'll are keeping up with just car currently on the road or if you add the ones the rest of us come. I thought this might be the earliest on the list but looks like there are a few ahead of this one.
Pics:






Underneath all that rust and shitty brushed on paint is the orginal Spark Yellow. Car was last registered in 94 and the guy told me it ran when he left it out there. If I didn't already have an 85 I'd be all over restoring this but I don't have the room or time to do a proper job. If any one here is seriously interested in restoring this car, send me a PM and I'll give you the owners phone number and the location of the car. It really is a shame that one of the earliest SA's is out there wasting away.

 

Hoodride rx7 anyone? Looks like a perfect candidate.

Make sure it runs, then slam it.

 

wow 1264 is early.
rotarydude needs that for his collection.

 

Wow thats a nice find. Some one should seriously try and restore it if its not to rusted out.

 

The hood is done for and the rear hatch drain is rusty but didn't feel destroyed. All four tires were flat so getting under it wasn't really an option. If there's real interest I'll go back a do a much deeper look into it's over all condition.

 

What a find Duffman. Keep your eagle eyes roaming for more lost and hidden treasures. Thanks for posting pics.

 

that reminds me of a commercial thats on TV for some auto parts place.

"there are few joys like that of towing home a new car"

My first two cars were spark yellow 79s, so I have a serious soft spot for them.

 

nice find! do all early model SA come with those twin wiper rubbers per wiper? interesting...

 

So I'm trying to figure out how come it's got Canadian-Spec 1980 speedo in it!?!? (dual: mph w/metric kph, and 80mph)
Stu Aull
80GS
Alaska

 

Hades will be all over that lol. if i were closer i'd take teh pair and restore the 79.

 

Here's another 3/78 SA, in slightly better condition. Number 501090.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2114698

Rich

 

Very nice find. 1264 makes it a first day Production.

Here is my #195
http://www.matthewnanney.com/195.htm

 

i wonder why it has 2 mirrors?

 

Good catch, It should not.

But in 28 years things get changed.

 

Maybe replaced?
The mirror are not stock. They're different from any I've ever seen.

 

I have the same mirrors on my '83, they fold in at speed.

 

those mirrors are stock from the 79 GS model being non power. if i remember correctly, the power mirrors were introduced in 1980. i would guess it might have been an option to add a second mirror. my 80 LS has the same type of speedo with the kph under the mph.

 

Poor little guy. Where in texas is this thing? Looks nice but those oddities (speedo and mirrors) are weird.

 

Pick it up. Can't be left in a field. Just act as a go between if possible, pick it up and sell it at cost, ie towing/time, so like $300.

A 78 SA is a dream of mine. There's a 79 (not sure about the numbers, though) around here I REALLY, REALLY want if I can sell my mitsu as a DD. Supposedly in good condition, too.

 

Car is located on the corner of FM 593 & Hwy 271 in Gilmer Texas

Your's and mine both. I wish I could, I REALLY do but I don't have room for another 7 along with the 2
85's and 2 Miatas.

 

to bad i dont live in texas. it would look nice next to my sa built in 4/78, after the rust was removed

 

i love feilds, if these things are sitting close enough to the road you can see them in the fall. gatta have a good junking eye for that though.
makes you wonder why they got put back there to begin with???

 

79 and 80 GS came standard with two manual mirrors. I think the power ones showed up as an option in 80.

 

not early cars, they did not have a passenger side,

 

Just so happens that I know the answer to that, lol. The 83 was picked up to swap out motors in the 78, at least that's what the owner told me.