Based on the VIN numbers listed in the Special Edition registry it indicates that the various color 1980 LS cars were produced in somewhat of a random pattern. I would have thought they would have run all one color at a time but that does not appear to be the case. I could understand possibly running from say the end of one month into the beginning of another but they appear to have been produced over a 10-11 month period. Again based on the registry it shows that for example with the Solar Gold cars one is from the September 79 production, two from March 1980 production, two in June 1980 and three in July of 1980. This commentary isn’t about the exact quantity produced in any specific month but just that a unique color was run over an extended time period. Anyone have any insight or commentary into the possibility of this type of production sequence?

 

this goes in the non technical section... i see you in PA, where abouts?

 

i did a bunch of research on the 95 FD's, as its the smallest production run. i found based on VIN # that the colors were just totally random, i would have thought they would do a bunch of red, a bunch of white etc etc. this is not the case at all.

also, and i'm not sure this is true for the SA's is that they can build multiple cars on the same assembly line at the hiroshima plant. so the FD is mixed in with miatas and proteges

they did remodel the plant sometime between the SA and FD though, so this may not specifically apply. i just notice that they didn't build cars quite on the schedule you'd expect

 

Thanks for the tip on placement. I'm relativly new to the board and will pay closer attention on future posts. Is there a way to move it to non-tech section? Located in Erie.

 

oh cool, i used to live in erie, then moved to mercer, now i live in ohio. welcome to the board guy!

 

Considering the way paint was applied at the time, they almost certainly ran multiple paint lines simultaneously for the one assembly line, and directed chassis to each paint line based on predicted sales expectations. Takes time to paint and bake; one paint line just wouldn't make sense.

So, chassis were built in series, but painted in parallel (with some colors at higher frequency than others) , and then put back on the assembly line as they were dry & ready, now out of series.

Same deal with the LS; not built on their own distinct line, but rather just optioned during build through parts selection based on the build card.

My theory; sticking to it.

 

i got me an LS we joke around that the LS means leather seats, but of course we know its not ture

 

mazda's random production was carried on through the years. i started an 88 10th Anniversary registry in the 2nd gen section and there are a couple sequential vins but it appears that most of the production run was seperated and built with vins sequential to other TII's and other RX-7 grades from 88.

 

correct, the LS stands for Leather Sport.

 

well we DO know they had build cards, and there is actually some evidence to suggest that the cars actually aren't built sequentially. again with the FD i found that the build dates didn't match up with the vins very well.

and also a third thing, and this may not apply to the SA's, but on everything after, i think they had multiple cars with similar vin #'s

for example my FD is JM1FD33120P0203810, USA spec, but is there also an FD3S-203810 in japan? and a JMZFD33120P0203810 in europe?

again i would have rather done my research on the SA/FB but there were 500ish 95 FD's, and they are all in the mazda computer, vs 40,000+ 79 rx7's alone that weren't very well documented even in 1999

 

I thought it stood for Lots Spendier?

 

well we got new leather seat, which i say are much betterr

 

i love my LS, even though its missing the badges, is painted green, and doesnt have the original wheels. but hey, its an LS! :P she'll be back to original one day.