SA22 turbo from Japan
 

Currently here on Okinawa for a two year tour. Looking at buying a 1st gen turbo for 4000$ and bringing it back to the states. That's if this car is worth 4000$ in that states. ?? My understanding, any car older then 25 years old can be imported in to the states easier. still have to make sure of this rule. Since our tour is only tow years, I do not want to spend alot of money on a car and loos my butt when we try to sale it when we have to leave. But if the car is worth the money back in the states and it can be imported easly, I may buy it and use it as a daily driver back home.

Is the car worth bringing back? Car is clean and all original. Sorry no pics.

thanks
chuck

More info on the car would help?

Worth it, yes, but not in this economy.

1983 gsl rear disc brakes
sun roof
Interior is 6/7
exterior is 7/8
Milege is120,000miles, Not sure if original motor
5 speed trans
15 inch watanabe wheels, good tires
12A turbo, all stock
upgraded shocks and springs, type unsure.


chuck

It really depends on the body and mechanical condition of the car. In mint condition it would definitely sell for $4k but not easily...I think its way too easy to turbocharge one of these engines to make a factory turbo engine very valuable unless it has an upgraded turbo and EMS.

Is it 120K miles or kilometers?

Post pics of the body, interior and engine bay. I thought the oem turbo was only availible for 84-85. What color is the radiator fan? If it's a factory turbo, it should be orange.

The 12at was available on 83-85, the rest of the world didn't follow the same "series" as the US cars did. I believe (someone correct me if I'm wrong) that only the US 84/85's got the different dash and interior, the rest of the world had the S1/S2 dash throughout.
I'm thinking the fact that the non US 83 had a 12at is the reason that the US 83 is such a mix of parts...

The rest of the world got SA22C's as vin numbers, as we only had them from 79-80 and then went to the new VIN system with FB instead :D

Yea that too, then again most/all cars before 81 had the shorter VIN's....

pics would be nice

If it is a original 12AT, it should have eiter GT, GTX or Limited badging. Rotary turbo badges on the B pillars, and rear. It should also not have Mazda badges on the fenders, but "Savannah RX7".

The turbo cars usually had Bilstein Motorsport rear dampers, and adjustable KYBs up front. If you look around, it has a little black knob on the bottom of the strut, with 8 different settings.

The easiest way to spot a original 12AT is actually looking at the instrument cluster. It should have a boost gauge.

As stated before, the engine fan should be orange, same as the "turbo" badged plenum, and ignition leads. A genuine 12AT also has the Mazda logo on the housings in black background, and beeing a EFI, its also one of the few 12As produced with holes for the metering oil on top of the housings. Its also the only engine with engine mounts on the front cover, that has a turbo drainage hole in it.
If its still originial EFI, it also has two ECU`s, one for spark, one for fuel. The air filter box also has "Rotary turbo" stickers.

The turbo cars all had the US 84-85 GSL-SE big bearing rear axles, and of course LSD. Ventilated disc front and rear. It also had a stronger gearbox, unique for the 12AT cars.

Now, is it worth it? Well, its actuallt becoming more attractive even in Japan, so its kind of an collectors item already..

thanks for the replys. Will go back and check on things posted in this thread to make sure it is a real 12at car.


Will get some pics this weekend.

I did get these two shots.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3.../cars/9999.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...1/cars/888.jpg

Thanks
chuck

Quick bit of explanation for those who are curious:

The car is probably a vehicle that was sold late 1983 IE: a new model 84 that was first registerd in late 83. By jappanese law the car takes on the year it was first registered, regardless of when it was made, or what model year it is.

You could littereally have a 2009 SA22c if you found one sitting in a wharehouse that had never been registered yet. strange but true.

My SA22c was first titled in 1983, but it was actually a 1984 model, as it was one of the first out the door to a dealer and was first registered in mid december of 1983.

So by law even though it was sold as the 1984 Turbo 12at Limited edition it is titled as a 1983

Kenn

i really want a factory turbo first gen, then again who doesn't right :P...anyways, i was just thinking, that's 4k for just the car right? plus you gotta take into account the money you're gonna spend getting it to the U.S. . . even if it's a genuine 12aT i don't know if you can get your money back for it specially in this economy.....it'll be a great ride tho haha.

Hey Ken, this is chuck from Yokota.

What do you think about taking this car back to the states? I am not a big JDM guy but thought it would be a interesting car back home.
I know one can build a 12at in the states but this car is a orignal right hand drive, 12at car.

cost will be nothing getting the car to the states. US gov. will do it for us when we leave here.

chuck

i say pull the trigger. Shipping will be free for you. Just do it. Maybe you should have brought a bunch of levi's and johnny cash cd's to trade :P

:lol: but true. you must have been here at one time.

That's really interesting, so are you saying that there is no 83 12at just a bunch of 84's that were sold early and titlted as 83's under that law?

I'm not an expert on this, but my understanding is that the stringent Japanese vehicle and smog laws would make a 120k original engine all but impossible. Used to be one of the reasons that places like K Watanabe here in SoCal used to have container loads of used Japanese engines imported all the time.

Again, only have this info third-hand; any of you guys actually in Japan that can speak to this?

Since the car appears to be an original turbo and shipping is free, buy it. You won't loose money selling it here in the States. A true collector would shoot me for saying this, but I'd be inclined to convert it to LH drive just so I could comfortably drive it here. Either way, it would be a collectors item, the more stock the better.

^^ i agree with the left hand drive conversion.. a true collector would frown upon this but it would make the car much more liveable... i'd buy it. you really have NOTHING to lose on this.

dooooo it, common do it! you know you wanna :lol:

Thanks for the replies.

chuck

like what everyone said it would be nice, IMO I would keep it RH. The extra work to convert it to right hand to me its not worth it Id rather get used driving right hand and cruise while all the ricers stare at me saying " O shit thats a straight up JDM" LOL. Well anyways good luck with the decision I hope you bring it home to US grounds