madapple33

I have found a 1978 Limited Edition, one owner, 71k mile
car, in good shape, but not driven or run in about 5yrs.
What's it worth?????? is my 1st question,,,,,My 2cd would be,
I thought 79 was the 1st year???? This car is numbered 8XX,
and is all original.
Give me some help here.
Thanks

Hades12

What is the Build Date? Pics?

calvinpaul

iTrader: (2)

Probably worth more as it is becoming a collector...depends on the condition. And yes they were made in late 78 for the 79 model or something like that.

84-7GSL

A very nice one owner 79 LE with something like about 65,000 miles went for only $3,800 not too long ago on ebay.

smnc

'78 was the fist yea in Japan. They started selling them in late '78 in North America as a 79 model year even though they were the '78 version of the car. However the LE was a '79 model...

PaulFitzwarryne

It's normal practice to start production of a new model in September.

A 1979 model could have been produced anytime in the last three months of 1978, in fact there were over 19,000 sold in that time.

In original and good condition, with very low mileage, the value could be anywhere between $2,500 and $4,000 . However, with luck you could get it cheaper arguing its a 25 year old car.

madapple33

Thanks Guys,
The lady owner started asking $4000. I told her it would need brake
work, bad gas cleaned out of fuel system, tires checked out and a
bunch of other things to look at before it would be a dependable driver.
I think I can buy it for $2000. It was her late husbands car, She said it
is a 78, but I an sure thats when he bought it, it has to be a 79. She said
it was 1 of 1000 cars like it.
Thanks Again

Hades12

79's have build dates as early as july of 78.

Hades12

2k should be very fair if it looks good. Maybe even a bit cheep.

smnc

True, but the '78 had some differences from the '79 and the early '79's sold here in fact were '78 models (the easy to spot difference: only the drivers side rearview mirror)...

hammmy

Were the "'78s" the ones with the hood prop on the wrong side, and the odd change holder sizes (yen coins), or did those peculiarities carry over into the "'79" model?

PaulFitzwarryne

There never was a 78 model, it was always called a 79 model even though in the first year production of rhd started in April. The first lhd production cars came off the line in late June with US deliveries starting a couple of months later. Many had been presold.

Minor changes were progressively introduced in 'late' 79 models including the prop rod and mirrors.

tunafish

The Limited Ed was introduced in 79, 3000 were made not 1000 if its beet black and has the limited ed emblems on the pilars then its the 79.

MakoVai

this is a 79 with 59K original miles. what do you guys think its worth?
I need a truck so it's gonna have to go twords the end of summer.

7aull

iTrader: (2)

If its a Limited then for gawd's sakes don't start moding it after you buy it!! If you want it to retain any of its value (or think optimistically it might actually appreciate ) then it collectabilty will depend on you keeping it stock, or at least keeping the stock pieces if you swap them out with something else. $2K is a steal if the engine isn't dead. Worth a $100 for the mazda dealer to put a rotary (yes, its a special tool) compression tester on it, and give it the once over. Don't know what part of the country your in but watch for rust, especially behind the rear wheels. If you really what to clean her up, pull the battery tray ASAP and get the corrosion and rust out of there pronto. POR-15 works wonders in all these areas if the metal hasn't gone thru...
The Limited is probably the most collectable 1st Gen RX7 model of the bunch - so take care of it! And enjoy!! its a neat rig-
Oh, and the Limited was produced between Feb thru Mar of '79, within serial numbers
SA22C-542637 to -552248 (so sez the factory parts book)
Stu Aull
80GS
stock and lovin' it

PaulFitzwarryne

Body numbers a bit suspect as it implies nearly 10,000 were made. However, it could mean all Ltd were produced in that batch which also included other models.

One reference I have says the Ltd had a unique instrument cluster. Anyone know what they were?

Hades12

It had a digital clock, and the guages on the left side were aranged differently.

karlm

Stu; Does that mean my SA (SA22C543637) IS, or could be a limited?

As far as I can remember from my first 79 limited, it has all the same options, electric hatch release, sun roof, a/c, but this one doesn't have the limited badges. It does have evidence of a repaint though, so perhaps the badges were pulled off.

Also, it doesn't have a rear wiper, can't remember if my old one did either?

I'd sure love to have another limited!

Karl

rotorhead_1

Mine was built in march of 78, no passenger side mirror, hood prop rod is on the passenger side on the hood

Chamele03

I would like to know where everyone is getting there info from, my car was built in 6/78 and was delivered here in 8/78 has the prop an the right side but has both mirrors, According to the Victoria British catalog production started in 3/78. that would mean your car (rotorhead 1) was built the first month of production (and i was hoping mine was the oldest on here) But If i had 2k and could get a limited that ran, brake and fuel problems aside Ide get it, and if youve got cash be nice to the poor lady and give her 4k, she gets what she wants and we can use it as a president when selling cars in the future.

Hades12

i would sale the one in this thread
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generation-specific-1979-1985-18/new-additions-my-stable-407079/ cheeper than that.

It runs, Stops and I did not find any fuel problems. It just does not look so good.

madapple33

Well, I went to look at it yesterday. Very nice lady, but with no clue
what her late husband had. It is not an LE. It is serial #839, one of
the first 1000 made. Hood prop on right side, no right mirror, pretty
good dent in passenger door, needs painted and cleaned up. It is
a one owner, 71000 mile ,RED, car. No rust anywhere.
She was under the impression that they ony made 1000 of them in 79
and all of them was "Limited Edition" cars. I hated to burst her bubble,
but gave her some honest info on the car.
Now, what's it worth, being that it is that low of a serial number????
Thanks

Aviator 902S

It's hard to nail down an exact dollar value, but a mint condition '79 could fetch up to 4K as long as it has no irreversible mods, all service records, under 100,000 miles and no accident history. That dent in the door would easily knock $1000 off the selling price though.

I'd estimate that in another ten years this car (with dent fixed and then car maintained in original condition) could be worth over 10K, so it should be worth buying for that reason if for no other.

As for model year, the RX7 was first produced and sold in the spring of 1978 and designated a 1979 model--- in much the same way as 2004 RX8s were available in the spring of 2003. Some changes were made mid-year (hood prop for example), but all were designated 1979 models.

Aviator 902S

Nice car. Shame about the body kit though. While it does give the car a certain "Porsche" look that may appeal to younger (and therefore less wealthy) buyers it may not sell for as much as it otherwise would--- unless you get lucky and find that one buyer who wants exactly that package and has the money to buy the car. With the mags (and assuming no flaws) this car is easily worth 3K, but unlike unmolested and original examples it will not appreciate in value over the next decade, at least not by anywhere near the same margin. The low mileage looks good though, especially if you have all receipts from day one.

Hades12

I would say $1500 to $2000