When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hello, new to RX-7's but I got a 1985 GSL-SE, or so I think... The title says it's a '
80 but it has a 13B and all the GSL-SE trim. It's Vin is a SA22C, bit bit other than that, I don't know how to identify the rest. My thoughts are he put the trim and engine in a '80 RX-7?
In May 1980, Mazda released a limited production run of special North American models known as the Leathersport Models. This package was essentially an uprated GS model with added LS badges on each B-pillar, special striping, and LS-only gold anodized wheels (with polished outer face and wheel rim). All LS editions came equipped with special LS-only full brown leather upholstery, leather wrapped steering wheel, leather wrapped shift ****, removable sunroof, LS-specific four-speaker AM/FM stereo radio with power antenna (though listed as a six-speaker stereo, as the two rear dual voice coil speakers were counted as four speakers in total), remote power door side mirrors, and other standard GS equipment. Two primary options were also available; a three-speed JATCO 3N71B automatic transmission and air conditioning. Other GS options such as cassette tape deck, splash guards, padded center console arm rest and others could be added by the dealer. The LS model was only ever available in three different exterior colors: Aurora White, Brilliant Black, and Solar Gold. No official production records are known to exist or to have been released. This series of RX-7 had exposed steel bumpers and a high-mounted indentation-located license plate, called by Werner Buhrer of Road & Track magazine a "Baroque depression."
Last edited by KansasCityREPU; Aug 11, 2018 at 08:43 PM.
Looks like a gslse to me with a front bumper from a 79 or 80. The rear light panel is fb, not sa. It has painted mirrors which suggests gslse. The dashboard is definitely from an 84-85.
I see the shape of a 84-85 dash. I also see rear disk brakes. The rear wiper squirter on the roof seems like an unlikely addition if not from factory. I say you do have a GSL-SE that someone had placed the fenders and bumper from a 79 or 80 on.
edit. The tire size was a SE size only. 205/70R14 were not an option from Mazda on any other SA or FB.
Last edited by Richard Miller; Aug 12, 2018 at 12:28 AM.
As I understand it, the SA22C was used through the first gen life cycle across the world, except the US. Could the car have been imported as a non US model? Do the VINs all match. The firewall and the dash?
After seeing the door sticker, I'm changing my answer. That is not a 1980 build tag. It's a tag from a GSL-SE. This is a GSL-SE with a SA22 front bumper. Can you also take a picture of the VIN on the drivers side firewall? A 1980 will have the VIN stamped in the metal. A 1980 will also have a dash VIN as part of the trim.
I'm wondering if someone used a 1980 SA22 title to register this car. Something isn't right.
The rear winder squirter is also not 1980. Nobody went to this level to convert a 1980.
Last edited by KansasCityREPU; Aug 12, 2018 at 09:43 AM.
Its certainly an 84-85 GSL-SE. The paint is not correct, the chrome badging is not correct, and the wheels are of course not correct. The front bumper is form a 79-80 RX-7. I would guess that the car was either wrecked at one point and this was what the owner at the time could find or the guy just liked the look of the SA front bumper. The Limited badge on the nose panel is also not correct for the car. It was removed from a 79 Limited RX-7.
i would imagine someone had a wrecked 1980 with a clear title, and a GSL-SE (possibly also wrecked), and the two were put together.
the tag in the door, has an FA66 on it, which is GSL-SE, but the firewall vin is the 1980, so there will be a weld seam somewhere between the two that isn't factory....
You may be able to use a GSL-SE to get parts or not. Its hard to tell how much of this car is 85 versus 80 and there are sometimes significant differences in particular areas.
I don't think the VIN tag in the engine compartment is normally held on by 4 philips head screws either. My 80 has 2 screws at the midpoint at each side.
I would really be concerned about what was done under all that glossy paint as far as the build of this car goes. Might be all solid or could be a nightmare. Did you get a valid title for it?
Now, the question is...is the car registered as a 1979 or an 84-85? Does the vin on the title match the vin in the door jamb and on the dash? I noticed what appeared to be excess body filler near the vin plate on the firewall. This leads me to believe that someone ground down the area where the trim plate with color code was mounted. Appeared as though they used filler to smooth the area, painted the area black and screwed a vin plate from a 79 RX-7 to the firewall over the area where they ground down to hide their sloppy work and attempt to convert the car to a 79 for registration purposes. Essentially attempting to change the car into a 1979 in order to properly register the car as the title was lost or not able to be obtained for whatever reason for the GSL-SE. I can see a partial vin to the left of the vin plate from a 79 that was installed. Is there body filler over the original vin that was stamped into the firewall to the left of that vin plate?
Last edited by mazdaverx713b; Aug 14, 2018 at 06:58 AM.
If its like my 1979, it should also have the VIN stamped on the drivers side firewall. Also, 1979/1980's have a VIN on the drivers side lower dash trim piece.
You should hope this is not a stolen or otherwise pieced together car. First time this car gets any detailed attention from an officer or a really picky inspector and you could be up a creek if it turns out the car was rebranded for whatever reason.
I saw this car ad several times and each time I noticed the difference between SA front end and FB rear end. The price started out about $5500 if I remember correctly, then dropped.
It's hard to tell from this picure but it looks like the section of firewall that the VIN plate attaches to has been grafted in place with a bad weld - does it look that way to you? As others have noted, I would look very carefully at the underside of the body and see if there is a weld seam across the bottom of the car. It should be easy to see even if somebody tried to hide it with undercoat. I'd take a wire wheel and clean off a section of the car from font to back to see if there's a weld there. Of course, it could just be that someone put a FB rear bumper on an SA, or a SA front bumper and fenders on a FB and it's legit, but I'd approach with caution.
