Any idea how many 1979's are still running? I'm saying on my description of my car, that only a few hundred exist today. Is this a true statement?

 

No, there were, at a guess, >30,000 made and shipped to the US. If 10 percent are still running that would be 3,000.

 

I'm sure there is no way to ever know this. Here are some points to ponder. The SA22C's were not eligible for "Cash fo Clunkers" ,
If these numbers are to be believed..

1st Gen
1978 72,683
1979 71,617
1980 56,317
1981 55,321
1982 59,686
1983 57,864
1984 63,959
1985 33,562

Even with these numbers, I do not see many around. Even if you asked the DMV how many registered '79s are around that still may not give you a tally of running specimens.

 

I've got two and I know several who have multiples

 

i've got one, 8/78 build date. not on the road but does exist.

 

So, my 1985 is more rare than the others?
Joking aside, I'd love to have a 78/79 to compliment the 85. Now back to your regular thread ....

1st Gen
1978 72,683
1979 71,617
1980 56,317
1981 55,321
1982 59,686
1983 57,864
1984 63,959
1985 33,562

 

I know my 78' is still here... It is slowly turning into its original components of oxygen and iron and becoming closer to mother earth. And I'm pretty sure they guy who bought my other 78' is driving it still (but I can't comment on that for sure). Both cars were titled as 79'.

 

 

The U.S. production and sold numbers I have are different but are verified and published. They can help shed light on a production number search. These are RX-7's sold in a calendar year:

1978- 19,299
1979- 54,853
1980- 43,731
1981- 43,418
1982- 48,889
1983- 52,514
1984- 55,696
1985- 53,810

With that said, there were more 1979 model year RX-7's sold than any other year, given they were released and production started in early 1978. There are quite a few around and I feel as though the early cars are much less likely to be found molested. Many people bought them and took excellent care of them. They are however, more prone to rusting it seems, so many were consumed by road salt.

 

If the FD is anything to go by, the '79s that do still exist are almost entirely in California. Someone polled the DMV of each state a couple years ago and there were more than twice as many in Cali as in all the other states combined.

I would not be at all surprised to hear that 1st gens are the same way. They made so many of them, and there are a reasonable number still out there, but I never ever see them on the road, so regional distribution makes the most sense (especially given that rust is a big problem).

 

 

There are a lot in the southeast and that makes sense because there were a few mazda backed teams down in in atlanta and else where.

 

there are plenty left, search CL.... im sure there's a few on there alone