Hi I知 on the verge of buying myself a 79 SA, I知 from the Durham region in Ontario and would like to know how available parts are whether it痴 oem or aftermarket, the car I知 buying runs and drives nice but I plan to redo the front end soon after buying. If anyone痴 from around the same area in Ontario reach out to me I知 always down to chat or meet up

 

some parts can still be found new but most r NLA. racingbeat, mazdatrix, and the like, is the go to for aftermarket. rockauto still lists parts. many of us have gotten parts there. manuals can be found on the foxed.ca site. not sure if any actually give a part number, having that number increased the chance of finding one.

 

Most mechanical stuff (brakes, suspension, basic running gear, etc.) is readily available, either thru Mazda Canada, US parts specialists (Mazdatrix, Atkins Rotary for eg) or ebay.
Trim is another story. Again, basics exterior stuff like weather stripping (you will want to access the condition of yours!), badges - are still available new. Not the rubbers tho! But, if you take a look inside your SA - other than aftermarket carpets - virtually NONE of it is avai new anymore

So in evaluating your purchase, be aware that if something is broken or missing, you will be hunting for used parts. They are out there. I would hunt down local or regional rotary shops, for the few that may still exist. They will have a tap on what spares are available. Maybe even where some old wrecks are that you can pull parts from. And keep an eye on the back lot of your local Mazda dealer-service lots. Dead RX7s still occasionally get dropped off for service, only for the owner to find out the car is beyond help. And the car is left sitting, awaiting fates unknown! I have scored a lot of parts (sometimes: whole cars!) this way. Also get knowledgable about what "Mk.2"/FB RX7s (81-85) parts will interchange. (Most).

Finally, for dealing with the Mazda Parts Counter, download a 79/80 PARTS BOOK. Avai here on the Forum. You will need part NUMBERS to walk in and try to buy the few OE parts you can. My sad experience is most Parts jockeys either don't know RX7s or don't care.

After purchase, unless you get lucky and are buying an SA from its original OWNER and come with some sort of service history, be prepared to replace a lot of just-plain-worn-out bits. Its a 40+ yr old car!
-Fuel filter!! easy to change, often ignored. And a typical poor-run issue. Likewise, air filter...
-unless documented by owner: completely flush cooling system ASAP, including all new hoses!!! Do not forget to include the in-car HEATER hoses with this, as these fail, and can take the motor with them. Flush the rad (pro rad shop will do this). Proper coolant is the #1 factor in keeping old rotaries happy.
-take a hard look at the condition of all the rubber weather stripping. Esp sunroof and rear hatch - when they fail (or if the DRAIN HOLES are plugged! check!), this can lead to major rust issues. LIFT the hatch seals along the bottom to be sure the metal under is solid. Likewise under sunroof seal.
-if your new-2-U SA has been sitting for long periods, expect fuel-plugging issues with the gas tank. Long-stored cars (any brand) will have partial-filled tanks start to rust, and gas within may be 'dead', resulting in plugged up lines and filter. (see above).
-to that end, one of the first things I would do is pour in an entire can of SEAFOAM into the tank, to run thru the fuel system and clean out as much as it can. A further step is to trickle SEAFOAM thru carb intake while car is running to get into the combustion chambers and clear out built up carbon - a problem with low-use or older rotaries! Warning: do this somewhere that will not **** off your neighbors!! The smoke generated (which shows the Seafoam IS working...) is E.P.I.C. As in: neighbors will be calling the Fire Dept!!

Anyway. Some thoughts. Lots to learn. Fabulous resources here. Welcome! These are great cars. And can be bone-reliable. I have driven mine up and down from Alaska to Arizona, twice!
Post pics when its yours!!

Stu Aull (ex-Canuk)
80GS
AZ

 

Don't , a lot of minor things are difficult to find . I spent a good week looking for the correct brake hardware kit for the drums for a 79. stick to a FB if you are concerned with parts.

 

Parts are hard to find. Don't expect there to be a ton of parts available.
I'm in the same area as you and have had many rx-7's over the years.
Most of the shops have already been listed.
Other then that you can keep an eye on the buy and sell boards or look for spare cars to pick up for parts.