Just wondering about compatibility with the rear glass.... they both look the same but have different part numbers from mazda. I have a 1980 and I need a the rear glass but can't find a local one. However, I have found a couple FB rear glass without wiper. Any help is appreciated.

 

I would eat my shoe if it was physically different.

 

Swap em back and forth they are the same.

 

Yes they should be the same, a friend with an SA was happy to get one from my 85 GSL.

 

whew! my shoes are old and would taste funny.

 

Thanks guys I appreciate it. Just didn't want to be disappointed if they were different.

 

The 84-85 GSL's (and maybe earlier, not sure) will have extra holes in them used to mount the rear window wiper motor and wiper blade.

The SA's and GS's won't have the holes (no rear wiper). Since the washer unit is pretty much worthless I view the SA/GS hatch glass without the holes an upgrade.

There may be other differences in the way the hatch glass defroster is hooked up between models as well, not sure.

 

One thing to check on is the location of the rear defroster tabs. The 79s had a weird setup with wires that ran along the struts with spring loaded connectors on the struts that made the connection when you closed the hatch. On these cars the defroster tabs are toward the back of the hatch. On the FB they had coiled wires at the front of the hatch and the tabs are consequently at the front, so there is that difference. I'm not sure if the 80 model had the 79 style connectors or the later style. Do you have little coiled wires the hang down at the front of the hatch?

 

Must have been an SA / FB design change. My 80 defroster connection is the same as my 79's.

 

My 80 SA has the coil wires hanging down at the front of the hatch and tabs attached to the
glass near the top of the hatch. One tries to come unglued at times. Last time I superglued it.

Must have been a mid to late 80 change in production.

 

There seems to be a lot of mid year changes, I have two 79 S models, one early and one late. I bought one new and the other appears to be totally unmolested.
I expected the hood prop to be different, and wasn't surprised to find the later one seemed to have come with a passenger side mirror, but I didn't expect the later car to have a non-speaker hole dash, a lighted ash tray, and different heater control *****, lots of mid year changes I guess.