What are the S* abbreviations?

I keep seening SA and S5 used. I'm guessing it has to do with slight differences within the FB model's based on what particular things Mazda changed that year.

 

There are basic "codes" we use for the cars. Lets see:

SA=1979-1980=S1
FB=1981-1983=S2
FB=1984-1985=S3
FC=1986-1988=S4
FC=1987-1991=S5
FD=1993-1995=S6(I believe)

Thats the codes. Of course, SA/FB was the 1st gen, FC was the 2nd gen, FD was the 3rd gen. I think I got it all right.

 

85rotarypower, I added the info in your post to the "FB, FC, F-me I'm confused" post in the FAQ because it expands upon the original question.

Of course that thread looks kinda wierd because I posted it over a year ago.. man what a newb I was a year ago... I'm *SO* beyond that now...

Jon

 

The S4 and S5 were designations given to two different models of engines us in second generation rx7s. S4 was 86-88, and S5 was 89 up I believe. Hope that helps.

 

S4/S5 is not the engine, it's the entire car. S is short for "series" in this case... SA's are series 1, '81-83 are series 2, '84-85 are series 3, '86-88 are series 4, '89-91 are series 5, '93-95 are series 6... and outside the US, '96-98 are series 7, '99-02 are series 8.

Saying an "S4" engine or an "S5" engine just means the engine came out of a series 4 (which is an early FC) or a series 5 (which is a late FC).

1st-gen stuff is mainly split along the differences between '79-80 and '81-85 so generally we say it's either for an SA (VIN starts with SA22C) or an FB (VIN starts with JM1FB33) insteaf of dicking around with series 1, series 2, or series 3. Although our cars are neat, some S3 stuff showed up in the '83 which is a series 2. And '79 are different from '80 in many respects, there's a lot of one-year-only stuff at work there.

 

yeah the main thing about the s3 is the introduction of the GSL-SE

 

SA/FB explained:

http://www.rotorhead.ca/ref_VIN.php


Model year differences:

http://www.rotorhead.ca/ref_1979.php

 

Not everyone on this forum uses SA and FB designations. Only the North Americans use those designations. The rest of the world (many Austrailians, Europeans) use the S1, S2, and S3 designations. This can confuse some people when they read a post about an S3 and they don't know what it is.

BTW, thanks for using the info I posted in another important thread. Its kind of an honour to finally have something that I have written used to clerify things in another thread thats also linked to the FAQ.

 

Nice to see some recognition. I have an '81 (yes, it's got rear seats) and it quite clearly states "SA" on the chassis plate. In fact, I'd never heard of an "FB" before I started reading this website.

 

No, the main thing about the S3, is the rear suspension mouting points are a bit different for different roll-steer characteristics.

Everything else can be unbolted and changed around, but the physical shell is different S1 vs. S2 vs. S3.

Oh and the S3 had 280ZX-like superplush interiors, too.

 

...in North American markets. I believe in Japan, Australia, etc they kept the S2 interior. A pity, really, as the North American S3 interior had ergonomics on par with some of the best cars of the early 90's, nevermind 84-85...

 

I prefer the SA interior for ergonomics... no controls way up high on the dash. The S3 (US-market, of course) interior has the hazard and headlights switches to the left of the instrument panel, the rear wiper and defroster switches to the right. Annoying to have to get to. The SA put the hazard switch on the column (as I recall, it's been a while ) and the rear defroster and headlight switches... hell I don't even remember where anymore, I believe it was on the center panel in front of the shifter. (Rear wipers weren't available yet, but sorely needed) And the gauges were VISIBLE, they were GREEN which is easier to read than orange or red.

True about the S3's in other markets... as I recall the Turbos put the boost gauge in the bottom of the tach.

 

No voltmeter on the S3 turbos?

 

Some Turbos were S2 as well...

How do the Turbos IIs do for a voltmeter? AFAIR the boost gauge is where the voltmeter is on the N/A's there too.

 

Ah yes, the '83 12A turbo car.