I bought a 90 rx7 Fc about 2 months ago. And today I was under the hood working on the headlights that wont work. And I noticed the vin number on the chassis had 2 x's on the vin. Then 2 new letters above the vin with the mazda stamp. And the vin on the dash is the vin with the new letters. Mazda I guess messed up the vin and correct it by marking then out. I have never seen this before is it rare or has this happend before???

 

According to your VIN, Mazda changed the car's year from an 89 to a 90 (Banzai Racing RX7 Vin ID)

 

Ohhh ok. Thanks that's pretty cool.

 

Honestly that's nothing I have ever seen before and I have owned 42 RX-7's in my lifetime. Can you post an up close picture of the stamp?

 

 

You car is likely a re-stamped "GTUs" model that went from an actual '89 MY to a restamped '90 MY, they are rare cars. It should have 16" wheels specified on the door jamb sticker, no sunroof, no power options except for power mirrors, a 4.3 VLSD, a shorter 5th gear in the trans, and T-II spec brakes and suspension.

 

it has sunroof, and says 15 inch rims.

 

Call Mazda North America. They will decode the vin. I did it with my Miata R package to verify authenticity.

I have never seen a 1 check digit before personally. The VIN indicates a GTUs. Maybe the sticker in the door is wrong because it was repainted and they could not find a proper replacement?? Aftermarket dealer sunroofs were common. Jack up the rear and spin the wheels, Do they spin the same or opposite directions? Manual crank windows? AM FM radio only? No tilt steering? Non velour glove box? No fog lights?

 

check digits are 0-9 and X, so basically every 10th car or so is a 1 check digit (its calculated, so its not quite that simple)

 

Yes on all the questions. Except for the wheel one I will check that tomo. The the aftermarket sunroof might be a possibility

 

 

 

Neither. Its 205/60/15

 

This is extremely interesting! Thank you for sharing! As far as I know, only a standard NA and a TII are distinguishable from the vin number. I don't believe any other trim level is vin related. Can you post pictures of the car?

 

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Wow. That's the first re-stamped GTU I have ever heard of.

 

Basically, yes. It is a restamped GTU. Most likely Mazda had to start rolling out 1990 models and had some 1989 models left so they restamped yours.

 

JM1FC3311L0709757 is a 1990, Blaze Red with C8 cloth interior. Assembled 7/14/1989 sold new 12/16/1989 in California

i would note that 7/14 is late for a 1989 model

 

My 1990 GTUs is a non-restamp L VIN and manufactured 7-89 for reference.

 

Guys I figured something else weird about the car. It has a imsa 1987 sticker on the back glass, but it's a 89 that's restamped as a 90?!?! And I have been reading that the oldest year model cars they put them on were 88's.

 

The only things I can think of are that the dealer had a few stickers laying around and they installed on on the car or that the hatch glass was replaced at some point in the car's life with a hatch glass from an 88. I like how this just keeps getting more and more interesting.

 

Mike, does Mazda list it as a 1990 GTU?

 

It has to be the option where they had some laying around. Cause the glass is original.

 

My '89 GTUs has a round IMSA sticker inside the rear glass. Can't remember exactly what it says. Something along the lines of IMSA Manufactures Championship '86, '87, & '88 on it. I'll look later.