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The so-called only LHD Spirit R is not a Spirit R. It is a tribute. Yes, it was done using parts supplied by Mazda Japan for a Mazda USA executive, but that does not make it a Spirit R. It is a USDM early FD with a USDM VIN - albeit one that appears to be unique and newly issued. VIN is JM1FD333200000000. This follows the structure of a USDM VIN with a serial number of zero and a year of zero, but if you use the checksum of 2 in the VIN, it is not even valid! Mazda USA clearly took an existing USDM car and issued it a new fake VIN.
All Spirit R VINs are documented and none of them are left hand drive. There are 1,504 VINs registered as Spirit Rs on the EPC. This is 4 more than the 1,500 Mazda said they would make, but it is likely that these 4 were promotional or test vehicles. Mazda made a lot of limited edition specials throughout the years for the Japanese Domestic Market, but they usually made way more than advertised (eg there 325 version 6 Type RZs when Mazda said they would make 150, 650 Type R Bathurst R when Mazda said they would make 500 etc). The difference with the Spirit R was it was the only limited edition model that actually had a numbered build plate in the engine bay. It also came with a souvenir book and keyring engraved with the corresponding build number. There is no Spirit R build plate over 1,500 and all 1,500 were sold in the JDM only. FWIW mine is 1414 of 1500.
Now, this LHD "Spirit R" has many, many deviations from an actual Spirit R which instantly give it away as a replica, not the real thing. Let me list some of them:
- it has a sunroof. No series 8 JDM car has a sunroof
- rear badging is wrong - they have been put in the wrong positions.
- it is missing the soft-touch light grey finish on the meter hood, centre console fascia and driver's side door handle.
- no Spirit R instrument cluster
- no numbered build plate
- no version 6 ABS (16 bit proper 4 wheel ABS with electronic braking distribution)
- no series 8 intake and brake ducting designed for the s8 front bar - left brake duct is clearly missing
- no drivers door knee pad (which was on the Type A only, not Type B or C)
- no drivers dash knee pad (standard on all series 8)
- no 280ps engine combo (and may not have the s8 dual oil coolers, depending on original USDM spec)
- no passenger metal foot plate (which was on the Type A only, not Type B or C)
- wrong radio
- wrong antenna
- no factory dark tinted rear glass (standard on Spirit R and all Type RS in the series 8 range)
- missing the rear wiper which was standard on all series 8 JDM
- series 8 has other minor differences like: no rear hatch interior illumination, no spare wheel tyre cover, no door key illumination
Probably missed a fair few things, but there's a start.
We see "movie versions" of some Japanese '90s cars selling at very high values, even though it sometimes is reported such cars where just stock versions decked out with the cool gear only on the outside. .
The LHD Spirit R Tribute, might fall into this sort of thinking.
It carries value for what it is .....a period tribute piece, seemingly built with the full support of the factory.
A complete write-off Spirit R (cannot be fixed or registered) was sold in Australia last year for A$70,000 and some of the Spirit R bits had already been sold off separately. At the time values were around A$100-120K for a good Spirit R. Now they are A$180-270K. That gives you a bit of an idea.
Ya'll buy your expensive trailer queens, but I'd rather have a replica or an OEM+ USDM FD with the RZ+ wheels from sakebomb and recaros, basically a USDM FD inspired by the Spirit R. I'd be stressing whenever I drove my real Spirit R down the street.
If I'm only looking for an investment opportunity, then yes, buy a Spirit R, store it, and sell it later for profit if money or value is the only thing you care about.
I didn't feel comfortable taking pictures in his garage, but I think you've already seen pics of his cars at a track event in Pratchuab I posted in the Far East forum https://www.rx7club.com/far-east-for...iland-1047999/
Both of his 7's have the number 7 on the license plate. Looking at the pics I miss-spoke, he doesn't have the Mazdaspeed side skirts, he has S8 skirts with the rest of the car being Mazdaspeed parts.
Creepen, nobody is saying you shouldn't enjoy your LHD car. It's a better driver in a LHD country and will always be worth a significant sum. But dollars to doughnuts, the series 8s will always be worth more regardless of spec in similar condition. In countries where all generations are now available, the later the car the more money it brings.
Kypreo thanks for the details on the LHD SR. Didn't realize it was missing so many things, that's a shame.
The full set usually go for around A$2,500-3,000. Most original Japanese owners seem to have hung onto these even if they later sold the car. So only roughly 1 in 10 or 20 Spirit Rs actually come with the matching souvenir book....which is very frustrating as a Spirit R owner. I'm on the hunt for my matching book and keyring.
it was built 12/21/1991 just in time for Christmas! the original engine was 084946, its a Federal emissions car, port of entry was Jacksonville Florida.
first sold 10/13/1992, which must have been a Friday, it had a ton of warranty work and might have been bought back. then in 2019 someone started servicing it at the dealership again,
car looks great, but must have an interesting story! and whomever is working on it has the clamps on the intake pointed the right way, so good job there
Interesting that that VIN number was a late December build. A bit of a clue as to the production order. Maybe they ran off a bunch of JDM first.
they did, and usually still do. the JDM epc is 10/91- but the first US cars aren't until the end of December.
actually if you want a fun, if you look at the dates of the various parts catalogs, they don't line up. this is because the different markets get made at different times
Anyone know if you could get a touring without a sunroof in 93? Looking at a car now and it's got leather seats, Bose, cruise control, no sunroof. Is that a fully optioned base or a touring with no sunroof?
Anyone know if you could get a touring without a sunroof in 93? Looking at a car now and it's got leather seats, Bose, cruise control, no sunroof. Is that a fully optioned base or a touring with no sunroof?
Technically no, all the '93 Touring models in the US came with sunroofs. That said, back in the day some dealerships would try to accommodate customer's demands by turning a base RX7 into what I'd call a Touring minus -- I'm pretty sure the base RX7 already had cruise control IIRC, so it's a simple bolt-in affair for the dealer to swap in the leather seats & Bose stereo bits.
Anyone know if you could get a touring without a sunroof in 93? Looking at a car now and it's got leather seats, Bose, cruise control, no sunroof. Is that a fully optioned base or a touring with no sunroof?
for 1993 in the US, the BOSE and the Sunroof went together (along with the rear wiper). its possible its CDM, Canadian market. or someone has modded it
To go along with the Spirit R comments.. if anyone is in the market, here's a chance. Believe it's going on at RM Sotheby's Nov.5 in London. 5,762kms, Current estimate USD 79K - 113K
