Okay, this is the new member tech section this is the perfect place for my n00b question. I have an 88 fc. I was looking at badges and emblems for my car yesterday on mazdatrix and they list by year. Thats when I noticed that the rear "RX-7" emblem for the 88 is just a decal while the 89 is raised and plastic. This confused me since mine was an 88 and also has the raised plastic badge. I got to looking and my car also has an 89 front bumper cover. My vin number says its an 88. My question is were there a few cars made in late 88 that they used the newer 89 parts on? Ive been told I also have an 89 steering wheel and an 88 cluster.. so much confusion

 

welcome to the board.

two words: previous owner.

whatever parts that don't simply bolt up between S4 and S5 cars, can be made to fit. if you want to purify your S4, it should be simple enough. obviously, it's not likely to be free though.

 

Easiest way to tell if you have a s4 cluster or s5 is where the redline starts, s4 starts at 6, s5 starts at 7, smaller gauges are located different too. Steering wheel, who cares? Lol, i personally like the s5 wheel myself, i think it looks better. Which is why i will have one to put on in a couple days lol

 

Ya,I'd just go with what the VIN or the Vehicle registration says.
The body style is a give away especially the front bumper,signals,.A-arms ..speedo surround.tails.etc.
But then again Unless the car was a One-owner you can get a mixed bag of whatever the person before you put on..
If you are going for "pristine condition,original stock" then you would want whatever the car is.
Anything else?,personally I would just make it whatever you are comfortable with..put a wagon wheel on for a steering wheel..a pitch fork shifter...It's your car!

 

There ya go a pitch fork, that way you need to have the sunroof open in order to shift it lol

 

sunroof..aka Manure hatch..speed by honda.,fling poop...
Stop quick..Fork in Honda..(see what I did there..haha..no profanity!)

But back on track,whether it be a S4 88 or an S5 89,that is the beauty about the Car,it has so much potential to be whatever you want it to be.Even a slight variation can result in a Unique car all it's own.
I guess that is why Guys name their car,as it is an extension of what they created or want it to be.
That is why I conveniently named mine: "5 years of Credit card debt".

Has a ring to it...!

 

Haha thanks for the input guys. I know the car has been one owner before me and it was a middle aged woman with no interest in cars. Probably why it say for 7 years in a barn. Sure enough the vin is 88 but there's so much about the car that's s5. I was thinking it was built during the transition between the two and they just used parts from both. It's not staying stock for long anyway. I'm in the process of trying to find a Tii drivetrain. Need moar power.

 

I see what you did there haha. It does have a sunroof though... Hondas beware.

 

Read my thread in 2nd gen specific before you get too antsy