Mazdanewb30

My father-in-law got an RX& with no title and little-to-no information about it.

It doesn't have a 17-digit VIN. It's SA22C-661561. I tried CarFax, but this was not enough digits for them.

The car has an automatic transmission. Some pictures are attached.

If anybody knows anything about that, please let me know. Thanks in advance for your help.

RotaryRocket88

iTrader: (7)

Based on the "SA" in the vin, it would be a 1979 or 1980. 1st gen FAQ: https://www.rx7club.com/new-member-rx-7-technical-256/frequently-asked-questions-1st-generation-rx-7-1978-1985-faq-sa-fb-782426/

Aheadofu

Its a 1980 from the vin info.

VIN INFO:
Model Year VIN Ser Numbers
1979 SA22C - 500001 +
1980 SA22C - 600001 +
1981 FB33 - 500001 + (USA)
1982 FB33 - 600001 +
1983 FB33 - 700001 +
1984 FB33 - 800001 +
1985 FB33 - 856209 +



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Mazdanewb30

So, it's a 1980. Thanks for all your help, guys!!

Is an RX7 that hasn't run in 20 or so years, has rust holes in the hood and floor, and a beat-up interior worht anything? Is it worth fixing up?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Zero10

Hasn't run in 20 years? Must be pretty low mileage then.

It's all a question of time and money, and how much of each you want to throw at it. Combine that with what the car means to you and you will have your answer.

mar3

iTrader: (8)

IMHO, the car is shot and it would cost well more than it will ever be worth to get it fixed right and running on the road again. I've bought cars that have been in the garage or been out on the driveway for 7 or more years that I got home and successfully started, but those cars were never as rusted and had the "junkyard" look as bad as that poor rex.

The silver lining, however, is all the pieces I can see in the pics which look to be in decent shape. The SA glass sunroof you've got there is a $200 piece all by itself if the metal hasn't pitted with rust on the bolt heads.

What you've got looks to be a parts car. For about $600, maybe $800 since we're talking the SA car now not the FB, you should be able to find an 8 of 10 rolling chassis that gets you away from the rust bucket chassis and gives you a new home for all the valuable parts from that car. At 20 years, never run and living in a neglected home as the body attests to, I'd say you need to tear down the engine and check everything as you replace all the wearables.

Even so, the RX-7 is not the same as a 1968 Pontiac Firebird RA II, where a restoration attempt of a rust-eaten body is an option so that the body keeps paired with the engine, transmission and rearend. You'd spend $25k on bodywork, $8000 on the paint job and still be ahead if you ever wanted to sell the car. That's just not true of the poor lil 1stgen.