ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

Anybody know how many 1978 Sp's were produced....

I have had a number of SP's but only 1 1978, everyone I have ever seen were 1977's.

I saw a really low total number of less then 1500 total rx3's of all years, but I find that hard to believe. I think many more...

anybody know the actual number's ?

rex3

iTrader: (2)

Interesting... I have owned 2 of them years ago and both were 77's my favorite one I had was orange no stripe kit and had funky plad seats. I sold that car and new owner wrapped it around a tree a week after he got it. I have never seen a 78 in person. My friend has a blue 77 now car is complete and he said he would restore one day. He even has a brand new oem stripe kit in plastic bags with the part# stickers. I have never heard of anyone with that stripe kit. He bought the kit over 12 years ago.

88SE_HI

iTrader: (2)

I would think that '78s were just 77s that didn't sell.

73rx313b

iTrader: (40)

Is that oem kit worth anything? i know where one is, just didnt know if it was worth picking up> i know there are people repoping them now

Siraniko

iTrader: (13)

dont forget the late 76 RX-3 has SP tags also

ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

Yea, I had to make the SP decal kit for my cars. Nobody had any info and I wanted my SP to be NEW. So I bought a couple more striped cars and spent lots of time making the stripes perfect. Designed it to be EXACT... spent all that time tracing them on the cars and scanning them in. I bet I made it harder then it should have been, but they turned out nice.
Ended up buying a complete stripe kit in the box, that was found in a closet 6 months later. It was unusable as far as I was concerned, as the bends from storage had loosened the backing on all the bends... It may have worked, but I really only wanted to see it in real life... it was clear vinyl that was printed on... I make them in two layers... more complex, but I don't have the machine to print and cut them...


I have never heard of a 76, just figured the people were wishing they had a 77 model (no Offense, just never have seen one of those).

but this is a 1978 model and I never had one before.

any SP production numbers? SOMEBODY must know this info?

MAZDA ever read this site?

rex3

iTrader: (2)

If they are in good shape I would say yes they are worth something. If you could get them cheap it would not hurt to buy. You get someone who wants to restore to original they will pay. I know I would.

ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

I paid 1000 on ebay....

sold for the same after looking at them.

I tried to sell my stripes kit, only a couple sales.

Not a huge market.

somebody on the list is selling them for 500.00 on Ebay

1BADSP

iTrader: (4)

my Sp is a 78,a true 78,many years ago i had a claim on mine,did the research and found that there were 2400 Sp's made.

ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

I saw 1400 total... as the actual numbers

maybe 2400 worldwide?

ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

bump

re10

ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

So......

does that mean NONE were 1978's?

Just retitled? New certificate's of origin generated...

My title clearly states 1978....

does that mean NO 1978, I'm gonna go check my date of manufacture!!!

ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

ok 9-1977 was the manufacture date.....

did mazda document any of this...

Hey re10, where did you get this info?

re10

From the RX3 club web site - front page.
http://www.needfulthings.net/rx3club/index.html

All production in 78 would have been focused on the RX7. I am assuming that the cars were built in Japan, and the sticker kits and spoliers fitted by the dealer. A few sitting unsold in the show-room at the end of the production run.

The last of the Savanna's were sitting in the show room side by side with the new RX7 right at the end.

ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

does anyone have the Sp front spoiler mold?er the front airdam....

Chedstar

I dont know where RE10 got those stats, but I have owned 2 1978 RX-3s. I have attached a photo of the title to my current car

ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

bump for the front spoiler and or Mold? Factory front air dam.....

88SE_HI

iTrader: (2)

Seen a front spoiler on ebay coming out of thailand.

1BADSP

iTrader: (4)

my SP man date is 8/77,title says 78.I have access to a mold of the factory snow plow airdam.

ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

so three so far?

Total 78 title, how many built in 77 but titled

Mazda USA should have this as they issued the certificates of origin...

doesn't anyone have a connection?

Anyone know the real story of the SP?

How many kits were made by SHADOW louver company???

did they make all the add-ons? Thats what I have heard...

Anyone have an SP with FACTORY ALUMINUM WHEELS? I wouldn't ask if I couldn't PROVE IT!

were the SP cars USA only? Didn't Mazda Document anything?

lots of questions.....all un-answered...

but here is the biggest one,

why the love of 4 doors in Oz or Nz?

I think the water in their toilet bowls really does spin opposite ours... No offence....

Just trying to learn more.

ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

Bad SP

How much for the mold or a nice snowplow airdam?

rotarydude

iTrader: (2)

Ok lets start with the easy stuff for done this on the forum a couple of times but most people don't seem to listen or pay attention (orangesp this was not directed at you nor many of the other long standing members)

RE10 knows what he is talking about when it comes to production numbers
Wacky knows Rx3s like the back of his hand

The crazy stories and ferreting out the crap that is what I do.

#1 production numbers, no one knows for real, the numbers RE10 is giving are worldwide numbers based on year as in calendar year not model year. Mazda USA decided when and what number made the vehicle a 76 or a 77 or a 78 many times this was determined by when they left the port not the factory. This is why numbers on different models like the SP are skewed same goes for REPUs. Mazda has released production vin numbers in a few different locations. I have in Texas a US model identification book that tells me the begining vin number of each model for each model year. Also in many of the parts manuals and microfiches there is a breakdown of the begining vin # for each month of production. These can be very interesting items, although they don't show the total number of cars built they can give an aproximate number becasue you have the total numbers for 11 months and usually the last month of production is the lowest. With some model years you can get exact numbers because for the most part mazda used sequential numbers systems. For example I have one of the last 15 76 Rx3 coupes, I know when the 77s started and backing up from that i can see where my 76 is. (i will post more but my wife has to get me the actual numbers and I will post the source as well)

#2 Mazda doesn't have any records on this, when these cars were sold there were several Mazda companies in the US and North America so good records no longer exsist when the companies became one many records were lost or gotten rid of. Don't get me wrong there are some records but they are few and far between. DOES MAZDA CARE? I know for a fact that there are some in Mazda that do care and they work hard to try to maintain and preserve that history. I wouldn't say that I have connections but I know some people and talk to the right ones.

#3 The SP story...... which one do you want there are several.... The reality is every US (north america) 77-78 Rx3 is a Rx3SP but that is not the story most people want to talk about. Most people want to know the story of the Rx3SP WITH THE SPECIAL APPEARANCE PACKAGE. To simplify things from now on Rx3 will refer to all 77-78 and Rx3SP will refer to appearance package cars.

OFFICIAL SPs were factory made but the stripes, spoilers and louvers were added at the port or dock in the US. This kit was a US(North America) designed kit to improve sales and add some official parts to help racers. OFFICIAL SPs could only be certian colors. (I have the colors they are listed on original stripe kits) OFFICIAL SPs could only be manual transmission cars. OFFICIAL SPs had all of these things listed on the window sticker as port installed not dealer installed.

UNOFFICAL SPs all parts were available and made in the US so by dealer standards they were relatively cheap, what does that mean.... any dealer could order up the parts and instal them on any car and tell you it was official, after all none of them were ordered that way from the FACTORY. So there are automatics and green cars and even 76s out there with SP stuff on them but they are not really OFFICIAL... how do you prove it.... good luck, it is easier to prove a car with paperwork of which there is very very little.

REAL PARTS VERSUS FAKE OR REPOPS.... there have been some very good repop stripe kits and rear spoilers. There are also some very good stipe kits that are wrong..... they did a great job on making them and fixed all the little problems with the originals but that is what makes them wrong, yes I know I am an a$$ for saying it but if you fixed the Mazda script on the front it does look great but it isn't right. There are no repop louvers that I know of yet, the side louvers would be easy the rear is a different story. FRONT SPOILER.... Ok here goes the heartache and lots of people getting very very mad.... I have yet to see a CORRECT front spoiler that is not an original one. The ones that have been on EBAY are wrong very wrong. they look good but aren't right. the correct one is the snowplow shown in the Rx3SP ad it also has a molded in depression for the stripe kit on it. There was one location in Florida that had a CORRECT SP front spoiler and they were willing to make REPOPS I think the cost was like $400. Now is anyone else is making the correct one post pictures so it can be verified... if it is right and a good price i will buy more than one myself.

#4 Shadow.... no one knows how many were made, I can't say who made the spoilers and I can give the name of the stripe company but they are long gone as well


#5 Aluminum wheels were a dealer accesory add on so the only way they are out there is that way. I know what you are saying I have a set myself but they are dealer add ons. Many times we get in trouble with this because they will do the promo shots months before the real car is finished and stuff will be shown that is not FACTORY, they could have been added at the port but you would have to have paper documentation to prove it, If you have the paper keep the car 100% original because it would be very very rare.

#6 SPs were North America only.... no Mazda does not keep good records.

NOW THERE ARE ALWAYS CAVEATS TO EVERYTHING. My information comes from a combination of many sources one of the best on this particular subject is the guys that actually worked at the PORT.... they had instructions that told them only install this on these particular cars in these colors etc. Sometimes they wouldn't do what they were told so you end up with WHITE ELEPHANTS, what do you do take the parts off or ship the car..... again if you have the paper to prove it awesome if not then everything is against you because the authenticators documents say it wasn't done.


AS for 7 and 8......... ASK TONY (RE10) HE CAN TELL YOU

Dave

ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

Good, now I have 60 more questions!

were the 5-sp cars all the same besides the appearance kit, ie limited slip, close ratio, intake?

I was wondering when you would help.

I'm still looking for a front Air dam, Did you see the cars I sold Billy?

the stripes are perfect!! Not alot of people want to buy them!

Hooks rotary has side louvers redone, he's on the list, or ebay...

they were done by a friend of his...

I talked to you about the vin #'s 5 years ago on a few of my Sp's

anyway thanks Dave!

I converted a stock 77 with no apearance kit 7 years ago.

send me a picture of the aluminum wheels if you can.

luckyscopyshop@aol.com

thanks

88SE_HI

iTrader: (2)

I should add myself to the club that has a '78.