rotarydude

iTrader: (2)

Thought it might have been you lucky... yes your stripe kit was awesome good work.

I haven't seen Hooks repop sides but it should be easy enough to have them made.

You would have to tell me which Billy, I know a few. The front Air Dam you and me are both looking for. if you have any other questions pop me a PM and I will send you an email you get to me at faster.

For all others I promise to continue to post answers here just trying to keep it uncluttered

gonzalezhump

yes mostly everything dave said is true i own three 78's so if they are low numbers you could remove about 6 i have three and am pretty sure i took apart about three more . if i look hard enough i might be able to find the titles . yes dave is right about 77,78 being all sp's my dad worked in mazda in the 70's and early 80's and he told me you could get the sp package at the dealer and they would install them he said it wasn't expensive , he told me he never recieved one from the factory or the docks with a sp kit on it but he was older when he told me this he could have been mistaking what ever the numbers were i seen a lot more 77's then 78 i have a friend that has a lot of old paper work he owned a mazda dealership back then i will ask him . good luck i will let you guy's know

jrrotor

i think my friend gonzales is right the kit was put in dealers,pics of right air dam and my friend sp he just sold. the blue one was a 808 i got from gonzales a while back.

re10

HI Dave, lol - thanks for the nice words.

I can't speak for Aussie, but here in NZ in the 70's one car per family was the norm (that's if you were lucky), and I suppose the versatility of a sedan (shopping and 2 kids in the back) that was fast (for the time) made it a good option? Maybe that was the basis for so many sedans being imprted into the country to start with as that was the nature of the market.

We only got a few shipments in, a pile of 10a ones in 72, and a the later 12a ones late 73/ early 74 that arrived the same time as the oil crisis, and a few sat in the show room until 75, then that was it for us. Same in the US I would guess - cars would be built one year, and sold another.... like your 78's.

Back to NZ, there was a young fella called Rod Millen won the national rally champ's for three years in a sedan (stonger than the coupe) during the 70's, which helped build cult status for the RX3. There were heaps of them raced here - very popular, part of the reason they survive in numbers today... A slightly modified RX3 could deal to many other equivilent cars at the time, for a not much dollars!!!

Go the rotor!

ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for that explanation, first one I heard of as to "WHY A FOUR DOOR!"

OK OZ, whats your reason?

ORANGESP

iTrader: (1)

Humty call me or text me please?

woseyjales

Orange, I was Mazda dealer parts man in 1978.
Your question about production numbers jogs my
memory (what's left of it) to thinking some of those old
parts microfiche may have had serial number breaks info.
If so it is probably on last film of each set like 4of4.
Now if anyone saved those old model microfiche, that's the rub.

I flew down to Lakeland FL to grab one of the last 1978 RX3-SP left
in S.E. dealer's inventory. Still know the VIN which is/was S124A-184080.
Later in early 1980s found it's sister S124A-184079 in Washington Ga.
Owner found his in Kentuck (I think) so a bit strange to find them both
in Ga about 40 miles apart.

Mine had some environmental damage from too long sitting on FL lot.
Mazda warranty painted it, replaced plaid upholstery w/OEM black vinyl
covers since all same price. Also new rear spoiler & complete stripe kit.
Body shop that did the work specialized on Corvettes so their fiberglass
techs molded in a front air dam to replace the cow catcher and an integrated
rear spoiler instead of the factory rivet-on job. Didn't install the stripe kit
and removed the side louvers after almost merging into another car hiding
in that blind spot. Suspect it was a big advantage being in good graces of
Mazda's service rep.
Only pic I have that shows both mods was taken in infield at Road Atlanta.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...SPLhsRdAtL.jpg

I still have a 1978 sales brochure which may help dissolve the 1977-78 mystery
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...daBrochure.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...8RX3SPpage.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ochBackCvr.jpg

rotarydude

iTrader: (2)

Wosey, I have the microfiches, parts manuals and FSMs, thanks to an old Mazda Parts Man. You are right that is where a lot of the information is coming from. Next week I will be back in texas and I might be able to look up the monthly production splits for the 78s, unfortunately this is only going to give us a good guess on the numbers because it leaves off the Last vin number. Man if you had those rx3s still that would be really cool to have consecutive numbered ones. I have a pair of Cosmos that are nearly that way one is #109 the other is #111 cool thanks for the info please post more of your memories on threads like this so that us young guys can keep the history straight

tonka_1956

Well I had 3 SP. 1 Brand new one in 1977 that I bought in El Paso, TX then in 1990 I had a Yellow Automatic and now a 1978 Sweet SP, and just picked up a 76 Mazda RX5 Cosmo to restore.

tonka_1956

See Picture

HonDaKillaH

i also have a 78sp anyone know or have a rear louver for the back window they wanna sell? i know its a long shot but i gotta try..

tonka_1956

I had one back in 1977 got it when I was Station in the ARMY at El Paso Tx, now I got a 1978 SP

tonka_1956

Please remember that cars are made the year before and then call for the new year. example my first 77 was made in Dec 76 but it had a title of 1977, my 78 SP was made in Dec 77 and so on.

tonka_1956

What it means is that cars made in 77 around dec were the 78 models and the ones made around dec 76 were the 77 models. remember the cars are on sale before the year starts.

tonka_1956

There is a guy in Puerto Rico that does the front and back spoiler for these cars and a guy in California that does all the appearance kit and decals.

tonka_1956

Please remember that cars are made the year before they are officially in that year example right now they are selling 2016 car models but we are still in 2015.

Leftie

Just a heads up to everyone. I owned and Raced a 1978 RX-3SP in SSB from 1979 to 1981. The only real difference between a '77 and a '78 is a cool air hose that went from behind the headlight assembly to the air cleaner. Feel free to check out my photos of my racing years at my FaceBook page albums. Steve Hawley. P.S. If anyone wants to buy my 1978 RX3SP owners manual, email me at stevepb4y@Carolina.rr.com