Mazda Cosmo Parts Availability
 

Hi Everyone,

So I recently purchased a 78 Cosmo and am working to refresh the engine, steering, suspension, and brakes in hopes of having it out next summer. My goal is to keep the car all original and just replace wear items.

As sourcing parts is challenging to say the least I thought it would be useful to have a thread where we could discuss alternatives or workarounds for NLA parts. I'm hoping some more experienced members can help me track down some of the trickier parts.

To get it kick started here is a quick summary of the problem areas.

Shocks and springs. Pedders in Australia has both listed but after numerous call to the Aus and US office I have not been able to get through. Springs are also available via King Springs but they will cost me 500$ by the time they get here. Are there any Koni or Bilstein inserts that can be made to fit the strut tube? DIY Ground Control coil over kits are also an option but I would really prefer if they continued looking stock.

I've purchased Ball Joints, tie rod ends, and inner control arm bushings NOS via Ebay. Swaybar end-links and sway bar bushings are also available.

Rear shock and trailing arm bushings are available via Whiteline but I've reached out to a couple local distributors and they have not been able to track those down yet. Atkins said they may be able to make me a set of bushings which would be awesome.

Good front pads are still available via Hawk, standard quality are available for the rear. The rotors and handbrake components are no longer available however and not having a source for rotors worries me. Wheel bearings are still available as well.

Initially my air pump was seized. Those are still available refurbished for about 120$ (compare that to the 1700$ Mazda wants). However my exhaust has also reached the end of its life and all of that is of course no longer available so will likely be tossing emissions equipment.

Also picked up an OEM replacement Exedy clutch.

On the plus side, essentially everything you need to properly maintain these cars is easily available except for brake and suspension components. So I know there are a handful of Cosmo owners out there. Anyone have solutions for these issues or have others to point out I may have forgotten.

Rockauto.com

Look for the 1977 cosmo

Great site with good customer support

For engine part go to one of these.

www.atkinsrotary.com

Pineapple Racing

www.rotaryaviation.com

I'm sure there are others out there too.

Thanks for the input so far guys.

It's not entirely what I'm after however. I have owned and built multiple rotaries in the past so I know where to source parts.

My concern on this car is specifically on shocks, springs, bushings, and rotors where nothing is currently available via the standard suppliers like rockauto.

I want to know what other Cosmo owners have done to work around these issues.

Thanks!

Hey There,

A couple of things, Firstly Pedders will unlikely have dedicated shocks for the car. Their general MO is to build you a shock insert of the correct length using a base shock as close as they have and then adding a spacer. For example RX-2 shocks are supplied as RX-7 with a 20mm welded on top (possibly not 20mm it was a while ago that I ordered from Pedders but you get the idea)

Secondly are you after performance parts - Or just refreshing to OEM spec? Sadly you may need to bite the bullet and order offshore (I feel your pain on this point half of my RX-3 budget has gone on freight)

When searching for parts from Aus/NZ ensure you also search Mazda 121 as in Australia and NZ the piston variant outsold the rotary (The rotary name was pretty much mud by the time the RX5 was released and there are very few genuine rotaries around) a quick search on shocks uncovered some AC Delco versions (AC Delco being the budget aftermarket standard in Australia and NZ)

Mazda 121 121L RX Series Shock Absorbers GAS Front 1976 79 | eBay

As for bushings - Super Pro have them if you are going to Poly over Rubber.

Rear Trailing Arm Lower Rear Bushing SuperPro SPF0437K
Rear Trailing Arm Upper Rear Bushing SuperPro SPF0434K
Front Sway Bar Link Bushing Kit SuperPro SPF2092BK
Rear Trailing Arm Lower Front Bushing SuperPro SPF0436K
Rear Trailing Arm Upper Front Bushing SuperPro SPF0435K
Front Idler Arm Bushing SuperPro SPF2002K
Rear Shock Absorber Lower Bushing SuperPro SPF2178-16K

etc...

Also Whiteline suspension have distributorship in North America, In the past I have emailed Australia to get the part numbers and then contact NA for the order. My experience you need to give them the order on a platter or they will simply say they can't help - More likely to get the part numbers out of Australian distributor.

As for the Springs, Is $500 for Front AND Rear? - that's not actually too bad. Budget about $180 for each end and I would be surprised if getting them from the states would cost you less than $140 in freight.

Actually just going to the white line site seems to uncover a decent return on the busings in the vehicle search by RX5 and 121

Whiteline Suspension Parts - A Dealer of the Whiteline Brand of Suspension Parts

Awesome post and exactly the type of information I am looking for! I had not done any searching for 121 parts to fill the gaps and will start that tonight. I did come across the SuperPro bushings earlier today and will be ordering a full set of those for the rear.

I also agree on the springs, after shopping around the King Springs seem to be fairly priced so I will likely go with them.

Keep this type of info coming!

Very good thread!
I think there is one on Ausrotary as well.

/Magnus

There is a cosmo in original condition here locally for sale. Pm me for more info

Very helpful tread here.

Hey fellow Cosmo owners,

Anyone know if the USDM 78 Cosmo had the chrome trim around the front and rear wheel arches?

I'm seeing this trim on all the JDM cars pictured online however I can't find that trim in my Mazda parts manual for the 78 US car.

Mine doesn't have it but I do see holes inside the arches where I imaging the trim would mount. I'm wondering if the PO did not reinstall these after paint. If so I will start tracking down a set!

I had a set on a 1977 that I gave away to friend. That car ended up at the scrap yard. Maybe silver6port knows where they went? I've only seen one set on 20 or so cars.

You should PM Aaron Cake, he has a boatload of the chrome trim from his Cosmo. Not sure if he's got the wheel arch trim, but it's definitely work asking about. Who knows, you just might get lucky.

I have a NIB set of every available Superpro bushing for the Cosmo that I'd be happy to sell at a deep discount if anyone's interested...

I call dibs since its my thread :) PM sent

I carry SuperPro (currently have some RX-5 stuff in stock) and Whiteline bushings if anyone else needs any. I normally stock more SuperPro product than Whiteline but can get whatever bushings are not in stock fairly quick as long as they're still being made. Check out my website www.j-auto.net. A shipment of SuperPro old school bushings just came in and am going to put together another order in the next few days if anyone needs something that isnt in stock :)

76/77 and 78, had the rim around the tire, or if it was top of the line it had mag wheels....I have a 1976 Cosmo that I am working on but thinking of selling it, already got an offer so its pending.

I just picked one one and I am working on restoring it but not to original condition removed air pump, carb, all air pollution items, found a rx7 muffler in rockauto should be here by Friday. Ebay, Rockauto and their is one on ebay that they are selling it for parts.

ball joints, pitman arm and inner and outer tie rod ends still avail on ebay 0z

And another option ; just buy a whole car . One here locally for about $2200 but CL post gone. . Saw a decent one a while back in the summer for $1400. Just my 2 cents....

3 am conscience woke me up with the revelation that pitman and idler from australia is not going to help anyone in north america

Most parts I get from Rockauto and Ebay, Electronic Ignition from a 84 or 85 RX7, Headers and exhaust from Racing Beat. Look for parts number on the vehicle some of these parts will also come froma RX4....Working on a White 1976 Cosmo