Origonal post here http://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=523301





over the last few years I have learned that RX-7 Production for North america started in March of 1978. The cars start at vin # 500001 and go up, The car I just bought, Pictured below is # 500195.



Currently the car has been put into a storage state and the plan is for a mostly Factory restore of the car.





The story

Two weeks ago rotarycrazy posted HERE that he had found a 3/78 car in a junk yard in Chesnee SC. I requested and he gave me the name of the yard, after a bit of yellowpages.com I found a phone number and talked to a guy at the yard. He confirmed that they had some rx-7 and that they would sale cars whole. I had to wait two full weeks before I could get there to see and try to buy the car. It took about 5 minutes to find the car in the yard. First Impression was DAMN it. Winsheld is busted, front end had been hit and new metal welded in, Rocker was crushed when they forked the car, no keys. BUT Vin is # 195 and as a stoke of luck the last owner parked it with the front wheels straight (real important when you try to tow dolly a car with no keys. I talked to them and worked a deal for XXX without any paper work. So no title. The yard manager took the forks off the Kamatosu and lifted the car by the rear and rolled/draged it out side the gate for me to pick it up later.





The Differences

The car is a little different then any 79 I have owned, Including the 9/78 I have.

Shifter is Different.

There is a metal vin plate in the door jab, Later ones are just a sticker there.

Carpet Covering the tail lights is attached different.

Has Keystone Mag wheels <- Most likely aftermarket

The bolts that hold the key switch in are run in from the bottem, <- later cars they thread in from the top.





All the pics here

http://www.matthewnanney.com/195.htm





http://www.matthewnanney.com/images/195/RX7-195-12.jpg



http://www.matthewnanney.com/images/195/RX7-195-04.jpg



http://www.matthewnanney.com/images/195/RX7-195-20.jpg



http://www.matthewnanney.com/images/195/RX7-195-23.jpg



http://www.matthewnanney.com/images/195/RX7-195-22.jpg

neat. body actually looks pretty clean too. notice its an "S" model. does it have the 5 speed?

Nice find man. Any rust to deal with? If not, then anything is possible as far as restoration goes. https://www.nopistons.com/forums/pub...IR

I did not think to check if it was a 4 or 5 speed.





The hood has rust holes through it. But the rest is in real good shape.

bummer, hood is one of those early 78 bits. all the factory replacement hoods had the framus for the hood prop too, so its not gonna be too hard to find

Nice find.I'd restore it seeing as it has such a low VIN#.Not bad wheels for that time either.

i wonder if it had steel wheels.



call mazda with the vin see if they know anything about the car 1-800-222-5500. its prolly too far back but sometimes they have the colors, options, engine #, key code.



id run it from work, but its not an 18 digit vin

They system would not even take the vin number. And the guy on the phone thougth I was giving him the wrong one cause it was to short.

they must have the same system.... i found an sa22c vin that did work, so some of em are in there.

How can you tell it's an "S" model?