For Sale: 1980 Mazda RX-7 in Morgantown, Pennsylvania

1980 Mazda RX-7 Coupe

"By the late 1970s, cheap sports cars were a dying breed. The quirky roadsters of the 1950s and '60s were struggling to adapt to a new era of safety and emissions standards they were never designed to meet, saddled with lowered compression, stopgap emissions systems, and hastily tacked on 5 mph impact bumpers that did nothing for aesthetics or weight. The Datsun 240Z was a brief shining light earlier in the decade, but by 1978, it had morphed into the overweight, decidedly less focused 280ZX. When the first series SA RX-7 named for the first two letters of its VIN tag arrived on the scene in 1978 as a '79 model, it was an instant success." MotorTrend, April 2013

For consignment, a 1980 Mazda RX-7 coupe showing 76,888 miles, but the true miles are unknown. First Gen RX-7's have seen an uptick in interest in recent years and we're thrilled to have this well maintained version of a now uncommon car here in the showroom of Classic Auto Mall.

Exterior
Sixteen colors were available in the U.S. market for Rx-7's in 1980, and this one wears a single stage application of Stardust Blue Metallic, paint code U2 for those keeping score. The somewhat revolutionary shape of the RX looks great in any color and especially light blue, where the beginnings of a wedge shape finishing with a descending hatchback behind a straight C-pillar, and above narrow fenders. The windshield rakes back dramatically thus keeping overall height low, along with the center of gravity. Hidden headlights are augmented here by added fog lights while the tail light hug the back corners, split wide outside the license plate box and underscored by a body colored bumper with black trim in a relatively early example of monochromatic design. 13-inch wheels carry 185/70R13 tires, visually enhanced by the black molding that runs the midline of the car at a time when side molding was fairly standard. Our scan of the exterior yielded no notes regarding imperfections.

Interior
Plenty of thrills, but generally no frills describes most interiors of the 80's, and this one mostly follows suit with simple black vinyl door panels with polished trim and stitch patterned inserts, window crank and even some storage in the carpeted kick panel. Attractive and welcoming black bucket seats include vinyl borders around a cloth insert and other than a tear in the driver's lower, they are in great shape. Up front, the simple 4 spoke sport steering wheel frames the instrument cluster, three gauges relaying seven bits of information with a row of idiot lights below. In true sports car fashion, the tachometer is front and center. Gray plastic frames the center stack where we have a Clarion AM/FM/Cassette player below it, numerous toggle switches, and the A/C panel up top. This stack cascades down to the center console where the black booted shifter resides along with a change holder for those dreaded tollgate receptacles, and all is clean. Low pile black carpet covers the floor and a black vinyl headliner is up above with a decorative stitched design that runs north to south. The carpeted hatch floor is open and clean and is flanked by molded plastic walls that house integrated speakers.

Drivetrain
We find clean conditions under the hood and a 1146cc rotary engine with 103 horsepower and a Nikki 4-barrel carburetor. A 5-speed manual transmission sends power a short distance to the rear axle housing 3.909 gears. Power brakes are onboard with discs in front and drums in the back.

Undercarriage
General patina, some surface rust, and oil noted on the pans and rear differential are the general conditions on the otherwise clean underside. The unique exhaust system runs in tandem, utilizing the central tunnel for some of the journey and terminating with a stock style muffler giving way to dual chrome tips. Suspension consists of coil springs up front and a 4 link with coil springs in back.

Drive-Ability
The rotary engine delivers a spirited run and at this height and size, even moderate speed feels fast. It's certainly fun with the ability to track straight and turn with unwavering ease, all while smooth shifts allow for quick acceleration, and as icing on the cake, all functions operate as intended on this well maintained and now vintage sports car. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.

We've had dozens of Mazda come through our halls over the years that have found new homes, including RX-7's and RX-8's. But this is the first first generation RX-7 we've had the joy of representing. A virtual Holy Grail of the sports car world and one of the original models of the JDM enthusiast movement, now available on consignment in stock configuration, and we're guessing it won't be here long!

Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person. There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee is not included in the advertised price.

With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy listening. You can also watch on YouTube!