If you’ve never stopped to have a good stare at a first-generation Mazda RX-7, take a look now. It’s a great-looking car, and values have been on the rise as “modern” cars become more collectible. This one comes with a few caveats, one being its automatic transmission, but it might be a worthy project for those who want a rust-free, first-year RX-7, and it’s up for auction on Cars & Bids in Englewood, Colorado, with no reserve.
The seller knows the car’s entire ownership history, as its original owner traded it into their dealer in 2020. The car was purchased at Monarch Motors in Littleton, Colorado, on an $8,000 lien (the list price was $9,919), and the current title says that the car “has 12,953 miles as of July 2026” (the odometer in the pictures reads 13,006). Although the paint and pinstriping look original, that is an awfully low number, so I wouldn’t be shocked if the odometer has rolled.
The Cars & Bids ad says that the dealer has only added 100 miles to the car in the past six years, but this oil change tag shows 11,942 miles in May 2022, so maybe a zero was left out of the mileage total. Either way, the car has been lying dormant for quite some time, and a shop has recently performed over $4,000 worth of work in getting it running.
That work included a carburetor rebuild (of the RX-7’s four-barrel carburetor…neat), a new water pump, plugs and wires, an idler arm bushing, and a compression test. Doing a compression test on a rotary engine is more involved than it is on a reciprocating engine (read here), but the shop mentioned in their notes that cranking compression is a little low, “90 psi on both rotors.” Good numbers are above 110 psi, but I wonder if the 10W-30 used in the 2022 oil change has anything to do with it; the factory said that 20W-50 is OK in most temperatures, and some owners online recommend it. On the other hand, thicker oil as a band-aid for compression figures seems desperate, but at any rate, online forums suggests that rotaries can run a long time with middling compression numbers, certainly if you’re talking about a hobby car and not a daily driver.
For those who don’t know, the first RX-7 did indeed have the 100-horsepower 12A two-rotor engine, an engine that enthusiast magazines really seemed to like. Acceleration was very good, with zero-to-sixty times falling in the nine-second range, excellent for 1979. Of course, this car’s three-speed automatic might blunt those times. Top speed approached 120 miles per hour.
The shop that serviced the RX-7 also recommended dropping the fuel tank, as there was significant sediment buildup in the carburetor. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like that was done, but a new filter was added, and it looks clean (although I hate those plastic fuel filters). The shop also noted quite a few fluid leaks and some dry-rotted bushings, but those concerns might be small potatoes when you acknowledge how brand-new this car looks underneath. For most of us, mechanical work is easier and cheaper than rust repair, and the wise choose accordingly (I’m not always so wise myself).
The interior looks equally new and sharp. This is by default a GS model because it has an automatic, but it also has bodyside moldings and a four-spoke steering wheel (seen here). You can see the manual choke knob and the combined tachometer/voltmeter that was apparently only used in 1979 and 1980.
Of course, the RX-7 was a two-seater, and we can see from this vantage point that the seats and door panels are in great shape, and there’s even a sunroof for those who like a little sun in their closed sports car. The new owner will be glad it’s there, because the air conditioner doesn’t currently work.
There are a few cosmetic imperfections commensurate with a 47-year-old car, but this is a very clean first-generation RX-7. The automatic might dampen bidding, as will the list of undone projects brought up by the shop in its report. Still, the seller seems upfront and the posted videos show a car that seems to be running and driving acceptably well. I’ve never paid much attention to RX-7s in general, but this one caught my eye, and now I’m worried that I won’t be able to stop paying attention to them.
Related Reading
Curbside Classic: 1983 Mazda RX-7 – Zinger (by Paul N)
COAL: 1981 Mazda RX-7 S – Almost Perfect (by David Saunders)
I love,love these cars, but they should have never ever been offered with a automatic transmission. I have driven these, and they struggle with lack of low end torque bad enough with the manual trans. Fun fact? Only Japanese car to have a 4 barrel downdraft carburetor.
My “young at heart” Mother wanted a first gen model RX7; but refused to shift gears any longer.
Dad and I found her a gorgeous first gen model. If you “hand shifted” the 3 speed automatic it was an adequate performer; but quite the slow dog ice wagon if you left it in “drive”.
Just when the no-torque-off-idle engine was starting to pull decently the automatic slush box would upshift and had to start building power all over again.
An adjustable vacuum modulator for the automatic transmission helped to minimize it’s canine status. After repeated minute adjustments of the internal spring it would hold close to the redline if you “stomped the skinny pedal” while in the “Drive” position.
Mom commented that her car was now much more peppy; but worried about it “making more noise” when she got in a hurry to outrun traffic or merge on Interstate 10, Dad calmly assured that all was well with her “cute little sports car”.
Dad commented dryly and drolly that he wondered why the Chevron gasoline credit card bill for her car increased sightly after this modification.
Ugh, an automatic. I wonder how well that works with the free revving, low torque rotary engine.
On the other hand the RX-7 I owned was terminally rusty in 1994, so that clean undercarriage is a welcome sight to see. Maybe while I was pulling the gas tank for cleaning I would pull the automatic and replace it with a 5 speed from a terminally rusty example.
Just have to ask, where on earth would you even find the manual transmission?
Yes, there are some cars advertised that make most of us yell “Gaaaaah” and smack our foreheads when the automatic transmission is mentioned. (An early Miata is another).
I owned two of these first generation Rx-7s and they are lovely cars. I did not find them lacking in low end torque but they had five speed gearboxes. This one is ripe for a manual conversion which I think is reasonably straight forward.
Bought my ’80 (manual GS, TYVM) in late ’79 and put 350K+ miles on it, with lots of mechanical work along the way. Southern California so no rust but increasingly difficult to get it through smog checks. California finally offered me $800 to crush it (the indignity!) but I handed it off to my mechanic for a bit less than that, along about 2010. I hope it’s still humming along for another loving owner! Here’s a quick pic-of-pic (from before the much-needed repaint — and right side up when I attached it here . . .).
From the look of the interior, engine room, and underside, that’s a five-digit odometer reading, and it has not turned over at 100k miles. Parking one of these outside will bake the interior, which is vulnerable to sunshine, so it has been mostly garaged all its life as well.
The automatic needs to go, if one wants to truly experience the rotary hummmm,tempered by marginal torque and the need to keep the revs up. The automatic accentuates the negatives here.
Also, a “going through” of the engine compression and water jacket seals would be good insurance. This car has obviously been sitting for long periods of time, which can be hard on seals. In particular, failure of a water seal can warp the now-unavailable rotor housings and ruin an otherwise sound car. There are still independent shops that are good at doing these sorts of rebuilds, and while Mazda no longer supplies many parts, the critical rubber water seals are still available new from the factory, at somewhat reasonable prices.
From the look of the interior, engine room, and underside, that’s a five-digit odometer reading, and it has not turned over at 100k miles. Parking one of these outside will bake the interior, which is vulnerable to sunshine, so it has been mostly garaged all its life as well.
The automatic needs to go, if one wants to truly experience the rotary hummmm,tempered by marginal torque and the need to keep the revs up. The automatic accentuates the negatives here.
Also, a “going through” of the engine compression and water jacket seals would be good insurance. This car has obviously been sitting for long periods of time, which can be hard on seals. In particular, failure of a water seal can warp the now-unavailable rotor housings and ruin an otherwise sound car. There are still independent shops that are good at doing these sorts of rebuilds, and while Mazda no longer supplies many parts, the critical rubber water seals are still available new from the factory, at somewhat reasonable prices.
A cool car and I seldom think that about Japanese cars. I might prefer a Datsun Z car, but this car looks in really good shape. I’d always worry about tip seal wear, but that’s life. I hope it attracts a good owner.
A friend had one—a ’79 manual, of course—and let me take it for a spin around the block; the steering precision when catching oversteer was an absolute delight. It was fortunate that some were ordered with an automatic ; that is what makes it possible to find one today in such excellent condition.
Sister in laws, sister got one of these with insurance money from her previous ride, ((and financing of course))
Was a sort a gray-gold. Neat car. She was notoriously rough on cars.
Killed this one (or darn near)) by “83”.
Hers was a “5 spd”.
I saw the opening picture and said WOW! I saw automatic and said never mind.