datsun1200

I want to know if 1gen convertibles are hard to find ther is one guy on this forum that has one.I never seen one thats a cool looking car tho post pix if you have one.

Keeble

iTrader: (3)

nah they are all custom jobs, there was a guy that built a few of them, and he's on here, do a search

BlackWorksInc

Thought the Avatar was a convertible? or was it the Pacifica I can't remember...

teddyrx2

iTrader: (33)

yeah keeble is right there all custom jobs...

datsun1200

I did not know it was a custom Job.

Kerebrus

iTrader: (30)

its not all custom jobs don't listen to him. search on google "Avatar RX7" and you'll find what you're looking for.

steve84GS TII

Pacific Avatar "IS" a custom job.

They were made,by hand, in the early 80's starting at about 25K bucks.Only 126 were completed before Mazda announced that they were making a factory convertible RX-7 for the 88 model year.Quality was very good,and many rich folk added turbo kits and widebodies to go with the "look". How they look is a matter of opinion,but nowadays youd be better off just buying a Vert,especially since they are getting cheap and are factory built/backed.
I'm sure PA saw the latter reason as their deathnail,hence the production ended right as the factory convertibles hit the showroom.

BlackWorksInc

See! i knew I wansn't going crazied!

O.o but if they're made by a custom shop would that imply that in a way they are production?

Like a Shelby Cobra? or Shelby GT500KR
or a MOPAR?

Vashner

Best to get a convertable FC. Plenty of them out there and can be a nice when fixed up.

There is a gentleman here that has one and posted pics. Tried to sell it. The pics it was filthy, run
down and full of dirt (nothing personal man just saying that's what was in the pics).

steve84GS TII

Whether P/A had a builders license or not.......its moot since none of their cars are going to be warranteed or are likely to ever be repaired with original P/A parts.The last one was made 20 years ago,and there were less than 200 made to begin with.
To me,a factory backed custom is endorsed by the factory and is sold alongside the factory cars at the dealer.The Spyder 3000GT is a perfect example of this.They were made outside of the Mitsubishi plant,but sold at the dealership along with all the other 3000GT's.Everything else is just,"custom" regardless of the quality or price.

Far as I know,the P/A 1st gens were a custom job that was done after the initial purchase.P/A might have warranteed their work done to the car,but that doesnt mean that their work didnt void Mazda's warantee on the car as a whole. As I said,its moot since they are all 20-30 years old now.

slate84

datsun1200, you sure like to see pictues of things?!?!, specially for repping the nissians with your sig!! haha

datsun1200

I do like to see pix of things i like the datsun. I just wanted to see if the convertible was a factory opsion for 1 gens.

datsun1200

salte84 do you drive your car in the winter i can see in your avatar??

slate84

haha, hell no, it was about 55 out that day and dry roads, just had the urge. just waintting for it to get nice again, im in south dakota so i know you know how it is.

ultima 1

hi, I have been researching convertible ist gens.

Zach in northern cal has an original pacific avatar car - red which he talks about in an extensive, enjoyable thread in "56k, no way". By the way, he may have to sell soon, before he restores it.

I own a widebody mariah convertible with 8k miles, red with white custom interior that is running ,to be registered this week. On the web for Mariah motorsports as the Ultima car. Featured in a movie, circa 1986, I'll post about.

There is a gentleman in oregon who has made his own convertible conversion - at least twice. Inspiring. Very nice.

There is a car in Vancouver, Canada. Hand done - no top. red. Featured on the other rx7 web site. great job.

In my opinion, the stock look like Zach's is tough to beat, but I have plans for mine that will make it very nice.

Check the threads. I will post more pics soon, as I suck at that. But I will post on the threads and make them current and easier to find. cliff

rotarydude

iTrader: (2)

Pay attention here this gentleman is probably the best authority on the first gen verts.

I currently have 2 one was manufactured very similar to the PAs, (using a 626 trunk lid and hardware with frame reinforcements etc) however that is where the similarites end the PA is a much nicer car and well put together this one the finish work is not as nice.

The second one I made, it started life as a 79 or 80 (i forget and would have to look at the title to be sure) we chopped the top and covered the rear deck it does not have a top at all so it is not a true convertible, we made 2 like this the second one was sold to someone in Florida


As for factory warranties on them the dealership I deal with in Texas sold 2 they stated that the factory warranties were not voided on one because it had stock drivetrain, the other came with a PA warranty because it was a turbo 12a (aftermarket kit) aside from that there were other warranties that the dealership provided, then as now many warranties are not from the factory but from a warranty company.

I will have to post pics later but there are out there on the '56k no way thread'

74RX4

iTrader: (10)

Here is some info from the 80's about some of the companies building custom 1st gens.

http://intertron.com/ron/images/rra1.zip
http://intertron.com/ron/images/rra2.zip
http://intertron.com/ron/images/rra3.zip
http://intertron.com/ron/images/rra4.zip
http://intertron.com/ron/images/rra5.zip
http://intertron.com/ron/images/rra6.zip

ultima 1

Nice collection of pics.

Do you have the Rotary Rocket magazine on the Ultima?

I have been searching for it.

Leesha

Cool converts...

datsun1200

I like all the pix hot.

stilettoman

iTrader: (1)

I have seen a couple of Pacific Avatar convertibles and lots of photos over the years. All the ones I have seen used a flat cover over the original hatch opening for a "trunk lid". It was very cheap and cheesy looking- definitely not a high class job. I cannot speak for how they beefed up the chassis, but that is the most critical part of a convertible conversion. I have seen some custom convertibles that were so flimsy in torsion that you could drive one wheel up on a curb and the doors would not open.

I at least took the time to build a proper trunk for the ones I built, and my chassis reinforcement was fairly stiff, only added about 50 pounds of steel. It was not stiff enough for a race car, but certainly good enough for normal street driving.

ultima 1

hi, stilettoman, you were the "oregon guy" that I incorrectly id'ed. I read up on your cars. My newly acquired Ultima, does not have a trunk. i will be adding a trunk. So far a 1985 mazdz 626 donation car is not to be found here in SoCalif.

I was inspired by your cars. I was going to build a 1st gen vert when I found the ultima buried in storage and am resurrecting it now. I just spent the last three weeks polishing the rims. On top of that, they are ugly rims!

I would like to see a 1st gen convertible list.

ultima 1

FYI, the Ultima car is a Pacific Avatar car which Jim Hagerty of Mariah Motorsports
added a wide body kit and many other upgrades to, including custom suspension, wider rims, recaro interior, alpine sound system, etc. It was a team effort in building, over time with some opposing views. Every part I encounter is a mystery! Bigger sway bars and shocks than I expected. Diff rear end?

Nick at Rotary Engineering removed the 12a turbo motor and put a stock 12a motor in it for me to register and smog - California legal.

The word was, 2nd hand of course, that the Ultima was too flexy for the horsepower, as Stilleto so knowledgably says, so the trunk was removed and more frame reinforcements added. I think the respeed front rack by Billy would further strengthen the front end. I was thinking a removable aluminum subframe like they have for the miata as well.

The car has only 7700 original miles on it and the underside looks sooo new it is cool. The car drives tight and straight under stock 12a power. After i polish the rims, we'll get to the next step. No new tires until the body shop does their stuff - trunk?

Sorry to carry on, I'll email Zach and see how he is doing. Hope He'll post.

74RX4

iTrader: (10)

Yes. I believe there were several articles over the years. I haven't scanned them all. I'll look for them.

ultima 1

wow, Thanks. i have started a collection of them, but I missed the utima ones.