Posts Tagged ‘japanese’

The beginning of the end – 1977 Honda Accord Hatchback

February 5, 2010

Inspired by a recent magazine feature on the early Toyota Celicas, I started looking around for one to feature. As the article (accurately) mentioned, they’re really quite hard to find in decent shape, and certainly at our price point, so I kept digging through listings for other older Japanese cars. And that’s when I came across the Honda Accord, which you could arguably say was the beginning of the end for lower-end European and American cars in the US market. First sold in 1976 as a compact hatchback, they were already being built in Marysville, OH in 1982. While the first Accords only had 68hp from their 1.6-liter fours, they were also probably smaller than today’s Civics, and likely not much larger than a Fit. At about 2000 lbs., they were definitely lighter.

So we come to today’s second feature, a 1977 hatchback. As it happens, it’s listed in Marysville, WA, for $1500. Finished in a lovely shade of gold metallic, with turbine-style wheels (could they be vintage Mugen?), it’s amazing what good condition this car is in – when’s the last time you saw one on the road, let alone one this nice?

1977 Honda Accord front

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Budget Revolutions – 1984 Mazda RX7

January 20, 2010

Inspired by a recent article in Hemming’s Sports & Exotic Car about fun budget cars (who would ever think I’d be interested in that??), I went on the hunt for a first-generation Mazda RX7, and along the way turned up the 626 convertible. I’ve had various brushes with these, including a neighbor who owned one when I was about 10, and a current neighbor who’s got what appears to be a 1985-model car, possibly a GSL. Sadly, that car’s been sitting in the garage spot next to one of mine since 1998… very straight body, but apparently the engine is dead. It appears a likely cause is carbon lock on the rotor tips, and I’m sure that adds to a pretty long list just from sitting for so long.

But I’ll stop rambling, and you’ll see why I haven’t tried to rescue that car – compared to some of its contemporaries, there are plenty of these available, and they’re a pretty good bargain on a roughly 30-year-old car with some cool technology and attractive styling. Top of the market seems to be about $5000 for a spotless driver, but you can do pretty well for less. Take a look here in Brookings, OR on the Oregon coast, where our feature car is for sale for $3000. If the seller’s claims are to be believed, he’s only the second owner and the car only has 80,000 miles on it! Even better, it’s got all its records & receipts, and has had recent major maintenance.

1984 Mazda RX7 front right

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Super-Mega Oddball Points – 1982 Mazda 626 Convertible

January 19, 2010

Well, I’m pretty much the biggest oddball car nerd I know, and yet I’ve never heard of this. And I’m sure if you asked any of my oddball car nerd friends, who are, like me, the biggest oddball car nerds they themselves know, they probably won’t have heard of or seen one of these either. That said, with Preludes, Celicas, and CRXs all being available in small batches of convertibles done by Straman or the like, I’m not too surprised this exists. Mazda 626 coupes of this series are themselves pretty rare at this point, and my only memory of them from when I was little is thinking they looked a bit like a 6-series BMW, and that the mother of one of my school friends drove one. Apparently, it performed quite well for the time, although I can’t imagine its 2-liter 4-cylinder, with a strangled 75hp, could have had too much of that zoom zoom (sorry for mentioning that) feeling.

Anyway, let’s have a look at the featured car. With only 80,000 miles and a 5-speed, it should still have a decent amount of life left in it. Being in a snow-belt state, it’s likely it was kept as a summer car – find it in Columbus, OH, apparently at a dealership, for the low, low price of $1950.

1982 Mazda 626 convertible front

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