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Thread: 74/75 REPU information assistance
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rotarydave
Hauling
Posts: 108
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posted August 19, 2010 12:25 AM |
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74/75 REPU information assistance
I am working on fixing title issues on some of my trucks let me outline the problem. What is the definative cutoffs for 74 and 75 trucks. I have multiple pieces of documentation that only make things more confusing.
Here are the trucks in question with all the info I currently have and title info
1974 REPU build date 8/74 vin number PA136-109881
1974 REPU build date 8/74 vin number PA136-109985
1975 REPU build date 10/74 vin number SPA136-121457
1975 REPU build date 7/75 vin number SPA136-108888
Mazda data published in 1991 Vehicle ID Manual states that 1974 started at # PA136-100011, 1975 started at # SPA136-105776, 1976 started at # PA136-150001
Mazda data from REPU parts manual with monthly production breakouts states that production for 1974 started with PA136-100173 and 1975 started with SPA136-112286
the monthly breakout for numbers looks like this (begining number each month)
12/73 PA136-100173
1/74 100377
2/74 101495
3/74 102592
4/74 103660
5/74 104619
6/74 106113
7/74 107849
8/74 108699
9/74 110103
10/74 SPA136-112286
11/74 122309
12/74 -none
1/75 122359
2/75 122366
3/75 122369
no further production numbers for 1975
So here is my question how did I get a 1975 truck that shows it was built in 7/75 with a chassis number of 108888 and how come I have 2 74 trucks with chassis numbers that come after it 109881 and 109985 this shouldn't be possible becuase no trucks were built in 7/75 does anyone out there have a 75 truck that is similar, for example one built in 7/75 or a 74 truck that was built later in 74 like 9/74
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Klaus42
Rotorhead
Posts: 1877
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posted August 19, 2010 08:48 AM |
 Edited By: Klaus42 on 19 Aug 2010 08:48 |
I don't have a definitive answer for you, Dave, but it was my understanding that '75's were (mostly?) re-badged leftover '74's... of course, that process might not have been as clear and all-inclusive as all that... so I speculate that perhaps some REPU's were 'stragglers' in this process, and that could be the reason for what does not seem to make sense (?)
...assuming that no Previous Owner monkeyed around mixing and matching trucks/parts/numbers...
I'll have to check my build dates, but mine are all '74's.
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rotarydave
Hauling
Posts: 108
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posted August 19, 2010 10:45 AM |
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I know what you mean about the rebadging. It is Mazda's dirty little secret per say but we have never had real "proof" of it. That's one of the things I am trying to figure out is this some of the proof. Then what happened to the other 2 trucks why aren't they 75s also?? Some valued members have posted the differences between 74 and 75 trucks ie wiring, low oil light etc and these are real things but it could be just as easily dismissed as a change in the production line at a specific vin number rather than a model year change, similar in nature to the changes made during the run of R100s and on 1979 Rx7s both had multiple mid year changes at various serial numbers.
FWIW. The data plate on the drivers door post looks identical to any other REPU and is clear without any marks of tamper so the marks 7/75 and the vin SPA136-108888 are very clear. I will note that on both my 75 Rx3 and Rx4 the door post data plate appears to have had the S stamped before the vin number after plate application and it is definately in a different font, not so with this REPU it looks 100% right but with that odd date. The data plate under the hood is very worn but readable and matches, we are trying to locate the frame number to see if it matches.
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woooody
1st Gear
Posts: 25
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posted August 19, 2010 10:53 AM |
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When I worked at NUMMI (Toyota Tacoma Plant) there would be times where a body from one year didn't complete the assembly process at the end of the model year, and would then be "rebadged" as the next year model.
The body number would be assigned at the beginning of the assembly process (when the sheetmetal was assembled) but a body could get "lost" along the way due to quality issues. If the fixes didn't happen before the model year switch, then it rolled off the assembly line as the next year model.
If there were body changes, then the body would be fixed before the change. But since 74 and 75 were the same body, it didn't matter to Mazda.
Wiring harness issues are a whole 'nother topic ;)
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rotarydave
Hauling
Posts: 108
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posted August 19, 2010 08:53 PM |
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Ok I posted this on multiple places hoping to get some good answers. On another forum I received a reply from another 75 Repu owner. His REPU also has the same odd 7/75 date and his repu is an earlier chassis than mine although not by much.
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rotarydave
Hauling
Posts: 108
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posted August 20, 2010 11:52 PM |
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answers
Well I have the answer but I have no way of validating it yet. Through my Mazda friends I got access to a Mazda guy that worked with Mazda since the very early 70s. He stated the following with the caveat that he knows of no way to prove any of this. Just as some of us have suspected Mazda did rebadge trucks in late 75. These trucks were at the factory or at the port but not part of the dealer inventory yet. new door plates and cowl plate were installed converting them from 74 to 75. My source stated that he personally picked up a stack of plates from the warehouse for this exact purpose. This lead to some interesting things happening. For instance a Mazda vehicle with 2 door tags one right on top of the other the top one with the 75 data the covered one with the same chassis number and the 74 data. A 75 truck with the wrong cowl data plate, it was 2 numbers off (i should have kept it but titling it scared me). And last but not least 2 trucks with obvious 75 chassis sequence numbers but 74 titles and no "S" on the vin number. Here is the deal while the trucks where all at the port they weren't in line per se with this vin going before that one. Also with muliple ports some had more trucks than others because regionally they sold better in some places. Therefore it is easy to see that a truck 109xxx in a popular color with certain options and in a good region sold long before that puke green automatic with white interior no a/c and radio delete in a poor region number 105xxx. How did mazda determine the begining number for 75. Well originaly it would have been like 10/74 so everything after 10/74 got a vin starting with an S, then for a small amount of time as a when a 74 vehicle would leave the port they would stamp it with a S on the exsisting plates (with differing font alignment issues etc) finally because of issues with supposed cases of vin tampering that got customers in trouble (the law thought the consumer did the tamper when it was actually Mazda) The were told (but not in writing) to change all the data plates hence advancing the production date to 7/75 leaving no doubt that it is a 75 vehicle. During this period they did not double up on numbers in fact there is an undetermined number gap in the chassis sequence, one can only guess that they were "hedging a bet" making sure they had a group of vin numbers they could re-assign if needed.
So there you go I got my answer and confused everyone.... if you have a question please ask.
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Klaus42
Rotorhead
Posts: 1877
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posted August 21, 2010 09:22 AM |
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That actually makes perfect sense, in terms of the historical perspective.
Crazy idea: Were your source willing to put this in writing, sign, date, and notarize, etc. ...might it help a few folks deal with DMV?
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rotarydave
Hauling
Posts: 108
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posted August 21, 2010 10:31 AM |
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I can ask and see. Knowing that he is an enthusist he might be willing to do something to that effect. I might also be able to hook you guys up with a very old school friendly dealership that can help with these types of problems as well
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ih8dsm
Newbie
Posts: 1
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posted August 22, 2010 01:27 AM |
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So what your saying is both yours and mine 75s are actually 74s ?
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rotarydave
Hauling
Posts: 108
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posted August 22, 2010 02:23 AM |
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no both of our trucks are 75s but they weren't originally built in 7/75. They will have been built about 6 or 7 of 1974. All I am saying is now we know why the chassis numbers are odd and unusual
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ericryan
Revvin Up
Posts: 61
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posted August 23, 2010 09:05 PM |
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I knew about the rebadge but damn, now I have a headache.
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mazdaclassic
1st Gear
Posts: 14
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posted August 25, 2010 10:30 AM |
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My REPU VIN
quote:
no both of our trucks are 75s but they weren't originally built in 7/75. They will have been built about 6 or 7 of 1974. All I am saying is now we know why the chassis numbers are odd and unusual
Hi there Dave,
My truck is a -75, have the built date 6/75 and VIN: SPA-136 108552. - So i guess my truck was built in 7/74 if the information above is correct.
Can more people post their info so we can see if there is a pattern and conclute if the above info is correct.
Thanks
____________
My Cars: Mazda Luce Rotary Coupe, R100, Rx2, Rx3, Rx4, Rx5 all Coupes, REPU and a Rx8.
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WVoigt
Revvin Up
Posts: 75
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posted August 29, 2010 07:36 PM |
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When did Ford changes Body's
It seems like there would have been a lot of short courier body's left when Ford changed to the long 1976 body.That would have been about 7/75???
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rotarydave
Hauling
Posts: 108
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posted August 29, 2010 10:26 PM |
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Naw they didn't switch the REPU cab to the longer cab until 77 and by that time I think the courier/1800 was already a totally new cab for 76
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xp882
Redlining
Posts: 294
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posted September 02, 2010 11:07 PM |
Edited By: admin on 7 Sep 2010 10:02
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**REMOVED - I WILL NOT TOLERATE TROLLING OR REPLIES TO TROLLING **
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spokanerxdude
Hauling
Less cubes... More balls
Posts: 181
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posted September 07, 2010 02:20 PM |
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I agree with ericryan, My head hurts. By the way what the hell is trolling. lol
____________
Allen Ervin, spokanerxdude@yahoo.com
509-998-9024
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Crit
Revvin Up
Finally REPUing
Posts: 90
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posted September 14, 2010 07:34 PM |
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For what it's worth, Dave, I've seen a good narrative related to the serial number change. The Series 3 RX-2 parts manual explains that for 74 Mazda changed the way they serialized VINs, resulting in potential overlap. It was explained as an internal effort to get all the Mazda lines consistent which resulted in some oddities. Because the REPU was North America-only and so many were already at the port and didn't sell, this retagging effort may have been Mazda West's way of taking care of the directive from Hiroshima.
____________
77 REPU
84 GSL-SE
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