Happy Mazda 626 Day| Off-Topic Discussion forum |

Derick Freese SuperDork
6/26/12 8:01 p.m.

Today is June 26. That means if you use the date formatting that we use in the United States, it is Mazda 626 day.

Let's celebrate the car that I learned to drive in!

jrw1621 PowerDork
6/26/12 8:30 p.m.

If we are going to celebrate, lets do it right:

jrw1621 PowerDork
6/26/12 8:44 p.m.

Second choice would be...

That is some crazy price increase over 4 years.
$6,195 in 1980
$8,645 in 1984

JamesMcD Reader
6/26/12 8:53 p.m.

I have a couple of them:

Others:

Woody GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
6/26/12 9:02 p.m.

My parents had an '81 or '82 626 Luxury Sedan. I loved that little car. If I had to pick a favorite of all their cars, that would probably be the one.

92CelicaHalfTrac MegaDork
6/26/12 9:07 p.m.

626 coupe!!!

And the coolest 626 ever: http://youtu.be/V_XDFk2MMCU

jrw1621 PowerDork
6/26/12 9:09 p.m.

Woody wrote: My parents had an '81 or '82 626 Luxury Sedan. I loved that little car. If I had to pick a favorite of all their cars, that would probably be the one.

The shame is that no one saved a first gen 626. My guess is it would be near impossible to find a good example. On the other hand, Sciroccos, Celicas and BMW 320i's of that era can some times be found.

1988RedT2 SuperDork
6/26/12 9:14 p.m.

First car I ever bought new was a 1989 626 LX 5-speed. I drove that sucker for 14 years and 175k miles. Great car.

92CelicaHalfTrac MegaDork
6/26/12 9:16 p.m.

I want a 1st gen 626 very badly.

Derick Freese SuperDork
6/26/12 9:25 p.m.

Hey, the lowest VIN Honda Accord was just found, and the build thread showed up on our Honda site. Kinda cool, considering there have been articles written on one that's several thousand cars later, claiming it to be the earliest example.

Old cars sit in fields and at abandoned houses for ages. I've come across more than I would have ever expected.

jrw1621 PowerDork
6/26/12 9:29 p.m.

I own #8869 of all Miatas but I am sure there are much lower out there.

Datsun310Guy UltraDork
6/26/12 9:33 p.m.

I almost bought a 1980 626. It was a little pricey compared to the Datsun 310 I bought instead.

18 year olds make poor decisions.

stuart in mn UberDork
6/26/12 9:38 p.m.

I had a 1980 626, it was the only new car I've ever bought. Great car, I drove it for 20 years.

Woody GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
6/26/12 9:48 p.m.

jrw1621 wrote:
Woody wrote: My parents had an '81 or '82 626 Luxury Sedan. I loved that little car. If I had to pick a favorite of all their cars, that would probably be the one.
The shame is that no one saved a first gen 626. My guess is it would be near impossible to find a good example. On the other hand, Sciroccos, Celicas and BMW 320i's of that era can some times be found.

As I recall, the car was pretty rusty by about 1988 or so and it had already been repainted once by then.

jrw1621 PowerDork
6/26/12 9:55 p.m.

Stuart, is that your picture actually yours? Too cool with the Kamei/Zender style front spoiler.

stuart in mn UberDork
6/26/12 10:04 p.m.

jrw1621 wrote: Stuart, is that your picture actually yours? Too cool with the Kamei/Zender style front spoiler.

Yeah, it was my car...the poor thing went to Mazda heaven years ago, it died of terminal rust. The front spoiler was a universal ground effects kit from J.C. Whitney, I thought it was pretty stylish back in the 1980s.

stuart in mn UberDork
6/26/12 10:11 p.m.

jrw1621 wrote: The shame is that no one saved a first gen 626. My guess is it would be near impossible to find a good example.

I periodically do an internet search to see if there are any still out there - I've found a couple in Australia but they seem to be extinct in the US.

92CelicaHalfTrac MegaDork
6/26/12 10:13 p.m.

There was a minty one in new england last summer.

I seem to think there was one featured on stanceworks somewhat recently...

JamesMcD Reader
6/26/12 10:44 p.m.

Eric Berg, a friend of 92Celica- and I, has one.

JamesMcD Reader
6/26/12 10:47 p.m.

There was a convertible first-gen 626 on CL a couple years ago in KY IIRC (it was built by the same people that did the Celica Sunchasers) It looked to be in good shape and he kept lowering the price until it was maybe $800. I don't know if it sold.

I know where a complete 4-door one is, at a defunct junk yard in SE Missouri.

Derick Freese SuperDork
6/27/12 4:32 a.m.

The more I see late 70's and early 80's Japanese metal, the more I think that's going to be the direction of my first real restoration.

RossD UltraDork
6/27/12 7:25 a.m.

Rear wheel drive Mazdas are the dope note.

92CelicaHalfTrac MegaDork
6/27/12 8:35 a.m.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: There was a minty one in new england last summer. I seem to think there was one featured on stanceworks somewhat recently...

Found it.

http://www.stanceworks.com/2012/05/the-parts-list-joseph-dales-mazda-626-2/

YUM.

jrw1621 PowerDork
6/27/12 9:08 a.m.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: YUM.

Most tasty!
Seems it was common that the more you looked the more you liked...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxutDecdtVY
Which was then strangely followed by the need for just one look.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgk51SCUo7g

AquaHusky Reader
6/27/12 9:45 a.m.

I used to have an 82 4 door. It had a straight body, but worn out interior. I loved it. It even had a 5 speed. Blowed out the rear axle, got one from the local salvage yard from one that was complete with power everything. This was years ago though. This car is also on my list of what to "collect" when I get some land again.