Rare Mazda 929 Saved… 929 was discovered in a Norfolk scrapyard and had a date with the crusher. 1973 Mazda 929 has been saved from the scrapman – but only just! The car, one of very few early 1970s Mazdas remaining in the UK, ended up in a scrap yard in Norfolk and was ready for a date with the crusher before being spotted by a classic car fan. Richard Rose, who has purchased the car complete, told RJ, “Pictures of it surfaced on the ‘Autoshite’ old car forum. It was a total coincidence really. A forum member had just been in the yard, spotted it, thought it looked interesting and shared the pictures. I have far too many old clunkers already, indeed I have been trying to offload a few lately. Also I need another project like I need a massive, crippling kidney stone. So I just made some token casual enquiries, thinking that ‘I would definitely not get it, but at least I hadn’t just walked on by’ and could go to bed telling myself that ‘I had tried’. To my surprise all the moons aligned and it was collected from the yard a few days later.”
Even as we write, Richard hasn’t actually seen the car. “I only looked at the pics on my phone. If I had looked at them on the proper computer I would probably have spotted that the probably-irreplaceable windscreen was smashed.”
For now, the car has been moved to the driveway of another classic car enthusiast until Richard can arrange for it to be brought to his home. “He has sent me more pictures of it,” says Richard, “so I feel like I have actually seen it now.” The condition has been described as not brilliant, but also not too bad with most of the irreplaceable trim present and in good condition. So, what’s the plan? Richard says, “I think the first job is to try to appeal to the DVLA’s better nature and politely ask if they will issue a new V5 – not a given, as the car has had a Certificate of Destruction issued already. How that pans out, will decide what happens afterwards.”
The Mazda should have found a good home, as Richard also owns a 1974 LA2 1800 Coupé, a 1978 929 LA4 Hardtop and a 1986 929 LA4 estate.
