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The Millennium Falcon--Mazda 323GT build thread

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    The Millennium Falcon--Mazda 323GT build thread

    So I randomly searched "mazda 323" on Kijiji the other day and found a $100 FWD BG and a $450 323GT. Yeah, a GT for $450. Needless to say, I pounced on it!
    • Current status: 132HP, 134lbs/ft
    • Trunk floor being torn out and replaced with fresh metal

      A little info:
    • 1000 323GTs imported to North America available in 88-89. Probably only a couple hundred still around.
    • FWD, unlike its rally big brother GTX (full time 4WD hatch, same engine)
    • Electronically adjustable suspension
    • B6T 1.6L DOHC turbo: 132 hp, 134 lbs/ft @ 7PSI stock
    • With an ECU reflash and a boost controller (EBC or MBC) the B6T will handle 16PSI and make about 185hp
    • Net weight with full tank of gas and a passenger: 2300lbs.

      Things I noticed about this car
    • There's f*cking rust everywhere except the frame rail and engine bay
    • Master brake Cylinder appears to be leaking
    • Lower fins on rad are squished
    • Electronic suspension uninstalled due to replacement after market struts
    • The car is burning a bit of oil, there's oil in the intake pipes, suspect the turbo because there's oil droplets in the J-pipe (charge pipe attached to

      throttle body)
    • Slow leak in rear tires, front tires are now bald
    • New brake pads, rotors in good condition
    • Rear speaker connector broken
    • Mint interior (but a bit dirty)
    • Hood release doesn't fully retract when not open. Need to use a coin to jam it into place.
    • Timing belt replaced last year but not the water pump
    • Don't know the last time the distributer was rebuilt

      Things to do
    • Install my spare EBC (Electronic Boost Controller)
    • Install chipped ECU from RocketMan, good until 18PSI
    • Build a VJ14 ex / VJ11 in hybrid turbo (Ford Probe GT/Mazda MX-6 GT turbo) so I can boost at 18PSI to redline
    • Port internal wastegate to avoid boost spikes
    • Finish welding rear passenger side strut tower back in place
    • Replace rear fenders (fiberglass & weld new metal)
    • Replace front driver fender
    • Fix hood release
    • Check/replace fluids
    • Get alignment done (reattached a strut tower)
    • Get inspection done
    • Insure & register the car
    • Fix/Replace master cylinder or brake booster if needed
    • Upgrade to the Probe GT/MX-6 GT side-mount intercooler
    • Rotate tires, grab cheap rubber for the rears for the winter
    • Replace turn signal in front bumper (Paul, you said you had a spare?)


    PICTAWRS!!!!!
    At the time of sale






    Brought it over to Jovanne's house to begin the fun job of de-rustifying the car. First order of business: The rear passenger side strut tower was hanging by

    a piece of metal one inches wide. Pictures better describe the situation:



    The only piece of metal holding the strut/strut tower to the body:


    So after a lot of hammering, we get the strut tower back in its place (for the most part) and start to weld it:




    We called it a night after that. Welding of the strut tower will resume on Saturday. Until then... more pieces of the puzzle
    Last edited by Crazy Drummer69; 11-23-2009, 01:41 AM.

    1993 Mazda Familia GTR - work log

    #2
    The same corner of the car also had major cancer of the wheel well and trunk. It will all need to be cut out. The wheel well will be fiberglassed, the trunk

    floor will get new metal welded in.

    I'll retake the blurry picture on the weekend. You're looking at a hole in the floor of the trunk just behind the wheel well.


    Oh look, the other side has the same problem! *gasp* More fiberglass and welding to do...



    And the front driver's side...


    And the front passenger side... wait... WAT??? No work to be done here :D (coffee time)

    1993 Mazda Familia GTR - work log

    Comment


      #3
      And now for the random rust pics:
      Front passenger lock


      Front passenger fender bottom, metal still usuable just need to clean it


      Windshield trim



      Sunroof (to be replaced with a moonroof from a 94 protege--successor to the 323 sedan chillin in my garage). Lucky me, it doesn't leak, uncommon for BF 323s!


      Hood:


      Driver's side turn signal


      Driver's side door base


      Exhaust snapped at the flange past the cat. Plan to replace with 2 1/4" SS turbo-back



      I'm thinking of snagging this front bumper from an Isuzu Stylus from PaP if it's still there:




      North America got shafted in the bumpers department. I wish I hadn't included my 323GTR replica bumper when I sold my GTX, then again I didn't think I'd get

      another BF 323 after buying a BG 323GTR. If that Stylus bumper looks fugly, which I'm afraid it probably will, I'll chuck it.

      Anyways, more progress to come this weekend. I'll be installing the EBC and doing some fluid changes and filter changes in between welding sessions. Until the next update...

      1993 Mazda Familia GTR - work log

      Comment


        #4
        Wow a GT for $450 what a steal! Certainly is a project. I've heard of strut towers coming apart like that but never seen pics of it

        You got your work cut out for ya!

        Btw I replied your PM-

        -Rocketman
        1991 Capri XR2 "GTXR2" BPT AWD Bastardization/conversion
        1991 Isuzu Impulse RS Turbo AWD

        Creator of the B6T Rocketchip
        www.werbatfik.com

        Comment


          #5
          wow. to most anyone else, that would have either been junked, or a parts car. great your actually taking the extra step of saving it. cant wait to see how it turns out!
          ~PaTricK~


          -Current car's-
          ~ 92 Probe GT Turbo, 90 FE3 Turbo 626GT hatch, 97 KL mtx 626, 05 Mazda6, 09 Kia Sportage V6~
          What are you driving?

          Comment


            #6
            If you pull this off, you can join Jason in the rescue-cars-from-the-dead club. I hope you plan on more than just welding at the breaks, it's gonna need more reinforcement in those areas...
            '90 AWD Protege, full GTR drivetrain swap, ~320 whp daily driver, RIP, and
            '90 AWD Protege, yet another GTR swap, Open class rallycar with a Toyota GT4 gearbox swap, thus crossing the line between hobby and mental illness. And a Brabus E55 K8, removing all doubt.
            http://www.wihandyman.com/forum/vbpi...?do=view&g=110
            http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2599486

            Comment


              #7


              Dang man good luck. Thats getting close to how bad my parts car was.
              12 cbr250r: daily ride
              01 saab 9-3: daily
              98 gsxr 1100: for sale
              93L: money pit/ space waster
              92GL: low and slow beater
              90?: the rust free shell
              89LX: swapping to rust free shell
              89L: for sale
              89L: parts
              87 conquest: dohc 4g64 swap underway
              76+80 vw dashers: for sale

              Comment


                #8
                nice....and for $450 not bad at all...my motor swap cost me more than that. And a lil correction on the B6T motors, they came 132hp 136lb ft. and i thought rocketman chipped ecu went up to 16psi? well atleast mine was :/

                Comment


                  #9
                  Yeah 132 sounds right... must've misread it although I remember telling myself I thought they had 130stock. ECU should be good until 16PSI, could push it to 18 with a fuel pump and a couple of minor tweaks. I don't think I'll do that, not unless I get a wideband.

                  1993 Mazda Familia GTR - work log

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Finished reshaping the strut tower



                    The outside of the car needs to move closer to the strut tower.


                    We pushed the strut tower closer to the outside after hitting the outside closer to where it should be.




                    A little extra reinforcement






                    At the same time my friend Andrew came over and helped with the surface rust. He started on the hood today:




                    I finished installing the electronic boost controller solenoid valve:


                    Plumbed the boost gauge and EBC vacuum lines, covered the EBC solenoid valve wires with split loom, cut the grommet to size and stuck it back in the firewall


                    Made room for the EBC in the car. That deck is going out, can barely see the screen.


                    Boost gauge location


                    Worked on the front driver side fender. I didn't replace the whole fender because I want to preserver the sweet pinstripe 8)




                    Driver's side dog leg; four fiberglass sessions required to preserve the body lines. This one isn't going to be fun AT ALL....






                    Andrew will finish the hood tomorrow and I'll get him to start fixing the rust on the doors.
                    Jovanne will finish welding a chunk of sheet metal to the bottom of the passenger side trunk
                    Eric will grind down the rest of the welds that Jovanne skipped and help prep the passenger dog leg
                    I'll prep the rear passenger dog leg and start fiberglassing the front fender and both rear dog legs tomorrow

                    1993 Mazda Familia GTR - work log

                    Comment


                      #11
                      $450 is an awesome price.cant wait what for more updates!



                      sigpicWorlds first car with GPS was a Mazda



                      ~~~~~~~~> Thanks again to member gooseinyou for the familia garnish <~~~~~~~~

                      Comment


                        #12
                        So far you gained my approval, just don't **** it up like the GTR lol

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Personally I'd be using sheetmetal for the dogleg for sure, probably the fender but fiberglass will do, I guess....

                          Mad props either way.
                          97 Expedition XLT - 90 MX-6 LX - 95 Escort GT

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Updates! Nobody was able to give a hand today, so I just did a little more prep work. Jovanne said he'll have time to do some more welding tomorrow, but we're only going to work on it for about two hours before I gotta go host a wing night and he has choir.



                            Going to weld some new metal to patch up the inside part of the wheel well






                            I cut off another decent chunk of metal.


                            Started grinding the paint and old bondo and rust to get to bare metal. After I wore down another flapper disc I called it a night


                            A couple of pics of the passenger side of the trunk. Cut out all the rusted metal and tacked on a chunk of sheet metal that Jovanne will work on tomorrow.


                            1993 Mazda Familia GTR - work log

                            Comment


                              #15
                              WOW great work! You have kiwi's the size of coconuts for taking on a project of that magnitude!
                              Dominic Toretto rocks a MaZda and his cell phone number starts in "(323)"

                              My Work Log:http://www.wihandyman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46003

                              sigpic

                              Comment

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