I've been reading so many build threads as research for my impending bp swap that I figured I would go ahead and start one myself. It all started back in the winter when I decided I was sick and tired of driving my turbo miata in the snow, So I drove up to chicago to buy this:
now, I was planning on looking all around this high mileage canadian car before I bought it, but since it was encrusted with ice and snow the fact that it started and drove around the block was enough to convince me to head back south. Fast foward six months and I've changed several things on the car:
painted the hood, missing a pillar, and window frames.
rota formel wheels
mazdaspeed mx-5 seats
ebay steering wheel
626 center console
protege LX gauge cluster
dash clock
protege LX mirrors
new grille
mudflaps
All that stuff is fine and dandy, but it's mostly just asthetic and comfort related, I really want to add more performance; and this escort get I found a few blocks down the street will most likely be sacrificed on the unholy altar.
(better pictures soon)
But wait, there's more! remember the bit earlier about this car coming from the great white north and being purchased as a running and driving ice cube? the bottom side of this little dude is falling apart faster than lindsey lohan, it's not the worst case of cancer i've seen (i think my jeep is worse) but it is enough that I'm considering picking up a second donor I found on craigslist that's a few counties over, but relatively rust free. I'm still waffling on this car since it's an automatic, but it does have some benefits over my current 323. (non cracked windshield, non rusted rockers and gas tank) So i'm not exactly sure if it is going to be part of the equation, but the plan at the moment is going to be strip the escort of all it's goodies, and put them into one of the 323's if my current car then I'll have some extra rust repair to deal with, if the auto car then that will be a whole nother can of worms.
NOW, from what i've read in similar threads by sockington and a few others who's names escape me at the moment is that the escort gt to 323 swap is fairly simple, things i have mentally noted are that there is a coolant sensor for the gauge which I will need to keep off of my b6 to get an accurate reading, and I was reading somewhere that I should probably get a protege lx ecu if I don't want to burn out a resistor in the escort one with my protege cluster. All in all I anticipate swapping the following parts from the escort to the 323:
BP engine
G series trans
axles
rear brakes
rear seat
suspension
gas tank (hopefully i can make this work)
anything else I should swap over?
So, that about outlines my plan at the moment. I'm supposed to meet the seller of the escort on monday, so hopefully by my day off on wednesday I'll have some new pictures and updates. Now for the feedback, any questions, comments helpful hints? this isn't my first time working with cars, but it will be my first transplant, so wish me luck! If this goes anywhere near as smoothly as I hope it will it should give me a big boost of confidence to start on the skeletal miata in my back yard. (man I wish I could find a few of those for as cheaply as these donors)
now, I was planning on looking all around this high mileage canadian car before I bought it, but since it was encrusted with ice and snow the fact that it started and drove around the block was enough to convince me to head back south. Fast foward six months and I've changed several things on the car:
painted the hood, missing a pillar, and window frames.
rota formel wheels
mazdaspeed mx-5 seats
ebay steering wheel
626 center console
protege LX gauge cluster
dash clock
protege LX mirrors
new grille
mudflaps
All that stuff is fine and dandy, but it's mostly just asthetic and comfort related, I really want to add more performance; and this escort get I found a few blocks down the street will most likely be sacrificed on the unholy altar.
(better pictures soon)
But wait, there's more! remember the bit earlier about this car coming from the great white north and being purchased as a running and driving ice cube? the bottom side of this little dude is falling apart faster than lindsey lohan, it's not the worst case of cancer i've seen (i think my jeep is worse) but it is enough that I'm considering picking up a second donor I found on craigslist that's a few counties over, but relatively rust free. I'm still waffling on this car since it's an automatic, but it does have some benefits over my current 323. (non cracked windshield, non rusted rockers and gas tank) So i'm not exactly sure if it is going to be part of the equation, but the plan at the moment is going to be strip the escort of all it's goodies, and put them into one of the 323's if my current car then I'll have some extra rust repair to deal with, if the auto car then that will be a whole nother can of worms.
NOW, from what i've read in similar threads by sockington and a few others who's names escape me at the moment is that the escort gt to 323 swap is fairly simple, things i have mentally noted are that there is a coolant sensor for the gauge which I will need to keep off of my b6 to get an accurate reading, and I was reading somewhere that I should probably get a protege lx ecu if I don't want to burn out a resistor in the escort one with my protege cluster. All in all I anticipate swapping the following parts from the escort to the 323:
BP engine
G series trans
axles
rear brakes
rear seat
suspension
gas tank (hopefully i can make this work)
anything else I should swap over?
So, that about outlines my plan at the moment. I'm supposed to meet the seller of the escort on monday, so hopefully by my day off on wednesday I'll have some new pictures and updates. Now for the feedback, any questions, comments helpful hints? this isn't my first time working with cars, but it will be my first transplant, so wish me luck! If this goes anywhere near as smoothly as I hope it will it should give me a big boost of confidence to start on the skeletal miata in my back yard. (man I wish I could find a few of those for as cheaply as these donors)
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