323 picking up where I left off.

[me109]

So back in april 2022, my 323 got destroyed by an uninsured dumbass who ran a red light.



A few months later I found another one, and ever since I've been trying to fand the time/money/motivation to transfer all the important bits from my wreck to the new replacement body.

Figured I'd start a worklog.

Apologies in advance, I'm bad at remembering to take pictures.

I only have one before picture of the new shell, and it already has a few things done.

[me109]

In the last week I've removed the auto shifter/cable/key trap, and started tearing out the lower dash. I also removed the front lights, bumper, grill to facilitate pulling the engine and transaxle out. Everything is disconnected from the engine and transaxle except a starter wire I couldn't get a tool on and the exhaust manifold which is soaking in penetrating oil.

Dash is coming apart because it's a 92 and needs a wire harness transplant to work with the manual ECU. And because I'm moving the AC over to it. That should be fun.

Plan is to keep the B6 and F series from the wreck, keep the AC, keep the depowered MX-3 steering rack, keep as much tinted glass as I can, and get back to rallycross next year. Once the wreck is gone I'll see about getting a BP swap ready, but I'm not in a rush to get there.

Next step is raising the front end and pulling axles and exhaust.

[me109]

Did some interior detail painting today.

[me109]

Real, tangible progress today.

[bomdoutscort]

I like the white touches.

[me109]

Thanks.

[me109]

Pulled the pedal cage and steering column in preparation for wiring harness and front subframe removal.

[me109]

Front subframe and wiring harness out. Need to address rust next. That makes me nervous.

[minijosh]

How did you get your instrument cluster out without breaking it or the dash?

[me109]

It's just four screws holding it in. And the speedo cable on the back. Pretty easy to do. I even rolled the odometer to the correct mileage for this car.

[me109]

Well, I've been stuck out of state for a couple of weeks. My daily had an unexpected engine failure after a screw vibrated out and opened up a plate on the side of the block that was holding all the oil in. Anyway, I'm back now.

Today I started up the wreck so it could idle for a while and it finally ran out of gas. Need to get some rattlecan primer soon so I can derust the new shell while the engine is out.

[me109]

Pulled all the AC pipes out of the engine bay of the donor yesterday. Pulled the AC Harness. Disconnected the main harness from everything in the engine bay. Front bumper is off. Thinking about swapping the radiator support. It's a lot less rusty. But it would mean welding, and then I'd want to swap the strut towers too and it probably wouldn't end there. I'm thinking about it.

Need to dump coolant and then the engine and transaxle should be ready to come out of the donor.

[me109]

Progress today.





Also got pedal cage moved over, and front brake lines replaced. Shifter linkage is out.

Need to get the subframe migrated next. Hopefully this week.

No connector for my clutch switch. I don't forsee that being a problem, but if anybody knows something I don't, feel free to tell me why I need it.

[me109]

Sunday was a big day. I got the subframe up and in, engine/transaxle inatalled. Even put the hood back on. Next is stripping the wrecked carcass and getting it out of here by this weekend.

[me109]

Wreck is gone.

Wiring is in place and connected to all the electronics that are currently installed. I got the dash almost entirely back together and the consoles in. The interior is starting to look less like a project. I'll get pictures next time I think about it. Tired and hungry now.