Project Jay-Spec 323 KLZE

[IMACHU2]

Very Nice!

[IMACHU2]

Spent an un-told number of hours strippin' the goo off the bottom of the floor. I used an angle grinder with a few wire brushes to get the job done. The floor is near mint. (unlike the rest of the car) LOL The bottom of the car is clean enough to eat off of, and ready for paint. I think since the outside of the car requires no serious work, that I will paint the shell now and get it over with, so I can have fun boltin' it all back togeather. The rear shock towers and rockers need some love now.

[IMACHU2]

Painted the bottom of the floor and the inner fenders on project
MX-326 GS today. You can eat off them now. The bottom of the floor and the inner fenders are not: slimey, scungy, rusty, multicolored or missing.(anymore) Clean, solid and flat blackened.

[IMACHU2]

I have not worked on the MX-326 GS in a while.

Bad News: I have had a hell of a time with my daily driver 323. It failed the E-test (470000KM) So I ended up putting a used engine in it. The used engine passed the E-test then it started to knock really, really bad. It also has an un-stopable oil leak coming from the oil sensor. I put a new sensor in, then teflon taped it, then I put RTV all over it. It still leaks.

Good News: I bought a 1993 Mazda 323 with 200000KM Today. I am going to use it for parts for both the Project 326 and my daily 323. I still dream of 326's though.

[IMACHU2]

I spent the long weekend working on the MX-326GS. Update! Latest disposable camera developed!

Painted the interior floor





I primed the engine compartment.



Then painted the engine compartment.


I started work on the rear shock towers.
(before)



Prepped the towers.




I cut the donor tower tops from my parents old 1997 Ford Escort Wagon. Cut them out with about 6 cut-off wheels and an angle grinder. (they are exactly the same as a 323 towers)




Mocked them in place.



Then I welded them in place with my Fisher Price welder



I removed the cracked windshield with some piano wire, which came out surprisingly well. After that I cleaned all the windshield goo off the frame.


Sanded the 326 down. The little rust bucket was surprisingly straight and near dent free. The panel above the rear bumper was the exception, it is dented, bent and full of holes

[Pox]

Nice progress.

[Mazda_Powered]

looks like you're really gettin deep there lol

[IMACHU2]

looks like you're really gettin deep there lol

Ya I was a little naive when I started. I remember many people had new 323's in high school and in my mind they are not old. My 1978 Mustang is old, a 323 is a "late model" car. The idea was to buy a good conditioned 323, a MX-3 parts car and bolt a KLZE into it. Reality is my "good" conditioned 323 was a rusty turd in need of a total restoration. I have enjoyed the restoration though because I have not had one of my personal cars this far apart for about 8 years or so. The 323 is a joy to work on compared to the real "late model" cars I dismantled at the auto recyclers a few years ago. My V8 friends don't understand or agree with my new 323 obsession. The Mustang is actually taking a back seat to the 326 right now (it is broke and I am not in a rush to fix it) which has confused many of my friends and customers. My name is Jason, and I love 323's LOL

[mxrx37]

haha great job man ,,

I am thinking once again leaving my turbo mx-3 broke and building one of these v6 323's well in my case a protege,,
I have now aquired 2 1993 lx's i like to call them the twins
theres just somthing about these cars that attract you...

Your quote at the end is great... I experiance the same thing,, All my buddies moved on from the cheap tuners ( old rusty imports) to evos sti 350z's fd's
and here I am with lots of 90's era mazdas still lying around. I just cant give them up..

[Ace]

wow your being really thorough on this.
cant wait to see finished pics.

[Dan [Sac]]

A lesson for yee all Canucks - next time, fly to Cali, buy $800 323, drive back, save 200 hours of rust repair

Stick with it, it'll get done. One day at a time.

[deadly_sleeper]

A lesson for yee all Canucks - next time, fly to Cali, buy $800 323, drive back, save 200 hours of rust repair

Stick with it, it'll get done. One day at a time.

LOL, that's what I did!

[IMACHU2]

Thanks for your imput guys!

mxrx37: BG addiction is much easier to justify in this forum then on the outside

Ace: I figured this would be a nice easy project, the total restoration was a surprise to me too. LOL

Dan[sac]: I got my Mustang from Arizona, if I build another 326 I will buy one from there. I dropped the "F" bomb several times when I saw the perfect condition of your 326 in your build thread.

I worked on the 326 yesterday. More of the same, The rockers were soft from the rear wheel opening to about the middle of the door I ground out all the rust and repaired them both with about 4L of fiberglass and a piece of fiberglass cloth the size of a good sized bed spread......I hate you Dan! LOL

My 326 will be able to do something Dan's can't...........Float

(due to my composite construction of 80% fiberglass and 20% rusted tin).

[Ace]

my cars 100% rust free too.

lol
trade you? J/K

[Mazda_Powered]

A lesson for yee all Canucks - next time, fly to Cali, buy a Protege LX, drive back, save 200 hours of rust repair .

did that too! she'll be delivered in 6 weeks :D