Looks like the same sensor they used on the GC 626/323GTX/GD 626 with digital dash. Might be a reed switch, i don't know. It measures ****. It's build a better mousetrap. It's Mazda.


Just seems like a weird thing to integrate instead of just offering the electronically controlled **** ONLY in a package with ABS. Which... is another thing this particular car doesn't have that it seems like it should. REALLY bizarre build out on this thing.


Factory:
Electronically controlled speed sensitive power steering
Electronically controlled speed sensitive suspension
CD player
Subwoofer
Power windows, locks, belts, and sunroof
Theft Deterrent System w/ keyless entry
Opera Lights

Lacking:
Cupholders (Weren't an option)
ABS
4WS

I've also found evidence that heated seats were an option on these cars in other markets.

 

gotta say, thread progress is impressive.

I laughed I cried I fapped

 

Got more things in.

-10AN aluminum weld bungs, one -10AN steel weld bung, and water lines.



STAND BACK I'M DOING SCIENCE.



Magic!



So fun! Smash the **** out of your floor with a hammer!





WARNING: BAD **** AHEAD

Took the bumper off to see why it was sagging. Was not prepared for this.




Passenger behind rear wheelwell. I threw some foam back there a year or two ago just to plug a small hole i knew was back there. Wasn't quite prepared for it to be like this. It's pretty much completely hosed.



Driver's side. The two small rust spots were bumper mounts. Were. The vent is pretty messed up, and is causing some water to get in the trunk as well.



Basically, this car is hosed and wasn't repaired properly the last time it was totaled. I'll fix it, but it's not going to be able to happen until winter. Will be making some fairly large changes when i do so, though. Flat bottom and aero time.

 

rust

it's the worst

 

Pretty much. I don't think this has gotten any worse in the time i've had it, though. The good news is that it has no rust in all the normal terminal places these cars tend to get.

Beyond what you see in the pictures, the only other rust repair necessary on the entire car is 4 fairly straightforward holes in the floor, none of which are real large, all of which are on the seams, furthering my theory that these cars tear themselves apart when stressed with lots of power and g-forces.

I'll be seam-welding the entire car this winter as well, to combat further deterioration.


To be clear, none of the damage you see would have happened if the car had been repaired properly when it gained its salvage title.

 

I bought a new LX rack awhile back in preparation for this, hoping they mounted up the same, despite Mazda having different part numbers for LX and GT rack bushings and straps.

Looks the same at first glance, so here we go!


Gutted/depowered the new rack yesterday. Fairly straightforward job.

Step 1: Remove inner tie rods
Step 2: Disassemble rack
Step 3: Curse all the disgusting grease and fluids that get all over you, and clean the innards of the rack up as much as possible
Step 4: Remove O-ring and seal on rack

Reassembly is reverse of disassembly.

 

Fixed the rear bumper sag yesterday. No pictures. Ended up replacing all the plastic push pin bullshit with nuts and bolts and adjusted it as far up as it would go. Looks good, man.

Removed old steering rack. New steering rack is about half the weight of the old one. Another 10-15lbs shaved off the car awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww yiss. Also looks like the Energy Suspension Poly rack bushings for the ZX2 Escort i ordered are going to work pretty well.



AND THEN. TODAY.

 

Heavy Breathing

Heavy Breathing

Heavy Breathing





Literally.

 

Oh we bolted together now.



Got some stuff from China.


New rack is back in. Addco is a piece of **** company and didn't get my swaybar done in time.



Did a ricer mod and polished my booster because rice.


Installed this thing because the car doesn't truly have a subframe or anything really tying those crossmembers together besides radiator support.


-10AN drain because **** barbed fittings.



Brake upgrade in progress. Because 2300lbs needs 11.8" rotors. Will move to 12.6" later.













And for your viewing pleasure... here's a more-stock-than-you'd-think FE 2.0 8V "Magnum" setup that's shooting for the 9s currently. Already done 10.1 @ 130mph+.

 

I don't know where you are located, but Goddammit, I'd like to sit down for a beer and shoot the ****.


Well.*******.Done

 

I'm in Indy. Come on down.

 

Good build thread. Would read again. Now suppressing the urge to buy an MX-6 and subsequently turbo the *** out of it.

 

Don't suppress urges. Give in. Come to the dark side, we make tons of power on band-aids.

 

moar progress pics

 

That's gonna be it for a couple weeks. :( Moving to a new place.

 

We just finished moving into our house. Good luck and I hope it is easier for you guys than it was for us.

 

We're just renting, and we have a good 3 week overlap between places, so we'll be fine. Everything is getting hooked up on Monday, so i'll hit it hard next week and knock it out quick.

Then gotta put together a workplace in the garage there. Just gonna do light work and kick my electrical game up.

 

Then you can start making some bandaids in your garage!

 

Exactly, and i've got a couple people that need a Miata jumper harness to move their obscenely huge Megasquirts away from their pedal assemblies, and an SW20 MR2 Caldina 3sgte conversion harness to do.

 

Finished moving. Getting back into this bastard. Needs to be in Flurduh end of October. We can do this. We have the technology.

I guess step one is sorting out this ******* mess and getting it all taped up and proper. Will work on this on Wednesday. Spent Saturday just cleaning up and putting together a game plan/prioritizing.




For comedic relief, found the last time slip in existence for this car. This is with blown headgasket, blown turbo, blown clutch, huge exhaust leaks, all on a 222k mile original motor. Car #22.