Got something new to play with - 1977 Mazda 323, courtesy of Wuvvum motors.
After BC gave me my first experience of a track day a few weeks back, I appear to have a developed a need to build something for myself. This looks like a good contender. It's solid, rear wheel drive and orange. Perfect.
As purchased. All 1272cc of automatic goodness...
Interior is a bit knackered, but that's all going in the bin anyway.
Look at that wheel arch gap! Will have to do something about that.
Head gasket first though. It had simply rusted away from the inside, so no warped head worries to bother about.
I love my barn!
Look how solid it is. Bit of surface rust, but otherwise it is so original.
Apart from a couple of holes on the floor pans - nothing for a 31 year old J nail.
It went straight through the MOT, with nothing other than new wipers and an advisory for one brake pipe. Previous tax disk was '05, so its been knocking about for a few years.
So now we can start having fun...
Interior - gone. Look at all that total lack of rust! Marvellous.
Stick. Hit. Two and a half coils all round for now. Front valence is a 'bit' rusty, but it's nothing a bit of sheet won't fix... Oh, Stuey gave me a hand to give it a bit of a buff. Came up a treat!
Still has room underneath to come down loads, but I think the front struts will bottom out if I cut it down any more, so some engineering is required. I reckon I can get another 3 inches all round, and it'll still drive fine...
Playing with ideas at the moment. I know that a 12a rotary bolts straight in as this shares it's floorpan with an RX3, but I really don't think I can be bothered with the maintenance (or indeed trying to source one). I am currently thinking of buying a crashed MX5, and transplanting it all over. Be nice to keep it all Mazda.
After BC gave me my first experience of a track day a few weeks back, I appear to have a developed a need to build something for myself. This looks like a good contender. It's solid, rear wheel drive and orange. Perfect.
As purchased. All 1272cc of automatic goodness...
Interior is a bit knackered, but that's all going in the bin anyway.
Look at that wheel arch gap! Will have to do something about that.
Head gasket first though. It had simply rusted away from the inside, so no warped head worries to bother about.
I love my barn!
Look how solid it is. Bit of surface rust, but otherwise it is so original.
Apart from a couple of holes on the floor pans - nothing for a 31 year old J nail.
It went straight through the MOT, with nothing other than new wipers and an advisory for one brake pipe. Previous tax disk was '05, so its been knocking about for a few years.
So now we can start having fun...
Interior - gone. Look at all that total lack of rust! Marvellous.
Stick. Hit. Two and a half coils all round for now. Front valence is a 'bit' rusty, but it's nothing a bit of sheet won't fix... Oh, Stuey gave me a hand to give it a bit of a buff. Came up a treat!
Still has room underneath to come down loads, but I think the front struts will bottom out if I cut it down any more, so some engineering is required. I reckon I can get another 3 inches all round, and it'll still drive fine...
Playing with ideas at the moment. I know that a 12a rotary bolts straight in as this shares it's floorpan with an RX3, but I really don't think I can be bothered with the maintenance (or indeed trying to source one). I am currently thinking of buying a crashed MX5, and transplanting it all over. Be nice to keep it all Mazda.
