Mazda Project Intro

I’ve been working on a car project for a few years now (actually it just rolled over 10 years this year). I’ve always been interested in mechanical things and when I was younger I bought a clapped out old Mazda 323 with great intentions of turning it into a fire breathing monster. As you do when you’re younger - you tend to keep purchases like this secret from your parents. This however made the purchase quite tricky. The best tried and true method was just to get it and surprise them. Better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission. I bused my way into town to pick the car up. The engine had run a main bearing but still ran - so I drove it home! The knock from the motor got progressively louder with each kilometer traveled and the temperature gauge was just under the red the entire trip home - but I made it! Surprisingly my parents were okay with the purchase. I suppose they viewed it in a positive light - at least if I was in the garage I was off the street, parties, etc that other teens get up to. Right? Yep - sure.

Well as the weeks turned into months, and the months into years - the project became more complex and involved. As soon as you start working on something - you come up with other ideas and eventually you have a ten year project on your hands.

So the car started out as a 1978 Mazda 323 RWD. I originally wanted to put a naturally aspirated 13B rotary engine in it. I bought one but the engine turned out to be a lemon. Being a student at the time (read: lack of money) - the project was put on hold. Life then catches up with you - I got married and moved to another city - while the poor old Mazda sat in my parents garage. Well eventually after getting a place of my own - I’ve been working away slowly over the last five years. Here is a basic rundown of what I’m doing:
Car: 1978 Mazda 323 RWD
Engine: 1993 13B REW block, large streetport with 12.7mm dowel kit, 9lb aluminium flywheel with Exedy clutch.
Intake and exhaust: GT42 Large frame Garrett on custom steam pipe manifold. Tial 44mm wastegate, Tial 50mm BOV, 600x300x100 front mount intercooler with 3” plumbing. 3 1/2” exhaust. Water injection to come.
Fuel system: 850cc primary and 1680cc secondary injectors. Holley Red lift pump from tank to surge tank, Aeromotive A1000 from surge tank to engine. Aeromotive rising rate fuel reg. 15mm fuel lines.
ECU: Link G4 RX
Gearbox: FD RX7 5 speed
Differential: Borg Warner shortened live axle. 4 Spider shimmed LSD. 28 spline axles. 3.89 ratio. Custom 3 link Chromoly bars with rosejoints.
Brakes: Front - 4 pot Skyline gts-t calipers and disks. Rear R31 skyline calipers and disks. 1” Master cylinder.
Suspension: Front - custom coilovers on shortened shocks, adjustable camber plates. Rear: QA1 coilovers.
Wheels: 16” Mak Fiorano

In a nutshell that describes the running gear. I still have a lot of work and decisions to make on the interior. I’m basically aiming for a fast street car (legal) - that I can have a bit of fun with at drag days. I’m aiming for 500hp at the wheels.