Project rally beater
 

Ok let me start by saying this is my first actual build thread. So to all Grandma Nazis I would like to apologize ahead of time. Let me give you a little preface on this project. I needed a beater so I sat down and wrote out a list of things my beater should have. The list is as follows, must fit in a $1,500 budget, must be good in bad weather and must be cheap to insure. So that list included, Mitsubishi Galant vr4, Hyundai scoupe Turbo, Isuzu impulse RS, Subaru 2.5rs, Any Honda and the Mazda 323 GTX. I have had an affinity for all of these cars since I was a kid. Now most of the cars I mentioned have very low build numbers and it was hard to find any of them, let alone one in good shape.
So we fast forward a few weeks. I find all but the Hyundai scoupe for sale. All of the Vr4 Galants and Subaru’s are way out of my budget. Any impulse I found was beat beyond repair and Hondas are just really not that fun for me. So this leaves me with a Mazda that was sold in the US for two years. So like any good car guy I hit up craigslist and search within 150 miles and bingo to my surprise I find a 323 gtx for sale. One problem the guy selling it wants $3500. So I offer him a trade he cannot refuse, my slightly used 05 Honda 400ex and $1500 cash. Within two days we schedule a date to trade. At this point I am so amped I can barely sleep and am driving my wife crazy with car talk.
So the day finally arrives when I get to go pick up the car. I load the 400 on my trailer, while my wife and brother in law ride shotgun in the truck. Two hours later we arrive at the corner of bumble f*ck and you got a perrty mouth. I call this guy asking if the dirt road on my gps is his driveway? Turns out it is lol. After the descent down the dirt path I see the 323 it looks amazing from 100’. I start talking to the guy about the car…. well he says: it’s got a full AEM stand alone with a street tune for 15lbs, ahhh full 2.5” stainless from the down pipe back, a 94 Miata Auto bottom end Oh I also got rid of the distributor and I used the Miata coils, Oh the crazy rare set of Millen Panasports and the 4wd systems seems to be in great shape. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, It was like the heaven’s had opened and god was smiling down. So needless to say I know own an 88 323 GTX.
It’s time to start fixing and replacing things that need it. The exhaust manifold upon further inspection is cracked beyond repair, I destroyed the thrust washer on the 22 year old turbo, valve cover gasket needs replaced and the diff lock motor needs replaced. So following this long intro are some pics for your enjoyment. Hopefully within the next few weeks I will be installing an Artech Manifold, T28r from an s15 R spec, Divorced down pipe with a waste gate dump, 3” all the way back, Finishing up my top mount intercooler and hopefully getting the center diff lock working again.

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...h/0981d124.jpg
First five minutes in my Hands
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...trailertwo.jpg
Good shot of the Millen wheels
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...yah/assend.jpg
My other babies @ss
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...cyah/stock.jpg
Man that has got to be the world’s smallest recirc valve vented to atmosphere
Attachment 194426
Aww how cute… The little guy, If you look close you can see how the impeller started to contact the housing.
Attachment 194427
Valve cover gasket all done and the cover with some fresh paint
Attachment 194428
New spot for the Probe gt intercooler
Attachment 194429
Cutting the hood for the Isuzu Impulse RS scoop and intercooler shroud
Attachment 194430
Scoop mock up
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...h/c1871e52.jpg
Scoop all done and mounted.

tl;dr

In for artech shiz and mad fwd boostin'

This: It's in your future.
http://www.coupondad.net/Images/Simple_Green.gif
Welcome. No offense, but you could have gotten $3000 for your quad, I had an '07 with some cosmetic issues that sold for $3500. Hope this Mazda works out for you.

yay I got some work done
 

None taken, The quad was just sitting around collecting dust. Also the plastics were shot, the rear axle was bent, it needed a battery, the carb was in need of a rebuild. lol just a laundry list of things that I didnt feel like messing with.


The 323 got some fab work this weekend. The pics are just a little comparision of the factory front mount vs. the front mount from a Probe/MX-6.
Hopefully I can weld up the new I/C discharge pipe Tuesday. I would like to finish all the fab work on the I/C. So that the only thing I will have to plumb is the turbo to I/C and the inlet pipe.
By modifying the I/C, I was able to make use of the whole core. The way my modified MX intercooler is set up air enters one side and has to leave on the opposite side like a traditional front mount. Both the 323 and MX-6 I/C have intake and discharge tubes on the same plane.

Attachment 194396
My friend Zack allways ready to use a sawzall.
Attachment 194397
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As you can see pizza and adult beverages are allways on tap.

So a little update......My complete MX-6 intercooler backdoor style. As you can see the difference in the cooler from the above pics. Total cost $25 dollars + $5 for filler rod and gas lol. The BOV was given to me by a good friend.

http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...h/d35b7995.jpg

I have a new two core Honda half radiator and pusher fan on the way. To accomodate for the Artech Manifold and the GT2560. Look for updates soon I hope lol, depending on how much time I get to work on the car in the next few weeks. Still on the to do list, Diff lock motor install, Honda half rad, I/C piping, weld the thermostat housing and temp seding adapter together, retune the AEM and I think that is it. Maybe add some 15x8 Diamond racing stealies and a set of nice coilovers. Till next time same bat place same bat time.

Dope gtx, I would love to have one of those one day. Keep us updated!

So just a quick update to let you all know I haven’t forgotten or quit my build lol…. So the new rad should be installed this weekend, along with the intercooler mounted and plumbed as much as it can. Abe and I have come up with what we think is a proper fitting manifold for the GTX. I will post some pics of the start to finish wastgate porting after this weekend. Also larger brakes and some custom coilovers are next on the list.

Pics of the new manifold and updates on status.
 

All right All right calling all gtx enthusiasts. Here are some shots of the new manifold. Big Giant thanks to ABE. We have been pm-ing like crazy for the last two to three months.

First is a shot of the beautiful welds that this man can do.
Attachment 192230

Next are some pics of the start of the runners and into the collector.
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...otwithmock.jpg

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I would say that hopefully by New Year’s this thing should be running lol. Until then I will keep you all posted on the progress, including the new rad should be installed and ready to roll. The intercooler will be solid to the car and plumbed. I will take as many pics as I can.

What are your plans to keep the transmission in one piece with a bigger turbo setup?

<-- had fun in the snow last weekend in his GTX.

I'd love to have one of those...with a copy of the motor in my Miata.

+1 on plans to keep the OEM drivetrain pieces where they are currently located with the turbo upgrade.

I miss my gtx too :(

I intend to keep the boost down with the new setup. The new setup should make lots of usable power and yet still be efficient enough to drive daily. Hence the reason I am porting the internal gate instead of running an external. As long as I am nice to the drive train it should stay together lol. I don’t have any tornados or awd burnouts planned in the future, but you never know :naughty:. Also I am good at keeping drive trains made of glass together. I daily a Cts-V and they are notorious for rear diff failure. Knock on wood, my V puts around 450 to the wheels and I have yet to destroy a diff @ 60k. Now that I say this on my commute tomorrow something will break lol.

Fed Ex is my best friend
 

Soooooo hello again, I just received a gift similar too ……… well you fill in the blank. Abe really takes manifolds to the next level. I am sure that the gtx community will be grateful that your fabrication skills are bar none. So here are some teaser pics.
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...h/56fe0220.jpg
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:drool: beautiful.....

I was one of the repliers to your yahoo group email. So I see you are in fact running the turbo the other direction. I'm curious to see how you build the downpipe.

Hurry up and install I want pics.

:drool: Id love to have that mani on my stiva. Would you be interested in selling the millen wheels?

I had a set of Rod Millen wheels that came with my car and I was surprised that I was able to sell them for $450.

Are these still as sought after as they were a couple years ago? I had no idea they were even popular outside of the miata community.

I dunno if theyre that popular Ive never seen a set for sale.

Puttin in work
 

So good morning to everyone…… or good night. I just got into the house from a long day in the garage. I have gotten a lot done in the past few days. I’ll start by saying fab work always sucks. So here is the list of completed or somewhat completed things, intercooler mounting done, charge pipe from I/c to Tb done, water outlet moved and made longer for dp clearance done, rad inlet moved and modified, rad mounted, new cooling fan mounted and wired, found cheap set of race seats with harnesses $125.
Now that still leaves a list to finish, Plumb turbo coolant and oil lines, fab the rest of the exhaust, retune aem, add aem boost control solenoid, finish modifying the thermostat housing and I think that is it. Wait just remembered plumb from turbo outlet to I/C. It has been a long weekend with my beater. I am excited to get this thing finished. It’s driving my wife nuts lol but oh well.
Here are some progress pics
Big yurbo
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...h/63e6a85a.jpg
Side shot coolant outlet
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...h/12d92405.jpg
Side shot coolant outlet 2
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...h/52596409.jpg
Top shot
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...h/e284d387.jpg
Top shot
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...h/3739338b.jpg
Side shot
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...h/4bd95f8b.jpg
Score seats
http://i843.photobucket.com/albums/z...h/a0b4d6fa.jpg

Lol yes it is a work of art. I wish I had the $ to order another and just let it sit on my tool box at work, to keep me motivated.

Yahoo group is full of useful info for the GTX community.
I will be running the turbo in the factory position, the pictures earlier in the thread where from Abe to show me mock up stuff. As you can see now I am starting on the exhaust work.


Yes but they are showing their age, I was just going to paint them an obnoxious color and rock them till I found something else I liked. But If someone shows interest in buying them I would def sell them or trade?

The wheels were available through the dealer, as a factory option. When you bought a GTX they gave you a list of goodies you could buy through Millen and just add it on to the car. Also if I am not mistaken Millen built a few turbo Miata’s that came with those wheels.

Ok its all making much more sense now. Civic half radiator moved to one side leaves plenty of room for that manifold.

Lookin good. Motivates me to get out to the garage and work on mine for a bit. If only it wasn't 35 degrees outside :(