...head...gasket...

 

v8 swap

 

I worked on putting my frankenstien close ratio SA transmission together today. I have got to get a torque wrench on this nut:


That is on this shaft:



So I bought this: (finding a 41 mm socket was not easy!....



and then cut it in half, and had a welder weld a piece of pipe in the middle to make this 17 inch deep well socket:




So now I have completed all the mods, next will be the assembly.

 

Whats that?

Is that when you drink V8 instead of regular tomato juice?

 

that is awesome Mr. Watson, bravo.

 

What do you guys think? I switched the antenna to this smaller rubber one and took out the center section of the taillights, i think it looks pretty good. i haven't seen anyone else attempt this. (maybe for a good reason). That i could find anyway..



Flame away... lol

 

It was a little different with the tiny front Sumitomo's and the wider, much taller rears. I was running 185's in the front and 215's in the back. Taller, softer sidewalls, more highway friendly rubber compound. Should be a bit different with more performance oriented sticky stuff. I went skinnier up front for a few reasons. I had a few issues with the Hankook 225's so I went skinny so they'll stretch a bit and tuck into the fender rather than making contact and tearing them up. Also had tramlining problems and it was a pain in the *** to do low speed, tight steering (IE: parking lots) as well as these will be primarily street wheels. I don't intend to race on them, they're more for looking pretty. Plus the slightest bit of camber on those tires and the car was a nightmare to drive straight. I honestly was not all that happy with it last year. I want to go a bit lower as well so the tucking will help. These were also a shorter diameter than anything wider, thus keeping the gearing close to stock. In fact the rears are about half an inch shorter than the 15 inch 225/45's I had and the fronts are a bit shorter still. Doubt I'll notice the difference but hey, every little bit helps. On top of all that I just don't have the power for any tire wider than a 215 out back. These are still a huge improvement from the stockers and should be much better behaved on the street than the Hankooks.

In fact the Hankooks are going to go on my Slowfire for the summer and I might try autocrossing it. Main reason though is the ABS is super sensitive and anything but the best brakes and tires and it goes nuts and makes braking on anything with more moisture than morning dew pretty nerve racking. I've put Hawk HPS pads up front with stainless braided brake hoses all around. Made a huge difference. It's got power steering so it won't be so bad in parking lots.

Also ordered an Autoloc power door lock kit. I've never understood a high trim model that had power windows and cruise control but not power locks. Time to fix that.

 

Another day, another trip to McFadden-Dale for nuts and bolts.... & some parts cleaner.


Being an SA owner, I can say with certainty that making your car's derriere look more SA-like is OK in my book!

 

wait till i bolt up the louvers and meshies.

 

Hey man, the center section between yo taillights dun fell off.....

 

A little new zing (freshly lapped housings) and a little new engine bling (chrome plated right-side heater pipe, and brake booster vac line).



Hey, it can't ALL go to function.

 

thats a good solution! its basically what the mazda tool looks like.... if you had an FB you could adjust the steering box with it too, and your friends head.... its useful

 

Thanks, I spent three days trying to think of a way to torque the nut w/o building the socket, came up with nothing!

 

It wasn't today, but we got a harness bar added into my existing 4-point roll bar. Also got an RCi sfi spec 5-point harness installed. The red harness looks sharp with the red Bride seat!

 

wow you just keep setting the bar higher and higher

 

That's because I suck at limbo, Ray...

 

LMAO good one

 

water pump and heads are in finally next up is wiring

In reference to the antennae posted above, I like it, but I am mounting a similar one on the roof with a slight angle. I was thinking of a modern VW styl one but on the back of the roof instead of the front.

 

Fahrfegwankel?

 

may look like a remote control 7

 

lol, it already does look like a RC now with the stock one that goes like 20' in the air.

I just spent 2 hours trying to fabricate a mount for the ECU. tomorrow I will paint the ECU housing and then when it is dry, I'll mount it. Slowly but surly the car is coming along.

 

Cleaned and polished my freshly lapped housings per RB instructions... amazing how much lapping compound can wedge into a supposedly-flat iron surface, just crouching there waiting to eat up new oil rings.

I also painted my new mid housing to match my overall color scheme, after getting the 30-year-old cosmoline off it. I think I'm going to fancy up that old Mazda logo on there a bit.

Then, I took a break.

 

Integrated headlight relays into whats left of the gutted drivers side harness, and started taping parts of it up. I also relocated my alt to a side mount using a cs130 105amp alt and a stock A/C bracket. Belt line is perfect, I will do a write up on it this coming week.

Isaac

 

Thats what I did to mine, when i get done putting mine back together the antenna will be on the roof. Drilled the hole for it in the stock location for the rear window washer, rerouted the antenna wire, filled the hole in the rear quarter panel. SHould look a little better than the old antenna sticking thru a rubber grommet in the rear spoiler.....

 

^^You need to be careful about them V8s, not very reliable.


I put air in one tire that goes low and waiting for a friend that will most likely buy it at the end of the month. I took a long good look and sighed because it's hard to find a nice FB with low miles but I need the space for the RX4.