84GSL-SE paint and nearing completion...
 

Well, nearing the end of my exterior mods and getting back to mechanicals. Wanted to post a thread to let folks see how the paint turned out - have added this image to my signature line.

The exterior mods include the following;

Mazda paint code BZ/21T - Chrome Yellow Clearcoat, same as 2003 Mazda-6 yellow. Black trim at beltline, black trim throughout.

Mariah rear hatch - what I think is a great addition to the car to update it's looks. For a 20 year old car, this one still gets looks, and the rear hatch is lighter than the glass.

Kamei Front Airdam - an older design with a nice curvature at the front, mounted twin driving lights in custom cut front holes, supported throughout to prevent high speed 'shakes'.

Mazda factory sideskirts - found at a local Mazda dealer for a great price ($85). These were transplanted from my 80LS and I'm happy with the end result.

Pacific rear whaletail (large) - this is the flushmount whaletail that has the strakes that lead up alongside the rear quarters.

Mariah NACA duct headlight cover (passenger side) - routed directly to the air filter box using the modified stock air tube. This provide Ram-Air and you can hear the suction from the front end when you get into it. Additionally, you can see the air filter through the NACA duct, so I know it's getting clean, cold air.

Glass moonroof added recently now that weather is starting to cool off.

MB Motoring 272 wheels, 15x7 with new Yokohama tires - I am very happy with the offset looks and catilever design of this tire - protects the wheel rims and provides a little wider contact patch.

That's about it. Getting back to work on the performance modifications under the hood and need to remount my RB strut tower brace (color matched to exterior color). Mount block studs were too short with my replacement mounts.

WHoa! that's bright :D


looks good though! I like it...

any bigger pictures?

Here's one, I hope it posts:

http://www.frutsel.terrainhost.com/f...nt%20large.jpg

Wow! That is lookin' sweet!

I don't think I'm diggin the hatch, but wow... very cool.

I really like the rims. If it is not out of place, how much did the paint job cost?

Did they go down to primer, bare metal, or was the previous paint still in really good shape?

I like the air dam, but I assume that one is no longer available. Does it replace the lower valance or mount on top of it?

Thanks,
Brian TC

The paint was done by a local shop that did my Black 80LS 10 years ago and they scrubbed the standard beige paint on the 84SE down to rough, reprimed, filled dings, reprimed, wet sanded, then basecoat, wetsand, basecoat, clearcoat. There are some imperfections in it if you know where to look, but I'm happy with the outcome, and for the money ($1400), it is done. I only spent this money after putting money into all the other suspension and exhaust modifications, so I finally decided to get it to look as good as it's been running lately. The yellow was to help make me more visible to other traffic out there, and also to update the 20 year old car with a brand new paint color.

I paid a bit extra for the inner door jams, inside the hood, inside the fuel filler door, the strut tower brace, and for removal of all ground effects and spoilers prior to paint so that if one part ever gets damaged, I can remove the individual part and it will be the correct color underneath.

The Kamei front spoiler is actually still sold through VB, but you need to get the 81-85 specific airdam, as the 79-80 could be made to fit but is of a completely different design. The Kamei unit is FRP plastic, but I prefer this at the front, since it occasionally gets run up too close to curbs (my wife), and everything else that's more protected (side skirts, rear spoiler, hatch) are all gelcoated fiberglass.

The airdam mounts below the factory valance, and bolts to the stock mounting locations under the plastic front bumper cover. This ensures that it is able to flex a bit, but is mounted solidly with 8 bolts (4 on each side) plus stiffeners that mount the centersection to the cross-brace in front of the radiator/oil cooler.

I've been waiting for years to get this project this far. If anyone wants to buy my 80LS (NOT THIS CAR IN THE PHOTOS!) in Phoenix, AZ, send me e-mail to Longduck@mindspring.com. It was an SCCA Solo II racecar (Competition Street Prepared), and is mostly stripped at this point.

Nice CAR! :) That's a nice and noticeable color... which is both a good thing and a bad thing. :p:

I was just wondering if that Mariah hatch changes the aero coefficient anyway. :confused:

Otherwise, good job!

Lookn good man!!!! And now to the power mods.......13bt...cough cough......;)

NICE! I'd like to see before pix...got any? Also, engine pix plz...