Well, it is decided. Over the winter I shall build:

1984 GSL-SE Body
1988 TII motor/trans/rear end
1988 TII brakes/suspension w/cut springs for lighter car
1988TII's GXL rims
1988 TII interior - seats, maybe even dash?
"MAZDA Black" paint - all MAZDAS in our family must be black

Good or bad?

This is the same thing as my 626 - Old MAZDA body, newer motor/trans and some interior bits, brakes, but in a lighter older car that makes a perfect sleeper.

 

Do it

Document the IRS install PLEASE!!!

Document the front suspension install PLEASE!!!

Don't cut springs, buy the real thing.

keep the GSL-SE dash, the 2nd gen ones SUCK!!!

This is a HUGE project, good luck, and DOCUMENT IT!!!

 

Over the winter? You guys must have bloody long winters over there. Do you actually realize how much work it would take to swap the IRS rear end and front suspension into a first gen? It's basically a full re-engineering of the whole chassis. And unless you're rich or plan on doing the work yourself it will probably send you broke in the process. All that being said I hope you go ahead with it. And remember. Pics, lots of pics.

 

Most likely I will only get through the rebuilding/install of the motor and trans. Also, I NEVER, EVER WOULD EVEN CONSIDER having ANY WORK ON MY CAR by someone other than myself. NEVER. How about just a brake swap?

 

Sounds like a fantastic project, good luck and keep us all up to date with it.

There are a few people that supposedly sell TII brake kits for FB's. "Guru" on this forum is one, although we haven't heard anything from him in a while.

If you are successful with this FC suspension conversion stuff, you'll impress a lot of people. Seems like an extremely difficult job to me, but oh man would it be cool.

Don't cut your springs, and use better rims that those GXL ones. I think stock third gen rims would be pretty damn cool.

Good luck!

 

let me know what you are going to do with the spare GSLSE suspension, tranny, drive shaft, diff, engine. ok.

 

sounds like a great plan, but im gonna agree with everyone else here that you are gonna go through bloody hell getting the FC suspension swapped over. its a pain enough to get the TII trans in through the stock shifter local.

 

There is no GSL-SE motor or trans. There is a fairly complete 12A in the hatch that "runs, but not very well" that I can get with it for 20 bucks.

 

Yeah, get the 12A.

 

I did, but really have no idea what to do with it...

The GSL-SE is running well, with the NA 13B motor from my '86 RX-7, and the Turbo 13B from my TII is going in the '86, although the Turbo has not been finished yet (I need new seals - i know where to get now, but haven't gotten to it yet, though Moday I will order new seals for the 13B 4-port and the turbo.