End of summer...
09-24-09, 07:43 PM
#1
End of summer...
...and it's time to wrap up before winter falls.
Fairly productive this summer, had a few major projects and managed to finish them all.
-New windshield.
-Removed intake manifolds, cleaned and painted them. Replaced all vac and fuel lines, deleted AWS and secondary throttle plates. Cleaned BAC and 5/6th ports.
-Moved leading coil pack to strut tower, shortened plug wires to suit.
-Cleaned and painted waterpump and housing along with all pulleys.
-Installed Godspeed aluminum radiator. Made new cooling panel out of 1/8" ABS sheet.
-Relocated alternator using Pineapple Racing bracket.
-Installed several booster/master cylinder combinations, finally ended up with Mazda 929 booster/MC/proportioning valve (with residual pressure valves). Front circuit hardlines replaced, bent to suit new layout. Installed speedbleeders on newly rebuilt front calipers, which were painted red. New braided steel front brake lines (custom Russell, deleted caliper hardlines).
-Installed Mazdatrix strut tower/ firewall brace with engine torque arm. This made a huge, immediately noticeable difference in handling and suspension smoothness. Oddly, many interior rattles also disappeared, maybe due to decreased chassis flex. Highly recommended.
How she looks now...
There's a set of rear KYB AGX's waiting to go on and a few little fiddly bits left to do but after an oil change, I'm pretty much done till next spring.
This winter I'd like to figure out what do about the engine (rebuild, go Turbo or V-8?) and get that ready for spring.
It never ends.
Fairly productive this summer, had a few major projects and managed to finish them all.
-New windshield.
-Removed intake manifolds, cleaned and painted them. Replaced all vac and fuel lines, deleted AWS and secondary throttle plates. Cleaned BAC and 5/6th ports.
-Moved leading coil pack to strut tower, shortened plug wires to suit.
-Cleaned and painted waterpump and housing along with all pulleys.
-Installed Godspeed aluminum radiator. Made new cooling panel out of 1/8" ABS sheet.
-Relocated alternator using Pineapple Racing bracket.
-Installed several booster/master cylinder combinations, finally ended up with Mazda 929 booster/MC/proportioning valve (with residual pressure valves). Front circuit hardlines replaced, bent to suit new layout. Installed speedbleeders on newly rebuilt front calipers, which were painted red. New braided steel front brake lines (custom Russell, deleted caliper hardlines).
-Installed Mazdatrix strut tower/ firewall brace with engine torque arm. This made a huge, immediately noticeable difference in handling and suspension smoothness. Oddly, many interior rattles also disappeared, maybe due to decreased chassis flex. Highly recommended.
How she looks now...
There's a set of rear KYB AGX's waiting to go on and a few little fiddly bits left to do but after an oil change, I'm pretty much done till next spring.
This winter I'd like to figure out what do about the engine (rebuild, go Turbo or V-8?) and get that ready for spring.
It never ends.
09-24-09, 08:13 PM
#2
Very nice work. I love the abs cooling panel. I made a quick ghetto one from THIN aluminum in attempt to solve my cooling issues, and it worked quite well. I'll have to make a nicer one like you did soon, probably in conjunction with that same Godspeed radiator. A front mount intercooler really does cause cooling issues.
Why relocate the alternator? Is it to resolve the bearing wear issue?
Why relocate the alternator? Is it to resolve the bearing wear issue?
09-24-09, 08:30 PM
#3
No.
I was/am considering an alternative air source for the 5-6th ports which would allow the air pump to be deleted.
Moving the alternator to the side increases belt coverage on the waterpump pulley and shouldn't require a double alt belt set up when the air pump belt goes away.
I was/am considering an alternative air source for the 5-6th ports which would allow the air pump to be deleted.
Moving the alternator to the side increases belt coverage on the waterpump pulley and shouldn't require a double alt belt set up when the air pump belt goes away.
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09-25-09, 06:00 AM
#10
I like the cooling shroud, I will have to copy that since mine never had one. Did the Godspeed bolt right up? When I had my Miata people used them and loved them, but they always had to make custom brackets for them. Did I miss battery relocation on your list or did you have that done before this summer?
09-25-09, 07:15 AM
#11
Pineapple no longer offers it, mine came used from Digi7ech here in the classifieds.
Atkins Rotary offers a billet aluminum bracket that looks quite nice but is a bit pricey at $100.
Battery relocate was done a while ago, one of my first round of mods. I've been staging my projects as some things can't be done till other mods are completed. I had a vision of the engine bay that I've been working towards since I bought the car and she's getting very close to being finished. It'll never be a show car but it's a great daily driver and easy to work on.
The Godspeed used the stock mounting brackets and bolted right up.
I understand this is only true for S5 brackets, I think S4's need to be tweaked a bit to fit but don't know for sure.
Atkins Rotary offers a billet aluminum bracket that looks quite nice but is a bit pricey at $100.
I like the cooling shroud, I will have to copy that since mine never had one. Did the Godspeed bolt right up? When I had my Miata people used them and loved them, but they always had to make custom brackets for them. Did I miss battery relocation on your list or did you have that done before this summer?
The Godspeed used the stock mounting brackets and bolted right up.
I understand this is only true for S5 brackets, I think S4's need to be tweaked a bit to fit but don't know for sure.
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