I think this question is too broad to rely on search keywords.

What I want is to strip down my engine bay as much as possible (to shortblock, if necessary) and put all the accessories back on after cleaning, replacing or repairing.

By this I mean: I want to replace every gasket, rebuild all the vacuum system (eliminating emissions stuff) etc etc. I don't really know what I'm getting myself into here.

New parts installed these past few weeks: Alternator, brake master cylinder, fanclutch, PD, battery, radiator, master\slave clutch, starter and a few misc repairs (vacuum leaks, etc). Although it's made the car much more drivable I am really aiming for a full restoration here.

For those of you who've done this, what am I getting myself into here? What parts should I go about ordering? How much downtime am I looking at?

Thoughts & opinions welcome!
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It depends on how far you go - I have everything out of my engine bay so that I can clean it and repaint it. The only thing on the car still is the subframe. That'd be gone too, but I only have a 12 point socket and the nut is starting to round off, so I figure I'll save that for another day. :P

I imagine I'm going to need about $40 worth of plastic push pins and cable holders before I'm done.

If you're just talking about cleaning up the engine - what I would do take off the intake hose, remove the upper intake manifold, and then you should be able to get almost everywhere with a toothbrush and some dishsoap.

No, I don't know why 99 cent dishsoap cuts oil, grease, and grime better than an $8 gallon of specialty engine degreaser. But you know it does a good job when you scrub and rinse the toothbrush and it comes out clean again at the end of it.

 

scotch brite pads and purple power is a life saver it removed nearly 18 years of petrolium based winter coating in my engine bay. I have personally taken everything out of the engine bay even the wire covers off because oil got down in there some how. But lots of masking tape good prep and the RIGHT coloered paint will do an engine bay good.

 

Mazdatrix sells the gaskets (like intake manifolds, water pump, emissions..).

When I did my GXL and GTU last year I went to autozone and bought 2 packs of brightly colored vacuum lines. =) They're in the ricer isle with the spinners and neon lights. They come with several feet of each size, but it takes more than one pack to do one FC if you're keeping all of the emissions. I would just replace one vacuum line at a time, pull off the old one, cut a new peice the same length, put it on, next.

I also recommend aluminum paint. I found a 1200 degree high temp. paint at "Salvo auto parts", brand name is Bright Beauty. If you clean your manifolds, or other metal parts you want to shine, as much as you can with a wire brush or something, then paint them afterwards with this paint, they'll look like you polished them. The paint will also keep the aluminum from oxidizing again in a week. The manifolds in the 2nd picture were painted with it.

 

mmm... pretty
One day when I get a job, my 7's gonna have a pretty engine

 

You have a pic of the mazda emblem on top of the plenum? How did that turn out?

 

Or, sadly enough, when you do a rebuild, it only costs about another $20 in high temp paint.