A recent pic of my ongoing "Resurrect the Vert" project
#1
Original Gangster/Rotary!
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iTrader: (213)
A recent pic of my ongoing "Resurrect the Vert" project
I bought this car back in 2004 in Texas while an owner of Gotham Racing with the intent of using it as a daily driver. Now I work in NYC with a company car and barely drive the poor vert.
Here are the problems it had:
(1) Overheated and seized engine FF
(1a) 5 and 6 ports fused shut ** FF
(2) Crunchy 2nd and 3rd gear tranny **
(3) Utterly trashed exterior, it looked like somebody took a hammer to all the body panels FF
(3a) All exterior trim pieces to include wiper arms looked they had been sandblasted in the deserts of Kuwait FF
(4) Extremely heat damaged leather seats FF
(5) Cracked taillight FF
(6) Cracked side view mirror FF
(7) driver's side window regulator shot ** FF
(8) doors dont lock **
(9) carpet trashed
(10) TPS bad ** FF
(11) slightly leaky fuel injectors **
(12) driver's side popup headlight motor bad ** FF
(13) 2 small tears in top
(14) door panels trashed FF
(15) antenna no workie **
(16) cig lighter missing
(17) and I am sure a bunch more I can't think of right now
items marked with a '**' I was unaware of at time of purchase. I bought the car for pretty damn cheap, and the battery was shot so I assumed it would have electrical problems. Items marked with a 'FF' have been fixed. Next up is swapping in a good tranny I acquired locally for cheap and fixing the small tears in top, and sending the injs to get cleaned.
Here are the problems it had:
(1) Overheated and seized engine FF
(1a) 5 and 6 ports fused shut ** FF
(2) Crunchy 2nd and 3rd gear tranny **
(3) Utterly trashed exterior, it looked like somebody took a hammer to all the body panels FF
(3a) All exterior trim pieces to include wiper arms looked they had been sandblasted in the deserts of Kuwait FF
(4) Extremely heat damaged leather seats FF
(5) Cracked taillight FF
(6) Cracked side view mirror FF
(7) driver's side window regulator shot ** FF
(8) doors dont lock **
(9) carpet trashed
(10) TPS bad ** FF
(11) slightly leaky fuel injectors **
(12) driver's side popup headlight motor bad ** FF
(13) 2 small tears in top
(14) door panels trashed FF
(15) antenna no workie **
(16) cig lighter missing
(17) and I am sure a bunch more I can't think of right now
items marked with a '**' I was unaware of at time of purchase. I bought the car for pretty damn cheap, and the battery was shot so I assumed it would have electrical problems. Items marked with a 'FF' have been fixed. Next up is swapping in a good tranny I acquired locally for cheap and fixing the small tears in top, and sending the injs to get cleaned.
#4
development
here's my DD...pretty good condition except,
5/6 ports weren't opening - fixed that
Need windshield - Getting fixed right now
Fuel leak this morning EEK! the lines come from under the car, then into hard lines...and it looks like the fuel is leaking from the other side of the hard lines...I don't know what all is involved there, but I will be tearing the UIM off and the whatever you 2nd Gen guys call that other "s" piece this weekend. Sucks I have to have a back up DD for my DD, haha!
Sure doesn't look as easy to work on as my single turbo FD.
Oh Rich, where did you get those clean turn signal covers?? TIA
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#9
Original Gangster/Rotary!
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iTrader: (213)
Originally Posted by classicauto
damn...Id drive that vert like that...
its a cut above the 86 GX N/A beater that Im driving now......I miss my TII - soon my pet.....
good luck on the project, doesn't look like its too involved, just minor stuff
its a cut above the 86 GX N/A beater that Im driving now......I miss my TII - soon my pet.....
good luck on the project, doesn't look like its too involved, just minor stuff
#11
Original Gangster/Rotary!
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Update, because I've been spending a bunch of time working on this friggin' car
Here are the problems it had:
(1) Overheated and seized engine (cleaned and rebuilt with new oem internals)
(1a) 5 and 6 ports fused shut ** (FIXED)
(2) Crunchy 2nd and 3rd gear tranny ** (FIXED)
(3) Utterly trashed exterior, it looked like somebody took a hammer to all the body panels (FIXED)
(3a) All exterior trim pieces to include wiper arms looked they had been sandblasted in the deserts of Kuwait (FIXED)
(4) Extremely heat damaged leather seats (replaced with nicer oem seats)
(5) Cracked taillight (replaced with good shape one)
(6) Cracked side view mirror (FIXED)
(7) driver's side window regulator shot ** (FIXED)
(8) doors dont lock **
(9) carpet trashed
(10) TPS bad ** (FIXED)
(11) slightly leaky fuel injectors ** (FIXED)
(12) driver's side popup headlight motor bad ** (FIXED)
(13) 2 small tears in top (FIXED)
(14) door panels trashed (FIXED)
(15) antenna no workie **
(16) cig lighter missing
(17) front brakes shot (installed cross drilled/slotted rotors and ebc green pads)
I recently bought a nice black vert carpet and also a full set of door/trunk locks from lov-2-rev here on the forum, so those are next things to get swapped in. I also have an antenna and cig lighter which need to be installed as well.
New Stuff:
(18) Clutch line cracked and leaking (replaced with stainless steel line)
(19) rear brakes shot
(20) clutch going out
(21) bad exhaust leak, mufflers and piping in catback section rusted
(22) fuggin' top leaks at the seam where the top meets the targa, need to troubleshoot as there are no apparent sources for the leak
If anyone has a spare clutch, lightweight flywheel, or dual catback they are looking to move shoot me a PM
Here are the problems it had:
(1) Overheated and seized engine (cleaned and rebuilt with new oem internals)
(1a) 5 and 6 ports fused shut ** (FIXED)
(2) Crunchy 2nd and 3rd gear tranny ** (FIXED)
(3) Utterly trashed exterior, it looked like somebody took a hammer to all the body panels (FIXED)
(3a) All exterior trim pieces to include wiper arms looked they had been sandblasted in the deserts of Kuwait (FIXED)
(4) Extremely heat damaged leather seats (replaced with nicer oem seats)
(5) Cracked taillight (replaced with good shape one)
(6) Cracked side view mirror (FIXED)
(7) driver's side window regulator shot ** (FIXED)
(8) doors dont lock **
(9) carpet trashed
(10) TPS bad ** (FIXED)
(11) slightly leaky fuel injectors ** (FIXED)
(12) driver's side popup headlight motor bad ** (FIXED)
(13) 2 small tears in top (FIXED)
(14) door panels trashed (FIXED)
(15) antenna no workie **
(16) cig lighter missing
(17) front brakes shot (installed cross drilled/slotted rotors and ebc green pads)
I recently bought a nice black vert carpet and also a full set of door/trunk locks from lov-2-rev here on the forum, so those are next things to get swapped in. I also have an antenna and cig lighter which need to be installed as well.
New Stuff:
(18) Clutch line cracked and leaking (replaced with stainless steel line)
(19) rear brakes shot
(20) clutch going out
(21) bad exhaust leak, mufflers and piping in catback section rusted
(22) fuggin' top leaks at the seam where the top meets the targa, need to troubleshoot as there are no apparent sources for the leak
If anyone has a spare clutch, lightweight flywheel, or dual catback they are looking to move shoot me a PM
#12
Original Gangster/Rotary!
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iTrader: (213)
Ok, another update of all the problems this damn car has and the fixes:
(18) Clutch line cracked and leaking (replaced with stainless steel line)
(19) rear brakes shot (installed all new cross drilled/slotted brake rotors, ebc greens, and s/s brake lines at each corner)
(20) clutch going out (installed new oem mazda clutch, along with Fidanza alum flywheel and newer tranny. Also r&r'ed the pilot bearing while I was in there)
(21) bad exhaust leak, mufflers and piping in catback section rusted (installed Bonez high flow cat and Borla catback with all new gaskets and hangers)
(22) fuggin' top leaks at the seam where the top meets the targa, need to troubleshoot as there are no apparent sources for the leak
I also installed Racing Beat springs, tokico shocks, and all new oem upper mounts.
The only real problem that remains is that the brakes have an intermittent thing going on, basically like there is no power assist at low speeds. I think the brake booster might be shot.
I can honestly say I love the improvements all the parts have made to the car. Handling is much better, car revs faster, exhaust note sounds better. It still stops like crap though
(18) Clutch line cracked and leaking (replaced with stainless steel line)
(19) rear brakes shot (installed all new cross drilled/slotted brake rotors, ebc greens, and s/s brake lines at each corner)
(20) clutch going out (installed new oem mazda clutch, along with Fidanza alum flywheel and newer tranny. Also r&r'ed the pilot bearing while I was in there)
(21) bad exhaust leak, mufflers and piping in catback section rusted (installed Bonez high flow cat and Borla catback with all new gaskets and hangers)
(22) fuggin' top leaks at the seam where the top meets the targa, need to troubleshoot as there are no apparent sources for the leak
I also installed Racing Beat springs, tokico shocks, and all new oem upper mounts.
The only real problem that remains is that the brakes have an intermittent thing going on, basically like there is no power assist at low speeds. I think the brake booster might be shot.
I can honestly say I love the improvements all the parts have made to the car. Handling is much better, car revs faster, exhaust note sounds better. It still stops like crap though
#13
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Join Date: Mar 2006
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Originally Posted by MattB
Lambos=Overrated...
I think the vert looks nice next to it though....hmmmm...which car do i steal?
I think the vert looks nice next to it though....hmmmm...which car do i steal?
i would steal the vert. . .
why you ask?
if part out the vert ill make a few grand and never get caught because its a common car
how many lambos are there? how hard would it be to get away with that one
#14
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
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GoodfellaFD3S, don't listen to their jealousy. Great job on the "masterpiece". A guy found me driving through a parking lot, I got his "sitting for more than a year now" car running, but he says it's not worth fixing. Looks exactly like your beauty, except for 10 pounds of dirt, bird crap, and love. I think he'll take $500 for it. Love the verts.
Again, great work, and hope your "smoking" utensil I sent is more than adequate?
PEACE THE DOG
Again, great work, and hope your "smoking" utensil I sent is more than adequate?
PEACE THE DOG
#15
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Nice to see another vert getting some needed attention. The handling is much nicer with those springs and shocks right? When I put them on my vert they made a night and day difference. Keep up the good work man!
#16
Original Gangster/Rotary!
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iTrader: (213)
Originally Posted by Juiceh
Nice to see another vert getting some needed attention. The handling is much nicer with those springs and shocks right? When I put them on my vert they made a night and day difference. Keep up the good work man!
I've been meaning to ask you, what setting you kept the tokicos at? It's a big pain in the *** for the rears b/c as you're aware the shock towers are not easily accessible. I set all four corners to '2' and plan to leave them there.
#19
Original Gangster/Rotary!
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So yes indeed, I still have this bad boy!! TEN YEAR BUMMMMMPPPPPP
Barely drive it, but have still been making small improvements to reliability and appearance.
Recently had the OEM seats recovered by the Edwards brothers at ESH Upholstery and they came out freaking Amazing. These guys turned my 25 year old seats into 2015 show car level for sure
More info on Alex and Edwards business: https://www.facebook.com/Eshupholstering/?fref=ts
Will posts tons of pics soon
Barely drive it, but have still been making small improvements to reliability and appearance.
Recently had the OEM seats recovered by the Edwards brothers at ESH Upholstery and they came out freaking Amazing. These guys turned my 25 year old seats into 2015 show car level for sure
More info on Alex and Edwards business: https://www.facebook.com/Eshupholstering/?fref=ts
Will posts tons of pics soon
#21
Rotary $ > AMG $
iTrader: (7)
So yes indeed, I still have this bad boy!! TEN YEAR BUMMMMMPPPPPP
Barely drive it, but have still been making small improvements to reliability and appearance.
Recently had the OEM seats recovered by the Edwards brothers at ESH Upholstery and they came out freaking Amazing. These guys turned my 25 year old seats into 2015 show car level for sure
More info on Alex and Edwards business: https://www.facebook.com/Eshupholstering/?fref=ts
Will posts tons of pics soon
Barely drive it, but have still been making small improvements to reliability and appearance.
Recently had the OEM seats recovered by the Edwards brothers at ESH Upholstery and they came out freaking Amazing. These guys turned my 25 year old seats into 2015 show car level for sure
More info on Alex and Edwards business: https://www.facebook.com/Eshupholstering/?fref=ts
Will posts tons of pics soon
Does it still have the top on it I sold you?
#23
Original Gangster/Rotary!
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iTrader: (213)
Yes Sir it does
Sold the car to one of my best buddies, who has been driving the car all over creation and enjoying the hell out of it.
Really happy that after all the blood, sweat, tears, and endless cash spent on storing her inside out of the elements that my vert is getting used the way Mazda intended
Sold the car to one of my best buddies, who has been driving the car all over creation and enjoying the hell out of it.
Really happy that after all the blood, sweat, tears, and endless cash spent on storing her inside out of the elements that my vert is getting used the way Mazda intended