my original subframe was extended like 82transam did. but i ended up chaning it and putting a new stud in so i could keep the engineer happy.

nothing to update here, winter has set in and work is busy, so not much time for the 7.
I have bought two new rotor housings (they were on sale so i grabed them) as well as some of the other engine parts.... still need to save up some more funds for the rest though.

 

Finally the diff is in for the last time

Moser billet axles


RE-speed axles retaining plates


RE-speed "big brake" adaptor plates



All fitted with new S4 discs, fully rebuilt S4 cailipers with the RE-speed "big brake" conversion parts for the calipers... Note that this uses the S4 LH cailper on the RH side and LH on the RH




Next is the front end!

 

 

Time for a little update...

The car is on it's wheels.
The whole interior has been done in sound deadener and bitumin on the floor. I sprayed the cavity wax into the rear quarters too.

The steering coloumn and rack are all painted up.

The rack is a S5 power steer item that i've stripped to convert to manual steer.
I ground off all the fluid line bosses and filled the holes with JB weld.





and painted


This will be put back together with brand new tie rods and tie rod ends.

I then got the motor ready to pull apart.

i got the clutch off to see that this flywheel has been abused. I hope it will machine out ok


behind the flywheel


Front cover off...


That's as far as i could go until i get a loan of the socket for the e-shaft

I've got the remaining engine parts from Mazdatrix on the way, i bought two new housings locally. I havent bought the Apex seals yet. I'll get them from xtreme rotaries, who will be doing all the machine work on the plates and housings and balancing of the rotating assembly, but more of that when it gets done.

more updates as they happen, or something lol

 

I got the engine apart last Sunday



only to find this...







Water had gotten into the the front housing while the engine was stored.

I gave the rotors a quick clean using some oven cleaner and a pressure wash, (i love this pic)


luckily the carbon build up protected the seal grooves. The plates came mostly clean with a scrub, but they're getting machined anyway...
the rotors

 

Yesterday i thought i'd get the engine bay a quick polish and a coat of wax.












I was so happy with the the parts i had quickly cut and polished, and unhappy with the rest that i decided i'd cut/colour sand the whole engine bay... It should end up even better than the above photos.

I only got the first pass done. this is using 1200 Grit









The area's sanded were the ones with orange peel or a run. there's still a few spots that aren't 100%
As you can imagine, this took a few hours. I still need to do it again in 1500 grit, then 2000. it will then get cut/buffed in 2-3 compounds, then waxed a couple of times.

I figured, i've spend so many hours on the bay already, that i might as well give it the love it deserves now :thrust:

between the engine bay and porting the engine plates i'll be a busy boy for a while 8)

 

Damn, now that's dedication! Color sanding and buffing and engine bay is hardcore! lol It's looking great, glad the water damage in the engine wasn't too bad at least...

 

Thanks, i just figured i've spent so much time on it, that i might as well do the extra effort. its should help make it easier to maintain too.

 

Definitely. I'm jealous, a clean engine is something I never seem to get around to lol I really need to redo the bay on my T2 FB, since the rest of it just got new paint... Someday.

 

I've only been working on the car in dribs and drabs the past 5-6 weeks, but its making steady progress.

The engine plates are ported. (i'll get decent pics when i get the plates back). The exhaust ports still need to get done once i get them back


The entire rotating assembly, plates and housings are off at Xtreme Rotaries to get machined. I'm getting them dowled, plates machined and re-nitrided, rotor bearings fitted, everything balanced and the housings are havings some "custom" engraving done.



The engine bay has been re-buffed with my new 3" buffing pads and i've started assembeling the engine bay. i'm wrapt with it, i've only got crappy phone pics though.





in this one you can see the plastic on the brake line bracket has come away.... does any one know if these are availble new still?



The front end is all in now too...


New ball joints, tie rod ends, rack rods & mazdatrix swaybar links.



other stuff....

My Brake booster, sandblasted and painted



Headlight motor bracket

Before,


Sandblasted,


Painted,



There's lots more cleaning, sandblasting and painting of parts to do while the engine is away.
I've stripped the B2 gas convertors ready for painting and reassembly with the alloy tops ready for boost \/
More updates soon 8)

 

It's starting to look like an engine bay again.

 

That's looking very good!

 

Thanks, I popped into Xtreme rotaries to see how my gear was comming along.
it's half way there.

heres a shot of the engraving i got done.


I'm pretty much going all out (within reason) with this engine, so Rohan is pulling out all of his tricks to help me out.

one of the things I'm getting done, is milling out the water jackets on the housings for extra cooling, pretty much like this (mine's not done yet).


I didn't get a good shot be it extends right around the combustion side.
I'll post up better pics when my housings are actually done. Its all cnc milled, not the wonky hand cut ones like racing beat and others used to do... there's also something extra going on there too :-"

im franically trying to get all the gas gear together so i can get the running ASAP once the engine is done.

I'm planning to get it running by x-mas, then paint in jan/feb and on the road by the end of march.

i've got stacks to do, but its at that stage where you do something it's the last time you touch that thing :-)

More updates soon.

 

this build is incredible. keep up the good work!

 

i love the colour and the job your doing seeing this makes me want mine to be done soon im going with the same kinda blue.

 

So here's a bit of an update.

I've been doing wiring. the haltech is mostly in excepot the engine sensors. the whole loom was removed, stripped of unused circuts and intergraded with the new wiring.
Most of the wiring is hidded (or will be). I also have fabbed up the new dash cluster, but no pics yet.

here's some pics








And now that spring has arrived in Melbourne town i've just restarted on the body work.

the nose panel and plenum. cleaned up and metal treated, then sealed in the red oxide sealer.



This is ready to be rubbed then painted in colour.


Compared to much of the car these were in great condition. The headlights and bonnet only needed to be rubbed back and not stripped to apply the primer




Only the doors and front guards are in need of priming.
The doors will be easy, but the guards need full paint stripping.

once they're done i need to paint colour on the undersides/inside of the nose panel, guards, headlights and the fuel filler.
then i can fit all that, rub back the car then paint it. I'm really hoping to have the engine and box in by then too.

ohhh i've also sourced a USDM/ JDM style rear bar, its a fibre glass one but the price is right.
I just need to decide what front bar to use. a Std one, a fibreglass std type (no washer holes) or after market bar like a group c one ( i've got one here) or one of the Jap style ones like this


Im leading towards a std looking bar at this stage.

I also need to decide the colours for the engine, manifolds. IC piping etc... any ideas??
I want every surface painted, no bare or polished alloy ect... the silicone elbows for the IC pipes are black, so im thinking either blue(body colour) grey (same as the other parts) for the pipes and mainfolds. For the engine i was thinking the housings and timing cover etc would be the same colour as the piping with the end plates in a contrasting colour. ideas welcome :-)

 

My two cents worth would be to go with the body color blue and gray. It's looking really good. That paint/body work is gorgeous.

 

you should paint both bumpers you have, that way you can decide later, or even change it when you feel like it.

Re: the engine, i like the grey that the brake booster ended up, it will end up being pretty subtle, but i would do grey intakes, the block can be stock, or maybe black irons. or maybe a dark bronze would even work.

if you do polish a part, pick something you WANT people to see, because it'll stick out.

 

Thanks guys,

Ive decided to run a the Std front bar but with filled in washer holes. I love the idea of having the other bar painted too, but it's not the sort of bar you can put on and take off easily.

For the engine colours, i've decided that all the alluminium parts will be painted in the cast grey that is already featured in the bay. so that will be the rotor housings, timing cover, belhousing, manifolds, gas carby, IC piping and the turbo front cover.

I'm still undecided on the engine plates, but i'm thinking of either black or a really dark charcoal. (though i dont mind the blue or the bronze susgestions too)

My wheel centres will most likely end up being the same cast grey colour too 8)

I've made no physical progress on the car this week as i've been unwell. I did go visit my engine at Xtreme Rotaries though.
It still needs the porting tidied up on the insides, but otherwise the plates are done.

CNC Ported, reground and re-nitrided centre plate


Front and rear plates with the screw in welch plugs






the rear plate has had a o-ring grove milled in to accept RX8 stat gears










If im well enough i hope to get the rest of the priming done, including the fibreglass USDM / JDM style rear bar this weekend.

 

great attention to detail, you have just convinced me to clean up my headlight assemblies and add paint.

Any tips you can give me on taking the headlight brackets apart ?

 

Thanks for the support. I'm trying to build it the best I can.

They come apart pretty easily. Just make sure you're careful not to loose the springs for the motor brushes.

 

groove for o ring around oil pump is another nice touch

 

Yup, also has extra dowels and the top rear coolant outlet is also tapped and plugged.