Video Log Of The Restomodding Of My '76 RX-5 Cosmo (New Vid Jan 5/2023)
 

In September of 2007 I purchased a '76 RX-5 Cosmo from a local wreckers, only hours before it was to be crushed.

http://www.aaroncake.net/misc/RX-5%2...ger%20Side.jpg

For the past three years, the car has been sitting in my storage area while I finish other projects. Now, it is finally time to start working on the Cosmo.

My plans have changed a little over the time that I have had the car, from a complete factory perfect restoration, to highly modding, and finally settling on a "resto-modding". The idea being to modernize the car and make it a little more contemporary without completely violating the factory styling. Thus, I have decided the following loose guidelines for the build:

-6 port turbo 13B making 300HP and 300FT-LBS
-Megasquirt 2 or 3
-Dark metallic blue exterior, dark maroon interior
-Large (18" or 19") 5 spoke wheels
-Air suspension
-Shaved locks and door handles
-Most chrome trim shaved

http://www.aaroncake.net/misc/RX-5%20Interior2.jpg

Now from the pictures, you'd think the car was a basket case, but that is only partially true. It appears that the car was someone else's project, and they got as far as to do some body work, put it in primer, and then randomly disassemble parts of it. For the most part, it is complete minus a few minor and major components. I'm sure that I'm going to be hunting for some parts, and what I can't find, I will create.

I'm planning to do this restoration as a series of videos. I don't want to toot my own horn, but my Project Tina threads are legendary. While those threads kick all kinds of ass, I'm going to take the video approach this time.

http://www.aaroncake.net/misc/RX-5%20Engine.jpg

Over the course of this project I will just reply to this thread as I YouTube each video. To get things started, here is the "intro" video taken 3 years ago when I purchased the car:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWmHLbUyY0k

And now, to start this project off, here the first official video! In this video, the Cosmo has just been brought into the shop and I do a quick cleanup while taking an inventory of the parts I have.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZfDYpkYgWk

Stay tuned (and subscribe to this thread) for more. I already have enough footage to put together both engine removal and engine disassembly videos, so more to come soon!

Im sorry Aaron when you are talking i keep thinking Luke Wilson or early 90's keanu Reeves Nice find tho lol

Dr Pepper already? I thought that was only for engine building purposes?

I think of Michael Cera from year one...

Can't wait to see more updates :D

LOL what an awesome introduction

What's your reasoning behind the 20's and air suspension?

Two words.

Bling, Bling!!

Awesome start Aaron. I can't wait to see this thing finished.

I doubt that condom was from the 70's. Those things weren't used til the 80's.

subbed, and very excited for the next instalment hahaha

What jumped out at me was how tall that shifter is! Looks like a truck cab with that thing sticking way up in there.

Look forward to seeing more on this build...

Your comments about the chrome and Mazda pimpmobile had me thinking "Japanese Monte Carlo" - or Chrysler Cordoba, with the "real Corinthian leather", as hawked by Ricardo Montalban http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIL3fbGbU2o

Compare with this pompadoured and mustachioed Japanese Montalban hawking the '76 Cosmo http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjvCoc...er_profilepage

I had to Google to find out who both of those people are. I've never seen anything that they were in. Not sure whether I should be flattered or deeply worried.

Dr. Pepper is appropriate for all stages of rotary work. In addition to James Ready beer and Vernors, it is a standard in the shop fridge.

I don't quite know about 20s. Now that I think about it, 18s are probably more appropriate and won't make the car look like a cartoon (think of the new muscle cars and you will see what I mean). As for the air suspension, I'd like it to ride rather low but still be usable so the only way I can think of accomplishing that is air. Also I've wanted to install an air suspension under something but have not had a car appropriate for it.

Yeah, I tested it and it didn't seem to work.

What's awesome is that it is the ribcase (TII style) transmission with the shifter mounted on the tailshaft. Similar to the SA RX-7 which also had a huge shifter. And, the shift knob is real wood!

My parents had a Cordoba when I was about 5 years old. Not a bad car. Not a great car either. The gas filler was behind the license plate, which for a 5 year old, is awesome.

This is awesome, keep us update~!

This thread is making me want to dig out my R100 and start building it. Gotta love the excitement of a new project and all of the possibilities. I need to finish my current projects first though..... When do you plan on finishing this Aaron?

It will be done when it is done. :) Hopefully at least on the road sometime in the spring, though who knows...

I hear you on that one, my Rx-4 is on the road but it's far from done. Projects like these are never actually done. Would be cool at some point to find a Rx-3 and a deuce for a group photo shoot.

Thats awesome man. Good luck with your project, cant wai to watch the progress.
PK

this is going to be epic

Can't wait to see it go through :)

For the love of Buddha, this time, if you have welding to do, bring it to me.. your killing me every time i see that flux core MIG insanity on your turbo-6 port build...

You are great, and I watched/read EVERYTHING related to project Tina...

but that hair is so disturbing dude...

may i suggest putting up a pony tail next time..........g/l with the build.

^^^ screw these guys, perm the hair and grow a mustache then the videos will look vintage.

I would hope that the Cosmo will be on the road sometime next summer. The mechanical stuff is easy and cheap, it is the body work that will take time and cost a bit. Actually I think I found the perfect exterior colour yesterday. "Laser blue metallic" from the Chevy Cobalt. With just a bit of darkening up and a pearl over it, the effect would be amazing.

I purchased a TIG 2 years ago. I actually don't even have a MIG welder and rarely use one. I much prefer to use the flux core for quick tacking (hard to beat the convenience) and then finish stuff on the TIG. That said, I am hardly welding steel/stainless these days so the flux core has been gathering dust as well.

In the roughly 8 years I have had long hair, it's been tied up once. And that was last year, as I was cleaning engine parts and sick of getting parts cleaner fluid in it. :) No, there is no chance of a pony tail.

So I will look like a high class porn star.

RX7Club: car advice and beauty tips... lol. Resto-mod car and the driver?

Anyway, that's a cool project. I like the dash layout in that model. Nice and driver focused with space for gauges. A Nardi classic wood steering wheel would go nice with that wood shift knob. :)

Any chance of a Skullet?

We used to have a Cordoba we got when I was 4. Worst piece of junk transmission in the world. But it was a really nice luxury car with nice white leather.

A few months back I posted on Aaron's forum a picture of him, and a picture of Michael Cera. Quite humorous.

Part 2: Engine Removal
 

The 2nd video, covering engine and transmission removal, is posted:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgsbVp22pOE

This video shows stripping down the engine to prepare it for removal, then finally removal of the engine and transmission as one unit. Normally I don't pull both at the same time, but it just seemed easier to yank them out simultaneously.


Yeah, I think I'd be just as willing to take beauty tips from the RX-7 Club as I would dating advice. So that means, not very willing at all.

The stock steeriing wheel is wood and is the old Mazda "banjo" style, so I will likely just refinish it and keep it stock.

If I lose any more hair, perhaps.

Considering you're quite a bit younger then I am, having a Cordoba when you were 4 means that the car was probably well past worn out. Can't blame the transmission when it is 20+ years old...