Video Log Of The Restomodding Of My '76 RX-5 Cosmo (New Vid Jul 10/2024)
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,162
Likes: 1
From: London, Ontario, Canada
I muted Top Gear to watch your last video. Top speed of a tuned Bugatti Veyron, 417KM/H. I however was more interested in watching you sandblast your floor. Keep up the work. One less thing to do later.
Bummer about the floor rust, but I'm actually surprised its not worse, with the age of the car and it's rough condition when he found it. As usual, Mr. Cake shows us how to do it right, rather than do it over later
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 29,798
Likes: 128
From: London, Ontario, Canada
I just wish that there were patch panels available. Watching Chop Cut Rebuild and seeing them able to purchase virtually ever bit of sheet metal for their Charger (which, lets face it, should have been crushed and not restored) has annoyed me a little. Still, the areas I have to patch aren't very complicated and honestly, my repairs don't have to look factory. They just need to be solid, safe and complete. Since any seams will be covered by Dynamat anyway, I'm not going to care if the patches don't look 100% factory. More important to me is that the car is solid.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 29,798
Likes: 128
From: London, Ontario, Canada
It would be nice if I could just get patch panels, but obviously it is unrealistic to expect them to be available. I do have the local Mazda dealer looking for any Cosmo sheet metal they can get, though.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 29,798
Likes: 128
From: London, Ontario, Canada
Part 7: My 76 Mazda RX-5 Cosmo Restoration - Intake and Exhaust Porting
Has it been nearly a month since my last episode? Wow, time does indeed fly. I've been quite busy preparing to build the engine. So in part 7, I cover the intake and exhaust porting. The engine is being built with GSL-SE 6 port plates and the Cosmo rotor housings as the basis for a 6 port turbo setup. This port job is fairly conservative, only opening up the primary ports a little and bringing the exhaust ports close to 2nd gen RX-7 specs. The goal is to maintain fuel economy, low and midrange torque, and idle quality. This episode covers everything involved in porting including: marking out the new ports, grinding the port shape, smoothing the bowls, smoothing port to runner transitions, smoothing the runners, grinding and blending the exhaust ports.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1Gy5sVMK3o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1Gy5sVMK3o
Have you thought about "peel n seal" as a cheap alternative to dynamat? http://www.canadiancaraudio.com/onli...et-milton.html
BTW, good work on the video!
BTW, good work on the video!
Aaron, you are porting the primary intakes, but not the secondaries. Is that because they are already a good size? Do you at least give them a little casting cleanup and polish?
You made the exhaust ports alot bigger than stock. What effect would you expect if you just ported the exhaust side, as you did, but left all intakes original. Could you calibrate in terms of anticipated horsepower impact?
Are you getting any sponsorship for your tools?
You act so relaxed and make it look easy. Nice vid...again.
You made the exhaust ports alot bigger than stock. What effect would you expect if you just ported the exhaust side, as you did, but left all intakes original. Could you calibrate in terms of anticipated horsepower impact?
Are you getting any sponsorship for your tools?
You act so relaxed and make it look easy. Nice vid...again.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 29,798
Likes: 128
From: London, Ontario, Canada
Have you thought about "peel n seal" as a cheap alternative to dynamat? http://www.canadiancaraudio.com/onli...et-milton.html
BTW, good work on the video!
BTW, good work on the video!

There are cheaper products than Dynamat and I may try some of those out. However I do have a box of Dynamat in the garage already.
You made the exhaust ports alot bigger than stock. What effect would you expect if you just ported the exhaust side, as you did, but left all intakes original. Could you calibrate in terms of anticipated horsepower impact?
If you were building a 2nd gen 6 port engine, the exhaust port can be moved up a little if port opening time is not changed much which won't really cause much low end lost but will help in the top end. On a 6 port NA engine for street use I generally recommend porting the primary ports using the template in the video, then just opening the secondary and aux ports a little earlier (1-2MM), and moving the exhaust down 2MM and up 2MM. That's an awesome engine to drive and should make about 15-20 more HP with supporting mods. More power is of course available, but you will always reduce low end in order to chase it. Hence, turbo...

Are you getting any sponsorship for your tools?
You act so relaxed and make it look easy. Nice vid...again.
You act so relaxed and make it look easy. Nice vid...again.
This really isn't my first port job. Once you've done it a few times, it becomes rather easy. Creating the new port shape is easy as one just needs to follow the template. It is the rest of the stuff, like the transition from the port to the runners, that takes practice.
Why not cut the aux bridge in as well since your aux ports will not open until they see boost and are above 3500 rpm?
Any thoughts of using the atkins aux sleeves?
Gives you a neat option of activating them via remote air pump for some brap if you wish as well
Any thoughts of using the atkins aux sleeves?
Gives you a neat option of activating them via remote air pump for some brap if you wish as well
im guessing with that intake/exhaust combo and a small turbo that thing's gonna be a little torque monster
looks good
I should have another rotary powered car on the road this summer too
what size turbo did you have in mind?
looks good
I should have another rotary powered car on the road this summer too
what size turbo did you have in mind?
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 29,798
Likes: 128
From: London, Ontario, Canada
Any thoughts of using the atkins aux sleeves?
The compressor wheel would be a good fit as the thing flows closer to a 60-1 wheel , the exhaust wheel is too small. Now if you could get a BB turbo with the GT3076 compressor wheel and the GT35 exhaust wheel, that would be maybe worth the price and consideration for the 13B.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 29,798
Likes: 128
From: London, Ontario, Canada
If I go with the divided housing, I must also go with an external wastegate which means all the associated plumbing. Space is at a premium especially with how far the turbo needs to stick out from the engine to accommodate the aux port actuators so there just isn't much room to package it all. The undivided housing is available with an internal wastegate which greatly simplifies the manifold and plumbing. With a cat in the 2.5" exhaust I doubt that I will have boost control issues with the internal wastegate so that's the direction I'd like to go.The compressor wheel would be a good fit as the thing flows closer to a 60-1 wheel , the exhaust wheel is too small. Now if you could get a BB turbo with the GT3076 compressor wheel and the GT35 exhaust wheel, that would be maybe worth the price and consideration for the 13B.
Remember, these are T3 turbine sides I am referring to.
http://retrorides.proboards.com/inde...y&thread=70135
Aaron you should check that page out, its a DIY for panel making, its cool some of the techniques he uses to get different bends. he does amazing work
Aaron you should check that page out, its a DIY for panel making, its cool some of the techniques he uses to get different bends. he does amazing work
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 29,798
Likes: 128
From: London, Ontario, Canada
Awesome, thank you for the link. There is no question that will be very, very helpful fairly soon. Panel beating is one of those things that I am not so sure about, hence starting with something non-critical like the floor. Thankfully, there aren't a huge amount of visible body repairs that need to be done.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 29,798
Likes: 128
From: London, Ontario, Canada
Part 8: My 76 Mazda RX-5 Cosmo Restoration - Engine Hole Tapping and Painting
And with that...
It's a Festivus miracle that I now present Episode 8 of my Cosmo restoration. Now that the engine is fully ported, episode 8 deals with the final prep of those engine parts before engine assembly. In this episode the rear iron and water pump housing are tapped for sensors and fittings, and then all the engine parts are glass bead blasted and then painted with POR-15's engine enamel. Also included: adapting S4 water pump housing to older 13B, tapping rear iron for turbo coolant feed, masking the parts for blasting and painting, final soap and water wash, watching paint dry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-0Yl_Jlx1w
It's a Festivus miracle that I now present Episode 8 of my Cosmo restoration. Now that the engine is fully ported, episode 8 deals with the final prep of those engine parts before engine assembly. In this episode the rear iron and water pump housing are tapped for sensors and fittings, and then all the engine parts are glass bead blasted and then painted with POR-15's engine enamel. Also included: adapting S4 water pump housing to older 13B, tapping rear iron for turbo coolant feed, masking the parts for blasting and painting, final soap and water wash, watching paint dry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-0Yl_Jlx1w
And with that...
It's a Festivus miracle that I now present Episode 8 of my Cosmo restoration. Now that the engine is fully ported, episode 8 deals with the final prep of those engine parts before engine assembly. In this episode the rear iron and water pump housing are tapped for sensors and fittings, and then all the engine parts are glass bead blasted and then painted with POR-15's engine enamel. Also included: adapting S4 water pump housing to older 13B, tapping rear iron for turbo coolant feed, masking the parts for blasting and painting, final soap and water wash, watching paint dry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-0Yl_Jlx1w
It's a Festivus miracle that I now present Episode 8 of my Cosmo restoration. Now that the engine is fully ported, episode 8 deals with the final prep of those engine parts before engine assembly. In this episode the rear iron and water pump housing are tapped for sensors and fittings, and then all the engine parts are glass bead blasted and then painted with POR-15's engine enamel. Also included: adapting S4 water pump housing to older 13B, tapping rear iron for turbo coolant feed, masking the parts for blasting and painting, final soap and water wash, watching paint dry.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-0Yl_Jlx1w
I don't know what is more silly...
You, watching paint dry...
Or me, watching you watching paint dry...
Seeing you playing with that wire harness reminds me of my cat and string...
But I must say, you are multi-talented; as a car guy, videographer, webmaster and IT guy.
You, watching paint dry...
Or me, watching you watching paint dry...
Seeing you playing with that wire harness reminds me of my cat and string...
But I must say, you are multi-talented; as a car guy, videographer, webmaster and IT guy.



