My 6 year FC project
 

With all the work I've been focusing towards other cars (not just my own) I lost track of my original project, but never gave up hope. I still wash it, keep it stored in the garage under a cover and slowly accumulate rare parts for it.

It's my 1988 SE. The car was mine when I was 16, back in 2001. It had 94K original miles, owned by an older woman who worked at a bank and always kept it garaged. I drove it for a little over a year, only put 112K on the clock when the original engine popped due to a rear rotor water jacket failure. So thats where this all started in 2002.



Car as of August 13th, 2001
I had Bonez race pipe, FPR, K&N Filter, Borbet 16x7.5 w/ Bridgestone Potenza 205s.

The NA engine died October 2nd, 2001.

The car was limped home and moved into my parents garage to begin the transformation.

It was then I researched my options and decided I wanted to convert the car into a GTX.

JDM Engine was ordered and delivered November 13th, 2001

I orderd the engine from Dave Gibson from FC3S.org (boy does that date this build!)

I also picked up a JDM transmission from him as well with 12,000 miles on a rebuild.

At this point, the car had already been towed to Rotary Performance in Manassas, VA to handle the swap. I was way to amature at this time to achieve this goal (especially considering I was still in highschool at the time and didn't have the time between work and class).


JDM Engine and trans installed into car December 9th, 2001

Had to purchase a new S5 T2 EFI harness, and other misc parts to fit the engine into the car. New AFM, MAP sensor, also bought a brand new TID from mazda.

Being in highschool at the time working part time, it took me a while to save the money to get the parts. Things were tough to find.

This part of the build spanded December 2001 through April 2002

By this time the parts list included:

- RB 2.5" DP
- Centreforce DF clutch Stage 3
- Release bearing
- trans mounts
- silicone hose kit
- accelerator (throttle) cable
- clutch slave
- engine mounts
- OEM TID
- T2 rad hoses
- oil filter/oil
- all new gear oils
- T2 driveshaft
- S4 mechanical LSD
- GTX trans
- JDM engine
- complete chassis harness (S5, since my car was S4 I had to update everything to S5 for it all to work like OEM)
- brake master cylinder (original was busted and leaked)
- new belts
- fuel pump resistor
- T2 half shafts

All in all everything totalled about $6K right there. After misc shop fees, towing and other parts, I landed closer to $8K.

Started JDM Engine and car runs for the first time in about 7 months.

After all that work and cash, the Jspec was dead.. no compression on the rear rotor. Unfortunately, it took too long to get to this point that the 90 day warranty was up. Dave was a very nice guy and was able to get me at least 15% back from the engine importer which covered the towing bill to bring my car home. I was fed up with how much time and money was wasted and was not all that pleased with the "professional" rotary shop.

Picked up a T2 hood and let the car sit in the driveway while I caught up on bills.


Started working on the car again late May - just cleaning up items and getting the car ready for yet another engine.

Wow! Beautiful color choice!

Looks really good. Hopefully third time's the charm :) Can't wait to see the rest of the build, sounds like an interesting setup.
off-topic, how did you like the Bonez Race Pipe? I'm thinking of getting one

While paying bills and trying to source a new engine I cleaned up all the harnesses. Pulled everything back out and corrected some things that were bothering me (misc lights not working, etc).

As of June 30, 2002

- Dead JDM engine
- S5 tail lights
- S5 T2 hood
- S5 a/c vents and center console
- New used catback with generic mufflers
- Starion IC for custom FMIC project (later bailed on this)
- started taking apart JDM long block to ready for new keg
- polishing UIM/TB, etc

I found a real old picture of your car that I took. There is also a pictures of your Protege and Justin's Eclit
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...b/DSCN0649.jpg

July 20, 2002 - JDM engine removal

After more bills and time go by, my long time friend came by with a 3pt engine hoist to yank the blown engine out! I have it all on tape somewhere. It was MY first engine pull. Luckily I had helped other rx friends pull theirs before.

Side note: I did drive the car around on one rotor for about two weeks. Wouldn't you if you didn't have your seven for almost 9 months!!

This is where the car would sit for a while so I could pay bills off. By this time I had graduated highschool and was getting ready for college. I figured I'd need an education if this hobby was to continue!

August 2002 - New Engine

The Atkins engine is delivered on the 9th. Stats are:

- S5 13BT
- Extended Streetport
- Atkins 2pc 2mm seals w/ OEM FD internals and solid corners
- Install Kit

Cost was $3,400 minus a $500 core return.

With school already getting kicked into high gear, I began assembling the short block to get it ready to be put back in the car.

October 2002 - Engine is fully assembled and ready to be put back into car

I decided on removing the rest of the emissions for the car. It took longer than expected getting money and parts (doesn't it always).

looks good man. im doing a ITB set up on my s4. so good luck with it glad to see someone else doing itb's too.

Well - I seem to be missing my pics from 2003 and 2004.

So to recap those years:

Installed a GReddy FMIC
Tuned the Atkins some, but never had it running quite the way I wanted to
Accumulated aftermarket parts, sold a bunch of parts and finished college

School took a big chunk of my attention/time. I also bought an '03 protege which I proceeded to waste too much time and money on as well (turbo system, suspension, brakes, etc.).

Since I dont have any good pics from these years, here is a pic of my protege that side tracked me.

good job, glad you're sticking with it.

Flashing forward now

August 2005 - Remove engine and prepare for painting engine bay

Basically, I was never happy with the way the project was turning out. I always felt rushed or came across something that "i'd get to later" and really I was now at a point where the car didn't need to be a daily driver and I just really wanted a really nice purpose built track car that would still "appear" streetable for the quick runs down the road and back.

A few prior, my car was pushed off the road while driving to school by a blazer and even though I avoided the impact w/ the blazer, I took out a ditch causing very minor damage to the front bumper and brake duct area.

I also noticed that the engine bay, was, well - ugly. I decided now I would start the "REAL" project. Stripped out everything and was going to build this the way I wanted.

Luckily, my parents' neighbor had a nice shop and was a bodyshop/painter by profession - so I had him dolly the damage back into place, grind and weld misc studs and holes and prep/paint the front clip.

i know your pain. Slow and steady wins the race.

September 24, 2005 - Car gets rolled into paint booth

So, the car gets ready for paint and we bring it down to his shop with the downdraft booth for a better finish.

The color choice is IBM - '99 FD Innocent Blue Mica.

On the exterior, I'm going to use some gold pearl as well, but we voted against it in the engine bay as it doesn't do justice w/out sunlight.

I went with a base coat/clear coat combo and three coats of clear for added protection against oils/fuels/etc. All PPG products.

Did throw a little airbrush of 1320 on the firewall in gold pearl as thats the group of guys I used to/still do hang out with and this car is something that'll be around forever. Just one of those personal things I guess.


We also cut the Intercooler pipe holes larger, smoothed it all out, etc. Really anything I could think of to make this easier later on.

October 9th, 2005 - Car makes its way home after all the front end work and paint

So this is where the story gets slow and boring.

Basically, I ended up moving around, changing jobs and getting held up in other projects (FBs, RX8s, etc) and really lost sight of this project. I knew I'd get back to it when I was more stable, but I did keep the car around and added parts when I could.

February and April 2006 - Start collecting suspension parts

I decided I'm basically working the car from the "front to back" restoring things as I go.

I picked up a new RB front sway and end links, along with a mazdaspeed lower control brace. My plan is to also refurbish the control arms, all the bushings, steering rack, struts/springs, etc as well.

Its depressing, but I lost my job in 2006 and the project took a big back seat for a while.

This is basically where I am now with the car and I'm starting the project up again.

I got the garage all cleaned up and here is where I currently am with the car.

I'm working on customizing some black interior I got from my friends parts car as I do want to swap over to black interior completely including new carpet, etc. I just need to go back and get the dash out.

Basically, after I get the black interior cleaned up, I'm going to redye it in some areas, replace a lot of it with custom CF replacements and then get the cage installed. I am still holding off on the seats for now as I need to see how much funds I'll have left after all this but the interior thus far will be:

-S5 black dash, misc parts
-S5 carbon fiber door panels
-Carbon Fiber gauge center console / idiot lights gauge pod
-RE Amemiya boost gauge / misc defi monitoring gauges
-autopower 6pt cage welded in place and door bars added
-RE Amemiya steering wheel
-SPARCO quick detach steering wheel hub

Should be good. I'm just looking for clean and functional.

Can't wait for you to be up and running. We'll have to head to Summit or Shelor or even that one track close by.

I went back through and updated/edited all the past posts to bring this build thread up to date btw. So sorry if the comments seem out of order. From here forward it should all be current :)



I am expecting the new dye kits for the interior peices, my sparco hub and new fenders this week. Here's hoping they show up soon so I can keep moving. I want to get the fenders in place so I can start measuring everything up.

Also, I'm going to grab the steering rack from the parts car as my SE rack is 15.4:1, which sucks when not running the pump with it. I plan to depower the 17.4:1 rack from the GXL parts car and dropping that in along with new tie rods, bushings and steering angle adjusters.

What did you mean when you said "cleaned up the wireing harness?" What did you do to it? Replace wires? Repair/Replace connectors?

Ah - just that I removed it all so it could be ready for paint.

I still have the factory T2 harness for now. I'm replacing the entire dash harness (again) and the engine harness though when I put the new engine in. I'm using Painless interior harnesses built just for racing.

Were you able to get the dash out without breaking any of the plastic mounts? I've been thinking about doing a ground up restore like you, but don't have the guts - so far. I'm afraid if I take mine apart I will never get it all back together.

The dash actually isnt hard.

The black dash out of the parts car is broke on some of the tabs, but not from removal, looks like prior damage. The plastic grills on the top of the dash (both demister and front vents) will crack - they always do. Its not bad though, most of what might crack can be glued back and is never seen as its all under the dash.

You dont need to remove the dash though to do the rewire. I did the first rewire w/ the dash still in the car..

September 8th, 2008 - New front fenders arrive

Low and behold, arrived home today from work and the new fenders are here.

SA - Foresight +30mm. Stock "looking" but give the car the needed width to fit the bigger meats up front this car will need when I'm done w/ it. Also, the arch is cut 20 degrees lower as well for a little extra style and coverage.

They weigh 3.8 pounds too!

Before I actually install them, I'm going to POR15 and clean the fender areas, get new hardware and paint the door jam area, etc.

For now, here's some shots.

Its been since November 2005 that this car has had fenders, so it was a big step in the right direction for me :) Made my month!

Sweet!! Cant wait to see them in person

Now would be a great time to get some TII brakes and rear end. Toss that 4 lug setup in the trash!!!

lol - Nope... believe it or not, I'm keeping the 4 lug.

I am swapping over to new brakes though, but you'll have to wait to see :)

Already have the T2 rear (my car was completely swapped to a GTX years ago, see the earlier pics in the thread).

I've been trying to talk him out of the 4-lugs ever since this project began... but he never listens. Since he lowered his power goal a bit it might work if he does the brake system that he is planning on.

Nice to see you finally starting to work on this thing again Bill.

September 14, 2008 - New steering wheel hub

I bought an RE Amemiya used steering wheel a while back and never got around to getting it on. However, in the attempt to keep working at the car, I stopped by our local speed shop which stocks SPARCO equip and they had an MX-5 hub that worked just fine for the FC :)

Later this week I should have my POR so I can undercoat the fenders and get them actually "installed". They'll probably be removed again to paint, but final paint won't be for another year I'm sure.

Aaron i think(on the evil forum) still has left over spacers so you can drill 4 lug pattern into the turbo rotors, and use the 4 piston calipers.

Looking great!! I have been wanting those fenders for ages! How much do they cost right now?

:squint: I'm on to you. Just a few more days before I start my project... Just a few more...

I dont want stock T2 brakes though, lol. Trust me, the brake system will work just fine w/ the 4 lug hubs I have now.

The fenders are running about $475 depending on where you have them shipped. I shipped them to my house, so it was a bit more, you can save $25 or so if you ship them to a warehouse/business.

damn, that's pricey. Maybe in a few months. Can't wait to see your finished car!

To be honest, they really are worth the cost. Foresight fenders didn't align correctly supposedly, so SA solved that issue.

Also, its the only "wider" front fender on the market w/out a vent other than an E-prod fender, or the street fender from Mariah (which I was originally going to get) but they are about $570 shipped. I want to keep the car somewhat "original" body but with the needed enhancements for the purpose of the car when i'm done.

I will should have them mounted up better towards the end of the month. I need to start measuring for my brakes, which will rely on the fender width, wheel choice and suspension, lots to do.... I want to have the front clip done around the first of the year and have the interior together w/ the cage. Engine and body work (paint, fender rolling, etc) will have to wait til summer of '09 or fall... I'll be moving again in May.

I've got the bmagic vented ones, alignment is not very good, at all.

that's Shineautoproject, right? I might have to look into them, I believe they're the only ones without the vents (i don't like them either).

Sorry - it is shineautoproject, I get in the habit of abbreviations, lol.

Very stand up group, great product and fast turn around.