My Mazda


Mazda 323/GTX (NZ Model)



Pictures

Taken prior to engine swap :(



Well heres my old baby, I loved this car and will fully be keen on getting another one. The story of this car has heartache and dramas. Originly brought as an almost stock standard model (thats hard in nz), it cost $5000, getting the big performance buzz I thrashed it round lots. Unfortunatly the engine didn't like it and nor did the turbo, the decision was made to do an engine swap with a 1800 GTX engine and a T25 turbo wassourced for forced induction. Set to 10psi it's only loss was that it was still running the 1600 injectors and computer, dreams of getting rx-7 injectors and link computer kept me awake at night. Two weeks after the engine was installed the gearbox started packing up, I never realised how difficult it was to get a good condition gearbox for these things. Though advice is that 1600 gearbox is stronger than 1800 (except the gtr). Gearbox went in and life was good.. Sadly there was a problem with the cooling system namely the radiator :( that went unnoticed for a long time piston rings wore quickly from the heat and damaged the engine. I kicked myself for not doing something about it earlier as someone had told me to look at it before I did the engine swap (gee I wonder what killed the old engine) but there was no water presure so the water wasn't circulating properly at all. Of course now panic started as this was going to cost another $2000 for another engine, then one week later the speedo died. The decision was made to try and cut loses and sell it, I mourned over it and was desperatly thinking of a way I could just put it in storage for a few years, except rumours of the chasey being bent lingured in my mind. It had been broken into three times losing the stereo,amp , blow off valve and boost guage and having both the locks smashed in theprocess..Two days before I made up my mind the car was stolen. Although I was sad and prayed for its safety I knew the hopes of it being found in one piece were tiny. Two weeks passed and the insurance money came through. My girlfriend was growling at me to get an N/A car and then I realised the true loss. An RSI Integra was brought and car life went on...

quite a bit slower...

One good thing did happen though, 4 months after the car was stolen I received a phone call from the police from up north from auckland. They had found the guy who stole it and he had done a runner and crashed the car. Its death was horible but I was glad the guy had got caught and got put into jail. So all I have left now are memories, the car was given to the insurance company 2 weeks before they rang me about it (grrrrrr) plus I'd specificly asked the insurance company to ring me when they got it but they didn't tell me they'd received the car and sold its crumbled body at the police auctions, I never got to take any death photos.Anyway, enough of the sad story (rubs tear from eyes), I'll get another one when a higher paying job permits......(evil grin)..But the lessons have been learned, treat with respect and get guages to monitor water temp and oil presure (more important than I thought), also maybe get softer suspension for more safty in the rain.

Anyway heres the specs, this was at its prime.



The New Zealand model was a bit different from the japanese model Famila, it came with a smaller VJ-09 Turbo with no air conditioning and slightly different electrical system. Unfortunatly my leight adjuster and 4WD diff lock were broken when I got it :(


Modifications

Perfomance  
  1800 GTX Doch Engine
  Garret T25 Turbo
  NGK Plugs, 8MM leads
  Simota Air Filter
  2 1/2 inch full exhaust
  HKS Blow Off Vavle
  Steel braided Turbo Oil line
Body  
  15" ROH Reflex's
  GAB Rally Shocks
  AutoMeter Boost Guage
Stereo  
  Kenwood Head Unit
  4" Two Way Lanzar Front OEM Replacements
  4" Lanzar Rear OEM Replacements
  Coustic 2 x 100 Amp
  10" Power Acoustik 300rms Sub Woofer



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