Sorry, this isnt about a Z. Well not directly at least. I really want to do a little rallying, but I respect my Z too much. So, I got my opurtunity last night.

My friend got a 198_ Mazda 323 for free. We beleive that it is a stolen mexican rent-a-car. The plan is to build a fun, cheap, rally car. It has the naturally aspirated 1.6L. It might be the same one found in the early Miata.

The point is, I dont trust the Mazda guys, so when I need advice, who do you think I go to? So, we really dont want to waste any money on it, snice I'd rather buy Z parts.

Last night we cut a big hole in the hood, and built an intake/ram-air scoop out of sheet metal and random parts we found at homedepot. We also stripped most of the interior. The plan is to replace the back hatch and window with Lexan to save a few pounds, and because we have some sitting around.

The question is, what else can we do without speneding any real cash? The only high price mod is going to be a dry nitrous system. It won't ever be street legal, so no problems with smog. Let your imagination go wild, and if the engine blows up then I don't really care.

Jon

I'll put up some pics when I get a chance.

 

just completely gut the thing and remove the exhaust.

 

we are welding in a cage over the next few days. We yanked the seats yesterday. We were flipping through jegs looking for a cheap nitrous kit, but they are all like $350. Saddly, the 323 is not worth that kind of money... Does anybody know where I can get a cheap nitrous kit?
jon

 

got the nitrous on ebay. the cage is mostly in. I'm making a stencil, "Mustang Killer" I doubt i can really live up to that in the Mazda, but if all else fails, "twin turbos kick in" if you know what I mean.
jon

 

Sounds fun! I would love to see pics if you can get them. I can host if you need someone who can. A video would be even better.

 

todays "photo shoot" was rained out. but yeah, the nitrous should come in the mail any day now. Ok, so heres the thing.

I'm a little troubled:

the mazda is light enough for four guys to pick up. call it 1200lbs
the mazda (with nos) has an estimated hp of 150-175

My Z weighs around 3400lbs give or take stereo and fuel.
my Z has around 350hp

calculate the power to weight ratios for yourself....

so far we have $450 invested in the mazda (the car was free)
Thats a whole lotta go for a not a lotta dough.

 

hell yeah man. im doing the same thing. my neighbor offered me a red 89 323. free. it was spittin white smoke. one weekend and a headgasket later. i have a brand new rally car. i was thinking tho to just cut the springs a little, and make it a convertible w/ roll cage. oh i may also route a little exh. pipe thru the hood. havent had time til now. i call her the "cherry popper". dude definitely keep us posted. this stuff is crazy fun.

 

we welded some prebent tubing together and made a side pipe. its pretty damn cool. and it sounds like a low revving cheap motorcycle. its probably about as fast as its going to get until the NOS comes. we got it off ebay, so lord knows how long it will take to get here...
oh well.
thats on hold for now. so it's back to working on the Z. can you beleive somebody stole the hamburger nissan logo off the front of my car? oh well, they chipped all the paint on the nose pannel. so i figure that I might as well get an aftermarket one.

jon