Lewis7789 MS6 GT build thread

Lewis7789

Evan aka "Lady Hands"
Contributor
:
1995 MX-5, 2006 MZ5, 2001 Yamaha R1
Hey guys. I figured I would start a build log for my MS6 I said I wouldn't mod. haha.

Back story of how I bought the car; I bought this MS6 from a friend who owned it for about 6 months, who bought it from the original owner and was completely stock. My friend did some mods to it (has an MS3 as well) but needed something bigger for work so I bought it from him. I sold off my project P5 and now this is my DD. I've always really liked the MS6 but never thought I would be able to find one or afford one. But alas. I bought it with 139k miles for $8200 with the few mods my friend already did.

Motor was pulled with 153k miles on it and was running strong at 20psi of boost on original turbo. But was replaced with a OE 0 mile long block from Mazdaspeed.

Plans for this MS6 do not include a big turbo or more than 300hp. The car is plenty fast in it's current form for me. I plan on working on my driver mod in auto-x/track.

Dyno day 06/2014: 278awhp / 302 torque

Engine/trans
- Autotech HPFP
- CPe injector seals
- ATP 3" catless downpipe (DEI wrapped)
- CPe 3" catless dual exhaust
- Fidanza lightweight flywheel
- Luk OEM clutch
- JBR oil baffle and BSD kit
- JBR bypass tube
- JBR TB and IM thermal spacers
- JBR shifter weight
- JBR shifter bushings
- DM SS plate
- DM PS cooler
- DM Oil catch can
- HTP 3" intake w/ K&N filter
- NGK-6510 plugs
- Forge V1 bpv
- Kozmic EGR delete
- OE oil spin on conversion w/ Prosport sandwich plate
- NC Miata A/C bypass pulley/belt
- VTCS delete
- CX Racing FMIC w/ DEI reflective heat tape
- Cobb AP V2
- AWR motor mounts (all three)
- Turbine Tech rear diff bushings
- Turbine Tech front diff mount
- CorkSport polyurethane exhaust hangers
- CorkSport SS braided clutch line
- Redline hood props
- New OEM 0 mileage long block (installed 11/2013)

Suspension/wheels/brakes
- BC Racing coilovers
- Whiteline rear sway bar
- Moog endlinks all around
- SPC front ball joints (-2.3' negative camber all around)
- Enkei RPF1 (black) 17x9 +45 w/ 255/40-17 Hankook RS-3 (DD)
- Speed Circuit front strut bar
- Hawk HP+ pads (front) EBC Red Stuff (rear)
- Techna-Fit SS brakelines
- Wilwood 600 brake fluid
- Painted black calipers


Interior
- Sparco Evo2 drivers seat, side mounts and Corbeau bracket.
- Corbeau Forza (FIA rated) passenger seat, Corbeau bracket, Planted side mounts
- Sabelt 6-point harness (drivers side)
- G-force 6-point harness (pass side)
- AutoPower 4-point roll bar
- Dashhawk
- Innovate oil press/temp gauge in Block8head defrost gauge pod
- Cobb shift knob w/ TWM shifter extender
- Corksport LED interior bulbs
- 1/4" stereo plug for iPod

Exterior
- Matte white PlastiDip
- APR GTC-200 wing and risers
- Tint 35% front 15% rear
- eBay stubby antenna
- eBay taillights

Parts to be installed/on the way;


I buy 90% of my parts from CR3 Motorsports for the great prices and fast shipping.

Pics;
The day after I bought it from my friend. 02/2013


Auto-x; 06/2013
ms6solo_zpsc2565193.jpg


Mid-Ohio track day; 06/2013
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Plastidipped it white after the rust repair; 07/2013
IMG_20130709_191529_177_zps12440177.jpg


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C-bus Mazda meet and new tails (07/2013)





Motor swap (11/2013)
8ab60811-878d-47a1-ae16-b7e0512cea15_zpse9f1080e.jpg
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The 17x9 +35 5Zigen track wheels w/ 235/45-17 Hoosiers;
IMG_20140504_182157_649_zpsddvz91so.jpg


Street wheels: 17x9 Enkei RPF1 w/ Hankook RS-3 255/40-17
Mid-Ohio track day 07/07/2014




f2_zps352d6b62.jpg


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Mid-Ohio: 09/01/2014


Bondage system. Kinky. (05/2015)




MS63_zpsdgimbuef.jpg


06/01/2015 - Mid-Ohio
f80f3cca-bcfe-4f28-94e7-6268d6768baf_zpscp1hptas.jpg


Fatty%20-%20Matt%20McHugh%202_zpse1vcfyln.jpg


Fatty%20-%20Matt%20McHugh_zpsw3txd3ye.jpg


02/20/2016 after paint:
FB_IMG_14560075217262_zps0jqdonqv.jpg


Auto-x video from 8/25/2013;
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3M1Brub8aTM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Track Day video @ Mid-Ohio from May 5th 2014
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/foRjpOHIhMo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Auto-x from 06/4/2014
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-SyL4WRrQtk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Track-x @ PittRace 08/2014
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oWh2WkG8lzU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Mid-Ohio 06/01/2015; Camera car is a friends modded MS3;
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bajkkigMay8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
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Why not keep the Rays to put on this car? I think they would look real good on there. You realize having a spare engine means that your original engine will last forever don't you?
 
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Lightweight Braille battery installed and cleaned the MAF. Idles and runs great.



Met the local Mazda crew for lunch and a mini fun-run afterwards. (pic taken by Sho)
 
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Got an expensive box from Mazda yesterday.




I also swapped the Corbeau's I had for my P5 project into the MS6. What a pita that was... The Corbeau brackets fit pretty well and no trimming was necessary. But the rear center bolts were a b**** to get started and the angle of the bracket had to be perfect to get them in. Would've been easier with a helper, not in the hot garage with the misquitos. haha. They sit probably 2" lower and are pretty comfy and I have a much better feel of the car in the corners. I think I'm going to shave the front feet down a bit on the seat to angle it more upright.

 
Installed the Hawk HPS pads, Techna-Fit SS brake lines (thanks CR3 Motorsports!) and flushed the old brake fluid and replaced it with Wilwood 600 and painted the calipers the only acceptable OEM caliper color. Brakes felt very good stock, now they feel great.



Very much looking forward to installing my BC coilovers, Turbine Tech front diff mount, Turbine Tech rear diff bushings, Whitelines RSB and SPC ball joints at my friends house next weekend.
 
Wow that's one shiny engine! When/where are you installing your coilovers? If I'm free, I may come and harass you guys...I mean help you guys.
 
This saturday at Marcs. V and Jake will be harassing/helping too.
 
This saturday at Marcs. V and Jake will be harassing/helping too.

Depending on how much I get done on my car tonight and tomorrow night, I may stop by. Otherwise, I'll be working on my car at home on Saturday.
 
Well, had a very productive day Saturday with help and a HUGE thank you to my friends, Marc, Jake and V.

Installed the BC Racing coilovers, Whiteline rear sway bar, Tubine Tech front diff bracket and rear diff bushings, Moog endlinks and Magnaflow cat back. We started about 10am and wrapped it up about 7:30pm. I can't imagine trying to do this without a lift so a huge thanks to Marc again.

I didn't take any pics, other than this mess after we dropped the rear subframe for the bracket/bushings and rear sway.



The front upper control arm ball joints refused to come out with a ball joint press so I'll pick up some new ones from Mazdaspeed or Rock Auto and get the SPC adjustable ball joints in there before an alignment Friday. Other than the ball joints and one stupid, useless bracket, all the bolts came out and everything was a success. I still need to adjust the ride height a bit to get it perfect and I've got an array of dash warning lights on from when we took out the rear sub frame (DSC, ABS, Traction control, Parking brake, you name it. haha) but the car feels and sounds great.

Before;


After;


And I bought my friends gold RPF1's (17x8 +45) and will be putting my Conti's (235/45-17) on them this week.






I've got an auto-x on the 9th, a track day at Mid-Ohio on the 10th and GrandAm Racing weekend on the 13th. Looking forward to it all!
 
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Evan your welcome! the car does look good with the RPF-1's on it.
 
Awesome progress! No more 4x4 suspension yay!!!! Looks good with the RPF-1s. Are you planning on painting the wheels a different color? They look good, but I'm not the biggest fan of gold wheels on a silver car.
 
it took me a couple times of looking at it to decide whether i like the gold wheels or not. i do like them. but they would look good in black or silver as well
 
I put them on as a test fit to see how they looked on the silver color and it wasn't as fugly as I was expecting.

I have to repair a few rust spots and the front bumpers paint is chipping pretty badly so I'm going to repair the rust and plastidip the whole car matte white. Then when the rust comes back in a year or two, I'll repair it and Plastidip that section over again.

The gold wheels will look much better on a white car.

*disclaimer - I'm not Plastidipping the car because it's a trend right now, it's just a cost effective way of a paint job I can redo after rust repairs.
 
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