My 1980 Mazda 626 build..

[JITB]

Dont know if any of you even thought these things existed..

But its a 1980 mazda 626 and it is rwd, they were from 80 - 82. SHares alot with the RX2/3/ 1st gen Rx7, and a host of other rwd mazdas from those years.

but this one especially is in great top notch condition.. and was taken care of its whole life. everything works!!!!! A/c - Heat allthe lighting, all the buttons..etc. It has a 2.0 sohc motor in it, that runs great, but its now time to decide what needs to go in it. But as of now, im updating hoses/belts etc, and fixing old stuff on the motor.

Got these on ebay

Sold them and picked these up from a friend!

and got some goodies in the mail last week, and installed my gauge cluster.


Spent a total of 70$ on all these new items! I love old cars...lol
coil
disty cap
rotor button
spark plugs
inner tie rod ends
oil pressure sender
temp sensor
new plugs

old plugs...

Old cluster out

New cluster in, pulled from a 82 coupe, has tachometer,gas light,taillight warning,coolant light

idler Arm

Alpine radio straight from the 80s!

next gonna get this thing lower..and start saving up for the powerplant..

 

[fatti03msp]

very nice and clean

what are you going to swap in?

rotary probally bolts right up, if the car is similar to the older 929 they came with a rotoray over seas

 

[JITB]

very nice and clean

what are you going to swap in?

rotary probally bolts right up, if the car is similar to the older 929 they came with a rotoray over seas

rotary can be done easily, but i believe i want to stay piston. And if i find a rx3/2 ill get my rotary fix..lol

There are alot of options with this car and its transmission. Ran down all the options,

je 3.0 929 v6 the missing link being a 929/mpv 5spd trans. which uses the R trans from T2 but has a diff bellhousing.

F2t from the mx6/probe gt, but it needed some fab work for the intake manifold, and some clearance issue.

right now im in a tossup between the kia FE3 2.0, or the turbo miata 1.6 or 1.8. I have access to a miata drivetrain for next to nothing.. and some left over turbo pieces.. but until i make a move and buy something i wont be able to make up my mind..lol.

 

[J_Naoto]

soooo dope! i expect to see this next time i'm in ga

 

[323]

I facebook like. s*** is pimp!

 

[fatti03msp]

not super famialiar with the je but i owned a MX6 and i love/miss the s*** out of that v6

that motor in a rwd platform would be pretty badass

 

[o0n8]

Very Nice!

 

[JITB]

soooo dope! i expect to see this next time i'm in ga

it will be here!

 

[mazdadude]

Very nice! Brings back memories! Yes you can swap some of the RX7 parts into it. But think a car that nice and clean should be kept as original as possible.

79-80 626's are just a bit different from the 81-82 626.

You can see some pictures of the minor differences here on the 626 wiki page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_626

 

[xxxmonoxidechil]

f2t swap FTW!

bolts right in, bolts to the tranny. you know you want too.

 

[JITB]

Very nice! Brings back memories! Yes you can swap some of the RX7 parts into it. But think a car that nice and clean should be kept as original as possible.

79-80 626's are just a bit different from the 81-82 626.

You can see some pictures of the minor differences here on the 626 wiki page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_626

its nice, but original is boring. I thought that way at first when i got the car because I was constantly finding out that the car is in better shape than i thought. But a older car guy told me something that made me look at it differently. He compared the cars age to my age, which makes the car 31 years old, and im 28, and he said you still have alot of life in you and alot of play.. so why would you treat the car any different...so from then I had the notion to make the car nice, and appropriate and tasteful but never disrupt the classic! Which is also why i didnt get a antique plate!

Had a look on some fb suspension stuff really looking at sway bars etc.

 

[JITB]

f2t swap FTW!

bolts right in, bolts to the tranny. you know you want too.

i know i know...for the f2t I will need a btruck bellhousing, which isnt a big deal. Dont think i can afford the intake manifold fab work just yet... may just hold out for the JE v6..

 

[THE Phen]

Very cool. I'm looking forward to following this.

My question for you is what kind of work would be required to put a B6 or a BP into that? Both engines are readily availible. Heck, there is a B6 engine / tranny combo up here in Akron for like $500.

Anyway... Yeah, I can totally relate to what that guy told you regarding age. I bought a 74 BMW and just driving it down the street, you can tell it has a lot of life left in it.

 

[daonly1around]

I'm really starting to like the older Japanesse RWD sedans. The more I see the more I want one.

Keep up the good work.

 

[JITB]

Very cool. I'm looking forward to following this.

My question for you is what kind of work would be required to put a B6 or a BP into that? Both engines are readily availible. Heck, there is a B6 engine / tranny combo up here in Akron for like $500.

Anyway... Yeah, I can totally relate to what that guy told you regarding age. I bought a 74 BMW and just driving it down the street, you can tell it has a lot of life left in it.

The only thing to make the B6/BP work is bolting the miata bellhousing and re arrange the mounts a bit and its in there. And i have a friend with a B6 that needs a rebuild,harness,trans, for 200$. That im prob gonna get and go that route, its just too good of a deal not to.

There are so many options because Mazda only used 2 type of rwd trans.

 

[MazKid]

My brother has a '79 coupe and '81(if I remember correctly) coupe for parts. Not sure what direction he's going with the '79... he's had it for years. Very cool cars!

 

[JITB]

My brother has a '79 coupe and '81(if I remember correctly) coupe for parts. Not sure what direction he's going with the '79... he's had it for years. Very cool cars!

looking for some things! is he willing to sell some stuff?

 

[JITB]

Finally got low!
Changed the suspension over to 1st gen Rx7 suspension, and brakes.. and it got me mylow!

 

[caidoz]

Love it. Keep up the good work

 

[rar40941]

Dude I am so subbing to this thread car is so sexy and classy