SilverSavP5's Build Thread

[SilverSavP5]

Merry Christmas everyone! My name is Nick. I’m from Savannah, GA. This is my first build thread. I’ve had my car for almost 2yrs. I love my P5 and I love modding so I figured I’d start my own thread while I have time (winter break from school). I don’t really know where I want this build to go as far as turbo or NA. I would like to keep my P5 a dd for the next few years, so turbo may not be the best option. I’m open minded about the build, and will accept any help I can get from the people on here. Thanks to everyone in advance.

Timeline
-Got my 2003 Protege5 as a bday present in July 2010 with 130k on the clock, learned to drive stick that day
-Blew head gasket coming home for Labor Day weekend (first trip home from school)
-Got the car back in January 2011 with new used fsde
-Replaced battery and starter in February
-Replaced alternator in March
-New tires and replaced trailing arms last August
-Been doing simple performance/aesthetic mods since then

GOALS
1. 150+ whp
2. Reliability (200mile road trips- to and from my school-home- gf’s school)
3. Turn Heads
4. Make it happen on a college guy’s budget

Current Mods

Under the hood/car
-CAI, mazdaspeed axleback, painted strut tower brace

Interior/ Electrical
-Sony Xplod head, jbl doors, cadence audio 12’s in the back powered by alpine 4 channel

Exterior
-Headlight blackout and 3m restoration, painted grill trim, blacked out rear valence, short antenna

Wheels/ Suspension
-springs (on the car when i got it), stock struts, kumho ecsta

Future Mods
sway bar + endlinks, maybe SRI, looking into MSP racingharts, painted valve cover + engine bay clean up , port and polished intake manifold, motor mounts, turbo or na build parts to follow

TWM short shifter, bushings, and knob on the way

PICTURES COMING SOON

 

[SilverSavP5]

Stock (how i got it)

 

[SilverSavP5]

Current Pictures

 

[SilverSavP5]

I'll put some interior pictures up after I get the shifter installed and clean it up a bit

 

[SilverSavP5]

reserved

 

[MazdaSport20]

Sweet! the rear looks pretty good with that MSP exhaust

 

[SilverSavP5]

thanks, i got a super deal on it from someone on here about a year ago. i love it, especially how quiet it is on the highway.

 

[HKPRO5]

Nice! Get some headers!!

 

[SilverSavP5]

Thats next on the list. My TWM shifter and other stuff should get here today. I'll post more pics later.

 

[SilverSavP5]

Going on the car tomorrow. Any tips?

 

[azuelke]

WD40/PB Blaster for rusty bolts, a long, thin flat head to pop out the old bushing to get in the new poly bushings, and probably a tin snips to get off the heat shield that is covering the shifter. One of bolts was rusted on mine and wouldn't come off, so I had to cut off the heat shield.

 

[SilverSavP5]

Did you just cut off the entire heatshield? I have a rusted bolt and i just left it until tomorrow. Everything is hooked up and driveable but i can hear the shifter rattle against the heatshield at idle. The passenger heatshield spacer is on but the driver's side bolt it rusted on so i couldn't put that one in.

 

[digitalslacker]

I like the build thus far. I think you should paint the front mazda logo into the M.

For whatever reason I hate the oval exhaust tip on the p5s. I think the larger circular tip looks nicer.

 

[Bastian]

I think the larger circular tip looks nicer.

The cut out on the bumper is circular, the tip is an oval. Conflicting lines are a no-no.

Other than that, looking really good (2thumbs)

 

[Circuit]

If you are looking for 150+ whp, you need to go turbo.

 

[azuelke]

Did you just cut off the entire heatshield? I have a rusted bolt and i just left it until tomorrow. Everything is hooked up and driveable but i can hear the shifter rattle against the heatshield at idle. The passenger heatshield spacer is on but the driver's side bolt it rusted on so i couldn't put that one in.

Yup, I just cut the whole thing off... its was the only option.

 

[SilverSavP5]

I like the build thus far. I think you should paint the front mazda logo into the M.

For whatever reason I hate the oval exhaust tip on the p5s. I think the larger circular tip looks nicer.

Thanks. I want to either paint it or cut it into the M. I'll probably grab one next time i go to the junkyard and mess around with it.

The cut out on the bumper is circular, the tip is an oval. Conflicting lines are a no-no.

Other than that, looking really good (2thumbs)

What should i do to match those up? Im thinking maybe grind/sand the bumper into shape.

If you are looking for 150+ whp, you need to go turbo.

Well I guess i should start saving now then because I want to do it right. No zoom zoom boom. Maybe I will down the road.



Pictures coming after I get my wheel bearing replaced. I'll warn you in advance though, I HATE my shift boot.

 

[SilverSavP5]

Turns out it wasn't a wheel bearing, it was a bad strut. So I got that done at Goodyear and asked them to just look over the car before I drive it back to school and they also found that my front and rear motor mounts were completely torn. The rear mount wasn't even attached to the frame. Those got replaced too and now i know what 1st gear is supposed to feel like.