With the demise of my MX6 ( i sent the rusty old girl to the crusher, but kept the engine) I've got a new project.
To build one fast 323 just for the track. I got this 323 with a fairly good body for $200. My F2T was running good when i took it out. I removed the MS and harness so it will be easy to get it running again.
Needs a paint job
my forklift comes in handy. I welded the Diff while the engine was out.
This engine is a TIGHT fit, but its like it was make for it. The frame is contoured in just the right places.
Its got less than 1/2" to spare all around. Looks like i will have to make all new motor mounts.
The firewall will need to be modded a bit to get the intake to fit.
The rear motor mount can't be used, there is no room at all. I will have to figure something else out. But the top transmission mount should be easy
Dam, i wanted to see his motormounts and front hub setup, but most of the pictures are gone. Nice job though. It shows 2 of the motormounts though.
Did he use the complete front struts ?
Its almost a straight bolt in if you use a g-series gearbox. Little harder with a h-type box. Use an MX3 side engine mount and it will bolt onto the motor and into the cradle, just need to trim the cradle back a bit.
Its a tight fit with a h-box, new mounts, gearbox crossmember and the main crossmember modified, you can kinda see what has been done in the pics. Chassis rail had to have a slight arch cut in it to make it fit. Making the shift linkages work isnt easy, as there is not much room to work with. This was gonna be a registered street car, so everything has been modified to look standard. If you just wanna hack it up to make it work it would be alot easier.
Easiest thing to do with the front hubs is use mx6 hubs. Mx6 struts, with 323 strut tops. drill the hole out in the centre a little bit. the tapered rear spring from an mx6 is a perfect fit in the front if you cut a coil or two off so it seats into the 323 strut top. use series 4/5 rx7 bottom ball joints to give it a 25mm wider track. the shafts are a little bit long for the 323 too, so the rx7 ball joints relieve a bit of the stress on them.
Bout all i can think of right now, fits pretty good though!
Started the motor mounts. Building a track car is more fun than a street car, less details to worry about. I hope to have it running by the end of June.
I will add more support at the bottom to take the twist. You think you have it a good height then you let the jack down than it sinks about 1/2" in the rubber.
Lots of room above the trans for , maybe a water to air intercooler ?
Yes, its ugly, but i havn't taken the grinder to it yet. I decided to make one from scratch instead of butchering the origional
You can see how far the mount is forward compared to the 323. I have the engine tilted slightly forward to give more room for the intake.
The motor mount is too low, below the cradle mount. I will try to make a lower profile one, maybe a horizontal do-nut type.
Looking down the tunnel, see the shifter is too far to the left, hidden behind the frame cradle bolts. Gonna take some fancy bending here., or may be the cutting torch.
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