Mooneggs 92 MX-3 Race Car IP - 2013 in Review

[Mooneggs]

Hello and welcome to my worklog for the "race car" - previously known as the "slow car".

The reason it is labeled the "race car" is because I also have a "daily driver" identical to this. The race car will still be street legal but used for autocross and racing
The international project (IP) is basically finding as many OEM mx-3 parts from around the world to put on my car. Here is the list of what is installed on this mx-3:

• H4 glass headlights from a RHD UK mx-3 smooth finish
• Euro front bumper with GS front lip
• Euro fog lights (white bulbs)
• Euro front turn signals (clear with 2 bulbs)
• Euro interior HVAC vents
• German light up hazard switch
• JDM power folding mirrors
• Eunos Presso stainless steel scuff guards
• Canadian/Euro wrap-around spoiler including screw cover caps
• JDM fog light switch, UK front and rear fog light switches
• Euro LHD and RHD OEM tail lights (including 2 rear foglights)
• Headlight leveler switche
• German interior piece under steering wheel (extra tray drawer)
• German fog light switches/ ac/defrost switches
• RHD eunos floor mats (all black)

There is quite a history behind this car including a whole lot of sweat, blood and tears (well maybe not that much blood).

Here is a list of what I have done and what I have done:

• KLZE + KL31 Cams, Pacesetter adjustable short throw shifter, cold air intake w/ heat shield, SRD shifter bushings, SRD control arm bushings, SRD engine member mount bushings, SS clutch line, Premium battery, Aasco 9 lb. flywheel, Clutchmasters stage 1 clutch + ACT stage 1 pressure plate, AWR front and rear motor mounts (88 dur), mazdaspeed filled side motor mounts, MSD 8.5mm wires, NGK iridium plugs, HEI mod + 7 nipple disti, Aeromotive AFPR, racing fuel filter, 68mm big bore TB, IM and TB pheno spacers, probinator ECU

• Powerslot slotted rotors and HPS Plus pads, SS brake lines, kyb struts, intrax lowering springs, front and rear corksport strut bars, SRD crossmember and rear lower tie bar, OBX camber kit, 94 15” 5 spoke alloys w/yokohama avid4

• JDM fog light switch, mx-3 aluminum pedals, 94 interior (carpet, door panels, rear panels), painted all other interior pieces black, Autozam AZ-3 stainless steel door sills, Memphis audio 4 gauge subwoofer wiring kit.

• JDM power folding mirrors w/ 92 switch, mazdaspeed side skirts, front and rear mud guards, eunos presso front bumper, slim visors, primer black paint job, canadian precidia wrap around wing, inverted carbon fiber hood, slim profile wiper blades.

• All premium fluids used (amsoil, royal purple, redline, lucas, etc)

Upcoming projects/things I need to do:

•re-clearcoat CF hood
•install oil pressure gauge (mechanical)
•install oil cooler
•re-calibrate drivers side JDM power folding mirror
•wire up front/rear fog light, leveling headlights and big red hazard euro switches


For a full list of parts on my cars, click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1029786 ... 339607053/

Most recent pic:

[Custommx3]

yes.. LOTS of history

[Mooneggs]

Barry: correct me on anything or if I need to change something - I want this to be as accurate as possible! dates would help too...

Here is the history of the car from Barry's website:

http://www.barrykclark.com/old/gs/mx3_gs.htm

I've also pasted this text and pictures linked from there...

sometime in 2003....

I was searching EBay and I found this car. He wanted only 750 bucks for it, I thought it was too good to be true. I've always wanted a project car, and I really wanted a 5speed v6! So out of curiosity, I emailed the owner asking abut the car. He loved the car, didnt really want to sell it but for different reasons he had to get rid of it. I agreed on buying it and spent 16 hours driving with my brother to Tampa from Memphis to get it. This was a heck of a trip, but we managed to get her home.

She seems to be in ok shape, a few things wrong with her that I wasnt aware of, but all in all it was only 700 bucks I cant complain. I removed fender and found no damage underneath it except for: A headlight that is busted by the bulb, I can deal with it for now.
The sunroof has issues too, doesn't seem to want to close sometimes.
The power steering is out as well.
The shifter is real loose too, must be some bushings that need to be replaced.
She smokes some too..

This is what I have done so far.

Removed Pin Stripes from 1 side
Removed the fender
Cleaned up the motor some.

I already have..

Another door
Another fender
A power steering pump

Daniel and I started replacing the fender/door to get it "drivable".

I've been in the shop for 3 days! My RS broke down on me so I needed something to drive. This kicked my project car repair into high gear and I've been in the shop for the past 3 days. We installed a new power steering pump
Sanded/primed/painted a new door and fender
put on a new AC & PS pump belt.
Put in a new headlight
Removed most of that vinyl decals on the side.

I put my GS in the shop to do some of the major bodywork done that I couldn't tackle myself. I had the guy just prep it, since Im going to be doing more bodywork to it, maybe something custom. Plus, its cheaper that way because I'm getting the whole car painted after moving RS parts (bodykit) over to the GS.
It still needs some fine tuning, as far as the bodywork goes, but he got the hard part out of the way. I'll work on the detail. I'm not complaining, 328 bucks is cheap, saved me lots of time too.

Right after a new fuel tank was installed and I show up:

Special thanks to :

Brandon C. - For helping me go get the car.
Daniel T - for some parts and help on the car.
Brian P - For help on the body work and PS pump. Also for letting me use his shop.
Nathan P - for helping out on some body/mechanical work.
David - for selling her to me.
Shawn - My ECU
Mike E -Finding me the car and the motor.
Luc - Bushings

[Mooneggs]

So while Barry was most graciously letting me use his garage, there came a point when I had no car to drive... so once again Barry said "you can borrow my project gs". He had just put a new gas tank in, it was gutted, and it ran like a champ.

I drove it for probably a month... everything was going great and I almost had my klze swap done in the red car... UNTIL:











and of course verybody showed up...


After wrecking Barry's car that he went all the way to Florida to get... I bought his neighbor's teal mx-3 and Barry gave me the white one.
I drove it off and on during the day (since the headlights were busted), with bungee cords holding down the hood. I tried various styles such as taking the hatch off for a summer.




I even swapped entire wiring harnesses with the fast car (long story).

[Custommx3]

After wrecking Barry's car that he went all the way to Florida to get... I bought his neighbor's teal mx-3 and Barry gave me the white one.

He bought

[Pumas_kitten]

Wow! that is alot of history.
Good luck with the rest of the projects especially the jdm power folding mirrors its alot of work wiring them..
My bf has them on his mx-6 and I'm currently looking for a pair for my car, but it's so much harder to find them for mx-3's.
Can't wait to see more progress pics.

[Nd4SpdSe]

Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa....



A beige double-stack center console?!?! Rare!

AS well, for the accident, it didn't look like there was any damage to the DSM?

[Custommx3]

It messed up the back a bit...

The front end on the GS was pushed pretty far in.

[Mooneggs]

AS well, for the accident, it didn't look like there was any damage to the DSM?

LOL not sure what DSM is but as far as damage goes it pushed the radiator almost to the point of touching the front valve cover Believe it or not the car was still very much driveable after the accident and the radiator did not aquire a hole until the radiator support that was pushed against it rubbed a hole on the side of it...

unfortunatley I have no pictures from when I was fixing it. I basically bent the front radiator support back and did alot of pounding to get the left fender to sit correctly (It's still not exactly right). The frame and chassis were not bent thankfully... I had access to a new front bumper/lip so I put that on and I used my hood from the fast car. I eventually put the JDM front bumper/lip on but the hood overhangs the top of the bumper by about 1/4 of an inch... not too bad overall considering I am not a collision repair specialist! Car runs/ drives great!

[Mooneggs]

And then came the primer...











Here's some random primer shots:

















The HID upgrade:




A primer refresher:








Interior shots:

[96mx-3]

hey did u jsut paint it with spray paint cans ?

[Mooneggs]

yep - it usually takes 8-10 cans... I use the trigger top attachment which saves your fingers and turns it almost into a spray gun.

It took 10-12 cans initially and every time I recoat it takes about 6-8 cans.

I didn't feel like spending $$$$ on a paint job and it just sits outside all the time so why not spend $30 and do it myself?

I'll get both cars painted for real one day... *sighs*

[Mooneggs]

Well last weekend I went and got my wheel bearing replaced. Guess what? No more shudder when I take left turns!

Unfortunately my lower ball joint boot is shot so I have to figure out how to take off that now... seems like that bolt holding it in is frozen...

I also replaced the outer tie rod.

I have also aquired 2 more EURO parts for my mx-3... I got an OEM front strut bar from the UK and I just got a hazard switch to replace the A/C switch in N.A. mx-3's. I figure since I don't have A/C anyways why not put a cooler looking switch there. I'm not sure if it lights up or not but it looks somewhat translucent...



this is where the switch goes in a german mx-3:



now my car represents japan, canada, USA, England and Germany - LOL

I've also had a few leads on some glass headlights! And I've decided to use yellow foglights (from the UK and germany)... I think it will be a nice contrast with my HID headlights... Now I just have to find a set!

[Custommx3]

Mark, you spend way too much $$ on your cars, lol.

[Mooneggs]

don't worry barry, you would be proud of me on these... the strut bar and switch total were like $65 shipped... not bad from the UK and germany...

oh and I just got a set of E-Spec headlights, an asperical driver's side mirror, and a rear and front foglight switch from the UK today! All for $214 shipped yeah my persistence paid off... alls I need now is the yellow fog lights and my car will be complete!