fowljesse's GS/SE DE/ZE ;)

[fowljesse]

I was screwing around, looking for mx-3 related junk on Google, and I found an ad on MX6.com from the guy I bought my car from, and it answered some questions I had, since the dude disappeared once I bought the car. Here are the answers:

2.5L V6 fully rebuilt including: balanced crank, .050 over main and rod bearings, chrome piston rings, Jap-spec 10:1 pistons, Jap-spec exhaust cams, main and rear seals. Just installed two years ago - 10,000 miles on the engine. Gets over 200 PSI compression on 5 cylinders, and 190 PSI on the 6th cylinder. Runs strong to redline and starts on the first try every time. At the time of rebuild installed: new accessory and timing bearings, new water pump, new timing belt, new accessory belts, and new thermostat, new distributor, new plug wires.
Also installed shortly after time of rebuild (last two years):
H&R lowering springs (2” drop)
new Gabriel struts, new front strut mounts and bearings
new alternator
new battery
Nyloil solid front A-arm bushings
Energy Suspension polyurethane bushings on all the rear bushings
Magnaflow exhaust with hi-flow Magnaflow catalytic converter
Has power windows, locks, mirrors, sunroof, and cruise control. Still has stock front lip, rear spoiler, and 15” Enkei 6 spoke wheels that came stock with the car (Bridgestone Fuzion ZRi tires installed this spring).

Stock 5 speed manual with newer Exedy organic clutch.

Has custom kickpanels with Boston Accoustics speakers in the front, and 8” midbasses in the doors, with a still mint looking Alpine CD player in the dash

[93SOHC]

I just read your whole worklog. You've got a nice car and some serious engineering skills sir. Everything you are doing reminds me of when I got into compact tuning(1996) and ther wasn't even fart-cans available. You are doing a fine job and are an innovator in our field. One ? though?

If you have covered all the holes in the bumper up front, how are you getting airflow to the radiator other than just the splash shield. Heat robs power.

[fowljesse]

Thanks, man!
It's a metal mesh. I need to get better pictures. It's cold here, now, and last year, I blocked off the lower grill completely, and it never came close to overheating.
I've been doing some aggressive driving, since it runs stronger with the exhaust, and ignition upgrade, and it hasn't gotten hot. Also, i'm going to put in my headers with heat wrap on them, and that will cool doen the bay even more.

[93SOHC]

excellent man. I am definitely doing the HEI mod as one of my first. Though I am not even driving the mx3 yet, I have noticed it has been hard too start since its gotten cold out.

[fowljesse]

I took a better picture of the mesh on the grill.

[onlytrueromeo]

Whats with the 1 windshield wiper?

[fowljesse]

Dam, that question came faster than I expected!
I'm modifying the cam on the middle one so I can do a true 1 wiper mod. It will go all the way across, and rest where it should.
The top corners of the windshield won't be wiped, but it'll be out of the view area, and I use "Rain-X, anyway, so it doesn't matter.
I'm doing it to simplify the cowl.

[Savin]

Is it 'cause your car is wet, or is it actually shiny?
either way, car looks good.

[fowljesse]

Thanks!

It's rain!
The good thing about this weather is that the car will always look like this!
On a similar note.. I did a fun 4 wheel drift trying to beat an M6 around a cloverleaf exit turn. Almost had him...

[cjthor]

Thanks!

It's rain!
The good thing about this weather is that the car will always look like this!
On a similar note.. I did a fun 4 wheel drift trying to beat an M6 around a cloverleaf exit turn. Almost had him...

its fun when a less than 10k car can allllmmooosssst beat a more than 90k car!!

[fowljesse]

Got some junk done!
I finished the "Ferrari" tails. They look pretty cool (better than the pic), and work great.



Mooneggs gave me his old Civic projectors. They were unusable in his opinion, and he gave them to me because i was going to do Ram Air through the headlights. It was a cool idea, but too complicated. The Projectors were REALLY cloudy, yellowed, and cracked. I spent about 6 hours sanding, and buffing them down to 8000 grit stuff that Daninski gave me (thanks again, Dan!). They are usable, but not perfect, so I'm going to put 1-2 coats of VHT Nightshade on them. To get them to fit, I cut the bumper in various places, the bumper guts, and various sheet metal around the radiator. Also, I flattened out the lip on the part of the fender that almost touches the headlights. And, I ground down the inner top parts of the lights themselves. Because of all this, I have stock gaps everywhere (hood, fenders, bumper) instead of the usual big ones that happens with this mod. They look smooth, and flush.
I put the turn signals in them, and was looking at the turn signal hole, and Eureka!
I've always had really good luck at thrift stores, so I went shopping, and found a piece metal the EXACT shape I needed. It was a long oval tin, the shape of the signal hole. So, I went nutso with the Sawzall, grinders, tinsnips, etc... I cut the turn signal mounting stuff off the backside of the bumper, so it's flush.I had to cut through the bumper reinforcement (this was the hardest part), and had to cut off the lower tab that the bumper mounts on. Then I cut the sheet metal to the wheel well. I make it sound easy
Long story short - I have true ram air, and it will look good when I'm done.
Here she is:





In the 2nd pic., it looks like the hole decreases in diameter, but it doesn't.
I don't have it completely hooked up, because I didn't have my metal tape with me, but she's gulping lots of cold air! For now, I have a 6" drier duct clamped onto my K&N that goes down and almost attatches to the Ram air tube.
I'll finish it soon. I was just excited to show you guys.

[93SOHC]

amazing as usual sir

[marcdh]

Great minds Glad we have fog light holes here, worked great with a Christmas Pudding bowl

[fowljesse]

Thanks 93SOHC!

Marcdh... WTF?!
Wow. That's great! Where'd you get the CF filter housing? You Pre-copy-catter!

[marcdh]

pre copycat

I actually got the closed filter second hand for ALOT less, they're rated to breathe easy up to 350hp apparently. No complaints here. Here's the link to a seller anyway, it's called Quikshift Taipan:
http://www.regals-motorsport.co.uk/filt ... -2062.html