[CANCELLED] - nightfire's '96 GS-ZE / partout

[nightfire]

*2nd EDIT* Sorry everyone! False alarm. I found a guy willing to do the bodywork for a great price, so I'm going to keep my baby. Mods, feel free to close/delete/lock this topic.

*EDIT* I ran into a bodywork guy (a sign?) who is going to provide a much cheaper estimate in the next couple days; sorry everyone who already responded... I may keep her after all. But read on, in case it falls through.

Instinctively we all know it comes to this eventually, but when that day comes... it sure hurts.

I moved last year, and lacking a garage, I just can't properly look after my MX-3 anymore. So everything is up for grabs. While the car is mechanically in good condition (suspension, brakes, engine/transmission, electrical, etc) the body is shot. It's got 250k km on it, dents and dings, and a water leak near the windshield.

It's still a blast to drive, but more useful for the parts. I briefly considered buying a <50k km 4cyl automatic and transferring everything over, but I just don't have a place to do it (or the time, sadly).

Journal w/pics:

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Full disclosure:

I went to a body shop to ask them what they'd charge to bring life back into the car. There's a water leak at the base of the windshield which could be repaired, but frankly the car needs a new windshield. Some rust on the passenger A-pillar, small rust in other spots, and a dent in the passenger side door (thanks a$$hole old guy with no insurance who backed into me in a parking lot last month). They quoted me $5k, which just makes no sense at this point. Hence, more of a parts car - though it is in excellent mechanical shape.

So here's what's on the car now, with prices for parts I would be able to strip & ship:

**Note** For the parts without prices, I can't really pull them off the car, since I have no place to do it anymore.

Performance
2.5L KLZE w/Millenia intake
LSD equipped transmission
Clutchmasters Stage-1
Fidanza aluminum flywheel
KL02 VAF
Full street-legal exhaust system (Headers, new high-flow cat, newish Bosal OE muffler)
Adjustable fuel pressure regulator
Bronzeoil shifter bushings
Mazdaspeed engine mounts
AWR racing polyurethane front & rear engine mounts (rear brand new, not installed; $50)
Eibach pro kit springs
Tokico HPs (blue) + new bearings, top plates, etc.
SRD polyurethane control arm bushings
Full set of front/rear polyurethane bushings (new, uninstalled) - $200
Whiteline 24mm rear sway bar + polyurethane bushings
SSR Comp-C wheels (16x7) - Scrape on one; can take pics if interested - $1000
General Exclaim UHP 205/45R16
Wilwood forged superlite calipers w/323mm front x-drilled rotors
Braided SS brake hoses
New rear calipers and pads, with x-drilled rotors
Custom 3" intake
Spyder Auto HID projectors
Mazdaspeed front bumper
CF hood - $400 pickup only (flawless condition)
H&R wheel spacers (some installed, some not)
Driver's racing seat ("JDM" ebay special)
Aluminum crossmember and rear tie bar (rear tie bar uninstalled; $50)

Electrical
Trunk relocated battery with heavy gauge wiring and full fusing
12->24VDC SMPS power converter/regulator for amplifiers
Carputer: 3ghz core2 duo w/2GB ram, 64GB solid state disk - $2500 for complete system, including amps, speakers, accelerometers, gps, spacenav, etc
USB GPS with accelerometer (for HP estimates, skidpad, etc)
USB OBD-II link
7" double-din SVGA touchscreen
Mini USB keyboard and Logitech SpaceNavigator (volume/track selection)
7 channel homebuilt Tripath 4100A amplifier (6x100 watts @ 0.1%THD, 1x200 watt @ 0.1%THD)
8 channel USB soundcard (Gigaport AG)
Infinity Kappa 60.7CS components (front)
Infinity Kappa 63.7i (rear)
2x10" generic subwoofers (waiting on JL audios)
All new speaker wiring (2x18AWG per side to fronts, 16AWG to rears)
Filter capacitor bank at alternator (4x 15000uF 20V)
1F stiffening capacitor
Full vehicle data logging
Alarm system / Keyless entry (driver & passenger side) / Remote starter
Remote trunk release

Sensors
A-pillar gauge pod
PLX multifunction sensor (w/EGT module) - $300
Oil pressure sensor
AEM Wideband O2 sensor - $250

I also have two brand new front fenders from Mazda, asking $200 each.

There is a ton of stuff here, and some other stuff I'll add later. I can take pictures of any of it.

Time and workspace are the main issues for me, and I'm willing to let the whole car go for $5000 (negotiable), including the carputer, all gauges, SSR wheels, .. everything.

If you're not interested in the carputer stuff, I'd let the car itself (with wheels) go for $2000. The wheels alone still retail new for about $2000. It is perfectly driveable, but would probably not pass certification in Ontario. Great for parts though - full ZE swap, and huge brakes, etc.

It's a sad day for me! But if I can get parts of my baby a new owner, it'll help.

[_-Night-Shade-_]

Interested in bronzoil bushings, and how much are you looking to get for the bumper and wilwood calipers?

[mikeinaus]

pm'd! why are all the good mx3's for sale on the other side of north america

dibs on struts/springs

[Dali]

hey, i'm interested in the whole car minus the stereo stuff/computer and rims. would you be willing to get a quote on shipping it by train or trailer to williams lake bc v2g2w5. if not and you are going to part it out i would be interested in the Adjustable fuel pressure regulator, Bronzeoil shifter bushings, Wilwood forged superlite calipers w/323mm front x-drilled rotors, Braided SS brake hoses, A-pillar gauge pod, AEM Wideband O2 sensor, MegaSquirt-II, possible some other stuff depending on how much you want for the parts. i had a car shipped from ontario to vancouver bc for 700.00 but that was a bit much. let me know, thanks.

[AaronTietje]

Hi, Im interested in the trans. Could you give me a quote and the specs of the transmission.

(I live in NY area code 14873)

Thanks Aaron

[wytbishop]

I would just like to say that after all the work you've done if I were you they would have to pry this car from my cold, dead hands. Bad body or not. I think you're insane to give up.

[Mooneggs]

well first I'm sorry to hear you are parting/selling second you MUST post prices for everything if you are going to part it out! Also it's confusing to list everything as a part out if you are going to sell it whole...

if you do end up parting it out, I am interested in the H&R wheel spacers... what size are they?

[nightfire]

Wow, hey everyone. I honestly wasn't sure if I'd hear anything back at all! I wasn't sure how many people were still left these days.

Ok, I should have said this explicitly; for the items I don't have prices listed... it's because I can't really pull that stuff from the car. I literally don't have anywhere I can work on it anymore, so pulling the transmission, engine, springs, etc. is a no-go. The subject line was confusing in hindsight. It's not that I wouldn't want to put in the wrench time... I'd love to spend some time with her again. But I'd be doing it on the street and it would get towed away if it had no wheels.

wytbishop, I know man. It's killing me. I just happened to speak to a guy tonight who's gonna give me a quote for all the bodywork on a lower end of the scale; if he's able to do it for <$2500 I might do that. In which case sorry everyone for waffling on this. *wipes tears*

Dali, shipping the car all the way out there ... when it's all said and done you must be able to source all the parts you want locally for cheaper... remember it probably won't be platable (if you intend to drive it at all), and - btw - I don't actually have a megasquirt. Just a '96 OBD-II computer (KL-08 I think). But if you still want, I can look into it if this bodywork lead comes up dead.

Mooneggs, I've got a set of 20mm through-hole spacers (I'll have to check tomorrow) that I haven't installed; on the car are 10mm on the rear (through-hole) and 15mm on the front (bolted type).

Sorry everyone again... in summary:

- I can't strip parts off that would disable it or that involve lifting the car. I know, it's not much of a part-out. I should have reworded the subject line
- After I posted I just happened to run into a guy that does bodywork on our kinda cars off the island (much cheaper); I'm going in for an estimate later this week
- Thanks everyone for the kind words. It's been so long since I've been online (having no garage *sucks*); I had her stored for the winter, etc, etc. It feels good to be back, which is a bad thing.

I'll post updates here in the next couple days.

[turpro1993]

If you do part it PM me a shipped price for all the mounts(arw and ms) to 45039. Very interested in the arw ones(both) especially

[Ukrman]

2nd dibs on the spacers (10 and 15mm) if you are able to get them off and also interested in the AWR engine mounts. Do you have the specs on those?

[wytbishop]

I'm sorry evryone but I'm going to do everything I can to convince him to fix the car. Gord, even if you have to do in stages, sell some of the things you don't need to pay for it. How can you walk away from something you've put so much work into? What's the point of collecting all these thousands of dollars worth of cool parts if you're just going to sell them off later for a huge loss?

You will regret this emotionally and financially for a very long time.

[Ukrman]

I agree... save it

[Daninski]

Anyone else I'd say too bad but I never liked this guy much anyway. You've got a lot of time and wrench work into this crate to just give it to someone. I'd say look for another and transfer the stuff over. Garages are a dime a dozen so ask around. I offered my buddy the scrap on my parts car and I got to use his garage for free. Patience Grass Hopper.

[nightfire]

I'm sorry evryone but I'm going to do everything I can to convince him to fix the car. Gord, even if you have to do in stages, sell some of the things you don't need to pay for it. How can you walk away from something you've put so much work into? What's the point of collecting all these thousands of dollars worth of cool parts if you're just going to sell them off later for a huge loss?

You will regret this emotionally and financially for a very long time.

I'm meeting a guy tonight off the island who says he may be able to swing it for $2500. Windshield, bodywork, paint job.. everything. For that kinda money... ok, I'll go for it. But at $5k.... man... that's downpayment on a 3-year used 350Z. Add to that whatever I could get for parts and what's on the car... and that covers the first year of payments. It's tormenting.

The problem is I'm watching this cancer.. rust.. eating the poor thing. If I don't fix the water leak in the next week or two (got a car cover on atm), the carpets will rot. I've already had to clean it once, and once you get that mold smell..... it's lost. I just don't have a place to work on it anymore.

But I'll see what the guy says..

[nightfire]

Anyone else I'd say too bad but I never liked this guy much anyway. You've got a lot of time and wrench work into this crate to just give it to someone. I'd say look for another and transfer the stuff over. Garages are a dime a dozen so ask around. I offered my buddy the scrap on my parts car and I got to use his garage for free. Patience Grass Hopper.

Hey Dan

I thought about looking for a coop garage or someone willing to do the swap for me. I might look into that too. The thing is, in the meantime water's leaking into the passenger side and soaking the carpets... If I don't fix that issue, it'll rot and mold in no time. So I had to do something immediately.

I'll see what this guy says tonight.