Project Jay-Spec MX-326GS

[IMACHU2]

how did you avoid getting paint into the altenator?

I didn't avoid getting paint into the alternator. I have paint alternators before,they always worked afterwards

[IMACHU2]

Spent about 15 hours at the garage today.

Painted the gas tank and straps.




Put the sender back in.

Bought adapters to go from 5/16" to 3/8" fuel line. I think the were intended for nylon fuel line, but they worked great as adapters.



Put the tank in and ran 3/8" aluminum line for the supply and return line.




Painted the steering column and but it back together. Took a while to figure it out. I chose the MX-3 column because it has multi-speed delay wipers. Had to remove the cruise control stuff out of the column to get the Grant Wheel to fit on.




I put the heater back together which was fun because i had three cars worth of ducting to sort though. Got it all figured out though.



Painted the dash, it turned out really well. Much better then I expected. My hopes were it would not be bluey green anymore LOL. I am going to paint the whole interior now. (Duplicolor interior paint, satin black)




I put the dash and the column back in. I am missing the lower bracket for the MX-3 column.


The MX-3 had a new filler neck, and it looked the same as the rusted-out 323 ones. It's not, and I already threw out the 323 filler necks :cuss: Decided to modify the MX-3 one to fit. Cut a bunch of brackets off it and shortened it a couple of inches. I am going to spice it back together with filler neck hose. I took the bag-pipe looking smog crap off of it too.

[SteeleMX3]

this build is



Crazy as hell!

Looking forward to seeing the progress to come, keep updating!

[IMACHU2]

Opened the box I was afraid to open.




Ahhhhhhhhhh MX-3 V6 wiring harness.







It was tough sluggin' at first until I realized the MX-3 plastic conduit did not fit on the 323, after I cut them off, it went in smoother. There was also a bracket with many relays on it. I had to pull the relays off it.







The MX-3 Harness is pretty much where it needs to be. Many of the clips that hold it to the car were broken, so I will need to fasten it down better. Not one of my more productive days at the shop. I was kinda hoping I could worm the harness through the already installed dash. Fat chance LOL. I am going to have to figure out something to hold the 500 relays in place. There was this little sheet metal Christmas tree of relays, that I could not get to fit anywhere, so I pulled all the relays off of it, now they are hanging from the harness like fruit.

[fowljesse]

That harness tangled up is what the underside of my dash looks like, with all the aftermarket electronics.
What an undertaking! I like the visual of relay fruit. Mine has them, and fuses, and things I don't recognise.

[IMACHU2]

That harness tangled up is what the underside of my dash looks like, with all the aftermarket electronics.
What an undertaking! I like the visual of relay fruit. Mine has them, and fuses, and things I don't recognise.

Ya I should look at the wiring diagram, I could likely un-plug most of them. I was going to make brackets for them, then I though about it, almost all of them are for options a base model 323 just does not have LOL. The 94 MX-3 GS was fully loaded, the 323 has a rear window defroster

[IMACHU2]

Bought some hose to make my brand new MX-3 filler neck fit my MX-326GS LOL. I threw out two 323 filler necks cause I thought the MX-3 one was the same. IT IS NOT! LOL. I cut the MX-3 filler neck to size and trimmed all the smog crap off of it.







I am going to clean it up and paint it. It should look and function good when finished.

[IMACHU2]

Finished my modifackin' the MX-3 filler neck to fit the 323.








I also put the dash back in.






I am workin' on a new adventure now. Making a MX-3 steering column fit in a 323.

MX-3 left 323 right.



I drilled the rivits. With some shims and some bolts I am going to put the 323 lower bracket on the MX-3 column.







I will post the finished product soon. I ordered a key for it today too LOL

[IMACHU2]

In the battle of man VS steering column, man won LOL. Got a key cut off the MX-3's VIN. Figured out the steering wheel would not turn. Had to further modify the little plastic thinger that cancels the signals. Got it all figured out and bought myself a steering wheel puller which came in really handy.



The 323 lower mount mated to the MX-3 Column


Got the dash and the steering column all in (for real this time)


Was excited about the key, it is almost a car, it needs a key!


Started splicin' wires, the clutch switch was the first to not plug and play


Used the brake safety switchs off the MX-3 so they plugged in.
Looks like the panel dimmer, heater, hazard lights and cigar lighter will need to be figured out and spliced in.

[IMACHU2]

Played at the garage for a few hours.

First splice was the low fluid level thinger on the brake fluid container. That is it for the engine compartment!


Next spice was the dimmer switch, it I were to do this all again, I would have saved a ll the mx-3 switches, then it would have been plug and play. I could have mounted all the MX-3 switches in the options I do not have plates LOL.

Most of the wires are the same color from car to car, so it was pretty easy splice-in some plugs deal.


Next spice was the cigarette lighter and the light bulb. Same color wires.


The Hazard light splice did not go so well. If you wire the four matching colored wires together the hazard lights do work, but the switch does not light up. The switch has an extra orange wire on it. I screwed around for a while , but could not get it to light up. It you add power to the green wire it does light up, but solid, it does not flash on and off like in a normal 323. I need to look at the wiring diagram for this one.



By far the happiest part of the night was the heater. I was scared to death of it. My MX-3 had the Knight Rider Darth vader digital climate control deal in it. There are like 5 plugs that go into it. One of the plugs fit into the standard 323 blower motor switch, but the plug appeared to be wired very differently. I plugged it in and prayed for no fires. All my fears were for nothing. On the blower motor side I plugged one of the five plugs into the blower motor resistor and then I cut a big blue power wire off a plug I marked blower motor, and spliced it on to the 323 blower motor feed wire. To my delight the heater actually works and no dash fire! Aw-right!








I took the mounting brackets off the MX-3 cluster, I plugged in, and placed it in the dash. Like Dan had mentioned, it fits pretty good in there. About half an inch of open space on both sides of it, I may make little filler panels to make it look more factory.


The yellow light means I am low on gas LOL

[IMACHU2]

I bought a new Powermaster Dry Cell battery for the MX-326GS today.


I got the mount for it too.


I am going to mount it to the frame behind the left front headlight


Regular battery left, Dry cell right


Even though they are small and the cold cranking amps are seemingly low, this little battery could start a V8. The more important power measurement (reserve capacity) is much higher then a normal battery. I have the slightly larger one in my Mustang II.
http://www.powermastermotorsports.com/xspowercat.pdf

[fowljesse]

Does that mean that it could power all the accessories? I'd like to free up some trunk space, but will be running an underdrive pulley, and need to have my music pretty loud, to be heard over the exhaust.

[IMACHU2]

Does that mean that it could power all the accessories? I'd like to free up some trunk space, but will be running an underdrive pulley, and need to have my music pretty loud, to be heard over the exhaust.

I can't see why not. The battery basically just starts the car and stabilizes voltage after it is started, your alternator will power the car once it is started. You may want to go with one of their "bigger" ones, which is still very small. My car is a base 323 with no power options. I am going to throw in a small amp, box with a 10" sub. (old man base)

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/XSP-S680/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/XSP-511/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tech info for a fellow car geek LOL
http://www.powermastermotorsports.com/xspowercat.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[fowljesse]

That's cool. Thanks for the link. I'll get one when mine starts to go.

[Hammy]

I love this project... Soo much fabrication, ingenuity and down right skillz...

Man you are a legend!!!
I'll be watching this to the end!!!

Keep up the awesome work!


Hammy