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A Holy @#%& moment...

Posted: June 4th, 2010, 5:36 pm
by wytbishop
So you all know that I'm obsessed with improving my brakes...and that I just picked up an 88' 323 GTX. I managed to find pdf's of the workshop manuals and with it I found a book called "323 4WD Rally Parts Manual". This is a booklet of factory upgraded rally racing parts that were available for the BF GTX and guess what I found...

This is the std GTX front brakes...look familiar?
Image

It should. It is exactly the same caliper as the MX-3 but with a smaller piston.

This is the Factory Rally front brakes...look familiar?
Image

It is a 4 piston cast aluminum caliper identical to the RX-7 unit and they have a similar unit for the rear which converts the rear to a vented 4 piston as well. This factory manual contains all the parts necessary to fit a 4WD BF 323 with FC RX-7 brakes on all four corners.

How frickin cool is that?!?!?! It requires all new spindles andd everything...and I doubt they would actually fit on the MX-3...cuz nothing ever seems to...but still super cool. Well the front ones might but the rears obviously wouldn't due to the AWD thing...but I just thought it was pretty awesome.

Re: A Holy @#%& moment...

Posted: June 4th, 2010, 5:56 pm
by Mooneggs
+1 for the awesome find! :welder:

Re: A Holy @#%& moment...

Posted: June 4th, 2010, 10:26 pm
by chrome730
so ur sayin we can use a mx-3 brake setup for the 323 or vice versa?

Re: A Holy @#%& moment...

Posted: June 5th, 2010, 12:00 am
by Daninski
Umm I'm to impaired to comment but it looks good.

Re: A Holy @#%& moment...

Posted: June 6th, 2010, 8:31 pm
by wytbishop
The 4wd 323 has a completely different hub and brake set up than the MX3 but the calipers are identical except for having a smaller piston. So putting a 323 caliper on the MX would actually decrease braking force.

However, if one could find an old GTX rally car that had this conversion I think it could be made to work on the MX. Unfortunately I think the odds of getting struck by lightning while playing harmonica on a Tuesday are significantly better than finding these parts. I just thought it was really cool.

Re: A Holy @#%& moment...

Posted: June 6th, 2010, 9:48 pm
by Sleeper6
any chance that 4 piston jober lists any part numbers, b/c I know I would spend a few hours bugging some mazda dealer and trying to cross list those parts for a chance at a decent dual piston. Also any chance you could send me that info in a normal non-shrunken size? ty! and cool find!

Re: A Holy @#%& moment...

Posted: June 7th, 2010, 12:26 am
by wytbishop
fixed the one picture. Sorry bout that.

The manual is complete with part numbers. I did a bit of quick searching and could not find them anywhere. The manual is free to download on fordlaser.com for members. I had to wait one day for my membership to be activated.

Re: A Holy @#%& moment...

Posted: June 7th, 2010, 8:33 pm
by pox
Hey have you seen the protege with the 5 lug conversion going on? (something to wrap your mind around muhahahaha)

http://clubprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47633" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Re: A Holy @#%& moment...

Posted: June 10th, 2010, 7:06 pm
by Hoodzy
Sorry to jack the thread. But I just replaced my rear brake pads. They both had the one clip that separates the pads.
Do all rears just have one each or is there supposed to be a top and bottom!?

Re: A Holy @#%& moment...

Posted: June 10th, 2010, 7:42 pm
by fowljesse
Just one.

Re: A Holy @#%& moment...

Posted: July 13th, 2010, 2:39 pm
by wytbishop
http://www.clubprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47912" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is the only example I have been able to find so far of a rally 323 with these parts on it. This is a former Group N rally car that was converted to Group A. I would happily sell a kidney to own a car with these parts.