MX-3.com

Hello, all! I guess it's about time I go ahead and post my new worklog.

This one is a 1993, 20th Anniversary Edition MX-3, imported from Puerto Rico. I don't have a lot of back story on this car other than the few mentions Ive heard about on ebay and craigslist. I drove down to Austin, Texas from Dallas, paid 800 cash and then drove her back to Dallas with no Registration or Inspection and with no seats other than a wicker chair with cut legs for a driver.

When I finally had time to break into her, I learned real quick that this is going to be far more invasive than my last one.

The Engine is the stock, B6 SOHC but the wiring was a nightmare. Some kind of dual key lock out device had been installed and the wiring was so pitiful, Ive got electrical shorts all over the place.

In the first day, I ripped out the A/C Condenser and Dryer due to broken lines and a Condenser that looked like a bowl it had been hit so hard.

The headlights are no-names and the wiring on those have all of the lights doing crazy stuff so I tried to get them at least cleaned up.

The Engine bay took three days to clean and what you see of it in my garage is as clean as I could get it without pulling the engine. Needless to say, I went through a lot of degreaser and towels.

I will be doing an engine swap in this one. I will go with the JDM Mazda Familia 323 BP. Trying to source a GTX or GTR is like pulling teeth and for the amount of money I can save just going with the cheaper BP and buy my internals on the rebuild bit by bit, I think I can build something just as good for my tastes at least.

To start, I think I am going to approach this particular MX-3 like my first one. Suspension, Steering and Breaking rebuilds first, then I'll move onto exhaust upgrade then a little cosmetic and then the engine and trans pull last.

Anyway, you guys enjoy and thanks for having me back.

Glad you got another one, I was a big fan of your last one. I honestly had no idea there was a 20 year anniversary one or that it was released in PR differently. Are there any other quirks to it being the anniversary edition?

And I like those skirts, despite being aftermarket(I think). Cars body doesn't look bad.

And a GTX BP motor is identical to an N/A USDM one with the exception of the head of the N/A flows better and the camshafts of the GTX motor are better. YOu can save yourself some serious money by just getting a BP from a Pro/EGT/Sephia and buying the camshafts off of clubprotege.com as well as the turbo manifold/turbo/ecu/etc.. Exact same bottom end just that the GTX has a turbo drain bung on the oil pan.

GTR however is a different story, stronger connecting rods, sodium valves and differnt oil squirters making it superior to the GTX and N/A one but a lot harder to come by.

Those look like the Spyder projector headlights we did a group buy on about 5 years ago.

Daninski wrote:Those look like the Spyder projector headlights we did a group buy on about 5 years ago.

Nope Nope! Vertical LEDs. Cheap Ebay knock-offs.

RobMinhas wrote:Glad you got another one, I was a big fan of your last one. I honestly had no idea there was a 20 year anniversary one or that it was released in PR differently. Are there any other quirks to it being the anniversary edition?

And I like those skirts, despite being aftermarket(I think). Cars body doesn't look bad.

And a GTX BP motor is identical to an N/A USDM one with the exception of the head of the N/A flows better and the camshafts of the GTX motor are better. YOu can save yourself some serious money by just getting a BP from a Pro/EGT/Sephia and buying the camshafts off of clubprotege.com as well as the turbo manifold/turbo/ecu/etc.. Exact same bottom end just that the GTX has a turbo drain bung on the oil pan.

GTR however is a different story, stronger connecting rods, sodium valves and differnt oil squirters making it superior to the GTX and N/A one but a lot harder to come by.

Thanks man!

Not really sure about this actually being a 20TH Anniversary Edition. I figured if I posted it as such someone could verify either way. After some research, I did find out that there were some 20th Ann Eds released in Puerto Rico in the Miata MX-5. Unsure about the MX-3. The original owner did import the car but a badge could have easily been taken from a Miata before export.

Thanks for the info on the GTX. Ive got a complete 323 BP sourced through a company not far from my house for 600.00 but you mentioned the EGT. That's a definite option for me as they are a dime a dozen at the pick and pull locations here.

Savin wrote:

Daninski wrote:Those look like the Spyder projector headlights we did a group buy on about 5 years ago.

Nope Nope! Vertical LEDs. Cheap Ebay knock-offs.

LOL! Yup... Cheap Ebay knock-offs for sure and a freaking NIGHTMARE to get rewired correctly!

Love white! Glad to see it's gone into someone's capable hands. Looking forward to when that engine gets ripped out