RichardK

I'm sad this is being such a pain - and I really don't understand how given all the things you've had done, it wasn't riding badly or driving with a mis-angled steering wheel or sitting at random heights (the water pump I didn't use it enough to judge). I wonder what that "specialist" did while ragging on the suspension with a crowbar... I think there is a calibration routine you can employ via software. I did have a driver door full of water after sustained storms - not enough to spill over but it sloshed! It drained with the door open, I think the door seal gets a little squashed with lack of use. Now seems the time to re-roffle. Then whoever wins it for an £18 ticket gets to start with a theoretical grand to chuck at it again and you don't lose out or sell it for a pittance. Gut feeling is that specialist messed about and also fucked the mojo for enjoying it after the initial "get it delivered, get MOT".

(note that I have no issues with turning a profit, just half-assed flipping of cars. If someone pays good money they're more likely to preserve it)

Be a shame if anyone being asked to pay £950 for the 323 got to see the AS threads and a screenshot of the last price it was... (I doubt anything of value has been done to it and also if you cared/knew then you'd mention all the stuff that /was/ done before I got it). I left RR because it seemed to become PistonHeads for skinflints and the KGF advert board though, after starting out as a genuinely interesting retro car forum.

And yet, in the plastic, it's somehow worse. The Daimler half of DaimlerChrysler really did shaft the Chrysler half on the costcutting side of things...

They're moreso less relevant bits now - a headlight adjuster switch, a coil spring and a hubcap! The only annoying one is the switch, I spent £60 on various ones trying to get a working one and the last showed up after the car went 😕

Ever wondered if those Android head units are any good? It seems alright so far but one speaker on the car is duff and there was no adaptor for the antenna, so I had to order one and wait to reassemble the dash. Wireless CarPlay! And it worked first time. I've yet to investigate fitting a reverse camera, but the hookup is CANbus and the first thing it did was tell me the door was open...

I'll chuck the parts I have left in the skip then, I'd messaged to offer to post them 😕

Well, that's what I wondered when Mazda announced cork as a trim on the MX-30. What they've done is made it into a sealed and bonded lacquered veneer, it doesn't have the same texture as unfinished cork. Assuming you can get lacquers that remain flexible that's my first port of call. I'm also thinking I can simplify this by sticking to say, a stripe on the armrest rather than a full armrest...

And the radio appeared: Yeay! Still not fully reassembled because the ashtray was foul - an unused-looking replacement on the way then I can click it all back together.

Not reassembled as the radio has to be swapped yet, but... Next: retrim an armrest in... Cork. I am not sure how best to achieve this but I want to bring in an element from modern Mazdas that recalls a bit of Mazda's history and origin as a cork manufacturer... MX-30s and CX-60s have little bits of cork detail on the consoles and dashboard, it's sealed in a kind of resin.

Nailed it! 12 bolts - four per front seat, two per rear side - 12 screws (three per door). The rest is clips. If I weren't in pain etc I think I could strip an RX-8 interior fully and without damage in three hours.

Yes. I think that was worth the effort.

That's a big if 😂

After some adjustment of the mounting hooks, and some swearing at a trim clip that didn't want to leave home... Still need to do front: Why of course this is now full of waxoil spray... Except for the foam-filled sills. That's a wonderful* idea for rust, isn't it...

Fast is probably not a fair assessment with the rear seat bases, I've spent longer removing an ashtray! I'm giving the seats and clean and condition before fitting them, but if the car makes it to next week with black ones left I'll be amazed... thankyou for the chat, interior and wheel, it was great to meet you. Shopping for cats now, unsurprisingly!

So... I no longer have a car with a lovely light leather interior, this will not do. Spare wheel! Wish I could have bought three more like this... Clean first, then fit: Nordic green with stone leather. Not an option Mazda offered AFAIK but it is one of my favourite combos... Some body colour and new seat...

Farewell...

Same day as an Amyl and the Sniffers gig in Nottingham, but I think my pain levels are too high for the potential moshing 😕

I wouldn't go for fibreglass as a final destination - where I'd like to end up quality of finish is very important. But if I now get the running gear running and a better idea of the tub, electrics and everything else, a cheap fibreglass one would be a stopgap "cover for the engine". However, when I have time I'll start stripping the bonnet to get an idea of which repair panels could be used. At the moment only the top of it looks usable, but fabricating repairs to the tubs and sandwiching some Mk 1 Golf steel arches in would add a lot of strength back. The worst aspect is the grille support and box sections carrying the indicators etc. The rear arches are probably going to be the tougher job - the inners are gone all around the edge, and thick, heavy filler all the way around. But again those Mk 1 Golf curves will help bring some shape back in, though... perhaps less of the organic bubble shape they currently have. Those did pass a magnet test so when I strip those perhaps there will be a nice surprise and the filler is just for the missing inners!

Passenger side should get toasty, it's the driver's side that struggled.

It does circulate through - I'm pretty certain it's not had enough changes of coolant and the matrix is clogged on one side. My attempt at backflushing was lazy and used rubbish water pressure; I believe the right way is to punt a dishwasher tablet down the pipe and give it some time to have a fizz first. The radio code is in the paperwork - the key, I have had this and it was basically me trying locking/unlocking too many times when wondering what was up with that NSR lock. It resolved itself as in "the next time I used the key it worked", but TBH my worry was "key=immobiliser?!" - locks misbehaving on remote, it's got form.

Key isn't working?! The 6 CD changer was working perfectly, so, not sure why that would fail now - heater I did but we have low water pressure, it needs a proper backflush. Fitting condenser for the AC shouldn't be too hard - the grille and radiator bolts have been out recently. To be fair everything on this is pretty much exactly where I figured it was when I roffled it; I wasn't budgeting for control arms but had figured I needed to spend £600-800 on tyres and brakes but it would pass an MOT as was. Frustrated on your behalf for the shyster garage and now you have your solution and feedback from your regulars, you know what to do with Google reviews and trustpilot...

Open wide! With thanks to @ruffgeezerfor both the additional arms needed, and the loan of the interesting grey box next to the car...

Fuso/Canter/e-Canter

Good news/bad news: Went to collect a bonnet. Stopped to put roof up, pulled away, car felt wrong. Very annoying. So I decided to grease the RX-8 steering as the last MOT advisory said "rusty steering components" and forum says "blast UJs with bike chain grease". This isn't what I was expecting to see. This car is really winning me over. Even the headlights washers work.