For Sale Dollywobbler's Dodgy Mazda 323F PAS Woes - £provisionally sold

[dollywobbler]

I sold the Skoda to someone in Yorkshire, because someone offered me a shit-sounding Mazda in Southport. Urgent preparations were made and the journey commenced.

 

I met the Skoda owner in Rochdale before a short drive to his house. GOOD OMEN.

 

Last Skoda pic.

 

Deal done, we looked at local vehicles of interest. This used to live in Sydney.

 

Then the new Skoda owner drove me to my new car! How nice is that? Well, I had saved him a six-hour roundtrip I guess.

 

I took no pictures of my new car, but did a video thing.

 

The horrific kangerooing issue was soon identified.

 

Went back to the vendor, borrowed some screwdrivers and aluminium tape and wrapped the pipe considerably. Then drove 100 miles. Had food.

 

FLATTERING PIC

 

Got home 12 hours after leaving.

 

It's a 1.5 GLX, but is surprisingly punchy. It has two weeks of MOT. It has a gash right along the nearside where it caught a gate post (or more specifically the hinge upon it). The windscreen is badly scratched by ancient wipers. There's a CV joint on the way out. There stereo is from an Alfa Romeo, sounds fantastic but is horrible to use. The buttons don't light up. 

 

It's all rather firm - steering wheel, seats and suspension. There's too much lumbar support and I don't think you can adjust it. There is a clutch foot rest. The column stalks are proper JDM. It is an absolute hoot on Welsh roads. Even on an odd mix of budget rubber, you don't really need to slow down for bends. It's quite remarkable.

 

The 'home' shot shows why there's no petrol station shot. It had three-quarters of a tank! I shall put it in for an MOT and see how much my MOT man laughs. More pics to follow.

 

 

[Wingz123]

That looks to be the cleanest Transit errr EVER! Well judging by the non rusty rear doors!

[gadgetgricey]

Glad to see it was an easy(Ish) fix.

It was proper kangarooing before hand...

 

Pillarless doors for the win...

[LightBulbFun]

LOL to your signature 

 

(doesn't egg own the coupe version of this? i know he has a 323F of some kind I remember reading his thread on it a while back but dont remember any of the details other then how theres very few left)

[Broadsword]

Brave move! Here’s hoping the MOT goes well. Sills looked slightly worrying on the video though if I’m brutally honest. I’m getting the feeling this is an interim car while you formulate grander plans, or am I imagining it all wrong?

[LoftyvRS]

Has the aluminium tape across the large gash (titter...) fixed the high idle Ian?

[brownnova]

I’m not gonna lie, that was not what I was expecting when you got rid if the Skoda....

[Tetleysmooth]

Well, that's you sorted for another couple of weeks until the next project comes along Wobbler.

 

Good luck with it.

[matara]

That wasn't what I was expecting but being hubnut I should of expected the unexpected!

 

Reminds me of a slighly bent and crabby Mk5 Cortina I bought for 50 quid in Islington in 1991 that I drove back to Manchester with only 1 puncture incident en route. The sense of achievement arriving home after 200 miles worth every penny.

 

Cheers

 

Steve 

[dollywobbler]

That looks to be the cleanest Transit errr EVER! Well judging by the non rusty rear doors!

 

He said he stopped counting after the bills started to pass £10,000. It's had a LOT of work!

[dollywobbler]

Has the aluminium tape across the large gash (titter...) fixed the high idle Ian?

 

I think the idle is a separate issue, but will see how well the ally tape is attached. What the tape mainly did was make the car driveable. I dread to think how long it's been like that...

[djb222]

This could be a Rotary engine swop project....

[dollywobbler]

PHOTOSHOOT. This confused the tourists mightily, who wondered why I spent ages carefully arranging an utter shed.

 

Looks quite nice from this angle!

[MorrisItalSLX]

This used to live in Sydney.

I would not like to ride on that from Sydney to Mudgee!

 

New HubNut projects give me the excite. Especially shonky ones.

[dollywobbler]

I would not like to ride on that from Sydney to Mudgee!

 

New HubNut projects give me the excite. Especially shonky ones.

 

Indeed. 12mph on solid tyres! How far is it?

 

This certainly is shonky, and has now developed a misfire...

[Jim Bell]

Nice. There can never be enough 323s on here.

[vulgalour]

Are the rear doors frameless too?

[MorrisItalSLX]

Indeed. 12mph on solid tyres! How far is it?

Around 170 miles, and you have to cross the Blue Mountains.

 

 

For context, I just drove from Sydney to Muswellbrook and it took 3 hours on 90% motorway.

[egg]

 

(doesn't egg own the coupe version of this? i know he has a 323F of some kind I remember reading his thread on it a while back but dont remember any of the details other then how theres very few left)

 

Yes I do. Same engine.

 

But I'm not impressed with the handling like DW is with his, so perhaps the stubby little body on mine messes up the 'dynamics'. Mine is also auto of course.

[Schaefft]

I think you know my feelings about the car already, I'm properly excited. There should still be quite a few of these around in Germany so should you need any help with finding spares I'd gladly do so. I don't think you should have too much trouble though. The gash in the rear quarter panel is the only thing that isnt an easy fix, that and maybe the rust in the sills depending how bad it is...

 

 

Are the rear doors frameless too?

Yes

[dollywobbler]

Are the rear doors frameless too?

 

Yes, but keep fit.

 

Anyway, the capers.

 

Just cured the misfire - an HT lead had fallen off the dizzy. It doesn't really seem to click into place, so I'll have to see how it goes. I suspect I dislodged it with too much cornering enjoyment...

 

MOT booked for tomorrow!

[Schaefft]

MOT booked for tomorrow!

 

Much excite.

[cpjitservices]

Yes, but keep fit.

 

Anyway, the capers.

 

Just cured the misfire - an HT lead had fallen off the dizzy. It doesn't really seem to click into place, so I'll have to see how it goes. I suspect I dislodged it with too much cornering enjoyment...

 

MOT booked for tomorrow!

Good luck for the MOT

[drewd]

An ex colleague of mine had a coupe version of these, it went well when he wound the revs up and was unsurprisingly reliable.

[barmatt]

Nice buy!

 

always had a soft spot for Mazda's. I owned a 323 of the generation before yours and it was a good drive.

 

Good video, nice to see Todmorden (my home town) getting in there.

 

good luck on the mot, I'll be f5'ing at work tomorrow.

[cpjitservices]

Nice buy!

 

always had a soft spot for Mazda's. I owned a 323 of the generation before yours and it was a good drive.

 

Good video, nice to see Todmorden (my home town) getting in there.

 

good luck on the mot, I'll be f5'ing at work tomorrow.

Me too!

[dollywobbler]

I suspect The Internet might end up knowing before I do, as I'm on community minibus duty tomorrow. Will be leaving my car at the garage and they'll squeeze it in when they can.

[STUNO]

Welcome to the Mazda owners club. My 4 door JDM saloon is badged as a Lantis. Much the same inside, same dash and seats, but I get 4 frameless power windows and the advantage of auto trans. Oh, and 1800 cc power. Pretty sure yours was sold here as Astina -------maybe not, but JDM rules here,  just checked and there are some for sale, all badged Lantis and all 1800cc, two of them in your Green and with lovely doors on the left !

Enjoy it, they are a wee bit better than the standard 323.

P.S. I have done both front struts and one rear in the last 6 months.

[Wingz123]

I'm not taking the p155 but that colour would actually respond well to a polish.....(Yes yes I know I have seen the scrape....)

 

I had one of these once (the V6 you speak about) it had a stainless steel exhaust on it...sounded nice however the alternator was shot. I lifted the bonnet, took one look at the lack of space in the engine bay, slammed the bonnet back down and booked it back into the local ring where it sold for exactly the same money.

 

Escaped that one luckily.....

[Remspoor]

Cant wait for a lesson on bodywork repairs. That hole is just crying out for some hammer and dolly  work. ( no pun intended)