323C Progress thread - in primer.

[DoctorRetro]

It has been brought to my attention that some may be interested how the AS Mazda 323C is going, so this is a thread to document its progress.

Yes, you did spot it up for sale recently, no I didn't put any effort in to the advert as a) I didn't really want to sell and b) I didn't want it to go to any idiot who would just run it into the ground. 

As you'd expect, I had hardly any interest, and the odd few who inquired I managed to scare away anyway.

I will probably have to move it on at some point, as now I have a company car, it is hardly getting used.  But I thought I'd be better off at least doing the odd jobs that need doing namely:

Rusty arch N/S

Rusty sill O/S

Exhaust hanger centre section loose

Alternator pulley squeaky

Some trim squeaks.

Pics to follow.

[DoctorRetro]

Resprayed the front bumper, as there were millions of tiny stone chips. Also fitted correct shape plate for the front recess.

Sill will need some attention.

Arch definitely needed help.

A tickle with a hammer showed the scope of the issue.

 

[DoctorRetro]

Cut back to fresh metal

 

Started fabricating inner arch. Bear in mind, I'm still just making this up as I go along.

 

Grinder battery died, so play will resume another day.

 

[gadgetgricey]

Nice to see it getting some love

 

[RichardK]

The resprayed bumper alone makes a huge difference

[AnnoyingPentium]

Glad to see this still on the go. Yay.

[juular]

1 hour ago, DoctorRetro said:

Cut back to fresh metal

 

Started fabricating inner arch. Bear in mind, I'm still just making this up as I go along.

 

Grinder battery died, so play will resume another day.

 

Good on you for getting stuck right in!

[Dick Cheeseburger]

I always did like this one. Good to see it being preserved. It would be great to see it offered back for sale on here as and when. 

[dave j]

I saw this one on Facebook for sale recently and thought I recognised it! Some of the pics of it on the other wheels it looked brilliant! Good to see an update on here bud

[DoctorRetro]

1 minute ago, dave j said:

I saw this one on Facebook for sale recently and thought I recognised it! Some of the pics of it on the other wheels it looked brilliant! Good to see an update on here bud

I've tried a couple of different sets of alloys on it, the 3 spokes seemed a bit too chavvy for this car. I think the MX5 16s looked best. But it'll stay on the steels for now, at least until I've finished messing about with grinding and welding.

 

[Heikin Matsuda]

Nice to see an old Mazda getting a bit of love. This is a little beauty. I have a soft spot for all things Mazda. The 5 spoke wheels look nice, they look like mx3 wheels or similar

[DoctorRetro]

Just now, Heikin Matsuda said:

Nice to see an old Mazda getting a bit of love. This is a little beauty. I have a soft spot for all things Mazda. The 5 spoke wheels look nice, they look like mx3 wheels or similar

That's exactly what they are, or rather were, as now sold to another MX3 enthusiast. 

[Ghosty]

Those three spokes look class! Nice and period. 

[RichardK]

I'm actually in favour of the three spokes - they're not the ideal shape (could do with wider/flatter spokes I think) but they are bang on for the era and quirky, short nature of it.

[vulgalour]

Another in favour of the three spokes here, partly because I love a three spoke but mainly because this is a car they just look right on.  They're my favourites of the ones you tried on this.  Good on you for cracking on with the little bits of welding it needs too.  Nice job on that front bumper.

[egg]

Thank you! That arch actually isn't as bad as I feared.

[wuvvum]

I like the MX5 wheels best personally.  But then I've never been a big fan of 3-spokes, except on Saabs.

[LightBulbFun]

very awesome to see this get some of the love it needs!  

 

on the wheel front im my usual old fashioned self and I say I prefer the steelies  

[DoctorRetro]

Quick lunch break panel creation.

Shape of the arch  needs a little work with the hammer, and will definitely need filler in places, but at least it's fresh metal. 

 

[egg]

great stuff, looks easier than Skizzer's job on the also ex Vantman Aerodeck. Has quite a contour on that wing - and it's quite err... flexible (i.e. thin) isn't it?

[DoctorRetro]

3 minutes ago, egg said:

great stuff, looks easier than Skizzer's job on the also ex Vantman Aerodeck. Has quite a contour on that wing - and it's quite err... flexible (i.e. thin) isn't it?

Yeah, it's an odd shape. I've tried to keep my cut on the flattest bit, so hopefully won't need 3kg of filler to get it looking right 😬

[Datsuncog]

Another vote for the three spokes, and the general, "ooh, it's nearly the Millennium, we're living in the future now" vibe that a lot of late-90s Japanese cars have.

Great wee car, and fresh metal's always better than fresh air when it comes to wheelarches...

[Daviemck2006]

I like the 3 spokes on that car. Would that be the factory alloys for a 323? Nice job getting the grot cut out.

Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk

[Toe]

I'm in the MX3 wheel camp for sure...

I also see it up for sale and having a 323f from a similar era I know how good these are and how rusty they can get!!

Great colour and in good nick too, especially for a 1990's Mazda! Got to admit I was tempted, same engine as the lowlier 323's (mine is the 2l V6) and are pretty good and something very different. Auto doesn't seem that appealing though, no idea how it drives in respect to this - I've only ever driven and owned 1 auto and that was a Saab 9000 full pressure turbo so I can't really compare it, was very relaxing to drive though. 😖

Anyway looking forward to some more knocking it into shape 👍

[DoctorRetro]

24 minutes ago, Daviemck2006 said:

I like the 3 spokes on that car. Would that be the factory alloys for a 323? Nice job getting the grot cut out.

Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk
 

Would theoretically have been soft 5 spokes, although I can't find any pics of a 323C on factory alloys.

 

[egg]

26 minutes ago, Toe said:

Got to admit I was tempted, same engine as the lowlier 323's (mine is the 2l V6) and are pretty good and something very different. Auto doesn't seem that appealing though, no idea how it drives in respect to this

In Europe they got the 323C with a manual 1.8. Which would be pretty cool I think.

[DoctorRetro]

How's it going? Well, this welder is turning out to be a bit of a Trigger's broom, I'm replacing the whole torch assembly now, as some parts are so old they're fused together. 

Once that's done, coupled with 0.6mm wire, 0.6mm nozzle, co2/argon gas and loads more practice, should have me a bit better at it 

For now though, it can rest unassembled in the boot until the parts arrive. 

 

[CaptainBoom]

Good on you man, like a) the car and b) the effort you are putting in to this.

I don't have an opinion on which wheels suit it best, all that matters is that you enjoy it.

[wuvvum]

Every time I look at one of your threads I end up thinking "FFS, I really need to pull my finger out and learn how to do bodywork properly".  It still hasn't happened though...

[DoctorRetro]

11 hours ago, wuvvum said:

 It still hasn't happened though...

Same tbf, I'm still no better at it than when I started. 😂