I got a 323!

[Festiva_Fred]

Hey all! Been a long while since I've posted or even looked on the forum, I'm still around! Still have a Festiva too, I swapped the B6D out for a BP several months back. Anyways onto the 323, it's a 88 SE hatchback, I picked it up for $350 and trailered it home since it's got a blown headgasket, working on another engine to put in for now.. just getting it running in stock form for now. Planning on either doing a B6D or BP swap to it this spring, here's some pics of it and the festiva.


On the way home.




Removed the AC components, it wasn't working anyways..


Gave it a bath




Festiva and bigger brother, I really like this car a lot so far.. it's really not much bigger than a festiva and just as easy to work on!



Old engine and transmission out




Cleaned up the engine bay

[TominMO]

Nicely done! Keep us posted on progress.

Rust-prone areas are in both the front of the rear wheelwells, and also in the rear where the trunk area is. Recommend attending to them before they rust through. I used primer, paint, then rubber spray coating to make it last pretty much forever. One area in front of the rear wheelwell I used an aluminum patch where it had started to rust through, threatening the rockers, then did the primer/paint/rubber.

Also look up in the top of the rear wheelwells to see if there is rust at the top of the strut towers. That also happens.

[Festiva_Fred]

Nicely done! Keep us posted on progress.

Rust-prone areas are in both the front of the rear wheelwells, and also in the rear where the trunk area is. Recommend attending to them before they rust through. I used primer, paint, then rubber spray coating to make it last pretty much forever. One area in front of the rear wheelwell I used an aluminum patch where it had started to rust through, threatening the rockers, then did the primer/paint/rubber.

Also look up in the top of the rear wheelwells to see if there is rust at the top of the strut towers. That also happens.

Yeah, I'm not too worried about the rust as I work at a bodyshop.. all of it will get cut out and replaced with new metal properly next year, non of it is too bad at the moment. Hopefully it'll be running again this weekend if I get parts I ordered before the weekend.

[TominMO]

Fall Hermann meet?

[Festiva_Fred]

Fall Hermann meet?

Sounds like a good idea! I meant to get one together this summer, we'll have to start planning one.

[mikemounlio]

Sweet! I love it.

How much does a 323 weight vs a festiva?

[Festiva_Fred]

Sweet! I love it.

How much does a 323 weight vs a festiva?

Not much more, around 2000-2200 I believe for a base model like mine. GTX was 2600 but they were AWD with a B6T.

[festyfreak39]

beautiful they are getting so hard to find!

[Festiva_Fred]

beautiful they are getting so hard to find!

Yes! I've wanted to find a hatchback one like this for years, so when I saw this on Craigslist for $350 I couldn't pass it up!

[Advancedynamix]

Nice! Gotta have that BF love!

[Aaronbrook37]

Looking good, Fred! I love that red colour... what a beauty. I'm just as excited to get going with my new 323 - congrats!

[azgtx]

Finally some 323 love here other than parting them out.

[Festiva_Fred]

Nice! Gotta have that BF love!

Yeah!

Looking good, Fred! I love that red colour... what a beauty. I'm just as excited to get going with my new 323 - congrats!

Thanks!

Finally some 323 love here other than parting them out.

Haha I love all the older mazdas!

[Damkid]

I love BF 323's.... I have a GT and a wagon

[Festiva_Fred]

Awesome cars Damkid!

Update:
Got another engine swapped in and running, just have a few minor things to finish up under the hood now. I also got a Tach cluster and strut tower brace from a member on clubprotege.com and got them installed yesterday, and also swapped out my worn out steering wheel for one in better shape.









Now all that is left to make it road-worthy is some brake work, suspension and wheels/tires. I should have it done before the end of November, then I'll start daily driving it so I can take the festiva off the road to do some more work on it, then in the spring I'm going to swap something else into the 323 to make it more fun!