Bought an AWD 323 yesterday

[Patrolman]

Been keeping an eye out for one of these cars. There were less than 1,500 imported in only 1988 and 1989. Picked this 1988 up yesterday for dirt cheap. BAD rod knock, but I have a spare motor in my garage. It is essentially a Miata motor, so easy as cake for me to work on. It is a 1.6L DOHC 16v turbo with a 5 speed and AWD. Should be a real screamer with a really light curb weight!

[Patrolman]

Found a cool video of one. Only real difference seems to be color and the roll cage


http://vimeo.com/7158171

[WINKY]

can i have some of the money you got?

[JeffX]

I love it! Reminds me of a compact Merkur XR4Ti.

Whatcha gonna do with it?

[Patrolman]

It isn't about the $, but rather finding the deals and putting in blood/sweat/tears. Spent 6 hours going to C-Springs yesterday to pick it up. Now comes time for the motor swap.

Not sure if we will keep it or sell it. It really is a clean car except for the fading paint. :)

[Haku]

Whoo hoo....complete with Escort Cosworth style wing. That would make a badass little RallyX car, if you ever felt like getting into that (essentially the same thing as Autocross but on dirt). I'm sure you got a great deal, and I bet it will be a lot of fun. Congrats.

JH

[cfr]

It is a 1.6L DOHC 16v turbo with a 5 speed and AWD.

Ah, yes. AWD turbo cars are very fun. Is this your first one? I'd guess not because you already had a spare motor?

Before the Jeep, I had a Hyundai Elantra (no guts, but 30 MPG everywhere). Before that I had an Eagle Talon TSi AWD Turbo (same thing as the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Plymouth Laser). That thing was a blast. Ended up selling it because I was commuting through Denver on I-25 and the Centerforce 2100lb clutch was giving me a real sore left leg in the stop-and-go.

With the stock clutch slipping, I got a 15.5 sec 1/4 mile at Bandimere. I was pretty excited about that. I never got back to run it after upgrading the clutch. Think I could have shaved a half second off. The fastest one in Colorado (at the time) ran something like a 12.1 (he was a pizza delivery guy in Lafayette).

[scout man]

nice find Jeff!

[Patrolman]

I have never had a 323 GTX. In fact, I have never driven an AWD turbo (except my buddies WRX on Georgetown lake). Only AWD's that I have were a 1992 SVX that I had for a year and my wifes Forester. Only turbo car I have driven was my mom's 1987 Subaru XT.

The plan with the extra motor was to drop it into the Festiva. I picked the motor up this past summer from a Mercury Capri turbo. I ended up getting another Capri for parts in mid December for cheap, running and driving. That will all go into the Festy, so this motor is a "spare". Perfect car to drop it into. :)

The Festy with the new motor should pull mid-13's at Bandimere. Biggest issue is traction, so some sticky tires will be needed. Making some minor bolt on mods can put it in the high 12's. Not too shabby for a $1,000 street legal ****-box. ;)

[Mporter]

Whoo hoo....complete with Escort Cosworth style wing. That would make a badass little RallyX car, if you ever felt like getting into that (essentially the same thing as Autocross but on dirt). I'm sure you got a great deal, and I bet it will be a lot of fun. Congrats.

JH

What I was thinkin too :)

[SubaCool]

Whoo hoo....complete with Escort Cosworth style wing. That would make a badass little RallyX car, if you ever felt like getting into that (essentially the same thing as Autocross but on dirt). I'm sure you got a great deal, and I bet it will be a lot of fun. Congrats.

JH


What I was thinkin too :)
+3!
Nice find!

[Funrover]

Have fun, hope to see it at the ice races!

[4Runninfun]

nice find jeff. that would be a sweet sleeper!

[Pathrat]

I thought you were banned from bringing home more cars? :D

[Patrolman]

Yeah, I found this video and got stoked!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7171743915780636154&ei=Nm5aS6anAaPMqQK2pcSqCg&q=323+gtx+ice&hl=en&view=3#

[Patrolman]

I thought you were banned from bringing home more cars? :D

Technically, I haven't brought it home. It is at a buddys place. When I told the wife what the guy offered to sell it for, she said "you really should buy it". Never thought I would hear that! I have a guy buying one of our Miata's tomorrow morning, so the 323 GTX can officially come home. Yippie! Engine swap!

[Funrover]

LOL.. Work the system Jeff... work the system

[gm4x4lover]

Ohhh i want one.

[Mporter]

Nice video, good luck with the swap

[Patrolman]

LOL.. Work the system Jeff... work the system

Trust me, I work the system. :princess: can't complain too much since 3 of our cars belong to her. Plus, I maintain them for her. ;)

Good news is that I started looking closer at the salvage yard engine. It has the stronger crank, so this motor should be up to the task of some high RPM aggressive driving!

[KnuckleHead]

Sweet find there Jeff. A buddy of mine has a 93 Eagle Talon TSI. It is fast and fun when it's running. He loves the car but the car doesn't love him back. He gets to drive it like 3 months every couple of years. There's always something going wrong with it...

[Patrolman]

I am really hoping that isn't the case with this car. I am well versed with the Miata, and this has the same basic engine, so that isn't a problem. Plus, the engine I have for it is a little more reliable. The downfalls are finding drivetrain parts (only 1,300 brought to North America) and apparently the transmission and diffs can be finicky. Good news is that there isn't much demand for parts either.