ZZZX2's turbo/car rebuild.

ZX2 Dedicated Discussion Projects and Worklogs
1

As many of you know, the ZX2 has been off the road for some time.

This post is the account of why it’s off the road and what’s going on with it

I’ll start out by showing the Car and engine bay before the project began.

http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/1651/1000359go6.jpg

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/449/0000276lo0.jpg

The reason the project grew into something more than just an engine rebuild is the fact that Crys and I purchased a garage and the owners threw in a house lol.

Pic of the workspace from the previous owner

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/7590/2346691sc2.jpg

Here is the engine that I picked up for the engine build

http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/8792/1000406jp0.jpg

After tearing it down…

Before some smart A** says something about parts being laid out on a 57 chev… my buddy who owns the car put them there… it’s our next project a full fram off restoration.

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/1152/1000425xm6.jpg

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/5548/1000442yo4.jpg

Me hard at work

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/1496/1000586ri7.jpg

Block put back together after slight overbore and balancing.
Crower rods and JE pistons 9:1 CR

http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/4452/1000602wn4.jpg

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/5124/1000601ry7.jpg

I decided that the old turbo setup needed to be changed… I just didn’t like the way it looked and had too many issues with the manifold cracking.

So it’s out with the old and in with the new

Pic of the old manifold

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/2403/1000651xp5.jpg

Pics of the new manifold and downpipe

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/4610/1001115ue1.jpg

http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/8228/1001121yy3.jpg

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/1663/1001120mk0.jpg

The other reason that I decided to make this a full project doing the engine, exterior and interior is that I picked up a donor car from a member.

Several of the parts have come from the donor car, are new parts, or are parts purchased from TZX2 members.

Seats and interior are coming from the donor car

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8396/1001022gu7.jpg

Misc shots of parts laying around the garage now

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/716/1001019nx5.jpg

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/2103/1001018yh8.jpg

Valve cover coated by Skuce

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/7689/dsc00332do0.jpg

New rotors I just got in the mail (since the rear disk swap)

http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/4222/1001160br2.jpg

The baby I waited a year for

http://img374.imageshack.us/img374/2523/frim1ns9.jpg

The modified mustang TB being used with the FRIM

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/8374/1001110ji6.jpg

New front bumper with WW lip (not the color I’m going with) and I picked up the sides and rear in may so I now have a full WW kit for the car

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/8180/1000527jd5.jpg

Some of the other goodies

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/8816/1001157lb8.jpg

I couldn’t pass up the deal on this so I bought it too

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/3403/1001155ev4.jpg

not pictured is a set of Mazdaracer’s lower tie bars.

a quick snapshot of the front end with the suspension almost done (minus new rotors)

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/3955/1001159rp7.jpg

Engine bay… something is missing… lol
actually took the pic to show the manual rack installed.

also I have ES all the way around on this car

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/497/1001158bp9.jpg

I know there isn’t any chronological order to this thread.

There will be from now on… I just had to redo it all so I kinda threw it all together. But here we go.

Here is a pic of the suspension together with the SS brake lines, painted calipers and the coil overs on… Now I have to take some of it apart again to install the lower tie bar for the front.

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/3955/1001159rp7.jpg

pic of the rear disk conversion with the painted calipers… yeah it’ll look a ton better with those new rotors.

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/9360/1001063di8.jpg

Pic of the manual rack next to the power steering rack

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/9730/1001057en5.jpg

I coated the whole underside of the vehicle with truck bed liner (here is the rear cross member)

http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/6973/1001015vt8.jpg

Look ma, no Ford symbol!!!

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9392/1000530fl4.jpg

Random pic that has nothing to do with the build… well she is the woman that is putting up with this project so I think she deserves some recognition.

P.S. she hates this pic and would kill me if she knew I posted it. lol

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/5931/1000246rt5.jpg

That’s it for now…

I left out a bunch of the pictures from the actual build… I figured I wouldn’t bore you all with pics of me tearing down the motor… or installing rings on the pistons.

Sorry about the poor quality of the images,

I ripped apart 2 transmissions so that I could keep the guts of the one and put the LSD in the other.

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/9407/p00060oa4.jpg

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/6951/p00061dl7.jpg

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http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/1200/p00070hv6.jpg

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/9730/p00071gz1.jpg

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/2913/p00072wt1.jpg

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/6385/p00073uv1.jpg

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http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/7720/p00075rm7.jpg

http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/6143/p00076xv1.jpg

http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/3312/p00077nr9.jpg

I didn’t take any pics beyond here cause it’s pretty straight forward and I didn’t need any reference pictures for myself.

far from finished. The last pic is my tranny with the MSP LSD installed and put together.

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/7826/1001173rz0.jpg

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/5595/1001172ao0.jpg

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http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/8896/1001171pi3.jpg

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/12/1001187hi1.jpg

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/6711/1001200mm7.jpg

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http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/5101/1001198va3.jpg

http://img93.imageshack.us/img93/7357/1001201hr3.jpg

okies…

I had a fight with the rear tranny mount… but I finally got it in.

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/5486/1001354ix6.jpg

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/8860/1001353vx8.jpg

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/2262/1001352cw1.jpg

I tried something with the rad supports… IDK if I like it or if I’m going to use it though…

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/5194/1001355ol2.jpg

Just an idea I have… this is my junk dash btw

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/1590/10015666975794kf6.jpg

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/4485/10015677267423ei1.jpg

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/3826/10015657340529jw4.jpg

almost finished messing around with the TB…

In order to get the mustang TB to work with the ZX2 acelerator cable and bracket I had to make a few modifications to the TB.

First I cut the front tab off the ZX2 bracket and positioned it in the same area on the mustang one.

Next I mixed up some 2 part Epoxy Putty and used it to attach the cut tab to the mustang TB. After it hardened for a day I used some JB weld to make sure it got in all the nooks and crannies.

I then took a standard nut and attached it to the Mustang TB so that I could screw in the upper portion of the accelerator cable bracket to the TB and used a ton of Epoxy Putty to hold that on…

Let it set for a couple days and here is the result. It still needs to be sanded smooth and painted to match the rest of the TB.

You will also notice that the blue plastic piece that holds the accel cable is from a ZX2. I had to do that due to the different orientation of the ZX2 TB.

Oh, and before you ask… I’ve tested the strength of the bond!!! I think I’ll bend the bracket before it ever breaks.

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/9382/10016828115404fc9.jpg

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/9430/10016818099511sy9.jpg

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/8100/10016808084795du0.jpg

I’ve done some more work lately but just haven’t taken pictures of it as of yet… I will soon though.

HINT
This car will not be running A-Arms or axles from a ZX2

2

Motor is coming along pretty well, do you have to use a different radiator, or does the stock one fit with that header? Can’t wait to see what your doing with the A-arms and axles. Motor looks really good.

3

The turbo manifold was designed to work with the stock radiator.

I used to have a 2 core fluidyne (civic) that I used, but I found it to run a little hot. It never overheated, but I was uncomfortable with the temps.

4

Yay for my favorite zx2 build. D you da man. Btw can I haz your motorz?

5

looking good!

6

I can’t wait to see this thing on a dyno!

7

I will not be pushing it right away…

nor will I ever go over 300 with stock gears

8

BOOM!

what the heck was that ZZZX2 breaking the sound barrier? nope just his tranny. :smiley:

9

Tr00f… The G5m-r has held up on more than one occasion @ 300 with a LSD and stock gears. Hence never going over 300… unless of course I drop another poop load and buy custom made gears.

10

Have you found anybody that will make custom gears and how much?

11

after the lsd buy is done i wouldnt be surprised if mfactory did a set

12

That would be really nice if they did!!

I’ve heard rumors that a company in Australia makes them… but have yet to find it… the rumored cost is over 4k also… soooooo…

13
http://www.par-engineering.com/index.htm

that’s them I think

14

You are correct sir!!!

Oh btw… the non zx2 a arms are almost finished… should be on by the weekend.

15

all ya had to do was ask;)

16

Well, decided to start up work on the ZX2 again today.

Here is what was done… Can anyone guess what’s different?

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/3158/1001808.jpg

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/2299/1001811.jpg

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/9490/1001809.jpg

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/2988/1001810.jpg

17

Getter done D. She is looking and coming along great.

18

umm the axles don’t look new anymore?

jk, what made you want to use the mx3 stuff? the wider stance?

19

Just a quick update.

The car is basically done (just need to finish the exhaust)

Here is a vid of one of my first start ups.

[url=http://img531.imageshack.us/my.php?image=10018637380358cj3.flv]http://img531.imageshack.us/my.php?imag ... 358cj3.flv[/url]

There is still tuning to do to make it road worthy, and the outside and interior is a long way off but I thought I’d share since I’m happy I didn’t blow it up.

Road test #1 coming shortly.

20

I love this car. This is going to be one of the nicest zx2’s out there. Way to go man.