yoeddynz Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 Hello all- I aint posted up on here for ages. But its christmas and tellys crap so I thought I'd post up some pictures of my rx3... I bought this last christmas- the fella i got it off has had it stored away over 20 years in a concrete farm shed. I'm the second owner. It was last driven 1985. It still had original plastc covers on sunvisors and over rear cards Every thing was in place and original. I still have the original 10 A but I wanted it more usable for long trips so I plonked a 12A and 5 speed out of a series 3. It took me 5 good months of most nights after work and most weekends to cut out all the rust and weld in new steel, rebuild all the suspension and brakes and paint it. It is by no means a perfect show car but its solid and I love it! I use it a lot- rain, mud or shine and its one of only two in the uk I know of that are used frequently. Next things on the 'to do list' are fit new adjustable front inserts and rear dampers. And put a bigger muffler on the back so i can remove centre one. keeps catching bloody speed humps. Rather than rewrite up all the posts heres a link ya can go to ... http://www.exile-rotorsport.com/viewtopic.php?t=1090 alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoeddynz Posted December 25, 2008 Author Share Posted December 25, 2008 Heres the interior when i first went to view it.. and rust... I just had to buy it!!! After getting it all together and back on the road I added up all costs inc purchase price and it turned out to be a very very cheap original Rx3- I'm so happy i bought it and went through with the resto! alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoeddynz Posted February 8, 2009 Author Share Posted February 8, 2009 Not a biggie but I have finally got around to revisiting my rx3's underbelly. This time it was for a bit of preventative tlc. I had filled all the inside of all box sections with shit loads of Bilt Hamber wax end of summer when it flows nicely. But i still wasnt sleeping- as I use the car in any weather i wanted more protection. So out with a big can of waxoyl and into a bucket of piping hot water. It slowly melted and when satisfied it would spray I attached the supplied pump but it was shit! Thats the reason i never used the stuff years back. But it was liquid enough to use in a garden hand sprayer so that's what I climbed under the car with. I covered every where that salt might sit- I always give the car a good complete hose down if its spent the weekend on salty roads but if the hose is frozen I wanted the salt to sit on wax- not painted steel. Messy messy job and bloody cold too. I was forever thawing out wax covered hands in bucket- no gloves because I am a real (stupid) garage man with perma-grime (and probably dermatitis affected) hands. Wax in my hair (because real men dont wear silly hats) and I stunk of white spirits or whatever the carrying agent is. But the car is now protected underneth so I'm happy and can sleep again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoeddynz Posted April 24, 2009 Author Share Posted April 24, 2009 I have just copied/pasted some more from exile rotorsport- keep it up to date.. anyways- i'm fucking loving this car. it wouldnt be the same in NZ though- know one knows what it is here and it gets lots of attention so heres some more stuff.... On saturday I woke up early and got the mtbs ready and all our ridiong gear- then thought id move rx3 out and warm it up etc. but the engine turned over really slowly ! The battery was dead i thought..not a worry- i'll jump start it with the bmw. but still it turned over really slowly! Fuck it! and i flooded it in the process. So sunday i dried it all out and tried again with charged battery. still no good So hannah tow started me- and it started so easy first go. cool.Once warmed up I took it for a right good trashing!!! (as ya do) but even when warm and charged up it turned over slowly- and starter was hot too. Ran local friendly factors and they found a new starter for me - really fucking cheap too as it had been on shelf a long time- apparantly not much call for rx7 starters.... so last night i plonked it in place and jumped in seat thinking I wonder if its a lot better... Whirp whirp brrrmmmmmmm!!! Fucking amazing difference- in fact i have never had a rotary turmn over so quickly ever! Even my chevettes starter must have been ill! Sooo happy! And top it off - whilst under car it was still nice and clean - nice to work on! So chuffed- i'm gonna ditch the pushbike tommorrow and while roads are free from mums and their fucking big chelsea tractors (4wds) taking little jonny to school (half term) - i'm gonna drive the 3 into work. steering has been a bit odd recently. Last weekend i took a mate out for a spin on very bumpy road and on way back to his workshop noticed a clunking sound. Looked under bonnet and Idler arm bushes were all broken up- and arm was able to wobble all over the place Alan Bryer was able to post me some replacements- thanks very much Alan!!! and I fit them last night. Once arm was dropped out this is what I found... The black stuff is honestly all that was left of original bushes!!! New ones to be fitted shown. The bushes were mush! When restoring the car I thought them to be OK but compared to the new ones they were really hard. should have replaced them then- i replaced every other bush and ball joint in the car. Anyway- seems they must just age...so Check yours. they are exactly the same Items as in FB's btw..and still available took car to north Wales in easter- 430 miles with out a single blip of a problem! Was cruising faster than most and had some great passing moments where I think I shocked a fair few people behind with its acceleration Had a fantastic 3 days solid of mountain biking and camping-and the sun shone hard and hot the whole time!!! sweet. Only saw one other classic over whole weekend- a moris minor traveller. Where are all the cool cars gone- its just a fucking sea of grey out there. Its just not right! anyway- some photos... On way up via the A44- wicked driving road in places! At Coed y Brenin..early morning fryup.. On Monday once back home the 3 got a good clean and wax for behaving well. And touched up flaking paint on engine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoeddynz Posted April 25, 2009 Author Share Posted April 25, 2009 WOW ;D.... a god!!! thats a lot to hang on my shoulders! bought this recently- from deepest darkest wales... oldschool Elford Turbo Rx7... 2 kiwi friends popped by to help me strip it bare. very very very rusty!!! makes what the Rx3 started out as appear solid! We had this out in no time...then drank beer. later on my bench. Its a 'too cool oldschool, suck through SU' turbo setup. 165 bhp and more importantly more torque! clean as Turbo... was rebuilt- only done a few miles and then left with no anti freeze so a core plug popped out. Tips are brand new and clean- makes 6 loverly pishht sounds and has brand new clutch too. All good then but... But it wont fit the rx3 > the exhaust manifold collides with the steering box!!! so now I need another car to fit it into...... ;D I also scored a full set of Konis adjustables and lowered up rated springs from the Rx7 !!! retired to shed then later nice big fire and food and beer and inhalation of nature. Bliss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoeddynz Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 FINGS I DONE TODAY ALWIGHT!... I jumped onto some springs and calculated precisely what poundage they are with the help of my trusty sidekick Hannah and her amazing tape measure plus some scales. I then fit the springs I selected along with my 'Brand spanking new Konis' that I purchased from classicgarage.com- who happen to have loads of old stock konis etc I wound the damping adjustment in 1/3 from start - it affects the rebound only and that happens to be what was severly lacking with my car. I then took it for a drive and hey presto! It actually drives great- much much less pitching about and bouncing over every little bump. and the roll is reduced too- I actually found my self hammering into corners with joyeus (sp?) abandon So phone calls to Gaz today and chase up where my rear dampers are!!! Yesterday I had this fella in front of me... He works for a magazine...more on that later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoeddynz Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 this just arrived in the mail... WOO HOO!!! wicked! No more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for meNo more tax for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoeddynz Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 I got a nice new front disc from alan bryer- he only had one left but I had another original un-machined low mileage one so put it in friends lathe and cleaned it up...my best concentration look... then fit them all shiney and new.... and fit new shoes in back- drums were fine! Drove car last night- no more juddering brake pedal and nice smooth stops. Sweet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoeddynz Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 Last weekend some of us from exile rotorsport had a little road trip to Spa Francorchaps race circuit in Belgium- to watch the mazda rx8 race. We got back to Oxford about 4pm- phew...what a wicked weekend!!! My stats...rx3 did 1050 miles! not one single fault at all. Gave it some seriously hard caning on some good twisty roads and other times we cruised at between 60-70mph all the way. I managed 30MPG! those who say RX's aint usable...thats wicked figures for a '72 car that can do 130 and be caned all day long Loving this little car!!! We never got lost- cheers to Hannah who did some good map reading! But damned if could we find the campsite near Brugge! crap signs! But nice campsite. Cheers to those who came along- very nice chilled out little bunch and good fun to be with cheap beer is nice. belgiums roads leave a lot to be desired as far as surfaces go though.... heres some pics... Meet on thursday morning at M2 services in time for breakfest... lauchie on the BBQ... haydens beer glove.. fixing a carb KIWI style... race time.. nice..thats got our attention.. Dinner time.. I'm BRUGGE... bonnets make good towel dryers.. at campsite near Brugge.. Hannah and I had a great weekend and we want to go back to Brugge later this summer- whos up for it? oh and this happened in Lux... why so fast... ...was what luxyburger cop lady said to me through the window after I came around a corner way too fast and skidded onto other side of road next to cop car parked at an intersection! There were 10 or so cops lined up marshelling a classic motorbike run. Hannah heard one say to the other "arrest?" I replied to her that corner was too tight with no warning.... s--t was my heart beating fast!. I then said I just need to get back to other side of road. When others arrived seconds later from down the hill we just took off before the completely shocked cops could decide or not to arrest me for blatant dangerous driving! Boy was I lucky!!!!! Oh- and the rx8?...it started way back on the grid- 12 hour race. Maybe 35th place on grid... within 8 laps it was in 6th place!!! by the time we left(3 hours later) it was up to 4th and it had the fastest lap time. but at the 7th hour it caught on fire! fuel pipe or something. It was 15 secs behind lead car at this point. shame! It sounded soooo cool- it was definately the bad boy of the race- spitting the biggest flames and sounded more like an F1 car. so cool. alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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