[SPASTK] 1983 Mazda Cosmo Coupe

[spastk]

I am going to use this thread to keep track of progress with my car, and also record its history to date. I could easily write a novel about this car, but I'll try keep it simple lol.




My name is Aaron, and I live in Wellington, New Zealand. I brought this car on the 4th of July 2004 for $1,950 from a mate in Tauranga. At the time I lived in Taupo, and thought the car looked familiar.





The car came without an engine and exhaust but was otherwise complete. It came with the awesome tri-spokes you see above and had 196,997km on the clock.

It is a 1983 Cosmo Limited coupe, the series-1 shape - originally a carby 12a automatic, it had been removed and replaced with a cosmo 12at and 5-speed before I brought it (although I got it minus the engine).

[spastk]

The car came with a huge amount of spares, and was getting a bit rough. My first object was to tidy up the rust in the car and try get my hands on as much near perfect exterior parts as possible...

I priced up replacing the front veneer and fixing the rust in the boot, and went ahead with only the front as at the time the rear was out of my price range ($1000 was what I was quoted for the boot).





(yes, the tacho is LONG GONE )

It came out looking a million times better considering the tiny price I outlaid. The paint wasn't the greatest but the parasitic rust was gone and replaced by a NOS veneer straight from Mazda's japanese warehouses

I also found out why the car looked so familiar. For 5 years of my college life I walked past the car every morning on the way to school! Since being imported the car has spent its entire life in Taupo until brought by the previous owner - in fact my father had even worked on it in his workshop previously, and it had been offered to a friend for $2000 only a few years before!

[spastk]

Next the car went into storage, and I spent some money...

The following was purchased/acquired:

- Second hand FC3S HA Tein adjustables (camber adj at front, height and damper adjustable all around)
- 17" TWS Kylamis
- Bridgestone Potenzas 235/35/R17s
- 5mm spacers

The Tein's bolt straight in, but are the wrong offset and height for the Cosmo. The fronts being far too low (barely driveable even at max height adjustment), and the fronts also fouled on the wider front wheels. The spacers remidied this, however the front struts were damaged and I am looking for a lower km set.

The rears went in my daily 929 and were amazing. Even on the softest setting they were very stiff, and made a huge difference on the open road. However the downside to them is that if you hit any small lump/hole in the road the rear of the car skipped around and was midly dangerous if you were giving it death.

Also purchased were NOS trims - chrome trim, tail lights, interior, suspension rubbers, grills, too many to list. You will also be pleased to know the monster tacho was removed...


UPDATE:
After moving around a bit and having no garage to store the car in - it stayed in storage in my hometown, so not much happened to the car for a couple of years. My parts collection however continued to grow!

[spastk]

UPDATE:
With a wedding coming up in a fortnight, I finally did what was necessary - brought car the car down from storage and bolted in a spare carby MA 2.0l so it could be our ceremony car!







Keeping the subframe, motor and boxes bolted together, swapping the two front ends was a simple enough job, with the only frustrations being with the wiring! It seemed under dash wiring was in far from the best condition and the engine management computer was not receiving all the signals it should.

Updated with pics:

















Video of moving the parts cars (lol): http://youtube.com/watch?v=zYYR2I84hR0

We got the car going that day, but after only a week the wheels were stolen off it

[1cut808]

With a wedding coming up in a fortnight, I finally did what was necessary and chucked an MA in it just to get it going.

Simple enough job, but after going a week the wheels were stolen off it and now it looks like it won't even make it too the wedding!!

Now that sucks!!!

I like you idea with the story, it's actually quite good to read it like this as you only usually ever see the finished product.

Mitch

[spastk]

Thanks mate, the car and me have an interesting history so I thought it would make an interesting read

Here are some pics of the car in its current state (well before mag theft)...

(still being put together, yes engine bay wiring was temporary )

[spastk]

Well it seemed the car was destined to never be powered by a piston and the motor let go from *cough*lack of oil*cough* the day before the wedding.

So in true style, it was towed there!!

















Because we just wouldn't have it any other way

[spastk]

The car is off the road again because of blowing the piston, so now that I have a decent garage to store it - the engine bay is getting a detail!

I am missing far too much of the standard 12at engine accessories so I have decided to go standalone computer, so I am rewiring at the same time. Its suprising how much of the dash loom is unneccesay! It seems Mazda used the same loom for all models/specs.

While I am at it I am rebuilding the steering and front suspension also. Trying to limit myself to the front so it doesn't spend another 4 years off the road, but I have found some nice high spec jap parts for the rear end so I'll probably chuck them on!









There some pics from half-way through, taking back the paint now to fix rust and have the brake/clutch m/cylinders out for some work. The subframe is out and I am looking at fitting a FC3S steering rack along with my new bushes etc

[1cut808]

It's all happenening here!!!

[spastk]

Indeed

As mentioned elsewhere on the forum, I also have the dash out which I am strengthening. Looks like its all going to work with the only modification to the original gear being drilling some holes in the steel backing. Will post pics soon.

[ISA.13B]

Does anyone have an HB on the road at the moment?

[spastk]

What I AM doing while its off the road this time:
- 12at back in
- Rewire
- Detail windscreen forward
- Repair rust windscreen forward
- Strengthen / paint dash
- Late model steering setup (rack & pump)
- Engine bay you could eat off
- Some form of sports suspension
- Exhaust system
- Tail-lights
- FC3S gearbox conversion


What I AM NOT doing while its off the road this time:
- Brake upgrade
- Buying mags (stays on telephone dials, I will buy some mickey forged wheels and then do a brake upgrade/stud & offset conversion to suit)
- Painting/welding from the windscreen back
- Interior (except dash)
- Major mods to engine
- Rad upgrade

[spastk]

Have been considering re-painting car (decided against for the time being). Really like this color tho:



Would love a nice gloss black, but I find it hides all the panel edges and you seem to loose the details of the HB body, especially with a black front grill etc
This grey seems to go very well with bright orange and black which appeals to me.

Have some boxes arriving this week for the cossie - including some JC parts I want to retrofit, so keep tuned!

[skj0lsvik]

Damn, this car is so rad! I love it. How many bhp will you have when your're finished?

[spastk]

Damn, this car is so rad! I love it. How many bhp will you have when your're finished?

Thanks mate

Well, the 12at's were rated at 165hp standard, but with basic mods they seem to make 250hp+ relatively easy. The aim isn't for all out power, just driveability and a modern power level