For a 1984 unibody it is surprisingly rigid, jacked one side of the rear today and 3 wheels left the ground.
Spent the afternoon dialing in the: shocks, rear control arms and panhard, found some real gains
We did locate a clunk in the rear, seems the pinion in the axle is moving up and down, that is not good. Rebuilding the center with 3.63 gears (Mazda 626), new clutches and bearings.
Sorting out the gauges and found the electric fan to be locked up, swapping in another as we speak.
![photo 8D1270F5-3E6A-4F52-9063-EBE43AFC8F2A_zpsgwwpl6a0.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/8D1270F5-3E6A-4F52-9063-EBE43AFC8F2A_zpsgwwpl6a0.jpg)
Rebuilding the rear center section, no more pinion slop, much more LSD, grunt grunt.
Going to a 3.63 ration ring and pinion, from an early RWD 626 no less. The OEM 3.9 center will be rebuilt as a spare.
Thanks go to Chuck McMillion for this one.
![photo download1_zps98d03fba.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/download1_zps98d03fba.jpg)
![photo download_zps73c00466.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/download_zps73c00466.jpg)
![photo download3_zpsa59b7399.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/download3_zpsa59b7399.jpg)
Drove it home, the diff is a huge improvement, night and day, especially as it no longer clunks during every gear change.
BTW the drive was sans exhaust as one of the clamps broke, oh crap I am in love, I need electric cut outs on this thing.
An assortment of minor fixes have made some serious gains in ride and handling as well as drivability. They include, several poorly attached wires and fittings, changing the shock adjustments, doing an oil change, sorting the suspension and tightening some bolts that worked loose, installing a better breathing air filter, reinstalling the exhaust (not sure that made it better), fitting a shift boot.
All of these and a few other improvements have made the car better and better, small steps making a big impact.
Soon it is paint, I have chosen a color
We had a small disaster, ripped the custom upper control arms out of the car so...
Out with the broken parts
![photo A6D4E9E2-E3D7-489A-B71F-81769AC9F950_zpsez5rdmqz.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/A6D4E9E2-E3D7-489A-B71F-81769AC9F950_zpsez5rdmqz.jpg)
![photo 4920D04D-F55A-44E5-BB0F-9CFA1FC54F7C_zpssaspdz1q.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/4920D04D-F55A-44E5-BB0F-9CFA1FC54F7C_zpssaspdz1q.jpg)
![photo 10486072_10202431527765122_2680646024063745803_n_zpsf4510caa.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/10486072_10202431527765122_2680646024063745803_n_zpsf4510caa.jpg)
and in with some new
![photo 10351837_10202431527925126_8553065939256080934_n_zpsca264633.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/10351837_10202431527925126_8553065939256080934_n_zpsca264633.jpg)
![photo 10383947_10202431528525141_2159712018892286777_n_zps4f788875.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/10383947_10202431528525141_2159712018892286777_n_zps4f788875.jpg)
removing some rust along the way, rebuilding the factory crossmember with steel box tube and strengthening up the whole area so it doesn't part company again
Is he welding without a shirt? That hurts just thinking about it.
Dusterbd13 wrote:
Is he welding without a shirt? That hurts just thinking about it.
He's a punk-ass 21 year-old... He will learn in time.
![](/media/img/icons/smilies/evil-18.png)
A box of NOS may have turned up at the Compound this week... ![](/media/img/icons/smilies/evil-18.png)
Steady progress, still repairing the inner fender well rust areas, fuel tank out, cleaned and new sender installed, re routed fuel lines, started to install Naws.
![photo 20140809_165045_zps6kgykvgi.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/20140809_165045_zps6kgykvgi.jpg)
![photo 20140809_165742_zpsjk0lr7xu.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/20140809_165742_zpsjk0lr7xu.jpg)
Rust repair, damn, that was worse than it appeared to be.
![photo 20140809_165742_zpsjk0lr7xu.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/20140809_165742_zpsjk0lr7xu.jpg)
![photo 20140820_091407_zpsbzvtnolv.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/20140820_091407_zpsbzvtnolv.jpg)
I still can't believe that it bent the unibody brace that way. Awesome display of power. It's going to hook up so much better now!
Oops, I guess we need a shortblock, one step forward and two steps back
![photo 10514463_10202634052028102_2580101214551212262_o_zps9bfadc95.jpg](http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab256/aussiesmg/RX50/10514463_10202634052028102_2580101214551212262_o_zps9bfadc95.jpg)
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/aw-crap-thats-not-right-sbf-content/90117/page1/
Replacement located, road trip this weekend
Woah, two rods broken and crank might be snapped as well
I got nothing on that. Damn good show! Can we get the full details on what happened?