Bioshock
Posted a lot
It aint hip to be square.
Posts: 1,861
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New ride. 1990 Mazda 323 GTi, the forgotton hot hatch. 1.8 twin cam 16V. This is the pre cat 140bhp model and this was brought as a retirement present to the owner, who has had it for 22 years until he gave up driving at 85 ;D. Its got 73K on the clock, with full service history. Body wise it's got a few knocks and scrapes, but mechanicaly, its sweet as. Going to keep it bog standard. ( the lower rear wing is a 4x4 Turbo option which was specced from new. The gem is the engine, forged crank,rods, oil squirters and non interference cams.Belt breaks - just put on another. The looks are v Marmite and I'm guessing thats why they only sold a handful, as it didn't have the showroom appeal as an RS Turbo, or Golf 16V. It handles like a go kart and the twink has got loads of oomph. I doubt I'm going to see one coming the other way in the near future
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Last Edit: Apr 1, 2013 16:41:12 GMT by Bioshock
Almera GTI = ugly bird who turns out to be great in the sack = Win
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j4mes
Part of things
Posts: 168
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From a fellow 80/90's hot hatch owner to another: That's absolutely lovely, what's the plans, purely cosmetics?
Very jealous!
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Fossilfish
Part of things
Thank fossils for fuel!
Posts: 653
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Sounds and looks interesting, enjoy it and keep us informed with updates.
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Thank fossils for fuel!
1996 Jeep XJ Sport 2.5 Manual 1975 Scimitar 3.0 V6
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Mark
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,818
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I used to work for Mazda UK back in 88-90 and used to run around in a 323 4x4 quite a lot. We had one with some Group N mods and more boost (seem to recall it was around 200 brake) and I used to dream about having one of my own. I loved the subtle styling and awesome performance. I recall wasting many an RS turbo from the lights! (I was only young! ) Great to see one looking so fresh.
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BMW 320d (fridge on wheels)
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J hot hatches in general always low key in looks and were aimed at more older drivers than younger crowd for euro hot hatches. They were rather niche and never aimed for big sales.
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Bioshock
Posted a lot
It aint hip to be square.
Posts: 1,861
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J hot hatches in general always low key in looks and were aimed at more older drivers than younger crowd for euro hot hatches. They were rather niche and never aimed for big sales. I guess thats why the fella bought it as a retirement present ;D He traded in a 205 GR, which they gave him 5K for, so it must have been pretty new back in '90. I bet he noticed the difference when he put his foot down though.
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Almera GTI = ugly bird who turns out to be great in the sack = Win
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MK2VR6
Posted a lot
Mk2 Golf GTi 90 Spec
Posts: 3,328
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That's lovely. Great find; look after it
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Mazda 323 BG GTiRobinxr4i
@robinxr4i
Club Retro Rides Member 143
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That's lovely, always loved the look of these. The rear lights and rear spoilers make it!
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Sierra - here we go again! He has an illness, it's not his fault.
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We'll I like marmite, and the car.
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Toyota mk3 supra. retro goodness.
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I'd love to hear that the previous retired owner was called ALF
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Hirst
Posted a lot
This avatar is inaccurate, I've never shaved that closely
Posts: 3,930
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Nice work, I've never driven one but I have used both a BG 1.3 hatch and a Suzuki Baleno GSR (inexplicably uses the same Mazda 1.8 Twincam) so I can take an educated guess that it drives absolutely excellent.
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crazymonkey
Posted a lot
ummm....what was I doing again???
Posts: 1,981
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oh yes, one of the forgotten hot hatches that really deserves some praise. have always had a thing for 323s and you just don't see these enough
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whoever said dogs were man's best friend....obviously never heard of cable ties
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Bioshock
Posted a lot
It aint hip to be square.
Posts: 1,861
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I really am chuffed with this little thing It makes the daily drive to work a whole lot better and the fact that its half the cost of my 320D to insure and twice the fun is a bonus.. I just need to sort out the bodywork and that will be that. Although trying to get hold of the paint to touch it in is a mare. It seems that Clear White, was a one year option on these (1990) so I may have to get some made up. When I bought it, it had '90's tastic, pink decals down the sides,bonnet and boot, which said 'GT INJECTION' and pink and black pinstriping, which I have an invoice that says the original owner had paid a BMW garage in London £400 in 1992 to have fitted! I spent a whole day with a hairdrier and tons of graffiti remover getting it all off, along with the original decals that had faded and peeled. My mate Alex, who has an awesome hard slammed Mk4 GTT Golf, reckoned I should keep them on, but didn't seem so keen when I offered to take them off carefully and stick them on his.. The whole 'Q' car thing is a hoot, as the 12 reg Astra GTC who tried to Monster me down the A3 Wisley slip road found out this afternoon. It's by no means a power monster, but the combination of that brilliant twin cam lump, relatively light weight and the pin sharp handling really is cool. If I was Northern, I'd be made up like
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Almera GTI = ugly bird who turns out to be great in the sack = Win
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J hot hatches in general always low key in looks and were aimed at more older drivers than younger crowd for euro hot hatches. They were rather niche and never aimed for big sales. I guess thats why the fella bought it as a retirement present ;D He traded in a 205 GR, which they gave him 5K for, so it must have been pretty new back in '90. I bet he noticed the difference when he put his foot down though. The first new owner of our Nissan Cherry Turbo was called Dorothy and was well in her 60s when she bought it.A friend's Sunny ZX also had an elderly first owner
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randywanger_
Part of things
Nissan Bluebird P510 SSS Coupe
Posts: 946
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That's cool... Did they ever make a 4x4 Turbo version of this or am I high? Back in the day, my first car was a Charade GTti and I'm sure a mate had one :S
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That's cool... Did they ever make a 4x4 Turbo version of this or am I high? Back in the day, my first car was a Charade GTti and I'm sure a mate had one :S Familia GTX, GTR and GT-Ae - but never sold in UK Previous shape was Turbo 4x4 and uk The Charade 1.6gti which came after GTti looks v similar to Mazda 323 GTi
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Last Edit: Apr 3, 2013 15:40:55 GMT by tali100
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My dream car is the 323 GTR - I didnt realise it was a marmite car - I think they look great!
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Current retro - 1996 Alfa Romeo GTV / Daily - 2016 Nissan Qashqai Previous retros - Prelude, Integra, XR2s, XR3s, Orions, CRXs, Sylvia S12, S13, Pulsar, ZX 16v, 205 Gti, MX5, MR2 etc
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Love it , definitely stealthy I don't even remember a gti version
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I am guessing the turbo kit from the 4x4 will fit this,and i am guessing this has similar internal to the mx5 engine so it will take some serious power.
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Ginetta G15 BMW K1100 conversion Sold Mk1 Mx5 on ITB'S Sold TVR Chimaera 400 supercharged MR2 Red Roadster 2ZZ Bee*R 324 Skyline 95 Cherokee Jeep
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Yes, the 4x4 was the BPT. Lower compression but basically the same. This and the MX5 are called BPD, but though they have the same name there are some subtle differences between those two. Rods are week in all of these, common upgrade was to use earlier B6T rods, but now generic forged rods are cheap and easy to get.
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Contrary to popular opinion, I do have mechanical sympathy, I always feel sorry for the cars I drive.
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