Matte White Protege5

[Justanothermp5]

Well I had another thread, but I stopped updating it because I completely changed directions with where I was going with my car. So Im going to use this as my new build thread. I know this is a fitment site, but this is going to have alot of non fitment related updates, as I'm building pretty much everything on my car.

So lets do a brief history lesson:
The beginning:


^Wheels, springs, struts, CF hood, other small things

DG lip

Some paint matched action

Built the motor, threw a "stock" MSP turbo setup on

then it looked like this....looking back. Not a fan

Tiger print interior

NC Miata wheels, GC coilover sleeves

Big turbo

In the middle of piecing everything together

fuckin dumped

New-ish fenders


Supertech 1mm Oversize Valves, Dual Valve springs, Ti Retainers, Manganese Bronze Valve Guides

Round 2 piecing it back together

Engine bay pretty much as it sits now

Started wrapping some panels. 3M Scotchprint 1080 Matte White


New coils

Evo wheels

Didnt like the paint on the wheels, started stripping them down, and someone took this shot at a rift event.

Thats about where my car is present day, a few things different, but for the most part the same.
Painting the wheels Pearl white, selling them, selling the tires, buying a new setup.
Take a guess, 17x9 +45 w/ 225/35 Yoko S. Drives. The wheels are going to be painted pearl purple.

BTW: I do all the work on my car, engine building, wrapping, paint, coils, tires, alignment, interior, was all done by me. Its more rewarding when your done, IMO, to do everything yourself.

[dnick454]

Really liking where this is going. Especially the turbo portion... loving the attention to detail. The huge ass downpipe in the one pic looked awesome and then a few pics down I noticed it was coated with some kind of high temp something or other. Engine bay looks top notch!

[chefsp0t]

Nice work man. I like the white wrap and the fat snail.

[Justanothermp5]

Thanks guys! I spent most of my money on trying to get the car to drive like I want, so I figured it was time to start making it look decent. Dnick, the manifold, downpipe, and turbo exhaust housing are all ceramic coated to keep under hood temps down. Plus it looks much better then a rusty manifold and exhaust housing

[TrainWreck]

I dig this car! Nice work

[Justanothermp5]

Thanks!

Got the Corksport Rear Strut bar in yesterday, wasnt impressed with the quality. at. all.
Had to grind the holes out for the studs a bit to get it to fit properly, and the finish was terrible

[4N MUSCLE]

I love the progress you've made on the car...the turbo setup is just beyond sick, and the matte white will look awesome once its all done. Can't wait to see this car finished up, definitely heading in the right direction.

[dnick454]

Thanks!

Got the Corksport Rear Strut bar in yesterday, wasnt impressed with the quality. at. all.
Had to grind the holes out for the studs a bit to get it to fit properly, and the finish was terrible.

Hmmm, not surprised. The only thing I'd trust of theirs lately would be their intakes and exhausts (even if they are too loud). Shame to hear the strut bar doesn't fit right. Everyone else swears by their skidplate too but I got one for my Gen 2 MZ3 and it had to be modified to even fit since it hit the alternator and even still it squeaks and rattles over uneven road and bumps. It wasn't nearly as strong or well thought out in terms of fastening it to the car. More like a brush guard at best, definitely not a "skid-plate" as it's called. Not to mention their rear sway bars have been snapping...

[Justanothermp5]

Yea, there exhausts are really nice, but thats about it nowadays....

an updated pic I went out and took with my fancy camera. Still trying to figure out how to use it

[MikeSpeed3]

Looks so good! Stoked for finished pics! How hard is it to do the bumper?


Sent from my iPhone 4 using Crapatalk Bro!

[drizzoh]

Coming along nicely. 17x9s on the prote would pwn. There's only 3-4 wheels I know of in that size with ~45 offset, mine being one of them. Excited to see the car when you're done wrapping it.

[Justanothermp5]

The bumper is pretty tough, I have to redo the front bumper because I fucked up the first time....
Its hard to tell in the pics, but its pretty obvious in person lol
Its getting warmer so Ill prob finish the wrap sometime soon.

[Justanothermp5]

Put my Mishimoto Rad in today.....super tight fit. The down-pipe is mm's away from the radiator
I also put in the Samco lower rad hose that I've had forever

Oh and not getting the 17x9's anymore, didnt get enough money from my tax returns, so I just ordered new tires for my evo wheels. 205/40 BFG KDW2's

[Justanothermp5]

Got wheels, tires, lowered it, replaced oil pan gasket, turbo drain line, changed oil, painted rear bumper with white sealer to prep it for wrapping.....and thats about it


So glad to get the evo wheels off the car, I seriously was starting to hate those things.

[Justanothermp5]

updated pic, nothing else really changed on the car, started hammering out the dents on the other side of the car in prep to finish up wrapping everything.

[Justanothermp5]

Well havent updated this in a while, got hubcentric 8mm spacers all around to replace the pep boys universal spacers in the rear, and to bring the front out some.
its awesome not having vibes at 50mph, plus the fitment looks much better in front now.

[bthai]

what specs are those wheels and tires?

[Justanothermp5]

17x9 +48 (before spacers) w/ 205/40 BFG KDW.

[Justanothermp5]

still need to re wrap the bumper and the inside of the fenders/engine bay.

[SHaW]

Car has come a long way.

[drizzoh]

How is the toe in the rear? The pics make it look super angled out towards the front of the vehicle (like 3-4 degrees).

[Justanothermp5]

Car has come a long way.

Thanks!

How is the toe in the rear? The pics make it look super angled out towards the front of the vehicle (like 3-4 degrees).

The toe is zero-ed out front and rear, I did the alignment myself so I know its right. Looks normal to me in the pics, but then again I do see the car like every day lol

[Justanothermp5]

Ordered a replacement 3rd brake light. Had one LED out in the OEM piece and took it off a while back, only to find it was a permanently sealed unit
Looked at the dealer and they wanted 250 for a new assembly! So after stumbling on a guys post on 247, I ordered the new one from spoilerlights.com
http://www.spoilerlights.com/servlet...Spoiler/Detail

Only modifications needed are ovaling out the 2 outside tabs, which is cake. Total price was 70 bucks shipped AND its already smoked plastic cant wait! Small things make the biggest difference IMO

[Qcoffey]

That has certainly taken on a drastically different look than the first pics. I dare to show this to my buddy. But I am to get his lazy butt moving on his P5.

[OP:Mazda16]

Hey buddy. Is there is a certain website where you get your vinyl at?

[Sandi]

car looks minty!

[Justanothermp5]

thanks guys

Hey buddy. Is there is a certain website where you get your vinyl at?

tiptopsigns.com is where I got all the vinyl for my car, decent prices, and usually very prompt shipping (on 3M products at least)

[OP:Mazda16]

Awesome man thanks!

[Danny NJ]

i love those evo wheels on your car

[Justanothermp5]

Meh...i liked them for a few days then I got tired of the constant rubbing lol the tire size I had on the evo wheels was less then desirable
but yesterday my 3rd brake light came in, heres some pics:



^you can see where I needed to modify the bracket, took 2 seconds with a dremel


Fits PERFECTLY. Looks OEM, and at night, you really cant even see the brake light is up there until I step on the brakes, and it lights up the street lol LEDS are much brighter in this assembly and they have a more square pattern as opposed to the rounded OEM pattern