>
> -> haul it down -- you know, anything you want to share.  Or is your
> -> build/adaption experience archived anywhere?  THNXX!!! ......... REW
>
>  I don't think chucko was archiving the list when I did the swap.  Here
> are the basics:
>
>  Major part: the front crossmember requires modification.  It unbolts
> from the car with four bolts.  Take it off, grind off the stock Mazda
> mounting pads, then bolt or tack weld it to a piece of metal (best) or
> screw it down on a board (what I did).  Saw the middle out of the
> crossmember (I used a hack saw) where it swings to the front to clear
> the Mazda rear-sump pan.  Use 1x2x.090 rectangular tubing and .090x3 or
> 4 flat stock, or whatever is laying around, and build a new crosspiece
> on the rear.  Get it as close to the tierod as possible - 1/8" is OK -
> as the tierod moves back when the wheels are turned.  If you want, notch
> the front top part of the 1x2 for extra oil pan clearance.  It took me a
> few days, but it was my first big welding project.  It has since been
> through two track events, a totalled-out collision, and subsequent
> straightening by a frame shop without any problems.
>
>  This was all done with a saw and a welder, nothing fancy.  A 4" angle
> grinder is a *real* help for adjusting pieces to fit.
>
>
>  You have to use the front sump pan.  The rear sump pan hits the
> crossmember.
>
>  The stock air filter housing won't fit under the hood, but any low
> profile aftermarket filter will, even with an Edelbrock intake.  I had
> to trim a brace out from under the hood for extra clearance.  The
> standard Mustang/Maverick/Falcon radiator just barely fits vertically,
> you have to trim another brace at the front of the hood, no problem.
>
>  The only Mazda axle ratios are 3.91 (standard) and 4.something (special
> models).  With the C4 I'm turning about 4000 at 65.  I recommend the
> AOD.  There's plenty of room in the tunnel.  The T5 should work okay
> too, though you'd have to scrounge a hydraulic slave cylinder for the
> clutch, or weld a bracket to the housing to take the Mazda cylinder.
>
>  I used the Mazda alternator with some pipe and washers to adjust the
> spacing for the Ford belts.  Standard 302 exhaust manifolds clear
> everything.  I used the Y-pipe from the Maverick donor car; it cleared
> the body perfectly and joined to the stock 2" Mazda single exhaust with
> a piece of flex pipe.  I have an exhaust back pressure guage; it reads
> zero unless the four barrel is punched in.
>
>  I got crazy with the throttle linkage, going from the Mazda cable to a
> bellcrank and pullrod setup.  All you really need is to mate the Mazda
> cable to one of the Ford cable setups.  I was too lazy to scrounge the
> junkyards for one.
>
>  The Ford EFI intake is several inches too tall to fit under the hood.
>
>  No place in my little rinky-dink town would make up a driveshaft that
> was Mazda on one end and Ford on the other; I wound up doing it myself
> and taking it out of state to get it balanced.  Any real driveshaft shop
> would have no trouble.
>
>  The stock single-track rear has held up for three years with no
> problems.  The GSL-SE model had a posi.
>
>  Weight distribution is virtually unchanged; the car was still at stock
> factory ride height after the swap.  The 302 is slightly heavier than
> the rotary, but set further back.  Handling did not change enough to
> notice.  I was expecting a nose-heavy understeerer and was pleasantly
> surprised.
>
>  The brakes are inadequate even for a stock RX.  I have a set of 12" PBR
> castoffs from a friend's Corvette, and the ABS system from another
> Corvette.  Both are slated to go on as soon as I find the time.  The RX
> boutiques probably have brake upgrades off-the-shelf.
>
>  Everything fits fine, no hacking on the car, everything is easy to get
> to - I changed the starter from the *top* by leaning over the fender! -
> and the car drives just like it did before, except for having lots more
> torque.  It is a clean swap and I'm very happy with mine.
>
>
>  Whenever I get access to a scanner I'll put some pictures up on my web
> site.