mazda beater (350 swap)

I've been kinda off/on working on this for a while... more so in the last month or so.

I'm doing a 350/T5 swap for starters. I'm also planning on throwing some paint on it, special bed floor and suspension.

Suspension wise, I'm not 100% sure if i want to do coil overs all around or bag it. If i bag it its going to be pretty trick as i want this truck to handle like a sports car. LOTS will be done with handling in mind.

End result will be a semi-modern hot rod look. By definition, it IS a hot rod anyway.

here's pics... you can figure them out. (so far i've gotten carried away with my TIG and EVERYTHING has been TIGed... probably carry on with it)

when wire wheels attack!

here's more junk... I'm pretty much done for a little while, I need to get the motor built.








here's the difference in the tranny's... the T5 is pretty damn close in measurements to the stock tranny.


this is the T5 i'm using. Its out of a camaro... i never knew they were crocked before. So in case you were wondering about the shifter not being centered in the opening in earlier pics... thats why.

Looks good man. Whats the plans for the motor? Are you leaving the stock rearend or swapping in something else?

motor is getting a pretty mild build. looking for around 400 hp and i'll be happy. Rear end will get swapped eventually. I'm aiming to get it on the road and driving right now. This truck was supposed to be my daily when i bought it, but the motor crapped on me when i was driving it home from buying it.

I'm thinking of doing a narrowed chevy fullsize rear end.... i'll have endless gearing/differential options and keep the bolt pattern. as well as rear disk brake option. It should be more then strong enough to hold anything i put into it.

Good looking progress - especially like the revision to the cross member that normally goes "under" the oil pan.

yeah, i didn't want to go down with it... out of all the pictures i've tried to find of mazda's with 350 swaps, i never saw anything with the crossmember. hell, i didn't know it was going to be an issue till i got the motor floating in place. actually, i found very little info on the swap.

lookin very nice. ill be watching this one for sure





-justin

so how did you fix the uncentered tranny? or have you yet? im really interested in this build. Ive been wanting to do a 350 swap in my 2200. Please keep the guide goin and lots of pics. thanks man!!

I do not under stand why its off center I have done a few of these and never had an issue and for not seeing the cross member done I have had afew pics of it done in my truck with the back tranny mount done as well. actually the tranny mount bolts in to existing bolt holes that are in the frame already.I will try and find pics of the crossmember and the tranny mount but I do like the way you did yours it looks alot nicer