OPERATION REVIVE THE CRONOS PHASE 1 COMPLETED
Yay! This is Jay @ Da Scientist and here's my car. It's a '93 Mazda 626 Cronos that I bought in December 2002. It was not in a very good shape then. Thanks to the previous owner who loved speeding & wreckless driving so much that it got bumps on both front side and the back as well. Dunno y can't he just do it at Sepang racetrack. Any damage caused to Cronos is no easy task to repair due to its unique shape. The ex-owner did something bad to the wiring causing certain fuse to burn out.
As time passed, the car's looks is a little out of trend in which I have the intention to sell this car and replace it with either:
1) Audi A4 1.8T '96 - =RM48K
3) Ford Lynx LX '99 - RM38K
4) Ford Ranger XLT(A)'03 or brand new - RM58K or RM82K for new 4X2
4) Honda Accord 2.0L (A) VTEC '99 RM56K
5) Mitsubishi Galant 1.8 VRG '99 RM70K
6) Nissan Cefiro 2.0 Excimo '98 - RM48K
7) Toyota Camry 2.2GX '94 or '98 model - RM32K or RM53K
MTV's 'pimp my ride' and NatGeo'Hollywood Science'gave me the idea of modernizing the Cronos. Research on the feasibility of modernizing it was carried out. Overall, I've been to 3 bodykits garages bringing along my sketches. I picked local Pimp My Ride team, the NEXT LEVEL CUSTOMZ as they appeared on front page paper stating the regulations of Road Transport Dept in modifying cars and articles on winner in customizing cars. That gave me confidence in them causing me to put aside the one that is more experienced and do know things about cars.
My objectives concentrate on practicality focusing more on reliability, endurance and efficiency. Acceleration and speed come after these factors but I do love acceleration - gonna do something to increase it later. Supercharger for richer air with dense oxygen intake to intake manifold.
Taken on 3rd & 4th October 2006
The nite before delivery day. I went there for a sneak peak. And below are the pics on delivery day.
Due to lack of permitted leave from office, I am only able to get the bonnet, grill and bumpers(fore & aft) done. The pics posted here are not the latest where the latest pic should show a heightened Cronos with headlamp in its proper socket. The current height is 1425mm up from 1400mm and the kerb weight too had increased from 1230kg/2706lb to >1300kg/2860lb. Acceleration 0-100kph/0-62mph deteriorates from 10s down to >12s due to the heavy bonnet/hood heavier than 70kg/154lb - recently measured.
Phase 2
Engine job:
Mazda KF-ZE engine 2.0litre/1995cc V6 DOHC 24Valve, output 136bhp@6000rpm, torque 180NM@5500rpm has poor fuel efficiency compared to others equivalent 2.0L engine especially in town. Cronos is lighter [1230kg] compared to others [Camry 1370kg, Accord 1385kg, Cefiro 1390kg] but burns more fuel due to higher RPM to gain 180NM.
I am now planning to either:
a) Salvage the current engine by sending it for overhaul, installing a supercharger for better air intake with dense oxygen and replace the whole exhaust system with 1.6" stainless steel exhaust manifolds and rods. Current fuel consumption for urban cycle is at 12litre/100km reaching 16L/100km when comes to standstill. That 12L/100km is at normal city traffic. Other problem is that Mazda parts are hard to get here and very expensive to order/purchase.
b) Change the engine and its gearbox that comes with plenty of parts supply.
Other choices of engine:
1) Toyota 1AZ 1998cc inline-4 SOHC output 147bhp/6000rpm torque 190NM/4000rpm reported fuel efficiency at 10L/100km, worst traffic at 13L/100km on a heavier Camry 1450kg
2) Nissan VQ20 1995cc V6 DOHC output 149bhp/6000rpm torque 186NM/4400rpm pulling 1410kg Cefiro with reported fuel efficiency at 11L/100km, worst traffic 13.8L/100km.
Honda engine is not on my list due to plenty of electronics involved even though it has the best fuel efficiency at 9L/100km. With one of the engines above fitted in my car, the performance should be better as my car weigh lighter than the cars using them.
The current wiring system which is bad, real bad. Wires tangled and dangling everywhere. Need to do something about it.
Phase 3
The removal of antenna, bootjob and wheel arches. Repair on the cup holder and installation of a cheap cd player. The Sport Rim will be replaced with a cheap but nice 5 or 6 spokes 93v 215 45 R17 wheels. Then it's 100% completion of Operation Revive the Cronos. I'll be real poor by then, super poor. What I'm doin now is like converting the F/A-18C Hornet into F/A-18E Super Hornet with increase size and payload, powered by twin engines F414 with 22,000lb of thrust each with afterburner. Speed remain unchanged but range and endurance have increased while maintaining its manoeverability. Right now, my car is like an F/A-18E equipped with the same engine F404-GE-402 from C version reducing its performance. The car on full tank of 65litre (1 US gallons is 3.785 litre, 1 imperial gallons is 4.567 litre) could barely reach 350km (x 0.625 to get miles) without getting into bad jams and <300km when super jam. Later it will be over 400km. Soon, it'll be Mazda 626 Cronos Mk II powered by either Toyota or Nissan engine. Just like how the F-15E that can pick its engine from either Pratt & Whitney or General Electric.
Special thanks to my ex-college mate who told me to change to leather seats, subsequently made me love my car more and decided to spend more than RM12,000 to revive my car giving it a new life and body. So far, RM7,000 already dumped in.
Phase 1 mods - NEXT LEVEL CUSTOMZ
office : +603-56213617
h/p : 016-2867136 (Malaysia code 60)
Page 1 : 1st Mods with Next Level Customz
Page 2 : Interior
Page 3 : Latest Mods with J-Emotion Racing
Page 4 : Overhauling & Repair
Page 5 : Accident B4 & After & Car Breakdown
Page 6 : Insurance Panel Workshop Fraud
