Current status: Actively working on this bad boy almost every day of the week.

Check out my blog here for more details.

Intro

What we have here is a sweet 1985 Dodge Turbo Z.

It's had about 6 or more owners. The exterior is decent, with fairly fresh paint. The underside is ok (read not great) for a Canadian car. I'm currently restoring it using cutting, grinding, welding, and POR-15.

Mechanically it seems fairly sound. I've installed a 255 L/hr fuel pump to replace the broken stock pump. The previous owner has installed a full 1988 Turbo 2 from a Shelby model. The transmission is an 1987 A555. As such, this is a very fast car.

This car has already been restored once. The engine bay has been painted and some parts on the floors were fixed. I suspect this was when the T2 engine was installed. The rockers were not restored and are shot. They will be replaced. The hatch requires replacing. The windshield is broken.

I plan to install a nice black cloth interior from an 86 Turbo Z which I have.

Mechanically I'm replacing the calipers, rotors, pads (even rears), thermostat, timing belt, alternator belt, power steering belt, plugs, distributor cap and rotor, wires, struts, springs, strut mounts, rear wheel bearings, entire parking brake, drive axles, and radiator. All fluids will be fresh.

Body wise I'm cutting out and replacing all the rusty parts as best I can without pulling the dash (Update: I pulled the dash). The windshield requires replacement and some rust bubbling around it needs to be taken care of. I have the paint to match, which is 10th anniversary Miata blue. The floors are typical for a Canadian Daytona with the passenger and driver feet areas being the worse. Above the muffler is shot from heat damage, the spare tire well is rusted out. The rear feet areas have some holes. Luckily someone already repaired the floors to some extend so some work has been done for me. The rockers will be replaced along the entire length.

The rear bumper needs replacing, but I'm not doing that now unless they force me for safety.

I'm planning on fabricating my own body kit mounts to replace the rusted ones. These will be much lighter than stock. Also, I'm not putting in the underpadding. This car will be notably lighter than stock. 1st generation Daytonas also weight less than 2nd ones. My 2nd gen 91 weighed in at 2880 lbs with me in it, so roughly 2700 lbs. I'm hoping to get this one down around 2500 lbs. At 175 horsepower and 200 ft. lbs of torque (for a stock, well maintained T2) this car will move.

Planned upgrades include ported intake and exhaust manifold, high flow exhaust system (has 2.5" mandrel bent already but a crappy stock muffler), an exhaust gas temperature gauge (update: installed), air/fuel gauge (already have both), an electric fuel pressure gauge, decent 195/50/R15 tires, or maybe 16" ninja rims with low profile tires (not too low).

I also plan to add a sound system from Custom Audio and Video in Newmarket, Ontario. I'll likely fibreglass in custom boxes for 10" subwoofers behind the rear shock towers. And of course, a security alarm, definitely two way.

This car will be going to the track so I need to keep the weight down.