New Zealand new member

A proper way to introduce yourself.
Hi, I am Isaac
I currently live in Auckland, New Zealand
I have just bought a project 1997 Mazda Sentia (929)
Here is a pic from standard...

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/icartersaac/5857897889/][img]http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5142/5857897889_7be273fb12.jpg[/img][/url]
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/icartersaac/5857897889/]Sentia front standard[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/icartersaac/]icartersaac[/url], on Flickr

I really like the stance in a lot of these cars. Just seeing one infront of you when you are driving.. well you just gotta perve..

I am here to post about my Sentia. Hear other peoples opinions and criticism and learn how to do it right. ( all though in my opinion I will always do it right haha) just maybe not expensive big budget 'right'

Wa laa

welcome!

Welcome! Good to see something different. I'll just leave a bit of motivation here for you :)

[IMG]http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/7682/9295black12.jpg[/IMG]

hey welcome bro. i have one aswell and im from auckland.

here is a pic
[img]http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/286/frontshot.jpg[/img]

if any questions just send me a pm. i had 3 of these, so i know a fair bit of them!

there is a build thread in "other cars" section.
i have done a fair bit to it so far...

Good luck with your build

welcome. car has lots of potential.

classic,
[IMG]http://www.geocities.jp/s_style_sentiaandms9/ins.jpg[/IMG]

a little sportier,
[IMG]http://www.geocities.jp/s_style_sentiaandms9/exclusive.jpg[/IMG]

[URL]http://www.geocities.jp/s_style_sentiaandms9/afterparts.htm[/URL]

[QUOTE=ALEXTHESUS*PECT;395648][URL]http://www.geocities.jp/s_style_sentiaandms9/afterparts.htm[/URL][/QUOTE]

i would ignore this website....
simply because of 2 reasons
1st, it hasnt been updated since 2007 and 2nd is that there are bugger all aftermarket parts available...
i've been on a hunt for coilovers since i had my 1st sentia. i did find new k-break coils, but they are ridiculously overpriced for a sentia(excess of 4grand+shipping)
i keep an eye on yahoo auctions japan every few weeks, but most of the time they have JIC adjustables there, but in unknown condition, so its a bit of a risk of spending almost 2k for them to only find out they are no good, plus no one rebuilds them in new zealand.

i have managed to score custom made RS-R springs, that gave me almost 80mm drop.(normal rsr's are 35-40mm).


you have a few options at the moment.
cheapest will be a set of cobra springs(nz made)with normal 40ish mm drop.
next option is getting your springs compressed(not the best way)
and 2 last options but most expensive is 
custom made coilovers $1200 a corner from autolign in penrose
or airbag it (7k max)

sentias are great cars, very reliable etc... i sold my 1st sentia with 200k on the clock and it still goes.
2nd i sold with 150ish.
my current one has only 72k at the moment and i brought it with 56k genuine, im the first owner too.


but the huge downfall is parts... there is NOTHING available...no panels, suspension parts etc...
mazda dealer told me to go to wreckers to get spare parts, but guess what, none of the wreckers in new zealand stock any sentia parts:)

but i still love that car:)


i have seen your sentia before...person that owned it before you lived in devonport?am i right?:)i used to see it on daily basis:)

Thanks for all the welcomes and encouragement guys.

Alpha its good to have someone local who knows what they are doing! I have already read everything I could find on here about what you have done with your Sentia. Thats a clean car!

My first step would be the wheels.. I ideally want as wide as possible, as much dish as possible to give it the hard stance look... 

Im thinking possibly getting some bolt on flares... moulding them in and really pumping out the guards to fit the wheels haha.. suggestions? 

My favorite one of these so far would have to be DJ_BADMANZ here

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EszdD6FAv5I[/url]

Cheers

[QUOTE=clowndog;396019]Thanks for all the welcomes and encouragement guys.

Alpha its good to have someone local who knows what they are doing! I have already read everything I could find on here about what you have done with your Sentia. Thats a clean car!

My first step would be the wheels.. I ideally want as wide as possible, as much dish as possible to give it the hard stance look... 

Im thinking possibly getting some bolt on flares... moulding them in and really pumping out the guards to fit the wheels haha.. suggestions? 

My favorite one of these so far would have to be DJ_BADMANZ here

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EszdD6FAv5I[/url]

Cheers[/QUOTE]


thanks bro!
each to their own but im no big fan of widebody stuff... but if its what you like why not? aslong as you can pull it off.

i've seen that vid, but dont forget that HD sentia has slightly different body lines(alot more round)

i personally like our sentias just slammed out on 18s. nothing else.
my car is no where near slammed(only 80-90mm of the ground) but im thinking of dropping her a bit more, but at the same time im thinking that maybe its time to let her go...
i barely drive it these days, it just sits in the garage  most of the time. Like this summer i only drove it twice. First time it was to get its wof and second was when we moved to a new house:)

i wish you goodluck with your build, any questions, dont be shy to ask (esp offsets, widths etc)
feel free to email me at [email]alpha.was.here@gmail.com[/email]

[QUOTE=alpha;396095]thanks bro!
each to their own but im no big fan of widebody stuff... but if its what you like why not? aslong as you can pull it off.

i've seen that vid, but dont forget that HD sentia has slightly different body lines(alot more round)

i personally like our sentias just slammed out on 18s. nothing else.
my car is no where near slammed(only 80-90mm of the ground) but im thinking of dropping her a bit more, but at the same time im thinking that maybe its time to let her go...
i barely drive it these days, it just sits in the garage  most of the time. Like this summer i only drove it twice. First time it was to get its wof and second was when we moved to a new house:)

i wish you goodluck with your build, any questions, dont be shy to ask (esp offsets, widths etc)
feel free to email me at [email]alpha.was.here@gmail.com[/email][/QUOTE]


Yea I think as long as I get the right wheels with the right offset and the slammed but daily driver height I will be happy haha.. you are totally right about the other sentia having different lines and it would take a fair bit of money to get it how I would feel I liked it (if I did widen the arches etc)

I will email you regarding what offsets I should look for in wheels. Im thinking 18/19's.. 
I have looked at the offset calculator but still don't completely understand it. Im more of a play with the wheels and then look at the figures kind of learner. :S

Cheers,

[QUOTE=clowndog;396122]Yea I think as long as I get the right wheels with the right offset and the slammed but daily driver height I will be happy haha.. you are totally right about the other sentia having different lines and it would take a fair bit of money to get it how I would feel I liked it (if I did widen the arches etc)

I will email you regarding what offsets I should look for in wheels. Im thinking 18/19's.. 
I have looked at the offset calculator but still don't completely understand it. Im more of a play with the wheels and then look at the figures kind of learner. :S

Cheers,[/QUOTE]

dont go too crazy with offsets... 
its not that easy to slap on some low offset wheels and call it a day, especially if you want it for daily driving.
im running shit offsets on good widths, but whenever i drive it rubs all the time and im running stretched tyres and rolled guards and im no where near being flush... still need rear spacers

Ok I have a thing about de badging my cars, I just really like making simple  changes to a not so common car (well not in NZ anyway) and have people guessing at what it is. 

So I have started on the Sentia. I removed the 'mazda' and the 'sentia' from the rear. This was easily done with a hair dryer / heat gun.  I removed the mazda logo too but it has holes underneath which I will need to either shave or plug..  so I put it back for now.
 
But on the front of the car  the Mazda badge is moulded into the grill. so no way to de badge it. Pic:
[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/Originalgrill.jpg[/IMG]

So after a bit of stumbling around on the net. I found this.
[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/Antelopebadge.jpg[/IMG]

For those of you who don't know, its an old Mazda Rx2/616 'C' pillar Capella Antelope badge.

So I bought it. For a good price of course..  when it came in the mail I was stoked to find it is the right kind of size to make a hybrid badge for my front grill.. (pictured below sitting next the original..)

[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/Newandoldbadges.jpg[/IMG]

So I basically lined it up and used this crazy shellys putty that turns rock hard and stuck it down on top of the original thus creating my hybrid. 

[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/AntelopeRX3.jpg[/IMG]

Because it is like rock I can't change what I have done ahha  But  I like it anyway. 

However I am keen to hear your thoughts or criticism  on it...

lol, i have done  similar tricks with mine... i had eunos badge on the trunk not long ago, but recently changed it to a modified mazda badge... front has been covered with all sorts of shit...i really want to get a facelift grille like yours...

i get alot of comments about my car from young to old...usually the mistake it for a jag or a merc...but thats mostly because of the color and rims i have...always have randoms come to me at petrol stations to have a chat:)

i like what you have done:)but a few rota heads will bite your head off for "wasting" a perfect rx2 badge:)

[QUOTE=alpha;396128]lol, i have done  similar tricks with mine... i had eunos badge on the trunk not long ago, but recently changed it to a modified mazda badge... front has been covered with all sorts of shit...i really want to get a facelift grille like yours...

i get alot of comments about my car from young to old...usually the mistake it for a jag or a merc...but thats mostly because of the color and rims i have...always have randoms come to me at petrol stations to have a chat:)

i like what you have done:)but a few rota heads will bite your head off for "wasting" a perfect rx2 badge:)[/QUOTE]

Haha yea the rota heads will probably hate me.. but only the legit ones. I reckon a lot of them wouldn't know that badges history. could be wrong. I was thinking about doing a rotary conversion like 20b manual etc but it would be hella expensive and at the end of the day it would be like drifting a boat... :)

Yea I like this grill shape, so far have only seen one other in person on a white sentia on the north shore.. 

So yea being facelift and a different mazda badge should be good. I will post some pictures when its back on the car tomorrow.

Was also thinking matte black on the car.. but will consider it after I actually have money for wheels.

I have already had heaps of people think it is a jag.. till they see the badge.

[QUOTE=clowndog;396131]Haha yea the rota heads will probably hate me.. but only the legit ones. I reckon a lot of them wouldn't know that badges history. could be wrong. I was thinking about doing a rotary conversion like 20b manual etc but it would be hella expensive and at the end of the day it would be like drifting a boat... :)

Yea I like this grill shape, so far have only seen one other in person on a white sentia on the north shore.. 

So yea being facelift and a different mazda badge should be good. I will post some pictures when its back on the car tomorrow.

Was also thinking matte black on the car.. but will consider it after I actually have money for wheels.

I have already had heaps of people think it is a jag.. till they see the badge.[/QUOTE]

matte black? umm not sure if it will work on a sentia:) but hey, prove me wrong:)


yeah 20b would be amazing:) but honestly dropping in an engine thats worth 10x more than a car itself?:))

Yea there is no way I am over spending on this car haha especially with my current pay wage :S

Got a picture of the badge fitted and grill back on for those interested..

[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/Frontwithnewbadge.jpg[/IMG]


I need to do that magic trick you did with your headlights Alpha! Mine look terrible with the yellow tinge..

:)

That mod I did is not road legal:) but I don't care. To be honest nothing is really legal on my sentia lol
But if you want to get rid of yellow just wetsand it and polish it. Doesn't take long and anyone can do it.

Big Fan of Stephan Fleming .. and This mazda build :biggthumpup:

[QUOTE=kingpin;396286]Big Fan of Stephan Fleming .. and This mazda build :biggthumpup:[/QUOTE]

Haha Cricket fan aye? Thanks hardly a build yet. But it will be :D

can i have your window visors?:) lol

[QUOTE=alpha;396313]can i have your window visors?:) lol[/QUOTE]

Haha I need to get rid of the mudguards too! When you removed your window visors was it just a simple pull off and unclip?

Maybe Ill do that this weekend. :)

[QUOTE=clowndog;396345]Haha I need to get rid of the mudguards too! When you removed your window visors was it just a simple pull off and unclip?

Maybe Ill do that this weekend. :)[/QUOTE]

im dead keen on those visors! name the price

there is a screw in each clip. you loosen it up and unclip it.

[QUOTE=alpha;396346]im dead keen on those visors! name the price

there is a screw in each clip. you loosen it up and unclip it.[/QUOTE]

Oh haha really? did your car not come with them?

I'll send you some pics sometime when its not raining.. see if you want them.

There might be a crack on the end of one of them from memory.



With all this rain it actually does feel like Im in a boat :)

[QUOTE=clowndog;396348]Oh haha really? did your car not come with them?

I'll send you some pics sometime when its not raining.. see if you want them.

There might be a crack on the end of one of them from memory.



With all this rain it actually does feel like Im in a boat :)[/QUOTE]

my old one did, but they got damaged in a storm so i got rid of them.
few years ago i got some visors from wreckers, but never put them on the car, i just left them in my parents garage... well  it was inorganic collection time and somehow my parents thought that i dont need them anymore:)

if they are in ok nick as in they are not bent out of shape and clips are ok..and i dont mind if those plastic ends are cracked tho:)

But yeah, if you can send through a few pics, that would be great.
Where about are you located?

here is a pic of my old one(about 4-5 years ago)i still miss that car
[img]http://file022a.bebo.com/11/large/2006/12/18/09/563519741a2883560861b78482062l.jpg[/img]
those visors were in mint condition

[QUOTE=alpha;396350]here is a pic of my old one(about 4-5 years ago)i still miss that car
[img]http://file022a.bebo.com/11/large/2006/12/18/09/563519741a2883560861b78482062l.jpg[/img]
those visors were in mint condition[/QUOTE]

That is nice! I like how simple but good it looks :) What happend that you don't have it anymore?

Or should I not ask?

[QUOTE=clowndog;396738]That is nice! I like how simple but good it looks :) What happend that you don't have it anymore?

Or should I not ask?[/QUOTE]

i sold it few months after i got it, dunno why... i still regret it, but hey now i have a sentia that is alot better, has far lower kms than that one, and its in better condition.

Finally an UPDATE!!

I got tints today, got a good price on them too. Will be getting wheels soon I promise. Still trying to figure out wether I should get 18"s or 19"s I am currently leaning towards 19"s because it is quite a large car.

Anyway here are some pictures.

Also you might notice the trunk is debagged, currently has two little black plugs in it to stop the water getting in. This is before I properly get the time to shave it.

Notice this side has a silver stripe down the side.
[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/IMG_0635.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/IMG_0636.jpg[/IMG]
And this side doesn't ( I painted it) What do you think looks better?
I will properly decide when I get the new wheels what looks better, and then either paint or remove the paint.

[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/IMG_0639.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/IMG_0640.jpg[/IMG]

ME LIKEY:)
i reckon painted side looks better because you dont have chrome stripe in bumper recess(some highly optioned sentias had it)

tints look great!

Sweet so I finally got my new wheels today, I ended up deciding on some SSA G-Force 19" 9.5" all around.

Here is a picture. Any comments thoughts are welcome!

I know I need to lower the car haha but I haven't got there yet...

Pictures don't do it justice. But I really like these wheels. Look soo much beter in person. They also give a nice stance.



[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/Newwheels.jpg[/IMG]

SLAMM THE BASTARD:) looks good, post a side on pic, i wana chop it;)

Ok so it was nice and sunny today so I got some more pics if anyones watching. I can't wait to lower it but I am really enjoying the wheels for now.
[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/Mazdasentia929ssa5.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/Mazdasentia929ssa4.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/Mazdasentia929ssa3.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/Mazdasentia929ssa2.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff431/clown_dog/Mazdasentia929ssa1.jpg[/IMG]

[url]http://www.vipstylecars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27843&page=3[/url]

I just realised I didn't tell anyone subscribed to this thread, I moved my thread to the link above. So sub to that! :)

Cheers.

Isaac