Mazda - $500- SE MI - NMNA

 Seller says:

Mazda 91' machanic's special $500.00 rebuilt motor less than 5,000miles on motor needs a transmission

Looks like a 323 to me, could be a good starting point.

Linky look is here

Graphics on it are hottt!

Yup, 323. Too bad auto tragic.

Paging Captain Downshift to the red courtesy phone.....

the good news about an autotragic with a bad trans is that a rusty protege lx or escort gt with a manual is now easier to find then a clean BG 323. So getting a donor with a good BP motor, G series transmission, pedal box and manual ECU would likely still have the total outlay around $1250 at most. 

In reply to captdownshift :

Yeah, but how much labor? Now AWD would be tasty.

the pedal box swap is the most involved part. B6 to BP swap is plug and play, disconnecting the coolant lines is seriously the most involved part. As a bonus doing the timing belt and water pump while to motor is out is stupid easy. AWD is too involved to be worth it, it's easier just to import a BG chassis GTR and wait 18 months. 

this would be the holy grail of BP swaps for $800

reason being the spline count on the G series transmission would allow for the MSP limited slip to be swapped in. 

or these for even less...

https://winchester.craigslist.org/cto/d/1999-kia-sephia/6422785615.html

https://winchester.craigslist.org/cto/d/99-kia-sephia/6415382896.html

markwemple said:

In reply to captdownshift :

Yeah, but how much labor? Now AWD would be tasty.

finding replacement transmissions are the tough part, and they are a bit fragile.