Learn me first-gen Protege

Not your typical "learn me" thread.

Through my own stupidity, I turned my DD '92 Miata into a Locost donor last Thursday on my way home from work. I need a replacement and I need it fast, and tomorrow I'm going to buy a '93 Protege DX from a local dealer. It's super-clean, 84k miles, and $1600...I figure I can't really lose. On driving it, I was struck that it felt a lot stronger than the 103 hp it's rated at, and that it needs better suspension in a bad way.

In the short run, I'm planning on upgrading suspension and maybe brakes with junkyard parts, putting a decent stereo in it, putting the 16" NB Miata wheels with Falken Ziex that I already have on it, and driving the hell out of it.

My questions:

1) What's the best forum for these things? I've stumbled across a few, but if I could avoid the process of elimination to find a good source of shared info, I'd like to do that.

2) As regards the suspension, my initial thoughts are to find swaybars and springs off of an MX-3/EGT/Protege LX, and use the Ford Racing Tokico struts for a ZX2 (if I understand correctly, they'll fit with no mods if I use ZX2 strut bearings, and they'll drop me half an inch). As for the junkyard parts, which of the cars on this platform have the stiffest springs and biggest sways?

3) Any quick hop-ups for the B8? I'm assuming a Home Depot CAI and a bigger exhaust would be a decent start. Engine swap is not in the cards at the moment, although I know there are several good "bolt-in" options on that front.

1) ClubProtege
2) EGT rear swaybar, Tokico S/Rs, and i'd spring for some cheap-ish aftermarket springs while you're in there. None of the stock ones were particularly stiff, the MX3 being the stiffest, and i'm not sure they fit. I got the springs on our Escort for $140 (Megan Racing) and i have absolutely ZERO complaints with them. Still a nice ride, and a huge improvement over stock, and even the Eibachs that i had on after that. Also look to grab the MX3 rear sub-brace.
3) I don't know much about the B8. I'd just let it breathe, maybe advance the timing a couple clicks, and call it a day.

Cheap brake upgrade: EGT or i think later 1st gen Protege LX brakes should bolt up, and give you 4 wheel disc. They also had the bigger front brakes. (You WILL need the hubs from the donor car.)

I bought a one-owner '94DX a few years ago with a popped engine and swapped in a good one from a junkyard donor. It was a great car. Great fuel econ and lots of fun to drive. 14" OZ wheels and Azenis doubled the fun.

1) I always used clubprotege.com. The Escort-specific forums seems to be overflowing with morons.

2) I think the popular choice was a second-gen Escort wagon or Escort GT rear sway, but I never bothered it with mine. The tires and new OEM rear sway bar endlinks made a big enough difference for me.

3) I never bothered. I know that there were a couple of turbocharged ones on the forums, but that doesn't really count as a 'quick hop-up' IMO. :)

My old one, which still miss and long to replace with another:

Crank pulley wobble, same as miatae of the same vintage. If it ain't wobbling, it never will and don't worry about it. There are no quick hopups for that engine, the poor thing can't breathe with that head. If you haven't already, buy it and go sign up with clubprotege and have fun with it.

clubprotege

find a pro lx at a pick and pull. grab the dohc cylinder head,manifolds and other bits needed and make it a dohc add an rx-7 afm and you bolted on 40hp

Ok, a bit of resurrection on this thread, as I might be buying one of these.

Are there any sportier seats that bolt into this thing?

Yep, MX3 seats. The early MX3 seats are supposedly Recaros, the later ones are not as well-loved, but i almost prefer the later one in a street car.

Or you can track down a set of Protege GT seats that have meandered their way over the border. Very cool seats.

^^ What he said. I have the front seats from my '93 MX-3 GS and a rear seat from an early Protegé LX in our '94 Protegé DX.

They were a bolt-in. They sit a bit lower, but they're great.

Excellent. I think I know where there might be an MX-3 in a pull-it.

Going to look at the rallycross Protege tomorrow or Friday. If things work out well, it might be a challenge car someday.

Do you want/need instructions on how to get a KL in there on a Challenge budget?

Or want a suspension setup that would make you the car to beat in the autocross on a challenge budget? If i remember how much that car is for sale for, you'd have plenty of room left for nitrous.

Mazdas247.com

Not much traffic or useful info on these cars there. ClubProtege is the answer for 1st gens, though there's enough of us here that it's probably not necessary.