I am just starting to fully convert my 2000 Protege LX over to 2009 Mazdaspeed3 Sport. I am basically swapping bodies. I am cutting out the floorpan and firewall out of the wrecked Speed3 I bought back from insurance. I am documenting the build at mazdaspeeds.org also, but wanted to see if there is any interest here. Let me know...

 

Good luck, & keep us informed.

 

 

 

 

This is where I am at right now. I should have firewall/floorpan cut out today. Next I will clean up and organize. Then start taking engine/trans, front subframe, rear subframe, and dash out of Protege. Then I can start doing final measurements before cutting out firewall/floorpan out of Protege.

 

 

I'm not sure of the motivation with this project, but I like looking at the pictures. Converting a 2000 Protege to a 2006 3 Speed? Are you building a sleeper-type thing here?

On a side not, maybe you can answer the following. I posted here months ago with no response. How hard would a clutch replacement be on a 1993 Protege. I asked a friend and after he looked at my shop manual decided against the job because he said the engine needed to be removed.

 

Reason for this swap...I got my Son's first car back recently. A 2000 Mazda Protege LX 1.6L automatic. I was going to do this to my Son's 3rd car, a Mazda 3 Hatch, but recently, I acquired his first car back. I already have a 2007 Speed3 GT, so I really don't need another Speed3. But it was my Son's so I will still keep the 3 Hatch body for future project, or incase my Speed gets totaled I will have a complete straight body to swap everything over to.

I have a complete running 2009 Speed3 Sport totaled due to body damage. I bought it back from insurance. It runs/drives like it did before accident. Steering wheel isn't even off center. I got my Son's first car back. He died back in July 2015 at 24 years old. So, I'm happy I have all 3 of his cars now. His first car was a 2000 Mazda Protege lx 1.6L. 2nd car was a 1970 Datsun 510. His 3rd car was the 2005 Mazda 3 Hatch that I originally was going to do the swap on. I ended up with Thyroid Cancer, so I have been dealing with that so nothing has gotten done.

I am now ready to strip the Protege down, and start building a full Mazdaspeed 3 swapped Protege. I have been crawling over, under, measuring everything. I am surprised the engine compartment is same size as Speed. Wheelbase is 1.1" shorter on the Protege, but I could easily mount subframe back an inch to make it the same length as Speed. The rear subframe looks to be no problem to mount to frame rail. Will need to mount the trailing arm, but Protege uses one also. Almost mounts in same location so it won't be that hard to fab up a trailing arm mounting location. Rear of front subframe mounts to the original Protege subframe location. Front mounts 3" more forward, but is easily doable. The Speed dash will physically fit into Protege. Protege is actually about 1/2" wider inside than Speed in most areas. I will swap complete dash, steering colum, pedals, console, shifter, etc... I will use Speed seats, and mount the rear side curtain air bag modules over rear doors like in Speed. They almost bolt right up. Basically I will be using all external lighting, trunk light, dome light, power windows/locks, wiper motor/linkage, carpet, and headliner. All else will be removed.




Any thoughts, questions, ideas, let me know.

I am going to fully document this build all the way through building, to having it inspected by California B.A.R. and getting swap legally certified. Rule in CA is that engine has to be same year or newer, and same size or larger, with all emission components installed off of motor being swapped in.

 

More info on swap reason just posted...

Im not positive on 93 Protege clutch replacement, but it is not that hard to do even if engine did have to come out.