QWKsilvr808
12-17-2001, 09:43 PM
Just outta curiosity to find out what cars you've had before getting your Celicas (or MR2s and 4runners :))... and if this the first car you've begun to build?
1. Mercury Cougar XR7: I think it was an '88, forget, but I do remember that it had a 5.0 V8 in it. Lotsa balls and terrible gas mileage. Didn't handle worth crap. 1st car so oh wells.
2. '84 Toyota Celica GT fastback: hey it was blue, clean, and had pretty good gas mileage. Auto too, but hell at that point I really wasn't driving standard too well. Got me and the GF around so that was all that mattered.
3. '83 Nissan/Datsun 280ZX: my first standard car! Rear wheel drive but really heavy. Had a lot of fun with this car, but wasted too much money on stereo equipment. Fiddled around with mods a bit, Suspension Techniques springs and sways (didn't have too many options here), KYB struts, headers (forget what the name was of the company I got 'em from, but it was mail-order), but overall not much. Then I blew the head off the engine by downshifting to 2nd on the freeway. Like I said, wasn't too keen on the mechanics of the standard tranny at this point, but had to learn the hard way that just because 2nd gear pulls the hardest doesn't mean you can use it anytime you want the car to pull hard hehe. Warped the head, burned a 4 valves, and scored the tops of three pistons. Got to learn alot putting this back together, since my uncle did the rebuild free but made me help put it together so I wouldn't be stupid again. In the process we milled the head a few thousands, slapped in a new set of performance cams from (ick again forget what the name of the company was, but it's for Z enthusiasts based in Cali) and the car ran really strong after, but would ping occasionally even on 92 octane. Had a wide-body kit bought in from Cali, which never got installed because I never got around to the body work. The kit is still sitting in Ernie Cruz's garage I believe (my uncle knows a lot of local entertainers). That car rusted to the ground after I parked it at my uncle's house and was eventually caved in by a couple of roque coconuts from the tree it was parked under. Oh wells.
4. '89 Honda CRX Si: Still had the original D-series 1.6 in it when I sold it at 144k miles. My first real project car that I actually knew what I was doing with. Wasted a lot of money on it. Everything around the engine was eventually replaced, radiator, starter, ignitor, alternator, air conditioning system (twice actually, ouch!). Did most of the work myself with the help of my uncle. Experimented alot with suspension heights, first with Neuspeed Race (WAY too low), then Sportlines (little better but still too low), and finally settling on Pro-kits. I paired them with Tokiko HP's (blues), and a set of Neuspeed sways (front and rear) and front strut bar. Also went thru a fair share of rims, first 15" Buddy Club P1s, then I bought a set of 15" SSR Type X's from my friend, but a year before selling the car I sold them and got a set of 16" SSR Type V's. Normal bolt on's - RS Akimoto Funnel Ram II, DC Sports ceramic coated headers, Trust Exhaust w/custom stainless piping (no resonator), Gude Bullfrog cam, MSD ignition, NGK wires and plugs. The car was getting keyed alot so everytime I got a new one I'd cover it up with a sticker, had a little too many after awhile. Finally went for the gusto and did a complete paint job and had Daniel mold a new RS kit on. He also took all the little (and big) dents out and fixed my malfunctioning sunroof. Slapped on a Mugen-style wing and tinted the car with 12% Quantum. Just loved it after. Spent 2gs on the new stereo system I put in it, Clarion 8575z headunit, A/D/S 335is 5.25" separates in front and Boston 6.5" RM6's in the rear, running off of a 550 watt Crossfire 5-channel amp, with a single JL 10W3 in custom enclosure firing in the rear. Great car, I really miss it. Saw it recently and apparently it is now a beach beater/ricer racer. :(
5. '94 Honda Accord LX: this baby is just simple transportation. Low key and efficient, not gonna do a single thing to it - but I did consider slapping a turbo in there to make it a sleeper. Not a serious idea tho.
6. 2001 Toyota Celica GT-S: we all know about it, but there's lots more to come. :)
If this isn't your first car you've decided to build, what got you started? This is just another in a long line of learning and spending. :D
1. Mercury Cougar XR7: I think it was an '88, forget, but I do remember that it had a 5.0 V8 in it. Lotsa balls and terrible gas mileage. Didn't handle worth crap. 1st car so oh wells.
2. '84 Toyota Celica GT fastback: hey it was blue, clean, and had pretty good gas mileage. Auto too, but hell at that point I really wasn't driving standard too well. Got me and the GF around so that was all that mattered.
3. '83 Nissan/Datsun 280ZX: my first standard car! Rear wheel drive but really heavy. Had a lot of fun with this car, but wasted too much money on stereo equipment. Fiddled around with mods a bit, Suspension Techniques springs and sways (didn't have too many options here), KYB struts, headers (forget what the name was of the company I got 'em from, but it was mail-order), but overall not much. Then I blew the head off the engine by downshifting to 2nd on the freeway. Like I said, wasn't too keen on the mechanics of the standard tranny at this point, but had to learn the hard way that just because 2nd gear pulls the hardest doesn't mean you can use it anytime you want the car to pull hard hehe. Warped the head, burned a 4 valves, and scored the tops of three pistons. Got to learn alot putting this back together, since my uncle did the rebuild free but made me help put it together so I wouldn't be stupid again. In the process we milled the head a few thousands, slapped in a new set of performance cams from (ick again forget what the name of the company was, but it's for Z enthusiasts based in Cali) and the car ran really strong after, but would ping occasionally even on 92 octane. Had a wide-body kit bought in from Cali, which never got installed because I never got around to the body work. The kit is still sitting in Ernie Cruz's garage I believe (my uncle knows a lot of local entertainers). That car rusted to the ground after I parked it at my uncle's house and was eventually caved in by a couple of roque coconuts from the tree it was parked under. Oh wells.
4. '89 Honda CRX Si: Still had the original D-series 1.6 in it when I sold it at 144k miles. My first real project car that I actually knew what I was doing with. Wasted a lot of money on it. Everything around the engine was eventually replaced, radiator, starter, ignitor, alternator, air conditioning system (twice actually, ouch!). Did most of the work myself with the help of my uncle. Experimented alot with suspension heights, first with Neuspeed Race (WAY too low), then Sportlines (little better but still too low), and finally settling on Pro-kits. I paired them with Tokiko HP's (blues), and a set of Neuspeed sways (front and rear) and front strut bar. Also went thru a fair share of rims, first 15" Buddy Club P1s, then I bought a set of 15" SSR Type X's from my friend, but a year before selling the car I sold them and got a set of 16" SSR Type V's. Normal bolt on's - RS Akimoto Funnel Ram II, DC Sports ceramic coated headers, Trust Exhaust w/custom stainless piping (no resonator), Gude Bullfrog cam, MSD ignition, NGK wires and plugs. The car was getting keyed alot so everytime I got a new one I'd cover it up with a sticker, had a little too many after awhile. Finally went for the gusto and did a complete paint job and had Daniel mold a new RS kit on. He also took all the little (and big) dents out and fixed my malfunctioning sunroof. Slapped on a Mugen-style wing and tinted the car with 12% Quantum. Just loved it after. Spent 2gs on the new stereo system I put in it, Clarion 8575z headunit, A/D/S 335is 5.25" separates in front and Boston 6.5" RM6's in the rear, running off of a 550 watt Crossfire 5-channel amp, with a single JL 10W3 in custom enclosure firing in the rear. Great car, I really miss it. Saw it recently and apparently it is now a beach beater/ricer racer. :(
5. '94 Honda Accord LX: this baby is just simple transportation. Low key and efficient, not gonna do a single thing to it - but I did consider slapping a turbo in there to make it a sleeper. Not a serious idea tho.
6. 2001 Toyota Celica GT-S: we all know about it, but there's lots more to come. :)
If this isn't your first car you've decided to build, what got you started? This is just another in a long line of learning and spending. :D