Still waiting for those pics!

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I forgot I had promised pics! I'll try and get them later today when I get back home. The car is down for a little while because the radiator fans gave out. I'm still contemplating getting a Honda-style double core half-radiator with a single, high-speed fan, mainly for my soon-to-come-to-life turbo build.

Since I'm going to be using the OEM 3sgte manifold with a T3 adapter and most likely getting a GT3071 (which is pretty big), I think I'd want the space for the turbo and other stuff there.

Here's one I took a couple hours ago. Car is still rough but it's slowly taking shape.

Hey that bumper looks good! Face lift version! It's like a huge splash of rejuvenating face cream, takes at least three years off! Now you too can look like a 16 year-old!
Are you gonna put some fog lights in there?
Me likey!

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Nope, no fog lights. Their place is going to be taken by 2.5" intercooler piping soon enough. I really want to restore the car's exterior too. It gives the car like an extra 10 years of age.

Yup! The younger the better! I'm aiming for that young and fresh look!
You keeping the black? I hope so, it looks great!

This post has been edited by Edser: Oct 21, 2012 - 4:55 PM

Definitely keeping the black... It's such a universal color, kinda like white.

I had thought about changing the color mainly because black is hard to maintain and in this island black isn't the most heat-friendly color... but I dont want to go through the process of changing colors legally and everything. I'll repaint and perhaps change colors using plastidip later on.

I have been tempted by dark metallic brown. I don't think it'll win me over though. I love Batman you see. Always wanted a Batmobile!
I didn't know what Plasti Dip was! Saw some vids on Youtube, that's just crazy! Have whatever colour you want with no long term consequences. That's just genius!

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Yeah it's awesome, it holds up incredibly well, too.

You know mazda3 from 2010+ have a dark and very metallic brown color option. It has gold sparkles and looks black in low light.

Ok, so as far as an update.

Car is down because the radiator fans went. Already ordered a slim fan from eBay. Hope it won't overheat on just 1 fan. My previous 5th gen didn't so I'm expecting it to be the same.

Got a set of Prothane front and rear sway bar bushings, 20mm and 17mm respectively. I measured my bars and the front is 20mm and the rear is 17mm, so I'm guessing that's the size of all GTs, at least pre-face.

Most likely ordering Speed Source polyurethane engine mounts, if I can find an application that'll fit the GT mounts. Thinking the MR2 NA ones will most likely fit.

Also ordering brass shifter cable bushings to replace my worn rubber ones, and aluminum shifter base bushings.

Waiting on a set of Tein S-techs to arrive, and those will go on with new strut mounts on the front, and perhaps the rear ones as well.

Thinking about buying poly swaybar endlinks (miata rear, GT4-Racing.eu fronts). That'd complete my suspension work for now, and hopefully will have the car tracking straight for a while. Having alignment issues and I'm betting it's due to the tired suspension components.

As for the engine, I got a set of OEM 3SGTE rods and I'm considering getting a set of 87.5mm CP 8.5:1 pistons and give the engine a rebuild and boost, and a new clutch. I have some of the turbo parts already so I might as well. I was considering doing a top end build as well, but I won't for now, I'll do that later on, but an engine rebuild is definitely due.

i have a complete 3S-GTE head if you want to go that route.

I was considering that possibility. What gen is it? If you could send pics it'd be nice.

Teins arrived, changed the oil filter to OE Toyota. It's physically different, probably holds more oil than the Purolator PureONE I had in there which looked like it was 2/3 the size.


Ordered brass shifter cable bushings on eBay. Still trying to find the base shifter bushings. Supposedly all FWD Toyotas are the same (speed source's application is "Most FWD manual toyotas, and MR2 and MR2 spyder) as can be seen on the image here: http://twosrus.com/catalog/product_info.ph...products_id=132

Might try my luck with them.

Ordered front strut mounts as well, with new boots and bumpstops. Going to install springs, mounts and swaybar bushings all together.

Update:

From top->bottom and left->right

Tein S-techs, Strut Boots, Front Strut Mounts, Polyurethane Endlinks, F&R Polyurethane Swaybar Bushings.

So..... I'm scheduled to drop the car on Saturday to have it painted..............................................

Took out the marshmallows!

The Celi is under the scalpel!

Your car is coming together real well mi hermano, keep it up!

Can't wait until I have it back... bodywork guy said ~5 days for:

1. Fixing dents
2. Cutting and patching a rust hole in the hatch
3. Deleting side markers
4. Fixing a light hit on the driver side low beam side
5. Sanding, priming and painting with 2K clear.

We'll see how it turns out. Car will stay black.

Progress Pics:

More pics!

Roof getting fixed... had to use generous amount of filler on it because of how bad it was:


Base coat on one side:

Gosh! I love when you can see how smooth and straight it is. Gives a real idea of how nice it's gonna be when finished.
I'll probably take my door handles off tho, even if its a bit of hassle.

This post has been edited by Edser: Nov 21, 2012 - 3:40 PM

Yeah my guy did a pretty good job. I can't wait for the end result... should be around tomorrow.

Couple coats of clear, prior to buffing:

















This post has been edited by Syaoran: Nov 23, 2012 - 1:45 AM

OH YEAH! Looking good!

Thanks!

I hate me and my obsession with wheels... but I'm getting a new set of wheels. 17x7.5 +43 are the specs, and they look like this:

It's done!

You did a great job man. Looks great.

I don't like taking credit for work I didn't do I had it done by someone who is starting out his business here in the Island. Lives a couple of minutes from me, and I've seen his work. He does good stuff, IMO, so I took it to him because of of his crazy low price (he's trying to be very competitive to get a customer base first). This would've cost me near $1500 anywhere else, and he did it for $750.

It included getting the driver side low beam to sit properly, fixing all the dents and scratches, sanding, fixing a hole in the hatch, and priming, paint and clear.

The guy is so good he's bringing the car to me so I don't have to drive to his place. He's 30 mins away from me, which isn't far, but I don't know how to get there since it's mostly rural area, and he's not going to charge me anything for it. I, of course, offered to pay him a meal.

I'll keep posting pics of stuff I'm going to be doing (wheels, springs, suspension etc. and hope to get some engine work done soon) For now, I'm getting closer to where I want to be

This will definately will be a thread I will enjoy following. Keep up the good work. And giving credit where it's due. That is a great price for a paint job including all the body repairs. I'm paying 1500 for mine, like you mentioned, lol. It will be primer, top coat, and clear as well. I have one bad fender, he said he is going to replace with new. He is also going to remold my body kit. He said he will do it with fiberglass filler, so hope it'll hold better than before. Anyways, I'll post those once I get the car back. Best of luck with everything.