Project Cheap SOB - why coupes are still better than hatches!

[celica-fiend]

As the title says.. My recent purchase is as shown below.. at the moment it appears to be an 85 GTS with some rust in the rear quarters and spots on the sunroof, but otherwise pretty good (that may change as I pull some pieces apart.. if it does.. the project may tank) .. only 175000k on the odo..

Current known problems:

Blown HG
Suspension is toast
Ebrakes seized
Rust in rear quarters.

Current Goal:

Lightly mod'd, free of visible rust, daily driver with a minimum of bling..

If no major rust demons appear in the next few days of work.. I'll do this one and then sell my '87.

Ive just been given the go-ahead by the landlord to use the "garage" and with the help of Birch (thanks again man) this morning I used my poor '87 to shove this one in there.. I use quotes around garage 'cause the ceiling maxes out at about 6'4" and mins at about 5'9" (Im 6'2") .. Ive got about a foot in front of the car and a 18 inches on each side of it.. but.. its warm-ish and rain free.

Im supposed to have some vacation in the next few days.. so I'll get the headgasket done and the brakes working 100% and then get a good look at where else the rust demons may be lurking.





Brett

[nusneak]

Nice, kinda like my old two-tone coupe. They are hot

[Brian]

Head gasket? Fun stuff. Nice to know you'll bump your head... perhaps park the car so you have more headroom? And jack it up a foot or two to a comfortable working height so that you don't bust your back.

[celica-fiend]

Yeah, Ive got the car nose down slope so Ive got enough room to stand where I'll be workin etc.. its just up from about the rear quarter glass that things get tight

Meh, boss isnt apparently getting back into town tonite to check his phone messages and ok my vacation time.. I guess Im going to work tomorrow instead of workin on the car..

Brett

[bodaciousbob]

Dammit!

I want a coupe :cursing:

[SuprltvCnspircy]

woot for coupe!

[DiscoQuinn]

Eww: for ugly Zenki Nose

Woot: for a beautiful coupe with a decent body!

Overall, you've won my love.

[narfy]

good luck on your project brett... thaz gonna be as pimp as my resto project when i'm done... 'cept mine will be stock..

[celica-fiend]

Eww: for ugly Zenki Nose

Woot: for a beautiful coupe with a decent body!

Overall, you've won my love.

well heck, mission accomplished then..

actually I tend to agree on the Zenki nose.. good thing Ive got a complete Kouki setup in my parts stash.. now Ive just gotta get a set of JDM tails or at least try and tint these ones darker (after polishing) to see if that makes them look better (really prefer the kouki tails)..

Brett

[SuprltvCnspircy]

im guessing this car wasnt running when you bought it? im just assuming by the plug wires not connected and no MAS infront of the TB... or did you already attack it?

[celica-fiend]

heh, well it wasnt running, but the attack had started a few weeks ago before it was called because of rain and work-travel.. now that its inside, Ive begun again..

reason for its inability to move before was blown head gasket..

Brett

[AndyS]

Looks just like my coupe...before I got to it

Save your head a few bumps and pull off the hood. 10 mins well spent

-Andy

[celica-fiend]

Got everything but the head off now.. and .. umm.. eeww?




Hopefully things look better below when I yank the head.. whats this from, no oil changes?? odo's only showing 175k..

On the upside.. I was underneath the car loosening those gawd-awful exhaust support to bellhousing bolts and she's very very clean.. no more rust to be found..

Brett

[Brian]

Hopefully things look better below when I yank the head.. whats this from, no oil changes?? odo's only showing 175k..

On the upside.. I was underneath the car loosening those gawd-awful exhaust support to bellhousing bolts and she's very very clean.. no more rust to be found..

Brett

Yes, that's from lack of maintenance. Send the valve covers for tanking, or replace them with better ones.

When doing a head gasket, you don't have to undo the exhaust at all, you can leave it in the car. Lift head slightly, then slide the head sideways to get it out...

[celica-fiend]

Yes, that's from lack of maintenance. Send the valve covers for tanking, or replace them with better ones.

When doing a head gasket, you don't have to undo the exhaust at all, you can leave it in the car. Lift head slightly, then slide the head sideways to get it out...

Yup, I didnt disregard your advice entirely.. I just loosened those 2 bolts a couple turns and got another 1/2-3/4 inch of movement outta the pipe.. I like having a bit of wiggle room myself.. and hey.. Ive got all the time in the world to do this

and yes, to put it mildly, the head will get cleaned, the vc's will get tanked.. as will the gummy TVIS plate, possibly the intake manifold..

Brett

[conradical72]

Looks like you're starting off with a really solid car, good stuff I'm a fan of the zenki myself but it's all preference. Just curious, what do you mean by 'tanked'? Soak it in a solution?

[Brian]

Looks like you're starting off with a really solid car, good stuff I'm a fan of the zenki myself but it's all preference. Just curious, what do you mean by 'tanked'? Soak it in a solution?

An engine machine shop will have a chemical tank to clean aluminum, and a "hot tank" to clean cast iron.

Makes them clean and shiny like new. but you gotta paint them afterwards.

[celica-fiend]

An engine machine shop will have a chemical tank to clean aluminum, and a "hot tank" to clean cast iron.

Makes them clean and shiny like new. but you gotta paint them afterwards.

You -are- referring to just the cast iron wrt painting correct?

Brett

[narfy]

You -are- referring to just the cast iron wrt painting correct?

Brett

if ya tank the head, it won't need to be painted... if u tank the block, it'll need to be painted.. but by the sounds of it, the block's staying in the car... so tank the head, find some valve covers, or tank those too, and then paint your valve covers after, or it'll look real ugly and oxidize real quickly...

u should go for a body colour valve cover colour scheme...

[celica-fiend]

if ya tank the head, it won't need to be painted... if u tank the block, it'll need to be painted.. but by the sounds of it, the block's staying in the car... so tank the head, find some valve covers, or tank those too, and then paint your valve covers after, or it'll look real ugly and oxidize real quickly...

u should go for a body colour valve cover colour scheme...

yeah the block is staying in the car.. and I'd planned on powdercoating the valve covers a nice shiny black and polishing up the letters real nice n bright..

Brett