Project Silly Celica.....*it runs, vid page11*

[Quick72Toy]

WOW! I just happened to stumble across this post the other night and read it all. What a journey! Hats off to you Steve!!! Thanks for sharing this. You have done such fabulous fabrication work, and have made a beast! I was fascinate by your post because I have gone through a similar journey (different drive train. 3.8 Turbo Buick) of engine swaps, and have felt your pain, regarding different transmissions, read ends, fuel stuff, etc. LOL I wont hijack your post here, and start my own. but just wanted to say well done sir!

Cheers,
Paul

[Steve Groenink]

Got the fab9 all built and installed


Final ride height, tossed the fender and door on to see how it sits. Haven't decided if I'm going to graft the stock steel fender lips back in or run the carbon flares


Pulled the body off to weld up the top of the tubes that I couldn't access with the body on

[clay72]

If you could put the steel ones on I think that would be sweet.

[Kustom]

Damn this thing is cool! Keep up the good work

[Steve Groenink]

Tin work done


Stripped down and ready for paint



Painted using some 2k catalized spray cans


Tin work powder coated then attached using a thin bead of seam sealer to prevent rattles and keep the elements out and fastened down with 6/32 button head screws. No rivets here!


Chassis starting to be assembled, then onto attaching the body and sealing that all up




Cleaned up and rebuilt the heads. These are square port LS3 heads. Lapped the valves, BTR trunion upgrades, BTR .660 lift platinum double valve springs, new valve seals, tool steel retainers. Because I'm a cheap Dutchman and everything was in good shape I decided to resurface the block and heads myself in preparation for the new LS9 headgaskets using a 1/4" sheet of glass, some spray glue and a few sheets of sandpaper. Using this method works great cause the glass isn't going to bend/warp or distort and gives a great low buck alternative to having to pay a machine shop to surface them, sure it doesn't square the deck to the mains etc but should work great if everything is already in good condition

Ignore the streaks in the picture, it's just leftover wd40 I used as sanding lube

[DiscoQuinn]

This looks dope Steve.

Is there a reason your tie rods are on an angle back to the knuckles?

[Sparkie]

Is there a reason your tie rods are on an angle back to the knuckles?

Same question here, but I wanted to add I am also a cheap (half) dutchman and approve 110% of your head lapping methods.

[clay72]

I guess you'r not worried that the thinning of the spark plug boss will bea hot spot? I suppose the spark plug body will conduct the heat away.

The loss of compression though. Sad. Tremendous loss. Bad deal.

[Steve Groenink]

I guess you'r not worried that the thinning of the spark plug boss will bea hot spot? I suppose the spark plug body will conduct the heat away.

The loss of compression though. Sad. Tremendous loss. Bad deal.

LOL the <0.001" of material removed won't have any effect on anything other than helping the MLS gaskets have a better chance at keeping the boost in!

This looks dope Steve.

Is there a reason your tie rods are on an angle back to the knuckles?

It's just the way it's done on these cars and has no discernible affect on bump-steer, I've cycled the suspension from full compression to full droop with no change. It also moves the rack further forward and allows more clearance so the crankshaft center line can be lower for weight distribution purposes

[clay72]

So it's standard for the spark plug boss to be machined flat like that? I guess it only makes sense, they aren't going to have the milling machine dodge those little nubs.

I am sure you understand I was being sarcastic. It is weird to see a 2v 1UZ head though.

Rack fore-aft will have a large effect on ackerman. Probably not much of a concern when you are running skinnies!

[captain carnage]

Not knocking the motor choice, but mind if I ask what inspired it? 1UZ giving troubles?

[clay72]

I would think fast:$ ratio is a big one.

Parts availability too?

[Steve Groenink]

So it's standard for the spark plug boss to be machined flat like that? I guess it only makes sense, they aren't going to have the milling machine dodge those little nubs.

I am sure you understand I was being sarcastic. It is weird to see a 2v 1UZ head though.

Rack fore-aft will have a large effect on ackerman. Probably not much of a concern when you are running skinnies!

Nah Ackerman is a product of the outer tie rod-> steering knuckle location in relation to the vertical line drawn through the upper/lower ball joint centreline. Everything here is by the blueprints, done by people with way more experience and brains than me and is the same geometry for door cars running 5 seconds@250+ mph in the 1/4 so I'm very confident it all works as intended

[Steve Groenink]

Not knocking the motor choice, but mind if I ask what inspired it? 1UZ giving troubles?

The 1uz never gave me any troubles other than needing an SFI approved harmonic balancer and flexplate which neither has an off the shelf availability, meaning minimum 10 qty ordered. That and the next step in durability for rods and pistons gets exponentially more expensive.

[clay72]

Fore/aft placement of the rack also has effect on ackerman. Basically it affects the rate of angle increase on the tie road which in turn changes the motion ratio at the knuckle.

Not trying to say anything is bad or good, knowing you I am sure your chassis is bang on for it's purpose.

There are a number of the products on the market for modifying ackerman by moving the steering rack:

https://www.steeda.com/steeda-1985-2...-555-4013.html
https://store.partsshopmax.com/shop/...g/SREBS14.html

EDIT:

That said, the effect of rack placement on ackerman could be nullified 100% by knuckle design as you described. I'd be curious what is designed into a drag chassis.

[bryce_k]

Man Steve. I haven't been on here in a couple years. I came to check out where you and widebodystsrlet were with at. And man that thing looks absolutely ridiculous. I've always admired your work. On a side note. The guy who bought you old burgandy/candy red ae86 that you have the 1uz in it but removed when you sold it to him. He bought my f20c corolla and put two and two together. He is considering selling it. Just figured I'd give you an update in case you were ever wondering what happened to it.

[Steve Groenink]

Man Steve. I haven't been on here in a couple years. I came to check out where you and widebodystsrlet were with at. And man that thing looks absolutely ridiculous. I've always admired your work. On a side note. The guy who bought you old burgandy/candy red ae86 that you have the 1uz in it but removed when you sold it to him. He bought my f20c corolla and put two and two together. He is considering selling it. Just figured I'd give you an update in case you were ever wondering what happened to it.

Yeah I'd talked to him when he had it up for sale, wanted a pretty premium price for it though! Zongo is coming along slowly but surely and should be out making some noise in the next few weeks!

[Steve Groenink]

Picture dump of the last month

Wheel tub progress



Mocking up the close-in panels


Just a few of the pressure sensors I'll be datalogging on the new ms3pro-ultimate!


And some new Badass IGN1A coils from diyautotune
[url=http://s1110.photobucket.com/user/sgroenink/media/17C8F0D8-F512-4201-9438-647192C77749.jpg.html][/url

rear suspension



wiring progress


Transmission tunnel, factory signal/ignition switch/dashboard all going back in




rear quarter windows back in


Getting a rough weight for the car with the scales, happy to say I'll be either right on goal weight or even under!



Turbo Plumbing work done


Most of the engine related fabrication work done

[dano]

this car has seen more welding than 5 cars put together!!!

[clay72]

So excited for all kinds of video!

Back to the candy apple, or are you planning to switch it up?