1977 RA28 Celica Liftback with 18R-GU - Yorkton, SK

[andrewzuku]

Hey again,

I posted most of these photos in my "Introduce Yourself Here" thread, but I wanted to add more since I put the chrome strip back on the sills and took some photos in a canola field (Sheho, Saskatchewan, Canada).



Here's the older photos, and a link to lots more if you're interested: http://www.retrojdm.com/GalleryView.asp?GalleryID=1






Edit: Here's more info on the car

I'm from Australia, so 1st gen Celica's are a tiny bit easier to find. I imported it with me when I came here last year, although it's looking like I'm heading back soon (indecisive girlfriend), and will have to either sell it or bring it back with me. The price I can get will decide which.

I had wanted one for a while and missed a few opportunities by hesitating, so when one came up in Melbourne that looked fairly complete with both an 18R-GU, manual transmission and black interior, I jumped on it. I ended up flying down and driving it back 1,800km home to the Gold Coast.

The seller told me it had low compression on one cylinder. That didn't stop me abolutely loving the drive home, though!

After getting it back home, I spent the next 2 years slowely collecting parts and restoring it, including the wheels, interior, and rebuilding the engine.

The low compression, it turns out was from worn rings, and valve stem seals on two cylinders. It also had a set or reground 288? duration cams installed but didn't have high compression pistons to match, so all they did was lower the dynamic compression and make it run worse. I replaced them with standard cams from an 18R-GR and put the 288? cams aside for when I eventually build an angryish 2.2L NA 18R-G.

Engine

• 18R-GU (88253 head)
• 18R-GR cams (88230)
• New rings and honed bore, plus reconditioned head about 5000km ago
• Twin 45DCOE Webers (34mm ckokes, F2 emulsion tubes, ...)
• Factory air filter housing (the airbox part where the actual filter live is a MacGyver effort from a caserole dish)
• Jidosha Kiki Elecric Fuel Pump
• Holley Fuel Pressure Regulator (set at 2.75 psi) and 1.5" Gauge
• Crane Cams XR700 "Fireball" Electronic Ignition (optical sensor instead of points)
• Bosch GT40 coil
• Twin 10" electric fans controlled by a Davies Craig Thermatic Fan Controller
• Pacemaker 4-2-1 headers
• Aftermarket exhaust with 3" tip
• 825 CCA battery

Drivetrain

• 5-speed W50 manual transmission
• T292 6.7" 4.1 diff (41/10) 2-pinion open
• King Springs lowered springs
• TA23 Hubs/Disc/Struts (so I could fit 13" wheels like the JDM version. Australian RA28s have 14" wheels like USDM RA29s)
• 13" Steel GT wheels, powdercoated with two coats of "Gunmetal Pearl"
• 185/70R13 Bridgestone Turanza ER-60 tyres (incl. spare)

Body

• Redish orange paint (colour code: 336)
• RA25/TA27 "Banana" tail lights
• Fender Mirrors (Genuine Celica "bullet" type)
• GT Grille
• Celica Script and blue dragon emblems
• GT Stripes
• Chrome "Smiley" bumper bars (standard in Australia, but a big deal here)

Interior

• Seats retrimmed in GT style with "basketweave" insert material and breather eyelets
• Unmolested radio bezel
• DIY Arduino Car Stereo: see http://www.retrojdm.com/ArduinoCarStereo.asp
• GT Center console
• GT Oil/Amp gauges
• GT Steering wheel
• Aftermarket Air/Fuel Ratio gauge

[76RA24]

cool,

whats the stereo ? fits nice. Aux Jack?

welcome.

[andrewzuku]

I built the stereo completely from scratch (based on the AM/FM/MPX stereo in the 1st gen Supra and Toyota trucks of the time). Here's a link to the build diary:
http://www.retrojdm.com/ArduinoCarStereo.asp

It's built around an Arduino MEGA 2560. I designed and had the circuit board printed, designed and had the face machined, wrote the code, and put it all together in a broken radio case.

And yep, it's got Line-in, FM radio, and USB-in

[sleepy]

That is so awesome!

[jiggy]

that stereo is amazing!

[andrewzuku]

Thanks. It was actually quite fun to do! I'd recommend a project like that to anyone who likes making things - although there's a bit of a learning curve if you have no experience with coding or electronics.

The coding was easy for me, since that's what I do for a living. But the circuit boards and soldering etc was new to me. I learned as I went with this radio.

There's so much potential for car mods with things like the Arduino.

[76RA24]

that stereo is everything i was looking for. minus hands free phone bluetooth stuff. my car is too loud anyways for that.

well done sir.

Pete

[Sparkie]

things like the Arduino.

you have inspired sadness in my heart.

but cool stereo. muscle car guys have options like this that fit the same form factor I believe.

[andrewzuku]

76RA24, There's actually room on the audio processor IC for one more input. I was thinking of adding bluetooth via an RN-52 Bluetooth Audio Module from sparkfun.

Sparkie, the most famous of these is the retrosound, which my brother has in his Datsun 1000. Not being able to fit one of these without cutting my center console was the inspiration for this project!

[Sparkie]

That is indeed cool. More info about your project?

[andrewzuku]

I just edited the first post with a whole bunch of info...

[76RA24]

...
I'm from Australia, so 1st gen Celica's are a tiny bit easier to find. I imported it with me when I came here last year, although it's looking like I'm heading back soon (indecisive girlfriend), and will have to either sell it or bring it back with me. The price I can get will decide which ...

before you go back come to the west coast and check it out.

pete

[andrewzuku]

We were all set to visit BC, but then there were bush fires. Now I'm out of time and money.

My girlfriend's actually from here (Yorkton), and has lived and worked in BC. I want to stay, but she can't deal with winter anymore and misses her Australian friends.

It's a ****ty situation and incredible waste of money (shipping the car is about $6k each way), but at least I didn't pay rent or many bills for most of this year so it kinda cancels itself out.

[76RA24]

We were all set to visit BC, but then there were bush fires. Now I'm out of time and money.

My girlfriend's actually from here (Yorkton), and has lived and worked in BC. I want to stay, but she can't deal with winter anymore and misses her Australian friends.

It's a ****ty situation and incredible waste of money (shipping the car is about $6k each way), but at least I didn't pay rent or many bills for most of this year so it kinda cancels itself out.

bummer. would have been nice to see some more celica's around.

been failing mine for the past couple months fun but tickets suck.

Cheers
Pete