Stupid Impluse buy or lucky newb???

OkieRA29 · 09-11-2008, 03:57 AM

I currently am restoring an RA29(1976 liftback celica) seen here

Right now she is running a slightly modded 20R with a weber sidedraft and headers. I had fancied dropping a 7M-GE/GTE in if I came across one cheaply enough. Last night my friend calls me about a car on craigslist and asks me to check it out this morning. Long story short, I saved this from the crusher this morning.

For my 200$ I got a fairly intact 87 N/A. The starter was broken off the engine. From what I can figure, the transmission was replaced and the starter was not installed properly. Eventually, one of the starter bolts backed out and the starter torqued enough to break off the other ear. the second bolt is complete, but the starter housing itself is broken. The transmission is unknown as to just how old it is. I can't see it having more than a couple thousand miles on it as it is still very clean in comparison to the rest of the car. The guy I bought it from said the transmission went and after replacing it the car never really got back on the road. The interior is trashed, console inserts in the back seat, heater/AC controls on the front floorboard, radio in the back seat, but a quick inventory lead me to believe everything is there, which is better than my celica. The windows(power) are stuck down at the moment. The keys are none existant, so I haven't even turned it on to see what happens. I located a new ignition/key and starter off of craigslist for less than 50 bucks combined. I hope to pick them up this weekend. The engine looks like a 20 year old engine.

I hope to get the new ignition and starter installed this weekend and then get it started to figure out the squawks. I know that I should expect the headgasket to be dead, but I am hoping not. If things go well, after some seat covers, she may become a driver

btwilson86 · 09-11-2008, 05:54 AM

I always like hearing about people getting REALLY cheap cars and putting them back on the road... I see you have TEMS and ABS, nice find for the $200 bucks. My $150 87 N/A has the sport package with TEMS, but no ABS... Guess that's what the extra 50 bucks is for haha

OkieRA29 · 09-11-2008, 08:57 AM

Okay, forgive my newb-ness... (is that a word?) What is TEMS. Some sort of Engine Management? I know what ABS is

I am kind of stoked. I really hope that she will run by next week. The more I look at it the more I can't believe that I bought it.

CyFi6 · 09-11-2008, 10:03 AM

Cant go wrong for 200 bucks! If nothing else it will be a fun car just to beat on. TEMS is an electronic suspension system, you can switch modes to make the shock absorbers more or less aggressive for driving comfort/sporty driving.

Chambers · 09-11-2008, 01:04 PM

Wow, I always liked those old Celicas, keep on that restoration.

Not a bad buy for $200, it doesn't look to bad. Make sure you get some brake fluid for your master cylinders.

Good luck.

OkieRA29 · 09-16-2008, 02:38 AM

Yeah, the celica is fun. It is to replace my first car, which I sold years ago and never got over. This one is going to take some time to get up and running. Good news is I bought it from the original owner and he is a toyota mechanic. He also sold me the parts car you see behind it. The only thing I am really missing is an upper console insert for the radio. No rust and he took care of it. All told, I am only in the celica for 700$ including the NOS weber and cannon intake.
Good and bad news concerning the supra. I got the new ignition cylinder and key and the starter yesterday. The guy I bought it from uses the 7M in pickups. He had an 88 shell sitting out by his shop. We got to talking and he says...
"I've got a lot of extra parts in that shell. If there are some you need you can take 'em"

I ended up with the driver's side door panel that I needed. The speaker grills that go behind the rear seat. A new rear seat and cargo area floor complete with carpet and padding. A new console insert with shifter boot. He also said he would sell me the front bumper for 15$.

Now for the bad news. In the process of removing the old ignition cylinder, we kind of fubar-ed the ignition switch. We did, by rigging something up get the new ignition cylinder to work. The electrics seem fine. I was able to get the windows up and they stayed. All the caution lights and such came on and then went off in the correct time. So we went for it and tried to start it. Now, since we have not replaced the starter I knew that it would not start per se, but the starter did engage and spin. I also tried to turn the engine over by hand and everything worked there. Next will come replacing the starter. We were too short on time to get it done yet. Once that is done, I will replace the ignition switch. Luckily, the local Pull-a-Parts just got a '90 in and it still has the ignition switch, but not the cylinder. Hopefully, after that it will start right up and we can see what happens. The gas gauge reads half full, so that at least is optomistic

I still need to find a new back for the passengers side seat. Are the backs of the front seats interchangeable if removed from the frame. The P.A.P. supra has a good driver's seat, but a crappy passenger's seat.

Chambers · 09-16-2008, 03:28 AM

Good to hear you got your windows up and gave it a crank.

I think you can interchange the seat backs, but I'm not positive though.

Good luck.

Grandavi · 09-16-2008, 04:20 AM

You bought it from the previous owner.. not a wrecking yard.. if I understand correctly. If it was a wrecking yard, I would go through the trouble of draining and flushing the tank... but im fussy.

Sounds like you ran into an excellent project. I have had a 72/73/76/80/81 Celica... (not listing the Corollas) and the only thing I didn't like about the 76 was that the car was solid, but the gas pedal was super light. I had to keep it pegged to the boards... it just wouldn't resist my foot.

Rebuilt that motor and if I remember right it didn't have the dual webbers, but I did have a Prelude with duals (thats stock on certain years). The only issue with them was the rubber intake pipe cracking (spider cracks). I duct taped mine just for fun and it ran great. Very nice car, those 76's. Handle really well and if done nice are pleasing to the eye.

OkieRA29 · 09-16-2008, 01:38 PM

Yeah, I am gonna keep the 76 pretty much old school. The original owner has some late 70s rims that I am trying to talk him out of. I have a set of shadow louvers for the rear hatch. I also have some toyota mud guards to go on the rear of the wheelwells. There are a couple of 1st gen preludes in the local P.A.P. as well. I will have to look and see what they are running. Hoping to get by the yard at lunch today and pull the ignition switch.

09-11-2008, 03:57 AM	#1
OkieRA29 Stock Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 29	Stupid Impluse buy or lucky newb??? I currently am restoring an RA29(1976 liftback celica) seen here Right now she is running a slightly modded 20R with a weber sidedraft and headers. I had fancied dropping a 7M-GE/GTE in if I came across one cheaply enough. Last night my friend calls me about a car on craigslist and asks me to check it out this morning. Long story short, I saved this from the crusher this morning. For my 200$ I got a fairly intact 87 N/A. The starter was broken off the engine. From what I can figure, the transmission was replaced and the starter was not installed properly. Eventually, one of the starter bolts backed out and the starter torqued enough to break off the other ear. the second bolt is complete, but the starter housing itself is broken. The transmission is unknown as to just how old it is. I can't see it having more than a couple thousand miles on it as it is still very clean in comparison to the rest of the car. The guy I bought it from said the transmission went and after replacing it the car never really got back on the road. The interior is trashed, console inserts in the back seat, heater/AC controls on the front floorboard, radio in the back seat, but a quick inventory lead me to believe everything is there, which is better than my celica. The windows(power) are stuck down at the moment. The keys are none existant, so I haven't even turned it on to see what happens. I located a new ignition/key and starter off of craigslist for less than 50 bucks combined. I hope to pick them up this weekend. The engine looks like a 20 year old engine. I hope to get the new ignition and starter installed this weekend and then get it started to figure out the squawks. I know that I should expect the headgasket to be dead, but I am hoping not. If things go well, after some seat covers, she may become a driver

09-11-2008, 05:54 AM	#2
btwilson86 Super Moderator Join Date: May 2007 Location: Billings, Montana Posts: 1,034	I always like hearing about people getting REALLY cheap cars and putting them back on the road... I see you have TEMS and ABS, nice find for the $200 bucks. My $150 87 N/A has the sport package with TEMS, but no ABS... Guess that's what the extra 50 bucks is for haha __________________ 1989 7MGTE R154 Targa Top White Package w/Blue Interior Driftmotion 57trim CT26, Upgraded Intercooler, 2.25" Hard Pipes, 3" Turbo Back Exhaust with Test Pipe, HKS VPC w/GM 3 bar MAP sensor, APEXi S-AFC, Walbro 255lph fuel pump, ProSport EVO Series Boost / Fuel Pressure / AFR gauges, Lotek a Pillar Gauge Pod, HKS Type 0 Turbo Timer, Eibach Lowering Springs, Tokico Illumina II TEMS struts, custom powder coated Motegi Racing TrakLite wheels

09-11-2008, 01:04 PM	#5
Chambers walbro fp Join Date: May 2007 Location: USA - Harford County, Maryland Posts: 481	Wow, I always liked those old Celicas, keep on that restoration. Not a bad buy for $200, it doesn't look to bad. Make sure you get some brake fluid for your master cylinders. Good luck. __________________ Whats in the garage, well.... in the yard. 1986.5 Toyota Supra - NA - 5 spd 1986 Ford Ranger Lowrider - 5 spd 1984 Ford Ranger XLT - 7" Lift - 4X4 - Auto "Stuck in the 80's"

09-16-2008, 03:28 AM	#7
Chambers walbro fp Join Date: May 2007 Location: USA - Harford County, Maryland Posts: 481	Good to hear you got your windows up and gave it a crank. I think you can interchange the seat backs, but I'm not positive though. Good luck. __________________ Whats in the garage, well.... in the yard. 1986.5 Toyota Supra - NA - 5 spd 1986 Ford Ranger Lowrider - 5 spd 1984 Ford Ranger XLT - 7" Lift - 4X4 - Auto "Stuck in the 80's"

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09-11-2008, 08:57 AM	#3
OkieRA29 Stock Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 29	Okay, forgive my newb-ness... (is that a word?) What is TEMS. Some sort of Engine Management? I know what ABS is I am kind of stoked. I really hope that she will run by next week. The more I look at it the more I can't believe that I bought it.

09-11-2008, 10:03 AM	#4
CyFi6 3" Exhaust Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: SLO Posts: 234	Cant go wrong for 200 bucks! If nothing else it will be a fun car just to beat on. TEMS is an electronic suspension system, you can switch modes to make the shock absorbers more or less aggressive for driving comfort/sporty driving.

09-16-2008, 02:38 AM	#6
OkieRA29 Stock Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 29	Yeah, the celica is fun. It is to replace my first car, which I sold years ago and never got over. This one is going to take some time to get up and running. Good news is I bought it from the original owner and he is a toyota mechanic. He also sold me the parts car you see behind it. The only thing I am really missing is an upper console insert for the radio. No rust and he took care of it. All told, I am only in the celica for 700$ including the NOS weber and cannon intake. Good and bad news concerning the supra. I got the new ignition cylinder and key and the starter yesterday. The guy I bought it from uses the 7M in pickups. He had an 88 shell sitting out by his shop. We got to talking and he says... "I've got a lot of extra parts in that shell. If there are some you need you can take 'em" I ended up with the driver's side door panel that I needed. The speaker grills that go behind the rear seat. A new rear seat and cargo area floor complete with carpet and padding. A new console insert with shifter boot. He also said he would sell me the front bumper for 15$. Now for the bad news. In the process of removing the old ignition cylinder, we kind of fubar-ed the ignition switch. We did, by rigging something up get the new ignition cylinder to work. The electrics seem fine. I was able to get the windows up and they stayed. All the caution lights and such came on and then went off in the correct time. So we went for it and tried to start it. Now, since we have not replaced the starter I knew that it would not start per se, but the starter did engage and spin. I also tried to turn the engine over by hand and everything worked there. Next will come replacing the starter. We were too short on time to get it done yet. Once that is done, I will replace the ignition switch. Luckily, the local Pull-a-Parts just got a '90 in and it still has the ignition switch, but not the cylinder. Hopefully, after that it will start right up and we can see what happens. The gas gauge reads half full, so that at least is optomistic I still need to find a new back for the passengers side seat. Are the backs of the front seats interchangeable if removed from the frame. The P.A.P. supra has a good driver's seat, but a crappy passenger's seat.

09-16-2008, 04:20 AM	#8
Grandavi walbro fp Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 410	You bought it from the previous owner.. not a wrecking yard.. if I understand correctly. If it was a wrecking yard, I would go through the trouble of draining and flushing the tank... but im fussy. Sounds like you ran into an excellent project. I have had a 72/73/76/80/81 Celica... (not listing the Corollas) and the only thing I didn't like about the 76 was that the car was solid, but the gas pedal was super light. I had to keep it pegged to the boards... it just wouldn't resist my foot. Rebuilt that motor and if I remember right it didn't have the dual webbers, but I did have a Prelude with duals (thats stock on certain years). The only issue with them was the rubber intake pipe cracking (spider cracks). I duct taped mine just for fun and it ran great. Very nice car, those 76's. Handle really well and if done nice are pleasing to the eye.

09-16-2008, 01:38 PM	#9
OkieRA29 Stock Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 29	Yeah, I am gonna keep the 76 pretty much old school. The original owner has some late 70s rims that I am trying to talk him out of. I have a set of shadow louvers for the rear hatch. I also have some toyota mud guards to go on the rear of the wheelwells. There are a couple of 1st gen preludes in the local P.A.P. as well. I will have to look and see what they are running. Hoping to get by the yard at lunch today and pull the ignition switch.