New Project

[speedfiend]

I have used the info & resources here and thought I'd formally introduce myself...
I worked in a Toyota dealership (ASE Master) as an "A tech" in the early 90's and have worked on and driven scores of Supras and Cressidas.
I LOVE the 5 & 7 series engines and the platforms they are in.
I like the turbo pep but the toll the heat soak takes on everything under the hood negates it IMO, I prefer the N/A engines for bullet proof reliability.
I just found and bought (read stole) a one owner, 145k, 88 N/A 5 speed car on Craig's List, it even has an owners manual in the glove box!. I made one of the the best buys I've made in my 35 years of near constant buying, selling and/or trading.
I've owned over well over 50 automobiles and this is my 11th yoda... I believe!
This car has been adult owned and professionally maintained since it was new, god what luck!
The car has (wrong size, 225/60s) fresh Kumho's, brakes & struts and a bad-ass sound system, the cruise works as do the windows and rear hatch struts. The A/C will work this week, major priority on the coast, $265 for a new Denso A/C compressor! Do you know what the dealer demands for it?
The years and use have taken their toll of some of the mechanics, trim & electronics. The headlight switch, D/S master window, power lock switch and lock micro switch just for starters and it's time to reseal the top and front of the engine. The paint needs buffing and I need some outer door trim and an OEM rear spoiler, after I take care of the minor mechanical issues, it just needs a little TLC and cash to bring it back up to being a really exceptional ride.
While I'm resealing I'll permanently remove the fan clutch and add dual electric fans, get HP everywhere you can.
I have a connection with jobber pricing from the dreaded for OEM parts.
I just ordered a new headlight switch and all of the required gaskets & seals, for under $200 and I got a new antenna mast, fog lamp bulbs, hood shocks, shift boot and E brake boots off of eBay for under $100.

Anyway, enough rambling.
Here's a pic of my one owner, garage kept bargain, I'll post more pics and info after I start doing something more to it besides driving it.
Today I scored a sharp set of polished, 17x9, 5 spoke wheels and hope to have the rear spoiler and some Nitto 255/40's to put on the wheels by fall.
Without an air-conditioned shop to work in it's too damn hot to work on ATM.
I am reading, planning, shopping and impatiently waiting for October.

[CanadianBak'inSupra]

nice.

make a build thread and post the link to it here!
ill be reading!
try some electrical contact cleaner before giving up on the old switches.
also why go through the trouble fixing for a/c?
if your trying to get hp everywhere u can just remove it.
the compressor cooler and lines weigh a considerable amount.

good luck on your build!

[speedfiend]

Thanks, I will post a build thread and as for the A/C issue, the heat index here is running 115 degrees during the day and low to mid 90s at night.
I want to be comfortable driving it, so some sacrifices will have be made...

[CanadianBak'inSupra]

lol fair enough.
im on the west coast of Canada so i dont get extreme heat, and removed the a/c out of all my supras.

[speedfiend]

I also wanted to ask how hard and expensive the OEM manuals are to find, I Googled them last night and was surprised at the lack of info... Any suggestions are appreciated.
I haven"t had a chance to call my yoda guy for the last few days because the hobby that pays my bills has been a very demanding mistress for 12 hours a day, BIG project there.
I envy your climate, life on the GoM it is like being in a sauna, if you're in the shade!
It is like breathing through a wet wash cloth without climate control. I love the scantily clad young ladies the heat here generates but it is no fun unless you're on the oily beaches or in a swimming pool.

[CanadianBak'inSupra]

a haynes manual should not be hard to find, it covers 79 through 1992

and i have seen a few others just for the mk2 but there much harder to find.
a yoda dealer might be a start.
although its understandable if they wouldnt have one because the cars are old.

[speedfiend]

Haynes and Chilton don't get into enough detail on electrical circuits for me and the OEM wiring schematics are hard to beat. I am looking for the 2 manuals Toyota published for the MK3, one is body and engine and the other is electrical and climate control if I remember correctly.
If I run across them I'll let you know.

*EDIT*
Found them at the Toyota owners site!
Repair Manual
RM073 $ 93.04

Electrical Wiring Diagram
WD037 $ 14.70
Thanks...

[speedfiend]

UPDATE: new hood struts, new antenna mast, new HID fog light bulbs, cleaned the contacts in the window master, resealed the top of the engine, R&R'd plugs with NGK iridiums, R&R'd plug wires w/ NGKs, tinted the windows, cut the old paint and waxed... now I can really tell it needs a paint job!

Parts on order: Denso A/C compressor, TRD grill emblem, hatch gasket & struts, OEM spoiler, blower motor resistor and a "kamikaze" graphic for the windshield.


Here's a freshly waxed pic...

[speedfiend]

*update* Added the rear spoiler, which was luckily the matching color. I was changing the fog lamp bulbs and dropped and broke a damned lens, installed a new Denso A/C compressor & dryer, replaced the "Toyota" grill emblem with a "TRD" emblem, replaced the water pump & rad cap.
I just had "7MGE" put on a "Barber's Motor Sports" specialty tag like this one.
When I changed the old fuel filter it got 750 more rpm's on the big end! I have a cam phone pic of 120 (129mph corrected) if I can figure out how to post it...

small steps, mostly in the right direction...

[CanadianBak'inSupra]

sounds like everything is going good.