New member from Japan

[mabru]

Hi, my name is Matt, I have lived in Japan for over 20 years and I recently acquired a 1982 Celica XX 'G'.  I've always been an old school Toyota fan, I owned an '85 Soarer for a while and still have seller's remorse.  This thing is much better, it has low miles (around 66k), no rust, the interior is almost perfect, and it's all original.  I have big plans for it since it's currently a dog with a 1GEU L6 and autotragic transmission. 

I have a 1JZGTE VVTI engine sitting awaiting parts for a billet 6262 single/MS3 Pro setup I'll be putting into it eventually.  My last Toyota project went a little overboard, so I'm staying a bit more grounded this time.  A few years ago I took a break from the car thing and sold my long time toy 91 Soarer with a 1.5JZ GT42 combo.  I built with the mentality of "I can, so why not?" It was just too much car to drive everyday, not the best choice for carting the kids around.  Now at least I have a 70 series LWB diesel Land Cruiser for that.

[twotone_ra64]

Welcome, Matt!! Super awesome that you're Japan-based. Your Celica is super clean too. Got any interior shots? Also, given that the Celica XX is a mirror of the North American MA61 Supras, does it have IRS too?

So with a turbo 1J... will your project be a fun street car or will it see some drift sessions too?

[swan song]

Konbonwa gozaimasu! Hajimemashite! Nansai desu ka? (I studied a bit of Japanese in high school. I found it really helps when you call the parts places in Japan.)

[mabru]

The XX was the same car physically as the U.S. spec MA61 Supras with more available engine types, slightly different interior, different billboard decals (for obvious reasons), no available 'P' type overfenders, no U.S. extra reinforcements beams in doors and such, and a few other minor changes.  Curb weight on these was just a hair over 2600lbs as a result.  Unfortunately it's a G and not a GT so it has the SOHC 2.0 vs. the DOHC 2.0 or 2.8 5M engine. It is S L O W.  I'm going to remedy that.   It's not going to be a drift machine, just a fun street car.  I've done the high-power thing, incredibly solid drift-car thing, and most things in between.  I've owned two R32's, an S14, a 180sx, an FC RX-7, an FD RX-7, an old GZ10 Soarer, a MkIII Supra, and the JZZ30 Soarer I mentioned in my intro.   I just want decent power, a bit of reliability, the old 'arrowhead' 80's look, and I should be able to achieve that with this thing.

It's more like "konnichiwa" at the moment, since it's early afternoon here :D  and the answer to your question is yonjuyonsai.

[Sigma Projects]

Welcome! Digging the project, looking forward to the build pictures 

[swan song]

Hey, how possibly would it be for you to find celica parts? Or rare old Toyota parts in general? You could start a "for sale in Japan" thread. I know there are some things I'm lookin for.

[CakeFullofLolis]

You could start a "for sale in Japan" thread.

That would actually be a really cool idea, I'm broke and need to have the car run first, but I'd definitely buy a few things later on 

[twotone_ra64]

I second this motion.

[mabru]

I'm in the south, cars rust to nothing almost overnight and with the limited space in the yards, they cube stuff very quickly.  I've seen one MA61 in a junkyard in the last ten years.  The best bet for old car stuff is Yahoo Auctions Japan, and the guys with parts are asking for kidneys, arms, legs, etc.

[swan song]

I love how every car in Japan is RIDICULOUSLY clean. I’ve never seen a junk car, especially the interior. Even the card that are “junked” like drift missles are clean looking.

[mabru]

Hah, just the cars that show up in photos on the internet are clean.  There are some awful things running around.  This particular car was owned by the original owner for 31 years of its 35 year life and kept in a garage. It still has the original 'Toyopet' owner's manual and everything in the dash. I'm the third owner, and I'm very happy with it. It just needs a little oomph now.

[silverliftback]

There are highly detailed car inspections in Japan every few years, no?  My understanding was that past 5 years old or so the simple registration costs of the car go up, as a way of prodding Japanese residents to buy a new car.  Does that present a problem for keeping a 35-year-old car there?  Or is that policy maybe restricted to major cities (Tokyo, Osaka)?

[mabru]

The Japanese Compulsory Insurance (JCI) inspections are generally every two years for most license plate classes.  The incentive to own a new car is that the initial inspection is three years long.  They don't go up in cost by the year.  Back before around 1996 or so, after a certain age, the JCI became an annual requirement.  Residents found it far cheaper to junk used cars and buy another cheap used car.  This had the effect of filling up the junkyards to overflowing, so they went to a standard two year period for most vehicles. 

The inspection is mainly for safety related items and normal wear components.  They love to go after boots and bushings (anything OEM rubber), any fluid leaks, headlight alignments, bulb colors, tire wear, brake wear, etc.  It's a shell game where a lot of money changes hands, and most view the whole thing as a scam.   Every time they talk about completely abolishing the system, vocal unions speak against it as most of the garages make the bulk of their money off of JCI pre-inspection, actual inspections, and JCI related repairs.

The biggest problem with the over-regulation of automobiles, is all the bureaucratic  nonsense one must endure to change anything that is called out as a factory part on the title, ie. engines and transmissions.  I'll have to go through a complete re-inspection (special type), title issue, and new license plate issue (including a new class and number) when I finish swapping to a 1JZ and 5MT.

[Sigma Projects]

Nice info. Always wondered about that myself. I guess that's why I don't see as much of a flood of engines/transmissions as I used to back in the late 90's early 00's.

[swan song]

Is it true that many racing enthusiasts use alternative methods of transportation for work, and then own a drift or race car that is not registered and they just keep it at the track? And the track is cool with it. And the cool track people like babies? And one of the babies looked at me. I’m durnk man. ja? Ii  desu ne.