Patrick's 1982 GT-Sport Mod/Build Thread

[patwhac]

Note to self: Don't forget to replace the oil filler cap after topping off, it makes a real mess! 

Finally got my center caps on after the whole door fiasco. I'm really happy with the finished look!

[patwhac]

Also, I started my gauge install. Here's the solution I came up with on mounting them. I wanted a stock-ish look but also good visibility. I didn't want to run an a-pillar cluster just yet, and I also wanted 3 gauges. Don't worry, I bought a spare ashtray in case I messed this one up!

The gauge kit I'm using is an Autogauge (less expensive line of gauges made by Autometer) 1 1/2" oil pressure/water temp/voltage kit. It was pretty reasonable, like $60 iirc. The main reason I wanted this kit was the fact that it was small enough to fit in the ashtray, and comes with these rad angled bezels that you can't buy separately. I'm planning on angling the gauges upwards, so I will have to fab some new rear mounting brackets as the stock ones are made to angle right. Also, I'm going to clearance the inside of the ashtray with a die grinder to make 'em fit.

Stay tuned for the installed pictures!

How have others put in their gauges?

[twotone_ra64]

Note to self: Don't forget to replace the oil filler cap after topping off, it makes a real mess! 

Don't do that too often! Someone in the 82-85 Celica FB group did that and the engine ran funny afterwards. Oil spilled on the TPS or something like that.

Also, I started my gauge install. Here's the solution I came up with on mounting them. I wanted a stock-ish look but also good visibility. I didn't want to run an a-pillar cluster just yet, and I also wanted 3 gauges. Don't worry, I bought a spare ashtray in case I messed this one up!

The gauge kit I'm using is an Autogauge (less expensive line of gauges made by Autometer) 1 1/2" oil pressure/water temp/voltage kit. It was pretty reasonable, like $60 iirc. The main reason I wanted this kit was the fact that it was small enough to fit in the ashtray, and comes with these rad angled bezels that you can't buy separately. I'm planning on angling the gauges upwards, so I will have to fab some new rear mounting brackets as the stock ones are made to angle right. Also, I'm going to clearance the inside of the ashtray with a die grinder to make 'em fit.

Stay tuned for the installed pictures!

How have others put in their gauges?

Interesting! I've never thought of putting gauges there, makes sense considering how seldom the ashtray probably gets used.

[patwhac]

Last weekend I ran over a screw in my basically brand new tires. Today, I bent one of my wheels going over a deep pothole at 60mph. This was on a normal, busy highway that I drive on every day.

Why is the world trying to kill my car?? 

[danf]

Last weekend I ran over a screw in my basically brand new tires. Today, I bent one of my wheels going over a deep pothole at 60mph. This was on a normal, busy highway that I drive on every day.

Why is the world trying to kill my car?? 

I know that feeling. The day I parked my car for winter I picked up a BIG self tapping screw. A couple days later I noticed the car was sitting funny in the driveway. I couldn't let it sit like that all winter (thinking about the tire sidewall) so I had it fixed.

[patwhac]

I was quoted $275 to fix the rim and re-polish. I'm going to wait for now since it seems to be just cosmetic, car doesn't vibrate and the wheel doesn't leak air as far as I can tell. 

[twotone_ra64]

That's not all too bad for the repair cost! At least the tire bead wasn't broken during the pothole hit, and that your overall drivability is unaffected.

[patwhac]

True! I'll do it after all this suspension/brake/steering work I want to do. With my luck I'll probably hit another pot hole on the way back from the wheel repair place 

[patwhac]

I know that feeling. The day I parked my car for winter I picked up a BIG self tapping screw. A couple days later I noticed the car was sitting funny in the driveway. I couldn't let it sit like that all winter (thinking about the tire sidewall) so I had it fixed.

My Buick has been sitting in a garage for a year and half, and I just know I'm probably flat spotting my tires . . . but turbos are more important!! 

[patwhac]

So I've finally finished the power rack with poly bushings and the T3 TREs and rack spacers among other things. I will post an actual update with lots of pictures very soon!

Today had a bit of car fun while running errands my girlfriend. I started to smell the sweet scent of burning coolant, and sure enough a few minutes later steam was billowing out from under the hood. I started to fear a blown head gasket! Pulled over, let it cool off, added some water, and observed a stream of coolant shooting out of the lower radiator hose. Easy fix! The funny thing is that the stream was shooting directly onto my power steering pulley, so as the pulley spun it would make a water pinwheel. The end result was that it drenched the entire engine bay in coolant! 

While I did the lower hose, I also did the upper because it was easy and it was most likely also in a similar state of fatigue. Also took the opportunity to do a cheap coolant flush with some Blue Devil that they had at the parts store where I bought the hoses. Not sure if it made a difference. Of course in the process of the flush I also managed to rip the gasket on my 35 year old radiator cap so now the system won't stay pressurized and steams. New cap tomorrow!

[twotone_ra64]

Awesome! Blue Devil is okay stuff for a flush, I usually grab Evaporust Thermocure from Amazon. It's $20 but works REALLY well. Stinks a bit but that's to be expected. Replace the rad cap with a quality Sankei KH-C19 0.9 bar unit!

[patwhac]

Awesome! Blue Devil is okay stuff for a flush, I usually grab Evaporust Thermocure from Amazon. It's $20 but works REALLY well. Stinks a bit but that's to be expected. Replace the rad cap with a quality Sankei KH-C19 0.9 bar unit!

Ah good to know! Yeah the Blue Devil was what they had on hand and I needed to get it back on the road that day. I also went with a lever vent type radiator cap, but next time the Sankei! I actually like the lever vent caps though haha.

Just put in a big Rockauto order (yes I used the discount code!) for brake maintenance parts. Rotors, pads, shoes, drums, wheel bearings, ect.

I'm going to take the car autocrossing at Sonoma for the first time on May 25th, so I'm trying to do all of the little things I can think of before then.

Also, it turns out you need to reuse the outer metal sleeves to install the ES front lower control arm bushings, so even though I was able to press the whole units out from the new CAs, I need a shop to press the rubber bushings from the sleeves! ES provides new inner sleeves though.

[twotone_ra64]

Gotcha! You needed a "now" solution. How do the lever vent caps work? I guess they prevent coolant from splashing in your face?

Awesome! I'm about to put in a RockAuto order and get me a cam, too. Crane Cams 704-0010, same grind as TRD Stage 1. Should be an easy "while your'e in there" procedure with my timing chain job.

Sounds good, get 'er done! Oh boy, might need to add some flame to those rubber bushings to get the sleeves out more easily.

[patwhac]

Nice! I was wondering how hard it would be to swap cams on the 22R. It's funny I just pulled the old camshaft out of my Buick 350 last weekend to replace it with a custom turbo grind. Going to practice changing the cam bearings myself with the old bearings before I most likely ruin a new set of fancy TA Performance (basically the T3 for Buicks) ones. I found a great guy through the Buick forums who will custom grind you a cam of your specs for the same price as an off the shelf grind! I wonder if he'd do a 22R/RE cam . . .

Anyways, yes the lever vent cap allow one to release the coolant pressure into the overflow tank prior to taking the cap off, very handy if your car is still hot!

Here's the cap I got, seems well made and I kind of like how the square shape of it matches the whole 4 lug wheel vibe haha:

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b/murray-temperature-control-4221/cooling---heating-16773/radiator-coolant-recovery-cap-16928/radiator-coolant-recovery-cap-12848/e74771d2bcaf/murray-temperature-control-13-psi-radiator-cap/7913/4436004/1982/toyota/celica

[sirdan]

my lever radiator cap started leaking after 2-3 years out of the seal where the lever goes through the cap. Not going to buy one again.