This will be my progress updates. first off, bought a 1985 Toyota Celica GT-S 5-speed, Blue, with a Kaminari Body kit (very poor Shape) My original plan was to do a 1UZ swap into it. I came up with a hoist system to mount the the beams of the carport to pull some engines. So, pulled the 22RE out and gave it to a co-worker. That engine turned out to have like 2 gallons of water in the oil pan and completely rusted in the head and pistons. He has, I think he said 5 Celicas so he could use something from it. Figured if I needed any parts or help later he may be a good source. Started ordering a bunch of parts for the 1UZ-W58 mess, battery and cables, radiator, transmission rebuild kit, 1UZ full gasket set from rockauto.com and some other parts.
Started my search for a LS400 and only took a week to find a 94' LS400 for $650 with 252,000 miles in running condition. The previous owner had the coils cut and had the car dropped to the ground (not fun) left the cut coils still around the shocks, while driving the car home one of the coils was rubbing the tire and blew about 8 miles from home. luckily didn't crash. So, knowing I didn't need the car itself I drove the rest of the way home and absolutely destroyed the tire. Made it home, started take the front end apart, fenders, bumper cover and crush bar were only held on by zip ties and maybe 2 bolts.
At this point my carport has been getting cluttered with all my tools, parts and boxes, I just did have the room to keep working in a mess. So I started building my little workshop, 10x16, on the back of the carport. This should keep everything out of the way of working on the Celica. Working on the workshop some house stuff and the wife Pilot needed all new shocks/struts. haven't had much time to work on pulling the 1UZ out of the Lexus yet.
My very vague post yesterday, here is an update on that.
We all do it, marketplace searching when bored, well I do. A guy in Grovetown GA post a 1985 Celica GT 5-speed 430,000 miles in what looks in the picture a lot better condition than the GT-S I have. Now I should have to worry about modding up the GT-S rear end to handle the power of the 1UZ. So I bought it, will be picking it up Friday 6/11/2021
I will be selling the GT-S rolling chassis to the same guy I gave 22RE to, and also the 22RE out of the GT once I decide to to park it and take the engine out. But until then the GT is driving until I have the 1UZ rebuilt and ready to drop in the GT.
Will keep adding to this as I go.
