Do i have the worst luck?

[TuRbOdReAmZ87]

Okay so i finally found another supra. I bought it today for $1500. Its an 87' Turbo 5spd Hardtop. The color is Ice blue. It runs but there is a crack in the radiator. And there also is a ticking noise that is coming from the head. Its kinda worrying me. But not worrying me as much as the rot. Yea there is some rot in the wheel wells.. from looking at the car from the outside it looks really clean. It has 145k. 1 owner and it wasnt molested. Here are the pics.

Reason why im starting this thread is because im not sure what the ticking could be. And if its worth keeping from the rot. I really want to keep it. I like it a lot. Well let me know what you guys think. Thanks

Oh and those fogs are gone now, i took them off. I know they are hideous.

 

[ForcedTorque]

Put the JDM Tyte fogs back on YO!

Ya, that is some pretty ugly rot in that drivers quarter. That doesn't scare me near as much as the fresh looking paint all over the rest of the car. It looks pretty good tho. I'd just be scared of how much more rot will come through what could be a cheap hiding paint job.

What does the head ticking sound like? Our cars do have heads that tick a bit. Maybe a video clip would help.

 

[Kckazdude]

I would not have bought a body in that bad of shape. Looks like the left rear wheel well and an area on the right door under the moulding. Maybe it isnt as bad as it looks. My expirience tells me it is bad however. The ticking could be valve adjustment.

 

[gtsfirefighter]

I don't see where the rust is all that bad. To me the car looks pretty damn good. My car ticks a little too but it's normal. Let's see some interior pics and some better pics of this "rot".

 

[johnathan1]

Car looks beautiful. Any interior pics?

 

[Kckazdude]

I don't see where the rust is all that bad. To me the car looks pretty damn good. My car ticks a little too but it's normal. Let's see some interior pics and some better pics of this "rot".

The worst is where the paint is discolored and bubbling above the driver side rear wheel. If it is that visible, then it is usually really bad on the underside.

 

[gtsfirefighter]

The worst is where the paint is discolored and bubbling above the driver side rear wheel. If it is that visible, then it is usually really bad on the underside.

I don't see any bubbling. I see the discoloration but it looks as if it's been sanded on. The undercarriage actually looks pretty good.

 

[akito]

Nice find. Atleast it is not a rust bucket like the one you had before . I almost bought a 86/5 na today for 500. It was from my manager at the dealership and i drove it before, just not too many times. I didn buy it because he didnt have the key at the time so i can start the car and listen to the motor. I thought it has a slight knock the last time i drove it. Oh well, some one else bought it.

 

[Zumtizzle]

Ken, Take a better look it's pretty bad. Thats ROT.

OP: Ticking can be anything.

 

[cuel]

Looks more like the clear coat is coming off the driver's side quarter panel, or someone did a poor job of painting over body work. I'd be more concerned with rust at the top of the inner fender well, around where the strut mount bolts to the body, over the top of the tire.

 

[TuRbOdReAmZ87]

Ill make a video later today of the ticking. Also what would be the best way to fix the rot with out spending a ton of money?


And it is clean other than the wheel wells. But when i looked at the rest of the car i just couldnt pass the deal up. I mean come on, $1500?!

 

[Zumtizzle]

could just need a valve adjustment.

 

[TuRbOdReAmZ87]

Oh and another thing it takes a few seconds to start it. I have to give it some gas for it to start. I dont know if thats because im low on gas or something else. But after it starts it runs pretty smooth other than the ticking.

 

[johnathan1]

Paint looks original to me...

 

[Facime]

for the price I would say its a keeper. If the rust is really bad the section will need to be cut out and a replacement from a donor will need to be welded in. That sounds scary but its really not that bad at all. Look in the build section at some of the resurrections that have been performed lately. Some wheel well rot is minor. Whats more important is the underside looks pretty good. Ive seen far worse undersides on cars with no visible rust.

7M's tend to tick up top. Generally it isnt a sign of impending doom rather a sign of typical wear and loose lifter tolerances. You can check the clearences per TSRM and see if some re-shimming is needed. Either way you might want to pull the cam covers and take a look.

 

[Kckazdude]

On the hard start issue, check if the CSI, or any of the injectors for that matter, is leaking. If those pass check fuel pump hold pressure.

 

[TuRbOdReAmZ87]

Okay heres a video of the car starting and running. Let me know what you think.

 

[Kckazdude]

Loose valve shims FTL!!
For the starting issue: Check timing first. This includes cam and CPS timing. Sounds like a tooth off. If all of that lines up, then check for injectors leaking down.

 

[TuRbOdReAmZ87]

Would taking the valve covers off affect this? The guy who had it before me told me he took the covers off because they were leaking and the plugs were flooded with a quarter inch of oil.

 

[makaveli913]

thats a clean ass pre 89. too bad about the rust.