I feel real funny about my new car.

[Toyota h8r]

I just bought an 87 turbo. I was so exited to get me a gte car that i missed something. The auto shifter was out of the car and gauge cluster missed the "O/D off light". So my buddy and i drove 2hrs one way to get it and i get it home 3hrs later. This morning i look and the cross member is a r154 cross member! The car was an 5spd car and the prev. owner just threw an auto in the car. Also, i noticed the vin tag on the drivers side by the door dosent match the one under the hood on the firewall.(ma71/ma70) The wiring harness is out of the car and the ecu was in the glove box. How can you tell what the harness is for? (i.e. auto/manual) The short block is junk, no coil pack, no head, no turbo, no intercooler, no turbo manifold! The car has very little rust so thats a plus. Is it easy going to auto, then finding all the stuff to go back to 5spd?:cry: I love this car, but it seems its gonna cost more than expected!:cry: I think i got a deal (an 87 turbo for $500)

 

[Facime]

Part it out for around 1k and buy another one...Thats what I did with my first 88t I paid 500 for. Maybe Im just getting too old and lazy for all that work though.

 

[IJ.]

Always cheaper in the long run to spend some extra and buy a better example of the car you want.

 

[xarewhyayen]

damn well atleast you didnt pay alot, i just paid 1000 for a supra with a bad motor. I'll have a turbo, turbo manifold, pre89 5speed turbo ecu ( hacked harness u dont want) a coil pack, a head, and intercooler.... ill have this all for sale in the next couple of weeks so lmk wat u will need.... it wont be terrible... its like starting fresh should be a fun project, just take your time

 

[Toyota h8r]

So is it easier to go auto or buy all the stuff to go 5spd? The car was an 5spd. The cars interior is a plus. How much on avg. would the motor/turbo cost? I'm trying to see how much its gonna cost.:biglaugh: I'm already in the process of saving an 86.5 so i'm used to parts cost. I'm not gettin rid of my first turbo car.:naughty: :naughty: :naughty:. I drove S10's all my life so my 86.5 n/a was fast to me. Then, i got my turbo rolling chassis and cant wait!

 

[xarewhyayen]

why not just buy a motor to drop in the 86.5 then? theres no definitive cost, it depends on how good of a bargainer/shopper you are, and how thorough of a job you do. you could get a complete motor somewhere in the 1000 dollar range , but theres no guarantee how well itll work for ya.

 

[91T breezen']

All the MkIII's have MA 70, or GA 70 stamped on the firewall. Doesn't matter if it's Turbo or NA, that's just the Japanese chassis designation. Motors are easy enough to find, but i would take off the head and get the necessary work done (lapp/mhg/ARP studs) if you are serious about having a reliable turbo car. Remember, hp cost's $$$!:icon_razz

 

[Toyota h8r]

Some pics:naughty: The guy in the one pic is my buddy who drove to get the car. By the way....i was still in Indiana. It took nearly 6hrs to get my car.

 

[dbsupra90]

All the MkIII's have MA 70, or GA 70 stamped on the firewall. Doesn't matter if it's Turbo or NA, that's just the Japanese chassis designation.

no there are some that are ma71. supposedly the story goes turbos were selling so well that they ended up putting the turbo motor in the na chassis.

also to note, some have a vin tag on the firewall while some just have the rivets were it was supposed to be.

either way, ive seen several w/ ma71 on the firewall.

 

[hottscennessey]

Thats a clean car!

 

[Toyota h8r]

The only rust on the whole car is where the trim goes right before the rear wheels.

 

[87CandyBlueT]

My car has MA71 on the firewall? That mean it was an N/a chassis? Sorry to hi-jack

 

[koulee]

The only rust on the whole car is where the trim goes right before the rear wheels.

Yeah the trim on the 86.5-88 are metal so they will rust.

As for the ma70/71 question, I don't think theres a difference at all between the chassises. The only difference you will find are between 86.5-88 and the 89+, they used different crossmembers and stuff.

 

[Jeff Lange]

I still can't believe this still comes up.

All MK3 Supras are MA70. MA71 is only used in VIN numbers to denote Turbo models. You will never find a North American Supra with MA71 stamped onto the firewall. The only place you will ever find MA71 is in the VIN and in the model code.

There is no fancy story, no complicated myth. All MK3 Supras with a 7M are MA70's. All N/A's have JT2MA70 at the start of the VIN, all Turbos have JT2MA71 at the start of the VIN. (VINs are not the same outside of North America, and in some countries the VIN number is stamped on the firewall, but that's still not the chassis code).

There are 3 chassis codes for the MK3 Supra: GA70, MA70, and JZA70, nothing else.

I will PayPal $20 USD to anyone who can provide proof of a Supra with an MA71 chassis code. Heck, make it $30. LOL.

 

[91T breezen']

I still can't believe this still comes up.

All MK3 Supras are MA70. MA71 is only used in VIN numbers to denote Turbo models. You will never find a North American Supra with MA71 stamped onto the firewall. The only place you will ever find MA71 is in the VIN and in the model code.

There is no fancy story, no complicated myth. All MK3 Supras with a 7M are MA70's. All N/A's have JT2MA70 at the start of the VIN, all Turbos have JT2MA71 at the start of the VIN. (VINs are not the same outside of North America, and in some countries the VIN number is stamped on the firewall, but that's still not the chassis code).

There are 3 chassis codes for the MK3 Supra: GA70, MA70, and JZA70, nothing else.

I will PayPal $20 USD to anyone who can provide proof of a Supra with an MA71 chassis code. Heck, make it $30. LOL.

What would we do without you Jeff?! Thanks!
Still no takers on the bet???!
P.S. Where the hell were you for SupraFest???!

 

[dbsupra90]

I will PayPal $20 USD to anyone who can provide proof of a Supra with an MA71 chassis code. Heck, make it $30. LOL.

DAMN! $30 USD? thats like what $100 CDN? :icon_razz

ive seen em, in fact buddy had it on his 91. its long been sold tho, so no dice there. i'll look around, i know it does exsist.

ninja edit- when you say chassis code you do mean MA71 stamped on the firewall correct?

 

[Jeff Lange]

I mean the code "MA71-000000". That is the chassis code. I guarantee you won't find it, you'll be kicking yourself later when you go look and it's not, I've seen it happen so many times, lol.

 

[ViR2]

mine is MA70 Turbo model, but it's for EU market

 

[Toyota h8r]

No one ever answered my real question. What is involed in a swap from 5spd to auto? The previous owner broke an r154 somehow:aigo: and started to swap to auto. So far I have ecu/harness, tranny(duh), ds, shifter, and maybe the tranny mount:1zhelp: . I am also going to run an aftermarket cooler soooo.... Also, what is involed in swaping the gauge clusters? 5spd/Auto? Is the body harness different? Lastly, does the auto supra have an auto tranny computer seprate then the ecu?


P.S. Sorry Mr. Lange, I did not mean for the whole ma71/ma70 discussion. I have never had a ma71 so when the chassis code didnt match I was nervous. :3d_frownamn I should of searched first.:3d_frown:

Thanx all, Shelby

 

[Toyota h8r]

Come on! No one can help a noob out? I feel like a mk3 owner in a sea of mk4 owners.(get my point?:1zhelp I just want to know what is needed to swap 5spd to Auto? Pretty please can some one point me in the right direction? I'm buying an 7mgte from a local bone-yard cheap and Its gonna take some time go though the motor to spec it out, soooo....... i need to know what esle I need to ask for at bone-yard. :cry: :icon_mad: