my 77 Celica

[tacoma_kyle]

So yeah I guess some of you may find this interesting.

I am installing MA70 suspension on it. It was a live axle and mac-strut from the factory. Both suck balls. I originally fabbed the link brackets on a different axle (7.5" toyota) but said F-that because I found a IRS for sale 79 miles away on accident. I offered 150. Sweet deal. Even a TORSEN unit!

So to balance the car and basically make it better in many ways (than it would have been, avoiding the details...) I decided to find a IFS assembly. I took chassis measurements on the celica and from the online MA70 FSM.

My 77 Celica will get me laid on demand because (I can't get it myself):

-RWD...1-3 gens of Celica's were. If you didnt know.
-Multi link rear with LSD
-Twin arm front
-W58
-Gutted interior
-Mild built cage
-1UZ from a 95 SC400
-Power steering
-Like 6in wider than factory
-eventually new paint

I have been working on it for a little over a year, and did a lot of work that wound up costing me about 800 bucks, that I since scrapped because I am using MA70 suspension. I am content with the decision. I may be able to sell some of it. At least for scrap value lol... I will be consulting the FSN and measurements with a level reference axis to match the suspensions as close as possible to on a stock MA70. Mounting position-wise... I am also going to try and lengthen the cars wheelbase by a inch or two and lower the car with respect to the suspension, by about a in. I will have to cut the shit outta the fenders.

Right now there is a big-ass hole cut in the rear and the engine mounts, modded front suspension, modded crossmember and a lot of time have gone to waste.

My newly acquired donor car:

As the back sits...there will be a much larger hole soon. There are cut lines on the wheel well but my abrasive disc got too small...

The IRS...pretty damn good shape and the bushings look good.

It had a dumb-ass dealer added vinyl thing on top. FUckin stupid. Rust wasnt as bad as I anticipated....but on the base of the window it needs complete replacement. You can kinda see...

This is what it looked like 5months ago on all 4. Had a 4in wider live axle on the back and about 3in wider IFS using Cressida (89-92) parts with some Celica parts fabbed on... It will soon be about 2-4in wider than it is. It is also sitting on IS300 wheels that have less offset than the sawblades...dont know the numbers though.

THe motor...kinda....

Here is another shot of it with the old suspension I fabbed on....but no motor in it...

Thats about all I got for now. Oh I got a black eye from a Guinness bottle cap. Popped it off on my tailgate and that fucker beat the shit outta my eyeball...hurt f'in bad... Pretty bad-ass way to get a mild black eye, if ya ask me! lol

 

[LilMissMkIII]

I :love: old Sillycars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tacoma_kyle]

Did some work over the last few days....

Tore apart the front of the Celica. Need to drag the motor out tomorrow.

Prepped the Supra to get hacked up.

I am thinkin about using the Supra brake booster. Maybe the Supra cylinder will go on my celica. Seems to match bolt patterns...

This is basically what will get cut off the front of the Supra. Since the suspension isnt really made to be removed...by visual inspection of the mount bolts. I decided to retain factory geometry anyway (planned ot match it regardless) by just using a section of the Supra's apron. (wheelwell)

 

[Zapp]

Very nice build. I too plan to build a 1uz celica one day

 

[Poodles]

hmmm... as the MKIII is a double A arm setup, you really shouldn't need the wheel well from it as it doesn't really matter about the spring and shock angle...

FYI: you're doing pretty much what I've wanted to do, you're just missing the supercharger sticking out of the hood...

 

[IJ.]

I'd considered doing this 5 months back but couldn't find a half decent car that wasn't overpriced...

Should make an interesting car good luck with the build Kyle!

 

[tacoma_kyle]

Cool, Yeah I am trying to get the suspension figured out first then drive it, then get nice absorbers + coils, then engine work. 220or so HP will move that car well, so I am sure I will be fine for a while. I probably wont ever SC it though. All this over a few years. I am outta school next year. Cool.

And yeah the primary reason why I decided to 'mold in the Supra wheel-well is because I want to keep the suspension as factory as possible, geometry and activity. I figure Toyota built it and they probably have a pretty decent idea of how it should be set up.

I am going to 'raise' the suspension as much as possible to drop the CG though.

 

[tacoma_kyle]

Thanks IJ, yeah I am hoping to get it driving by the end of the summer.

Have tomorrow available so maybe I will be able to hack up the Supra.

Paid 1300 for the Celica and 300 for the Supra. Got the Supra from another guy on here that is putting the 7M in his Toyota mini-truck.

 

[Poodles]

Don't worry too much about raising the suspension.

I think the main issue you're going to have it finding light enough springs and shocks as you're putting a VERY light chassis on top of that suspension...

 

[tacoma_kyle]

Why not, if I can? I mean I am doind jsut as much work either way.

But yeah I will see how the stock springs work. I have read people think some eibach's are a bit soft for most so maybe I will go to that route. Hell lowering spings may basically cancel out my gain in ground clearance.

 

[tacoma_kyle]

Due to me being a complete idiot lol, I decided to just drop the front suspension so it will make the last of the cutting easier. A few photo's...

That seat is a MA70 power front driver seat. Pretty sweet seat. I am going to try and get it in the car, but I am afraid it may be straight up too wide. If it fits....it will BARELY.

Additionally...

I am happy to say the front suspension probably only weighs 220-250 lb without rotors, with shocks. Guesstimate. Stock on the RA24 was probably about 120-160 if you include all the steering like the MA70.

So I am guessing the front gains about 100 lb.


The rear....according to some website that weighed a bunch of individual parts, the IRS, all in all with shocks but not the tranny to diff shaft.....400lb. Holy fuck. I think the stock Celica axle all in all maybe had 200-220lb with brakes, shocks, links, etc.

So I suppose about 180lb gain on the rear.