I never like paying for labour. $1230 to replace heater core? That is madness. But there is no denying that it will be a nice Supra. Dam it already is nice.
Project 88 MKIII - A Calgary build
- Thread starter Grandavi
- Start date
I have to say, I appreciate the way you think about your supra and I love the fact that you cant see a reason for buying another new vehicle... just a waste of money in my opinion as well. I too am looking at keeping my supra and doing some major work including trying a camless engine design once I get some money in the bank. Thankfully I dont have kids or grandkids yet (not that I dont want them but it allows me to invest big without thoughts of how my kids will eat) and in the past 2 years I have made over 30 thousand in car sales including a couple that tripled my investment. Keep in mind that I do all the work myself and LOVE cars that have front end and brake issues when I buy them.
The reason I asked what your final cost was before labor was for an idea of what you have into the parts in your build. I also like the idea of what my car might be worth at the end of next year. I like what you have done so far and will continue watching and commenting in the future.
The reason I asked what your final cost was before labor was for an idea of what you have into the parts in your build. I also like the idea of what my car might be worth at the end of next year. I like what you have done so far and will continue watching and commenting in the future.
There is really only one reason I put prices and actually talk money in regards to my car. Not bragging, not bitching.. but its a reality check.
I have sold 2 cars to young people with the dream of owning that kick-ass Supra. Both of them I talked to for extended periods of time to make sure they understood the warts, the cost, the pain... both of them ignored me. Both of them came back 6 months to a year later asking me to buy the car back. (asking the previous owner to buy the car back? Too lazy to even try to sell yourself???)
If you want a good example of what no skill or time means with a Mk3... this is it.
I have rebuilt engines and transmissions in the past. I have done suspensions.. I also was a Quality Control Upholsterer for a furniture factory and have done a lot of full vehicle interiors in the past. But I am not a mechanic.. I do it for fun and I understand about 50% of what I need to. Time is my enemy... all time...
I have sold 2 cars to young people with the dream of owning that kick-ass Supra. Both of them I talked to for extended periods of time to make sure they understood the warts, the cost, the pain... both of them ignored me. Both of them came back 6 months to a year later asking me to buy the car back. (asking the previous owner to buy the car back? Too lazy to even try to sell yourself???)
If you want a good example of what no skill or time means with a Mk3... this is it.
I have rebuilt engines and transmissions in the past. I have done suspensions.. I also was a Quality Control Upholsterer for a furniture factory and have done a lot of full vehicle interiors in the past. But I am not a mechanic.. I do it for fun and I understand about 50% of what I need to. Time is my enemy... all time...
Just a note... there is a group buy going on for blinker covers (I bought another set to replace the one that disappeared...) and sunshades (like I have on my car).
I think there is only one spot free for sunshades...
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?128360-Leftover-sunshade-group-buy
I think there is only one spot free for sunshades...
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?128360-Leftover-sunshade-group-buy
Well.. Short block is built... 2900.00 (includes shipping) with wiseco pistons and rings. Spec2+ clutch and new upper timing cover.
All the pieces are bought, so expecting to see my Supra again first week of December. A bit excited.
... a lot broke...
All the pieces are bought, so expecting to see my Supra again first week of December. A bit excited.
... a lot broke...
Engine is in the car... RCTS is taking a ton of photos of what they have done, so I will have more pics later on...
not done yet... waiting... waiting.... gawd.. I hate waiting....
not done yet... waiting... waiting.... gawd.. I hate waiting....
I cant wait to see your motor running Grandavi. Do you think you will have it running for christmas holidays? I am leaving for Reddeer on the 21'st and am passing through Calgary. Would love to take a break there if I have time.
They close for two weeks on the 21st so if its not ready by the 20th it will be sitting until first week of january. I had to give them a 16GB usb stick for the photos.. I like that...
Thought I would add... I like my wheels... but I dont love them. Im gonna see if I can change the wheels this upcoming summer... but I have looked around.. its gonna be a hunt. Finding the right wheel for this car isn't going to be easy, because there are a lot of selections, but I think I want to keep with Works/Volks.. considered CCW, but not going to do that. Problem is.. so many choices.. but ones that look correct on the car isn't going to be easy at all. Was thinking of the "Cherry Widebody" (for those familiar with that one) wheels (that style) but I think all chrome or polished wouldnt be right on my car. Polished lips and painted centers are probably better.
Some day the money pit may fill up...
Thought I would add... I like my wheels... but I dont love them. Im gonna see if I can change the wheels this upcoming summer... but I have looked around.. its gonna be a hunt. Finding the right wheel for this car isn't going to be easy, because there are a lot of selections, but I think I want to keep with Works/Volks.. considered CCW, but not going to do that. Problem is.. so many choices.. but ones that look correct on the car isn't going to be easy at all. Was thinking of the "Cherry Widebody" (for those familiar with that one) wheels (that style) but I think all chrome or polished wouldnt be right on my car. Polished lips and painted centers are probably better.
Some day the money pit may fill up...
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I really like this rim here and will be selling off my other 16" rims (staying with these until I get the rest of the mods I want in the car)
Dont recognize the center cap.. is that a true 2-piece or is that a one piece rim. My reasoning with wanting to stay with Volks or Works is I have had other rims and I find these Works that I have on currently (even though they were made in 2002) are the straightest, smoothest rim I have had so far at high speeds. I didn't think it would be a major difference, but it is indeed...
montegi or something along those lines... I just like the look of that rim. They are pretty light as well. I will take a better look next week.
I just like the look of that rim. They are pretty light as well. I will take a better look next week.
Well.. here's some shots for the Heater core replacement... (for interest)
DASH BOARD
Leaking
Can you say shot to hell
Fixed now.. finally... but I got some carpet cleanup and antifreeze removal to do from the floor pan on that side... there was a fair bit there.
DASH BOARD
Leaking
Can you say shot to hell
Fixed now.. finally... but I got some carpet cleanup and antifreeze removal to do from the floor pan on that side... there was a fair bit there.
The sad thing was.. the car ran perfectly fine prior to this. I took it in for heater core, brakes and clutch master/slave.
After I took it in.. I told them to go ahead and put on HSD coilovers so I could drop the car a bit and I wasn't happy with stock old shocks and their cornering issues...
Then I made the mistake and asked them to look at the "smoke at start-up" issue. That's what led us into the crawl through the engine which ended with the bearings heading to failure...
The original problem....
- Valve stem seals not pressed on... floating on the valve stems.. so lots of oil dropping (getting pumped even) into the combustion chamber.
- Felpro head gasket with reused stock bolts. Failure was "just" starting .. you could see the copper being pushed out on two cylinders.. although it was a very small amount. This head gasket was listed as a Cometic metal head gasket (1.2), but obviously wasn't.
- Bearings were put on without being clean (metal filings and flakes were pressed into the bearing surface). Rods and pistons were good, but the rings on 2 pistons were going on the intake side. This is why I told them to pull the engine... I dont want "small issues" niggling at my the rest of the car's life. I want it done right.. and done solid.
Head prior to rebuild
And some pictures of the new engine...
You can see the j-tube block off plate from DM in preparation for the AFPR...
This area was rusted because the previous owner lost the plastic base for the battery and I think the battery leaked on the paint, dissolving it. All fixed with original paint (not new paint because I didn't paint the engine bay when I painted the car, so this is the original engine bay color, which is very close to the new color anyway)
look Ma! No 7M!
ready for the car
You can see the Arizona perfomance billet CPS cover.. lol
Engine and clutch replaced (currently in car..) turbo is on the engine.. but no exhaust and the wideband/boost controller/AFPR, etc.. are not installed yet.
Engine has not seen gas yet.. : )
The shop is closed until Jan 8th.. so... probably not for a week or so after that
(will add shots of the old pistons and bearings .. just for interest sake...)
Oh yeah... the aircondition bearing is shot, so leaving the belt off the compressor. Will redo the A/C system next summer to the new coolant.
After I took it in.. I told them to go ahead and put on HSD coilovers so I could drop the car a bit and I wasn't happy with stock old shocks and their cornering issues...
Then I made the mistake and asked them to look at the "smoke at start-up" issue. That's what led us into the crawl through the engine which ended with the bearings heading to failure...
The original problem....
- Valve stem seals not pressed on... floating on the valve stems.. so lots of oil dropping (getting pumped even) into the combustion chamber.
- Felpro head gasket with reused stock bolts. Failure was "just" starting .. you could see the copper being pushed out on two cylinders.. although it was a very small amount. This head gasket was listed as a Cometic metal head gasket (1.2), but obviously wasn't.
- Bearings were put on without being clean (metal filings and flakes were pressed into the bearing surface). Rods and pistons were good, but the rings on 2 pistons were going on the intake side. This is why I told them to pull the engine... I dont want "small issues" niggling at my the rest of the car's life. I want it done right.. and done solid.
Head prior to rebuild
And some pictures of the new engine...
You can see the j-tube block off plate from DM in preparation for the AFPR...
This area was rusted because the previous owner lost the plastic base for the battery and I think the battery leaked on the paint, dissolving it. All fixed with original paint (not new paint because I didn't paint the engine bay when I painted the car, so this is the original engine bay color, which is very close to the new color anyway)
look Ma! No 7M!
ready for the car
You can see the Arizona perfomance billet CPS cover.. lol
Engine and clutch replaced (currently in car..) turbo is on the engine.. but no exhaust and the wideband/boost controller/AFPR, etc.. are not installed yet.
Engine has not seen gas yet.. : )
The shop is closed until Jan 8th.. so... probably not for a week or so after that
(will add shots of the old pistons and bearings .. just for interest sake...)
Oh yeah... the aircondition bearing is shot, so leaving the belt off the compressor. Will redo the A/C system next summer to the new coolant.
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Well after figuring everything out... I think 2014 is my summer run through Nevada to Las Vegas, out to California through San Fran, LA and along the coast down towards Texas ideally ending in Houston to come back up to Canada.
Thats my little dream drive. Want to finish the interior and add the intercooler prior though.
Following that, I want to do a Calgary to New Brunswick month long cruise.
these are dreams.. lol.
Thats my little dream drive. Want to finish the interior and add the intercooler prior though.
Following that, I want to do a Calgary to New Brunswick month long cruise.
these are dreams.. lol.
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Happy New Year and Merry Christmas Grandavi, looking great. Sorry I didn't get to stop by but my holidays turned to crap in a hurry. My 2003 4runner decided to plug both main catalytic converters on the highway up to Reddeer.
I am super happy for your build and seeing how close our builds are to each other makes me wonder when we are gonna have our cars side by side. I plan on taking a trip out in my supra to Calgary and then up to edmonton and back down through northern bc in the spring. Kinda like a test run after break in and re-torquing the heads.
Looking great bud. keep it up
I am super happy for your build and seeing how close our builds are to each other makes me wonder when we are gonna have our cars side by side. I plan on taking a trip out in my supra to Calgary and then up to edmonton and back down through northern bc in the spring. Kinda like a test run after break in and re-torquing the heads.
Looking great bud. keep it up