Project Git 'er done!: Stages 1, 2…now 3.

supraguy@aol

supraguy@aol

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2005
4,239
42
48
Atlanta
***{{{ As of 12/11/2022, THIS THREAD IS NOW REPAIRED. ALL PICTURES HAVE BEEN RESTORED }}}***

Ok. It's been a LONG time since I've had a build thread.
On my last thread, I really only got about a 3rd of the way towards my goals. I've owned my '88 na(now turbo) Supra since 1996, and in that time I've done a lot of mods,
and in the process, I've replaced about every part of the car, except body panels, dash and seats. So, I guess that means, I should replace the body panels, dash and seat!
I figure if I work hard at this thing, I can get it completely finished by late summer, which means I'll have at least 3 or 4 months of enjoyment out of it before
The world ends...
I will have 4 stages to this build, and unlike my previous A.D.D. attempts to improve my car, I will focus only on one stage at a time, in the following order:

1. Suspension and steering
2. Interior
3. Body
4. Drivetrain
I've let my A.D.D. force me to buy various items for the car, and thus have 25% of everything I need for each stage, but not enough to complete any of them.
But I couldn't help it- when I saw a bargain- I jumped at it, such as:
92 bumper assembly:

Hail damage-free front fenders:
[url=https://postimg.cc/mPmMpmxs] [/URL]

Cunningham rods:
[url=https://postimg.cc/v43chTJ2] [/URL]

Borla ProXS muffler and stupid-big tips:
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/URL]

T4 manifold:
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/URL]

New turbo oil pump and oil squirter bolts:
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/URL]

New oem in the bag 88 7MGTE engine harness:
 
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supraguy@aol

supraguy@aol

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2005
4,239
42
48
Atlanta
I admit- ther'e no money wasted in doing it this way, but it doesn't get the car any closer to completion.
So without further ado, welcome to stage one!
Plans are as follows:
REAR:
Remove rear subframe
Repair cracks and reinforce
Install Nylon/ rubber combo spacers
Install ES suspension bushings
Clean and reinstall
Replace Eibach/ Koni setup with Megan street coilovers

Let's begin...

Jack her up:
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/URL]
Disconnect my old(to be sold off) 3"exhaust, and aluminum(NOT to be sold off) driveshaft:
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/URL]
Brakes bled out and disconnected, and e-brakes disconnected, time to lower it:
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/URL]
Pull it out:
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/URL]
Unbolt all arms, swaybar and diff from the subframe:
[url=https://postimg.cc/mPmWDtcR] [/URL]


Stage 1 of stage one complete.

Here, you'll notice the previous crack that was welded on the right, and the new, improved crack on the left:
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/URL]
Top view of the crack:
[url=https://postimages.org/] [/URL]
You'll notice in a couple of the pics, you can see that i had already installed some of the ES bushings. now I just have to finish them up.
I also have the oem replacement spherical bushings for the lower arms, which aren't included in the ES kit:


Also, I have the BIC nylon subframe spacers installed, but they transmit too much diff noise. Therefore, I plan to cut down their thickness, to
allow the use of the oem rubber spacers as well.

That's it for now, next is to weld and reinforce the subframe, and cut down the nylon spacers.
I hope you follow along with this process, and keep me moving on it.
Thanks for looking.
 
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planemos

planemos

New Member
Apr 22, 2011
559
0
0
Slocan Park, BC, Canada
Looks like you have some good stuff in your posession! What's the plan with the seats? And just because I said the word "seat" doesn't mean you need to slack off and take a seat. We gota keep ya motivated!
 
supraguy@aol

supraguy@aol

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2005
4,239
42
48
Atlanta
Today I brought the subframe to work, and repaired the crack, and also welded in a plate of steel and two tubular support braces, between the front and rear diff mount walls.
I will have some pics tomorrow. The welds aren't pretty, so i need to smooth some of them out with my angle grinder, then paint the subframe.

As for seats, I plan to have a full set of leather/ suede replacement skins made for front and rear seats. I don't want any aftermarket seats, I like the feel of the stock ones.
The carpet will be replaced with what ACC calls their ultra plush line; it's a cut pile nylon, but much denser than stock- more like current cars. It will also have mass-backing, to reduce road noise.
The interior will also get a new double din head unit with navigation and bluetooth, and a new shallow mount subwoofer, to go in the hatch area. Windows will be stripped of old tint, and new tint installed.
Dash will come out for the install of a new heater core and new AC evaporator.

But that's all stage 2 stuff. I'm still dealing with stage 1- the suspension. I was considering replacing all of the rear arms with Battle Version adjustable arms, but I realized that would be overkill; I want my car to simply be a comfortable ride with a sporty edge to it. My overall goal for the car is to make it look slightly modernized, but factory. Like- what if the MkIII was kept in production for a few more years- how would it have evolved? That's my aim.

I have to go out of town tomorrow night for work, and I won't be home for about 5 days, so reassembly of the rear subframe will have to wait. While I'm out of town, I'll be ordering the Megan coilovers, so that they arrive when I'm home and not before. Also, I'll probably replace both rear half shafts, since mine have over 300,000 miles on them. Then it's on to the front suspension. New steering rack, front urethane bushings go in, and new ball joints. I have already rebuilt the power steering pump, and installed a stainless PS pressure line.
 
supraguy@aol

supraguy@aol

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2005
4,239
42
48
Atlanta
So, here's the welded and braced subframe.
I used 1/4" plate steel on the inside face of the forward wall, and then welded in 1" seamless tubing.
I've seen alot of guys go nuts with corner angle braces, and plate the entire forward hump, but I felt that this would be enough reinforcement for my purposes.

Still trying to figure out how to get the rear axles out of the hubs. After 25 years, it seems that they are welded in place!
I've tried a two jaw puller on the rear disc, with said disc bolted down with the wheel nuts.
And I've tried bashing it out with a 3lb hammer. Problem is, I don't want to ruin the thread area, so that I can return these as cores.
So if anyone has any suggestions, I'm open to them.
:)
 
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supraguy@aol

supraguy@aol

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2005
4,239
42
48
Atlanta
Yes, I did remove the locknut, and I did spray both front and rear with PB blaster and left it overnight, with ~500lbs outward tension on the shaft.
No luck so far.
 
supraguy@aol

supraguy@aol

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2005
4,239
42
48
Atlanta
Not too much new here, as I've been out of town.
Currently at a bed & breakfast in Nantucket- it's a nice change.
I did just order the Megan street coilovers, so hopefully, they'll get to my house in a few days, and I can post a few installed pics.
 
supraguy@aol

supraguy@aol

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2005
4,239
42
48
Atlanta
Well, Got just a little bit done today, more tomorrow, hopefully.
With some helpful advice from Toyotanos, I finally managed to break loose both of my rear CV axles loose.

Ordered some new ones, as well as new wheel studs for the rear.
Also, I managed to pop out one of the rear spherical bushings from the hub. In case you're curious- this is what they look like inside:
Old and new:

New one installed:


Tomorrow, I will clean both rear hubs, degrease both rear brake cables, and install the last few Energy suspension bushings,
and the other side's new spherical bushing. Both the new axles and the Megan coilovers should arrive Monday. then it's reassembly time.
 
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supraguy@aol

supraguy@aol

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2005
4,239
42
48
Atlanta
Today:
Pulled out the last two hub bushings(the lower rubber and lower spherical) from the passenger hub, and cleaned up the hubs/ painted them.
Under all that dirt it was practically bare metal, so I just threw little black paint on them too keep em from rusting.
If you notice in this pic, you'll see that both hubs had paint numbers on them, indicating to me that both rear hubs were replaced at one point.
I've had this car since '96, so the previous owner(a woman) must have fu@%ed up the rear end somehow:


After paint:


I would have done more work, but the temp was dropping like crazy here, so I packed it in.
Picked up all new rear studs today, as well as ordered two new balljoint dust boots for my upper control arms.
Found out that they're available seperately from the arms, and my arms are both in good shape, except for the boots.
Part number 43324-14010, in case anybody needs some.
So now, I'm waiting on:
Two new axles
Megan coilovers
balljoint boots
Warmer temps.
I expect that I'll be done with the rear suspension by Wednesday or Thursday, barring any out-of-town trips.
Then it's on to the front suspension.
 
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supraguy@aol

supraguy@aol

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2005
4,239
42
48
Atlanta
After install of parking brakes, cables and new studs:


I sure hope the axles come tomorrow, because I'm running out of things to do back there.
Regardless, I guess i'll be reinstalling the differential, hubs and all arms to the subframe, so it should at least *look* like there's progress...
The only other cosmetic thing I want to do, is powdercoat the calipers.
 
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supraguy@aol

supraguy@aol

Well-Known Member
Dec 30, 2005
4,239
42
48
Atlanta
AArgh!
I started assembling the rear subframe today, by installing the arms, diff, and hubs.
Problem is- I soon relized that the halfshafts were going to hit the new upper subframe braces!
SO, I had to cut them back out. Now I'll have to weld in some new ones, slightly outboard from the original positions.

On a brighter note, I picked up my new upper control arm ball joint boots from Toyota and installed them:


Also, I asked the parts guy about ordering a new boot for the balljoints on the rear toe arms, but he told me that Toyota doesn't sell them separately.
He DID, however suggest that I go over to Honda, and see what they had, since they did have boots to sell separately.
Here's what I came up with:

Not the right shape, right?
Here it is installed:


That's more like it!

Then, I decided to install the new Megans on the rear:

That's all for now. Still waiting on the new halfshafts, but I almost have the subframe completed.
 
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