So I had eyed this 89 for about a week and just got my taxes back, and was just looking for a project car to fix up. The dealership had this car on here listed as a poor condition with a badly cracked head. I had them start it up a few times and was kinda skeptical of the bad head theory but I figured why the hell not if it's cheap enough. I can get any 7m head for like three hundred rebuilt. So I told the guy I have a thousand cash and I'd get rid of that piece of junk for him if he'd let me take it out for a test drive. We got it out of the cage and the salesman said okay, lets go. So I just put my foot into it and that "piece of junk" spooled to 10 psi and peeled out of the dealership parking lot onto the main highway like it was going to lift the tires off of the ground. I drove it to the gas station and filled it up and the damn thing wouldn't start. we tried to jump it and nothing. So the sales guy got behind the damn thing and pushed me down the road until i finally got it started and i drove him back to the dealership to sign. Nearly killed him. I left it running in the parking lot and did the paperwork. I talked the guys down to one thousand and walked away with my new toy. It needs a new rack and pinion, and I have to get a real boost controller in there, but the more i drive it, the better it runs.
Turbo's Supra
- Thread starter jmjecc
- Start date
I have found the previous owner ('turbo'-his friends at the Yota dealer he used to work at referred to him this) was troubleshooting an overheating problem that i seem to have completely remedied by replacing the radiator cap. Haven't flushed the system yet, mainly because of time constraint and weather, but it seems to have fixed my cooling problems for now. However, because of the cooling problems, the car has a new radiator, a new completely tested head (About $1300 into the head by a very reputable local shop that I have confirmed), and a metal head gasket that was properly seated. The is a lot of orange silicone particles floating in the cooling system, so I am going to get it flushed as soon as the snow melts. Came to me on ten pounds and because of a really bad tank of gas, or some Murphy's law issue, the car was coughing up fuel an couldn't run, but as soon as i got all the fuel out and put in fresh ethanol free it started running great and I'm ready to get a boost controller installed. Anyone know if the 89 turbo 5 speed came with a boost controller installed or was it just a straight piece of hose connected? Aside from that it seems to run better each mile i put on it.
They come with just a hose from the wastegate actuator to the compressor cover. Sounds like you got quite a deal!
You didn't low ball him any more after it wouldn't start at the gas station!?!?!?! I would low balled him some more. Never the less a good pick up of for a 89 turbo. How is the body condition?
It's body is great, repainting the bumpers, but I'm good at that. I took a friend out the other day and finished the rod bearings out, they knock pretty bad, not so bad that i can't drive it, but she's getting a new set before I take her out on a long adventure. Oil pressure was in the toilet when i got her anyways so I knew it was comin'. I did try to low ball the dealer more, but he said he'd craigslist it, so I figured screw it, It'd sell in a day at 1500 on craigslist. Officially parked it today, anyone tried changing rods and mains without pullin the motor? Probably a crazy idea, but toyota said i can pull the oil pump without pullin the block, so I'll give her a whirl. -JJ