6G Celicas Forums

Hello 6GC'ers,

So here it is, my project thread, or more like a details thread because I don't think it will be evolving very quickly

Getting my Celica:

I decided about 2 years ago that I wanted to get a Celica for my first car (I am 17 now). I was originally looking at '93 model 5th Gen Celica manual Liftback (All lift back 5th and 6th gen Celicas in Aus have the 5S-FE), but once I started saving up a but more I decided to go for a 6GC. I liked the exterior styling of a nice clean 5th gen (has to be the update model though), but I was drawn to the 6th gens for the increased safety features, tighter turning circle, and their much nicer interior. It was also much easier to find them in good condition with low mileage. And I am now completely hooked on 6GC's

So I was on the hunt for a '96-99 model ZR Celica (This is the top-spec model in Australia, equiv. to the GT/GT-S) manual with less than 180,000kms. My preference was red, and i wanted a sunroof, but I wasn't ruling anything out.

After searching regularly for a number of months, I came to the conclusion that it was going to be very difficult to find what I wanted in my budget near me. The ONLY car that I found in my state that suited my requirements was from a dealer and felt very untidy when I test drove it, lots of rattles etc. it felt like it had been thrashed... A theory supported when I found a fire extinguisher in the passenger footwell and receipts for heavy duty shocks and coils. Very disappointingly, this was not the car for me.

I kept searching and eventually found 'the one'. A Completely stock standard Silver 1997 model Toyota Celica ZR Manual, in excellent condition, with only 140,000kms (about 87,000 miles). Optional features included being the Factory Sunroof, Air con, Tinting and an Aftermarket Alarm upgrade (update: which I have now found out doesn't work ).

It was initially too expensive for me. I kept looking at it every day, wishing that I could afford it... And 'if only' it was $1000 cheaper.... But then one day they dropped the price by $800, and I was on the phone immediately.

The problem was, it was in a dealership in Melbourne, AUS, just under 2000kms away from me. Because of the demand for cars out of Melbourne, it was too expensive to ship, so I had to organize to fly down and drive it back myself (an entire 2 weeks after I got my license).

After a very long process of organisation and the minor inconvenience of them selling the car to somebody else when I was organizing a mechanic inspection, it was mine XD

Here it is:
















The Future:

I have always been very much a fan of the stock look on Celicas (with all of the factory goodies installed of course!), so I do not have any extravagant plans..... And since purchasing my car I am now a broke uni student

But I am planning a few small things:

Aftermarket head unit for iPod integration.
JDM Clear Side Indicators
Spree LED dash kit + possibly everything else as well

I also have a few different ideas about less common mods to do, but they will require a lot of thought and probably some forum threads

But you never know, if I keep reading all of you guys project builds I might eventually get a proper mod bug

I will keep updating this thread when I do anything, but I don't imagine I will be moving terribly quickly.

This post has been edited by JoshuaM: Sep 6, 2015 - 11:20 AM

That could work then although I could say don't some GT's have SS Suspension?

We got import ones in the UK with SS suspension not always Mac lol

Yes, but all of the FWD Australian models were st204's with MacPherson suspension, which is what I have (and we can't get import Celicas here :'( )

Just just some lowering springs.

We can, it's just a royal pain in the ass and costs a fortune

Woo... Changed taillights again! This time I have another set with less scratches on them, and I swapped in the JDM harness as well to get the quad tail lights






AND...... new goodie from a SSIII in Japan;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms4jfyNdxGE

.... small things... Now I just want to buy another ones and see if I can hack it apart to do it on both windows.

All I'm hearing is instead of buying lowering springs you bought another set of tail lights when you could have polished out the old ones.

They didn't cost me any extra money!!! I just imported some more stuff from Japan to boost the local 6GC scene a bit and sold mine instead of the ones that arrived

And it isn't JUST springs, would need to get new shocks too, and by then you might as well go coilovers and have the adjustability (But if I find more TRD springs they're mine! )

Fair enough. Don't have to get new struts.... I got my Tein springs and KYB struts for $400ish, still considerably cheaper than the cheapest coil-overs. Just have to shop around to get the best deals.

Could you not get Koni Adjustables?

But..... why? Coilovers are $1100 for the whole lot, and getting a decent coil and shock setup will cost at least $800 (Probably more - because Australia) and you still don't get the adjustable ride height. If the springs were cheap and easy to find here like they are in some places that could be different... but most things like that are double the price here.

AND YOU HAVE GIGANTIC SPIDERS!!!!!! Sounds like it's time to move.

I don't know too much on exchange rates over here but a set of Koni yellow's are 554 quid. As for ride height etc surely if you set up the car with the correct offset wheels etc you wouldn't need to adjust the heights etc anyways? I mean if you're going to lower for shows or you're on bags or whatever then yeah lower it all the time but I can't say that it seems like the adjustable ride height would be needed. I'd rather have the adjustable damping personally and save a couple hundred quid

At that price though it is cheaper to get coilovers - and they have adjustable dampening too, right? $1100 here for coilovers is 650 GBP. And I would actually be more interested in the height adjustment for going up rather than down, as I plan to tow with it occasionally, and I don't think lowered is great for that A bit of a moot point at the moment though, because unless something drastic happens I won't be doing any suspension stuff until after I get back from overseas next year.

Some coil-overs do, some don't.

Ah fair enough then buddy :-)

My old FK's weren't damping adjustable though on the MR2 but then again they were cheap lol

Haha, well I will make sure that I get some that are - But I was looking at the BC BR Gold series and I think they do everything

Today I installed some goodies I had lying around;

Step 1: Remove surrounding plastics.

Step 2: Unscrew blank:



Step 3: Screw in new ignition ring:



Step 4: Plug into wiring harness that is sitting under the dash waiting for you to get off your lazy a$$ and do this super simple mod;



Step 5: Clip plastic surrounds back on and enjoy:



SOOOO quick and easy I still need to get a blue LED for it though and take it back out again.

It is set up automatically to turn on with the door courtesy lights and turn off 5 seconds after door close.

And when I was there I replaced my shifter surround with a new one with JDM pocket (And one without stains from when I spilled a bottle of eucalyptus oil when I was removing my old rego sticker ).

Looks legit!

Forgot to say I bought a GT-FOUR Rear strut bar too!!! (posted in Today I thread, but forgot to update here);

I should have said that I almost bought another 6th gen on Saturday too - black SX-R (So 5S-FE with SSIII seats and dials for 5S, OEM 15" alloys and fog lights) with 236,000kms for $700. Needed suspension redone (previous owner cut coils) so plan was to get coilovers for me and put my stock suspension in it and resell.... but it was an absolute bomb when we inspected it - needed well over $1k in body work and paint before I would consider selling it (still would've worked out to free coilovers - but I have easier ways of making cash), and radiator had just cracked too, so would've been a pain to get home. Bought extra Projectors and JDM tails to stick on it too! But oh well

Since I have been hogging this thread a bit I should really add some photos





Much better

EDIT: Note I had just taken the spacers off the back in the morning too - doesn't look toooooo bad I don't want to roll my guards yet and I was getting sick of having to take it easy around bends to not scrub out

And a problem I had when I was heading out for my drive - I had just bought another full set of projectors and another set of JDM tails with the strut brace, and didn't want to smash them to pieces around the bends - so I fashioned a strap out of my laptop shoulder strap and connected one end to the child seat anchor point and slipped the other end through the rear seats and tightened it up... worked a treat!

That's looking sweet mate nice work, you bought more projectors then realised you didn't need them?
Oh dear LOL

'bought' the rear strut bar xD