94 celica st manual "restoration" Options

[fhalperformance]

Right after I picked up a 93 alltrac rolling chassis I finally located a 94 celica after 5 months of looking. The price was right and its a pre-OBD2 that was pretty clean minus the bodywork. Only bad part was a lien from a bank that was no longer in existence but that ended up being not that big a deal with a lein release arriving in the mail a week and a half later. Already manual and is a blast to drive more so then my camry. I was planning on parking it for the summer given my new alltrac project and finishing up the rest of the work on my circuit race mr2. Needless to say thats not the plan anymore. It is the project that needs the least amount of work (or so I thought) figured I could finish this one along side the mr2 before starting the trac.

[fhalperformance]

I have done a little bit of work so far on the car. Fixed the drivers side rocker panel so its 100 percent. I still have some passenger quarter panel work to do and selection of a color to paint the car. I am replacing or working on every panel on the car so I may do a color change. Almost all of my cars are a different color so Im thinking Ill stay teal like a scion hypnotic teal mica or darker teal then whats on there. I have access to a spray booth and all my own equipment so its not that much more of an investment to change the color. I will probably wait to put parts on the car until they have been painted already to keep things professional.

Got some gas and brake lines left that are pretty rotten/hacked together. Gas tank has a wet spot right in the middle and havent had a chance to locate a gas tank in better condition within driving distance. Still need to find some more parts with rear gt disc brake conversion parts the only thing coming to mind right now.

Parts I have acquired so far to make the car 100 percent:

Used Pair of stock tailights
Used Hood (black)
Used Facelift bumper (red)
new passenger front fender
Used passenger low beam (mint)
Used passenger high beam (mint)
Used drivers side door (black)
Used passenger side door (red)
Used gas door (red)
Used passenger side headlight lower bracket
Used rear hatch (black)
Used set of ST205 taillights from japan (mint) / debating on keeping these & the direction of the car
Used set of front seats (celica lettering & no tares)


you can see the rot on the drivers door, and thats the nicest bottom corner on the door lol

This post has been edited by fhalperformance: May 27, 2013 - 12:49 PM

[fhalperformance]

Any opinions on this color on a sixth gen?

[Smaay]

im not digging it. Supra Emerald green is better

[RabidTRD]

Nice to see another Celica from NY! That door issue plagues us northerners.

[richee3]

im not digging it. Supra Emerald green is better

x2. That color looks great on the Lotus but I think the Celica needs something a bit different. The 6th gen came with a similar color, seen here on Cheela's car and hurley97's car.





But that's just my opinion. If you happen to get your Celica painted that color, I wouldn't mind seeing it.

[cheela]

love the green. in mine, it looks more teal/blue, and in hurley's pic it's greener. just depends on how light hits it.

[richee3]

love the green. in mine, it looks more teal/blue, and in hurley's pic it's greener. just depends on how light hits it.

I just did a quick Google search. Feel free to replace my pictures with whichever ones you like.

[fhalperformance]

I got 2 mint doors from celicas in junk yards in this state as well as all the other perfect body pieces. Ive never seen a toyota in this sorry a shape but it is also the cheapest running car Ive ever purchased. Still working on a gas tank and a filler neck (mine are in sorry shape) so I can get the car 100 percent.

Im really digging that lotus green color I just havent pulled the trigger yet on which color I like. I have a feeling the lotus color would look alot better on the celica if it has the st205 hood and bumper. Is that last picture richee3 that deep jewel green pearl that came stock on the 94-99's? I am liking that color... it just looks a little pedestrian imo. Id have to see it in person I guess.

I gota get my mr2 ready for watkins glen end of june so Im going to focus on that this coming month money wise. I was thinking about selling it to a friend thats in need of a car but the more and more I work on it the more I realize I dont want to see it go. Its a blast to drive even with its 1.8L motor may put it on the road end of june. Already started scheming what kind of car I want to turn it into. Time to park my camry with a for sale sign someplace so I can keep going on this one.

[Box]

Well, the ST makes for a good daily driver. I average 34-36 mpg with mine. Unless you swap the engine not really much you can do with the car.

[fhalperformance]

Yeah without a swap its never going to be that fast. I havent decided which way Im going to go with it. I have spare mr2 & alltrac parts trannies and a spare 3sgte & 5vzfe I just have a alltrac rolling chassis that needs a motor/transmission more then this does.



Hypnotic teal mica is a color Ive had a soft spot for. This s2000 is painted the color and it looks pretty good.

This post has been edited by fhalperformance: May 29, 2013 - 7:20 PM

[fhalperformance]

some more pictures:

[Box]

Indeed. One option would be a 1MZ-FE swap, and is what I'd do if I ever swapped mine. Also I say stay with the original colour, I like it. I like it a lot more than the colour mine is anyhow. If you can I say find the 14" alloy wheels for it, they weigh absolutely next to nothing and go a long ways towards efficiency and to a degree performance.

[fhalperformance]

I got some 00 celica gts rims and a set of volk gt-7s sitting in my garage so Im prob not going to look for any other rims in 5x100. Im a 5vzfe fan so idk about the 1mz. Does it bolt to a alltrac transmission successfully?

[Box]

The 1MZ-FE bolts to the S54 transmission of the GT, so I'd imagine it would. The 1MZ-FE is all aluminum, no need for the 5VZ boat anchor.

[fhalperformance]

So does the 5vz there's just an clearance issue with v6s and the alltrac transmission. 5vz will make way more power reliably when moded which is all Im concerned about. You can easily loose the weight difference somewhere else on the car for the reliability and strength of the 5vz. There are tacoma's with bolt-on's running low 11 second quarter miles with the 5vz. My na mr2 with heavier turbo tranny, 5vz motor and 16 inch rims weighs 200 lbs less then factory with just a stripped interior & 1 seat.

[Tigawoods]

I like the color on that S2000. But I also like the color thats already on the car. Im torn haha

[Box]

So does the 5vz there's just an clearance issue with v6s and the alltrac transmission. 5vz will make way more power reliably when moded which is all Im concerned about. You can easily loose the weight difference somewhere else on the car for the reliability and strength of the 5vz. There are tacoma's with bolt-on's running low 11 second quarter miles with the 5vz. My na mr2 with heavier turbo tranny, 5vz motor and 16 inch rims weighs 200 lbs less then factory with just a stripped interior & 1 seat.

Can't lose the weight from the front though, and with the non All-Trac Celica being FWD the 1MZ-FE is capable of making more than enough power. Besides, nobody wants stripped interior for a street car.

[fhalperformance]

Im going to rock the 1.8L for a while or at least until I get my 93 trac running. I may take my camry to carmax and see what theyd give me for it without trading it in just for kicks. You dont need big power in a fwd car anyway to have fun so 1mz or 3mz might be a better route then the 5vz.

As for the stripped interior, with everyone concerned with the price of gas you think theyd be more eager to get rid of the fat on their car lol. I have been DDing the mr2 for two weeks now and I can safely say I dont miss anything I removed. Car has quite a breeze with the windows open so its not hot even when humid, I wear shoes so I dont need a carpet, the sound of the motor is all the radio I need without it being obnoxious in the car, and with windows cracked you dont need defrost.

This post has been edited by fhalperformance: May 29, 2013 - 10:33 PM

[RabidTRD]

Would the 5VZ-FE fit in the 6GC?

[Box]

Im going to rock the 1.8L for a while or at least until I get my 93 trac running. I may take my camry to carmax and see what theyd give me for it without trading it in just for kicks. You dont need big power in a fwd car anyway to have fun so 1mz or 3mz might be a better route then the 5vz.

My point exactly. In an All-Trac or MR2 the 5VZ is probably the way to go, but with FWD I'd say 1MZ. 200 hp is plenty for a 2400 pound car.

[fhalperformance]

Yes the 5vz will fit in the fwd celica although I doubt the stock intake manifold will allow the hood to close. It sticks up higher then the mr2 engine lid but there are other oem manifold parts that you can use to get its height down. I dont think there has been a 5vz swapped into a sixth gen fwd. I need a tow vehicle so I may do something crazy with the 6th gen I havent decided yet. I cant stand driving trucks I seem to get speeding tickets like crazy.

[Box]

Tow vehicle you say, find an El Camino or Ranchero. What I'd do.

[fhalperformance]

So v8 rwd with solid rear axle, beafed up frame, and remove hatch window for fifth wheel hitch would be looked down upon? haha that would be a fun project.

[fhalperformance]

Got a line on a gas tank and filler neck the last couple pieces I should need before paint. I also ordered a can of spray paint matching that lotus color with lotus clear so I can paint a section/see how it will look. I want to see how it will look on the car before I make any decision.

[fhalperformance]

Havent updated in a while been a little busy with my other projects. Got her 90 percent ready for paint with the only thing left to do is some sanding and install my new passenger side door to make the exterior 100 percent again. Then Im probably going to sell her, I have too many projects and really need to free up some time if im going to have my 93 trac running before winter time. Im in the middle of swapping my spare 94 mirrors onto my 93 alltrac to get rid of those "ear mirrors" Ive never been too fond of (picture below) while I collect parts to put her back together.


-most recent picture I have of her


-5th gen with 6th gen mirrors

[fhalperformance]

Finished getting the seats in and prepping for paint. I have a pending sale and the guy is giving me extra money to have the car painted so It should be going into the bodyshop on monday for paint. I got too many projects so Ive decided to let someone else enjoy this car. I am getting a 2uz v8 beginning of next week which is kind of bad timing but Ill use it eventually lol. Next week I may start dropping the motor into my 93 if this car is gone.

This post has been edited by fhalperformance: Aug 8, 2013 - 8:05 PM

[fhalperformance]

I was going to sell the car and work on the alltrac untill my DD got totalled. Now the 94 is my new DD and have been working on her alot lately. I got a 97 gt parts car for the rear disc brake conversion and for parts/spares I needed.

To Do List:
Paint - thinking subaru world rally blue right now
Modify my two post spoiler for the CF riser blocks I bought & get riser gaskets
ST205 clip - motor for the trac, hood/bumper/head lights for the 94 & possible rhd conversion in the future
Swap interior plastics from my parts car as mine are all scratched up
Mount the snows I had for my camry on the aluminum rims I bought for the car - waiting for the rims to be refinished professionally
Shave the antenna - possibly get a roof antenna from a matrix
Purchase some coil overs to replace the shot suspension - probably BC Racing
preventative maintenance - alternator, battery, starter, ball joints, inner & outer tie rods
Maybe install the headunit & subs I have sitting in my room
Sell the 19 inch oz racing rims from my camry as I have no use for them anymore

This post has been edited by fhalperformance: Nov 15, 2013 - 8:57 PM

[fhalperformance]

Here's some update pictures for the car. I got the rims professionally refinished and the tires mounted. Im waiting for the paint to harden up before I balance and install them on the car. I wish I had taken some pictures of them test fitted on the car they look great/almost flush. I still havent figured out the offset of the rims which I probably should do.. I also got some new spline drive lug nuts for the rims as well to replace the rusty oem ones currently on the car.

I got the gt rear crossmember & spindles apart from the rear arms so I can start getting them ready for the disc brake conversion. Turns out the former owner completely removed the ebrake hardware underneath the rotor hat so Ill probably need some more work to get them ready to go. Ill need new backing plates, bushings, new rear arms (already have the new bolts & nuts for putting it back together), and time to refinish the new cross member as it has alot less rust then the one currently on the car.

Also got a new paint idea for the car which I have included a picture of below. (newer style) British Racing Green. My widebody will be blue and I havent found more then one blue color that I liked. Best to keep with the program so far and have all my cars be different colors. White (mr2), Red (93 trac), Black (91 trac), Blue (widebody), and then the 94 celica with the green paint.







This post has been edited by fhalperformance: Nov 15, 2013 - 9:03 PM

[fhalperformance]

News on the project front:
ST205 front clip with body panels. Motor will go in my trac and hood/bumper conversion will go on the trac. Will be saving the rhd conversion parts for a future project.
16 inch rims with 205/55R16 continental extremewintercontact (better pictures to come)
OEM rear strut tower bar with cover & end plastics
BC Racing coilovers for AT200 (purchased- being manufactured for shipping)
Four Wheel Alignment on the AT200
Color conversion body shop appointment for the middle of december





This post has been edited by fhalperformance: Nov 27, 2013 - 6:27 PM

[fhalperformance]

Parts to purchase next week:
Drivers side quarter window (molding chipped up)
Gas Lid


Things to do:
Roll rear fender lip (bought a tool to do it)
Get the final touches done before paint
Remove interior plastics so Im not charged for it
Prep the new passenger side door
Swap radiator support

This post has been edited by fhalperformance: Nov 27, 2013 - 6:34 PM

[fhalperformance]

Its been a while since I updated this posting in quite a while. I sold the ST205 body parts to a friend because I was going to sell the 6th gen in order to buy a truck. I always wanted a 6th gen but I need a truck more then a daily driven car. I was making plans to sell when it sent a connecting rod through the side of the block with little to no warning. I installed a new motor from a friend (from a 94 corolla with no egr... may have been a mistake) and that broke a connecting rod pulling out of the garage immediately after finish installing it lol. I sidelined the project and bought a Saturn to drive/flip for some cash while I looked for a new motor. Luckily I found a southern celica in my local pull yard that just arrived same color/year/trim/transmission that I plan to gut this weekend so I can go for the third time on a motor install in my car.

I blew a tire at 110mph on Watkins glen with my previously/barely finished 93 st185 project coming out of a corner ripping my fender, hood release cable, and body harness into pieces. I was lucky enough not to put the car into the wall even with all four wheels off the pavement although I will have to spend a decent amount of money redoing things I had already spent money on the month before. I was lucky enough to find a tire close enough in size to limp the car home where its sat while I worked on fixing the lights & wiper wiring on the car as well as finding a new fender.

I took the 5vz mr2 to the track this spring and it has developed some problems since. I had been daily driving it while the 94 celica was down for its heart transplant and it was getting cold. I need to work on it but I don't have the time and money for it right now. I had tried to sell it but have been jerked around a bit by buyers so that's going away for storage for now. Maybe Ill sell it next spring when it would be more likely to sell so I can get rid of some of these projects. I have a 93 t-top mr2 rolling chassis available to me with low miles that Id love to pick up for my nascar team leftover 5vz heads/turbo hybrid motor build I have half the parts for sitting in my room right now just waiting to be put together with the few remaining pieces that I am missing. No sense taking apart my current mr2 to replace parts I just bought within the last two years and trying to sell those used specialty performance parts but Ill cross that bridge if I get there.

I need to post up a thread with all my extra 6gc parts so I can generate some money for my two current/upcoming projects: 01 mr2 spyder 2zz 6th speed swap & 2000 celica gts ff-gt custom wide body 2gr/c60 swap.