Gogo's Tent, Got a motor. Lots of work to do. Options

[H8TRAIN]

Latest Update: Engine bay ready. Looking for an engine.

Update: Got engine out. Must be beginners luck.

Gogo has a tent.





It's not much but I'm lucky Gogo even has a tent. By this stage in my life I probably could have a garage with an S2000 or a restored 300ZX in it. But I don't. Life's not a fairytale and we don't always get what we want. I've never had a garage of my own. One day I will. But I'm tired of waiting for that day to stop talking cars and start doing cars.

As luck would have it, I currently have access to a sideyard! It's not too level but it's paved. And there's a small toolshed. I can put a damn tent up, scatter some tools about and it'll be like a garage. Close enough, anyway.

So all I needed was a car to start on. I chose a Toyota Celica because it was in Sega Rally Championship back in 1995 when things were good. I found one only 100 miles away with a freshly blown motor. I rented a car dolly and towed it home. This the first time I have ever dragged a car behind a truck. I was nervous about every step of it because I had never done it. After learning that is quite impossible to back up a tow dolly, my friends helped me push the Celica up and into the sideyard.







It's a 95 5spd GT. I named it Gogo. And put up a harbor freight portable garage - I like to call it a tent - over Gogo.







I have never changed an axle. I have never changed a clutch. I have never inspected a distributor. Never used a timing lite, or a bearing puller. I am a complete novice mechanic. I hate that. The point of this project is to change that. It's working already. For example: I didn't know what a wiring harness was or what one looked like. That changed quickly on Friday when I ripped the ugly mother****er out with my own two hands. Now I know.




6GC, I'm very impressed with your knowledge and your community. I joined the site because I want help. Me and Gogo both want your help.




This post has been edited by H8TRAIN: Jan 20, 2014 - 10:50 PM

[richee3]

That's rotten luck, but it's good to see that you kept a level head and walked away instead of letting the money burn a hole in your pocket and jumping on the first engine you come across.

As a swap option, I prefer the BEAMS over the 3rd gen 3S-GE. The VVT-i allows the BEAMS to retain low end response that the 3rd gen lacks due to its nature. However, the cost of a BEAMS is painful for a meager 200 horsepower. The 3S-FE, while cheap, is essentially an underpowered 5S-FE, so I'd stay 5S in that instance. Just my two cents, it really all comes down to your budget, driving style, and personal preference.

[H8TRAIN]

As a swap option, I prefer the BEAMS over the 3rd gen 3S-GE. The VVT-i allows the BEAMS to retain low end response that the 3rd gen lacks due to its nature. However, the cost of a BEAMS is painful for a meager 200 horsepower. The 3S-FE, while cheap, is essentially an underpowered 5S-FE, so I'd stay 5S in that instance. Just my two cents, it really all comes down to your budget, driving style, and personal preference.

As far as the cost of the engines, I'm finding that the few 3rd gen 3sge out there are much too expensive very close to the price of a beams set. For that matter, domestic 5sfe are about the same price as well. Theres alot of internet bravado about 250 dollar 5sfes' but I can't find them. If 1300 for a beams is painful then 1000 for a 5sfe is excruciating.

As for the 3sfe I'm not convinced that it's much worse than a 5sfe. Especially at half the price!