|
Post by mrbishi on Mar 17, 2009 14:33:08 GMT
As you may or may not know,i was lucky enough to aquire Bob Clarkes beautiful rx12 Corona. Well,here are some updates since i got it.As lovely as it was,i just don't do standard,so those who just can't bear to see an original car modded,then look away now! Fist of all,i gave the interior a general clean,took out all the carpets and washed them.Did the same with the centre console and removed a switch and a light in the dash and covered the holes with a chrome strip. I decided to fit a cd player,but didn't want to cut anything up,so i mounted shelf speakers in the back and put the stereo on the shelf below the glovebox. While i was messing around with the rear seats out,i discovered 3 small rust holes in the rear arches,so they were soon welded up! I also fitted the old wooden steering wheel and boss from my supra. In the engine bay,i replaced the leads with some nice 8mm silicon ones i had lying around,even though Bob had not long done this.I changed the dizzy cap from the orange one to a black one,and removed the remains of the redundant electronic ign.I also fited a filter that i made out of a cut and shut pod filter. On the outside,i lowered it a lot and fitted the wheels of my supra.I also added a front lip from a golf mk1 cl and added a little chrome trim around the grill.I also added mirrors to both doors to balance the look and increase visibility....I'm not used to only having one mirror. Underneath,so far i have replaced the lower front ball joints and shocks (which were new spares that came with the car) and some new flexi brake lines. I tried fiottng the calipers and pads that came with the car but unfortunately they are the wrong ones. I also had to replace the rear shoes as the old ones had stuck on and ripped the linings off the backing!! It's being used as a daily driver now,and so far it's running faultlessly.The only bad thing is it's a bit breathless with the 4 speed box.I have managed to secure a p51 box,bellhousing and extension off ebay,but i still need the rubber mounts and clutch slave cylinder to make it fit. I am tempted to stick an 18rg in it too,but they don't come up that often.There is one that keeps popping up on ebay,but i'm not paying £400+ for an engine that could very well need a full rebuild. Anyway,have some pics And finally a pic to remind you what it used to look like
|
|
|
Post by oldredcelicabryan on Mar 18, 2009 0:25:31 GMT
I'm sure some purists would not approve, but apart from the Springs there is not much that can't be reversed in the future. I bet it handles a lot better now, does it have more grunt now it can breathe better or is it just louder?
|
|
|
Post by mrbishi on Mar 18, 2009 10:08:56 GMT
I'm sure some purists would not approve, but apart from the Springs there is not much that can't be reversed in the future. I bet it handles a lot better now, does it have more grunt now it can breathe better or is it just louder? I'm sure there's some that wouldn't approve,but they're sometimes the ones that don't get the wallets out and buy these cars to keep them alive! ;D I think the filter does help a little,but it's really in preperation for a bigger exhaust.....the standard one is as small as an inch in diameter in places.That must be strangling the breathing! The car also came with an extra brand new standard exhaust so reversing any mods to the exhaust would be an easy job. It handles much better cornering now with the stiffer lower springs and wider tyres/wheels but in a straight line it does suffer from a little bump steer now,highlighted by the wooly steering box.
|
|
|
Post by dinger on Mar 18, 2009 19:37:16 GMT
Yes, nice to see a rare model in use and being cherished. On the point of the purists, covered in a number of my articles in the magazine. It seems to me a pity if you have an original car to then stray too far from standard. On the question of getting your wallet out, maintaining originality can be expensive too. Of course you can improve suspension, tyres, brakes etc. in any old Toyota, but if you really want to fly around the countryside in the best Toyota of all, get yourself a Celica 205 GT4. A machine that will outperform any Toyota of any age except perhaps a last gen. Supra Turbo which was a bit quicker in a staight line but not on the corners!
|
|
|
Post by bob clark on Mar 18, 2009 21:06:04 GMT
hi car looks great mate front grill and wheels look great looks better lowered hope to see you in the summer with the car good work
|
|
|
Post by alfazer on Mar 18, 2009 21:19:38 GMT
I like this kind of modifying, the sort of thing that can be reversed if required. It's a fair point about getting the wallet out, original or not. As long as it's being looked after and not lying around in a field somewhere gathering rust, then I'm happy. It's a nice car, well done. Just don't leave that cat in there for too long.
I think we had a thread about the following topic before but I can't find it....anyway... I wondered about any performance gains with this filter. It sucks hot air in from right above the exhaust manifold on this engine which would be a downside for performance, although granted, there is more fresh air wafting through this engine bay than a modern car would have. I ran a similar filter myself on a 18R for a while, and in my head it was faster but really I'm not sure. Made a nice noise though!
Are there any issues with the open breather on the rocker cover? I heard that MOT doesn't like them?
|
|
|
Post by sidta23 on Mar 18, 2009 21:52:13 GMT
Now thats just gorgeous i love it, paint the bib spoiler blue imo
|
|
|
Post by mrbishi on Mar 18, 2009 23:18:42 GMT
On the question of getting your wallet out, maintaining originality can be expensive too. Of course you can improve suspension, tyres, brakes etc. in any old Toyota, but if you really want to fly around the countryside in the best Toyota of all, get yourself a Celica 205 GT4. A machine that will outperform any Toyota of any age except perhaps a last gen. Supra Turbo which was a bit quicker in a staight line but not on the corners! I see your point about maintaining originality but,I was more refering to the few who may disapprove about changing an original car rather than fronting the cash and actually buying these cars, than i was to the actual expense of owning them. I of course do respect peoples opinions on the subject though and do love to see a nice original motor. On the subject of making things handle better,sometimes it's more of a challenge to make a car handle better than actually buying one that handles well in the first place....it's part of the fun. This wasn't the reason i fiddled with the suspension of this car though,i just did it because i love the look hi car looks great mate front grill and wheels look great looks better lowered hope to see you in the summer with the car good work Glad you like it Bob....It's running really well as a daily! I'm well chuffed with it,and it gets nothing but compliments! I think we had a thread about the following topic before but I can't find it....anyway... I wondered about any performance gains with this filter. It sucks hot air in from right above the exhaust manifold on this engine which would be a downside for performance, although granted, there is more fresh air wafting through this engine bay than a modern car would have. I ran a similar filter myself on a 18R for a while, and in my head it was faster but really I'm not sure. Made a nice noise though! Are there any issues with the open breather on the rocker cover? I heard that MOT doesn't like them? A lot of the time,people mistake increased noise for increased power,and i think with just a filter chage,that's all you get,an increase in noise.I think with an exhaust,the breathing may improve a bit more though.I agree about the hot air theory too,but as said,there's much more airflow around the bays of these old motors nowadays. As for the breather,there's not much in the way of blow-by gasses coming out of this because there's another crankcase breather take off that goes directly into the intake manifold,so most of the gasses go through there. I've never had any mot bother regarding these before though. Now thats just gorgeous i love it, paint the bib spoiler blue imo Cheers.....i toyed with that idea,but i'm not sure colour coding isn't too 'late eighties/early nineties'??
|
|
|
Post by alfazer on Mar 20, 2009 6:03:50 GMT
I'd say leave it black. Nice and subtle, and no stonechip problems.
|
|
|
Post by Uncle Bob on Mar 20, 2009 12:38:25 GMT
Bit more work needed on the underside
|
|
|
Post by jon on Mar 21, 2009 12:30:16 GMT
Tasty! Love the stance, and the chin spoiler really sets the look off.
|
|
|
Post by mrbishi on Mar 22, 2009 22:37:31 GMT
I'd say leave it black. Nice and subtle, and no stonechip problems. Yeah,it's staying black. Bit more work needed on the underside Ha ha,not quite up to your standards yet mate Tasty! Love the stance, and the chin spoiler really sets the look off. Cheers mate
|
|
|
Post by mrbishi on Jul 9, 2009 21:09:42 GMT
She passed her mot today! Straight through,no advisories. Don't you just love old Toyotas!!
|
|
|
Post by Fergus on Jul 16, 2011 22:44:21 GMT
|
|
|
Post by oldredcelicabryan on Jul 17, 2011 6:51:20 GMT
It is very sad news indeed, shocking. I went along to the funeral to represent Celica-Club, the club had raised £400 towards the Charitable project that Becci and Simons family have chosen to assist. The Project helps young people to be trained to become mechanics, the funds from Simons friends and family are being used to equip a Lecture/Classroom.
RIP Simon
|
|