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

[enderswift]

If only you weren't in california...

pm bonzai and try to figure out how he managed to smog a 3sge beams in cali. It would be a shame to only install a 5s after you've gone through all this work

[H8TRAIN]

If only you weren't in california...

pm bonzai and try to figure out how he managed to smog a 3sge beams in cali. It would be a shame to only install a 5s after you've gone through all this work

Amen.

Since shortly before I got the engine out almost 2 weeks ago, I've been working on this conundrum. I've been feverishly researching and picking the brains of people on via internet and phone. Trying to get an understanding of what it's like to live with a jdm swap in california. I have learned alot. I have learned that it is possible. And there is more than one way to skin the cat. None of them will result in you happily motoring every day without a care in the world that you may end up with an unsmoggable car or a useless engine.

I'm willing to have the slightly unpleasant experience of taking special care of special details come smog time. I'm willing to have that experience so that I can enjoy a 3sge for 2 years at a time. I really want a 3SGE.



I need that sound. In my life. DAILY.

If I don't end up with a 3sge, my fallback plan would be to get an fe type and build a turbo system around the unopened motors. That would be satisfying and someday I really would like to turbo charge a factory atmo engine, but the 3sge better suits my goals for Gogo.