Need a mentor Options

[Topaz95GT]

Hello,

I don't know much about cars. All I know is that I love my Celica and I want to completely restore it to like-new condition. Who can I PM on here to help answer questions because I have spend so many hours digging around on here but to be honest, most of this stuff is extremely technical.

I just made my first purchase of some projectors on the forum. Besides the cheap wheels and a new double din stereo, she is still stock.


1. What does it mean when people say they have 5k/8k projectors? Did they open up the JDM projector and swap it? Do I want to do this?
2. I broke 2 tabs off... No, my WIFE or my DOG did... even worse that I didn't have the satisfaction of breaking them myself. The thread on here suggests bondo fiberglass or an epoxy. Also a soldering iron. But then I found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk1cojemglE
3. Will there be a reason I need to change the RHD projectors to LHD?
4. My mechanic wants 900 bucks to change some leaking seals. Should I grab a 2.2 GT engine and just swap it? (This is my 2nd engine, I've put almost 100k on this one, Car has 170k)
5. Which brand coil-overs do I buy?
6. How do I make her faster? She seems dead inside.
7. Who will hold my hand when I start gutting this thing to put a turbo engine in it?


While I don't know much about cars, I'm not completely useless. If anyone needs website/graphics assistance you just need to ask!

I have a million more questions, seriously.

This post has been edited by Topaz95GT: May 19, 2014 - 12:29 PM

[richee3]

1. What does it mean when people say they have 5k/8k projectors? Did they open up the JDM projector and swap it? Do I want to do this?

That's just the color of the light, like Teo said. 3K is yellow light, 4,300K is white, 5,000-6,000K is white with blue, 8,000K is blue, and 12,000K is purple. 4,300-5,000K will have the most usable light.

2. I broke 2 tabs off... No, my WIFE or my DOG did... even worse that I didn't have the satisfaction of breaking them myself. The thread on here suggests bondo fiberglass or an epoxy. Also a soldering iron. But then I found this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk1cojemglE

A good epoxy will hold the tabs together.

3. Will there be a reason I need to change the RHD projectors to LHD?

Yes. The projectors flick the light up to the left, into oncoming traffic. In Japan, that would have been the side of the road, but in the US, that's where oncoming traffic is, and the focal point of the light is in that part that flicks up. It's hard to bring yourself to open up an expensive set of headlights for fear that you may break them, but it really isn't difficult to do at all.

4. My mechanic wants 900 bucks to change some leaking seals. Should I grab a 2.2 GT engine and just swap it? (This is my 2nd engine, I've put almost 100k on this one, Car has 170k)

That's personal preference. Keep in mind that a replacement 5S will also have old seals, which are prone to leak, and you'll still have to pay your mechanic to drop it in. So you'll be close, if not more than $900 for a replacement 5S. 100K miles is nothing on a 5S so I wouldn't be worried about the mileage.

5. Which brand coil-overs do I buy?

Megan coilovers are good for the money. A lot of people like BC coilovers as well. Again, it comes down to budget and personal preference.

6. How do I make her faster? She seems dead inside.

Unfortunately, with stock engines our Celicas are a bit slow. The 5S makes decent low end torque but has no top end. Ken nailed it perfectly- with intake, header, and exhaust, and a set of cams, you'll really wake your engine up. It won't be super fast or powerful, but it'll be fun. The 5S does take boost well, but that's a different topic for a later thread.

7. Who will hold my hand when I start gutting this thing to put a turbo engine in it?

That's what the whole forum is here for. With some research, you'd be surprised at how easy the 3S-GTE swap is and how you actually wouldn't need anyone holding your hand.