Project Red Dragon, from DD to ... Options

[sandusky1977]

Well, figured it's time to start the build thread, as the parts are starting to show up and I'm planning on picking up the motor in the next few days. To begin lets start with background on the car.

94 Toyota Celica GT
114,000 Miles at time of purchase
5-Speed Manual
Fully Stock


Back in 2009 I purchased my 94 Celica for $1600, ABS Light on, needing brakes and tires, and a few other things,. I bought this car for my commute as a daily driver, at the time I was averaging around 100 miles a day 5 days a week.



Step 1) New Stereo, and Speakers,... well after the maintenance was done
Alpine Media Player with 30 GB Ipod
Polk DB Series 3-Way with Tweeters for the doors
Polk DB Series 2-Way 6.5" for the Rear
Polk DB Series 12" Subs in Bassworx Ported Box
Directed Audio 1200 watt amp for subs

Well,. after the stereo upgrade I decided it was good enough for now, and drove and drove and drove it.

Along the way, around 150k I broke a timing belt, this was fun,. Initially I had it towed to a shop that I have done business in the past with, however, they aren't very well versed in Toyota, so there were issues. I picked up the car and it was missing, and backfiring. The guys are like, wasn't it doing that before? So I said, F*** it, and drove it home,. it got worse.

Well, I decided that if they could mess up the timing, then maybe I could just fix it, so I disassembled everything, and noticed that there were still chunks of the old timing belt on the crank shaft, and guess what, when you start the car, the belt slips on those chunks when it hits them. So, I cleaned all the pulleys and made sure all old belt chunks were gone. Re-indexed the timing to plus 2 degrees, reinstalled the belt and ran like a top. Better than ever actually.

This is when I decided that I should probably do a little more maintenance.

Step 2) New Plugs, Wires, Distributor, Air Cleaner, Brake Rotors, Pads, and shoes for the parking brake.

Step 2A) Got a good deal on a Cold Air Intake, so installed rather than the new air cleaner.

Things were really good for a long time, I watched as the odometer kept climbing, 160, 170, 180k and now it's looking like the 200 mark is going to be hard to get to at all. Then one day as I was driving to work I started to feel a wobble in the front right corner. By the time I got to the side of the road, 4 lugs had sheered off, the fifth was bent and cracked but barely hanging on. Apparently a few lug nuts had worked loose.

Step 3) New knuckle,. well not new,... So I went to the pull and save and pulled one off a donor car, a Toyota Corolla,. everything looked exactly the same, though heck I'm saving a ton... until I installed it and noticed that the steering connect differently. Ok so,.
Step 3a) New knuckle,. well not exactly,. so I found a member parting out a car, and paid and had it shipped over, installed and everyone is happy.

Things seemed great, I drove it another 5-7k miles, I'm now sitting around 190-195k miles, and this happens,.


It was a fun few seconds getting to the side of the road on that one,. so of course it ruined the newly installed steering knuckle. So,. back to the forums.
Step 3b) Used Knuckle from Texas thanks to another member and back on the road.

This was the straw that broke the camels back, and when I decided it was a little to unreliable to be my daily driver. Along the way, at around 140k miles, I actually bought a 7th gen Celica for $1000, and ended up selling it for $1800, then I got a GS 300 that had been abandoned at my buddies tow yard for $300. It got plastidipped and sold for $1500.

At this point, I decided that I might as well look for a 5-Speed V6 Solara, and so I did, I found one for $1600 with a bad clutch. I was thinking that I would probably drive this for a while, and if something happened to it stuff the motor and trans in the Celica.

That was the plan, then I saw this,.


I called on it, and they were asking $4200,. for a 99 GT with 95k miles that has been kept showroom clean. So I showed up with a wad of cash and drove her home after coming to a better arrangement on price.

So,. now that the 99 is my daily driver, it was time to sell the Solara to make back some of the money I just blew on the new ride, but of course my sister had told me she wanted it if I sold it. So, off it went, sold the Solara for $2500 and my sister and her boys love it.

This post has been edited by sandusky1977: Apr 2, 2014 - 9:11 AM

[sandusky1977]

On to the rebuild,.

Oh this has to go in the thread, one night, I was headed home from work, and while in the far left lane of a one-way street, an escort slammed in to the side of my Celica, and did this,..


So,. anyways,. this is how the Red Dragon Sits today,...


New Parts Ordered or Arrived
KYB Struts
Tein Lowering Springs
Totaled V6 Solara (engine donor)
Side Skirts
Stainless Door Sills
Lexus Door Strikes with Covers

Still sourcing,.
Projector Headlights
Short-Throw Shifter
New Seat Covers
Rear Cargo Cover
New Fenders
New Doors

[JoshuaM]

Sounds exciting

That side damage is pretty nasty though - did you get a pay out for it? Would've been scary!

So is the black one getting any love, or just a clean daily? They both need JDM tails too

Let me know if you want me to track down some projectors or JDM tails for you

[sandusky1977]

Sounds exciting

That side damage is pretty nasty though - did you get a pay out for it? Would've been scary!

So is the black one getting any love, or just a clean daily? They both need JDM tails too

Let me know if you want me to track down some projectors or JDM tails for you

I'm interested in both a set of JDM tails and projectors for the Red Dragon, let me know what you could do on a set, obviously I'll be dumping money into the motor work at the moment but I have a good bonus check coming in two or three weeks, and could probably knock out the JDM lighting at that point.


As far as my Black 99 GT is concerned, it's staying bone stock for now, well other than the goofy stuff I've already done, touch screen stereo, lexus door strikers with covers, SS sill plates, all just cosmetics. I plan to have the paintless dent removal guy fix a couple of door dings on it. There are future plans for it, but I'll wait to unveil them until the 94 is done and back to DD status. I'm thinking it will involve a welder, a DIY EFI and AWD V6... but probably just a pipe dream.

[sandusky1977]

After a few pm's with Smaay,. I've modified my parts list, as I'm now looking at the 1mz/3mz hybrid option.

Engine - 3MZ-FE
Intake - 1MZ-FE
ECU - from 97 Camry Denso 89661-06320
1MZ-FE Wiring Harness
Throttle Cables from Celica 6G ST model
Headers from Manual V6 Solara
EVAP System from 97 Camry or ES300
South Bend Clutch w/Fidanza Flywheel

I'm off to u-pull this weekend to source the ECU, Intake, Harness (hopefully) and EVAP,. Ordering the flywheel and clutch kit next week or so, and I'm talking with a couple yards about my 3mz, seems like it is going to run me around $450 for the motor.

Progress
I've sourced fenders, and am planning a drive to Chicago from Lansing, MI for those. Thanks enderswift!
Still looking for doors!

[sandusky1977]

So it was a big day for project Red Dragon,.

Confirmed that I can pickup Red Dragon 2.0 this weekend,.






1999 Toyota Celica GT
200+k miles
Blown Motor
Slight Dent,.

$500

Score, now I'm adding an e153 transmission to the list, along with a carrier bearing, axles, and maybe some other goodies,... maybe the 94 will stay parked for an awd conversion.

[sandusky1977]

Alright,. so over the weekend,. I went and picked up the new Red Dragon 2,.

It's a 99 GT Automatic, with 240k miles, it has a dent in the driver side behind the door, that looks like it will push out nicely, it needs a pair of rear fender cut-outs to repair the mudflap area, and might need attention on the bottom corners of the doors, and one or two door dings, but in general not too bad.

I'm loving the fact that it has the tan cloth, exactly like my other 99,. and it has the factory Celica floor mats, so when it gets nicer I can pull out my weather tec's and pop in OEM.

Otherwise, typical one-owner car, this was owned by a nurse that has had it since 99, she put over 200k on it, then her sons had driven it the final 40k.

Missing the rear hatch cover, damn,. why people ever take these out is beyond me. now I have one cover for 3 cars.... at least I can use it to fab others I suppose.

First,. my collection,. should have lined them up, but as you can see there is a lot going on at my brothers shop,..



Next,. the good,. the passenger's side is really clean


And the front is really clean, the bumper has a little hang-up by the passenger low-beam, but is repairable, and both drivers lenses have a chip, so projectors are in the plan.


The most pressing issue, for body work will be the driver's side, but this looks repairable.


Not a bad pickup for $500,. it has a blown motor and an automatic transmission, but those are going to the recycling center,...

[Smaay]

are you converting this one to MT?

[sandusky1977]

are you converting this one to MT?

So,. the new plan is to convert this to manual,. using parts from my 94,. and now I'm leaning toward the Solara transmission, since I'm going to convert it anyways.

[sandusky1977]

Choices,. choices,. choices that is the hardest part about swapping stuff.

Ok,. so I've found my motor,. nice 3mz-fe from a Toyota Sienna 126k miles delivered for $400

Now, what am I going to do about a transmission,. swap the S54 from my 94 in to it with everything else, and go from there, or since I've got to pull the entire kit and kaboodle, source the other parts necessary to swap over to the e153,. Axles, Carrier Bearing, GT-4 Mounts and probably stuff I'm forgetting.

Without sourcing a transmission, axles, bearing etc, it will be much less expensive, and I've got several stock parts that I have new/multiples of. Much easier swap,.

So,. I've got an S54,. and I've read of some on the MR2 forums using the 4cly camry S51 transmission because it's between the e153 and s54 for gear ratios,. I guess I will look for a full e153 swap,. and if I can't find a deal on it,. I'll use my s54,.

[sandusky1977]

ECU on the way,. $45.00, score!



Here is what's left to get,.

AT200 throttle cable,
1MZ intake
1MZ wiring harness

I've got to convert the 99 Shell to manual, so I'm headed to the junkyard this weekend. I've got a car I can pull the stuff off from, but it's now been moved to "Future Project" status, and I'm trying to keep the 94 complete.

I'm still debating the merits of the e153 upgrade, it's a lot of parts to find, and only slight gains.

[sandusky1977]

Alright., so after some more conversations., and forum posts along with a lot more reading,.

I may have found the remaining pieces I need to put it together with the S54,. If all goes well, Saturday I will be headed to a 98 Camry V6 5-Speed for the Intake, EVAP System, Wiring Harness, and Cluster, possibly the E153 Transmission too,. Not using the E153 right now, but if it's there I want it, especially if I can get it for under 100 from them.

I've also found they have an ST Celica sitting there that I should be able to pull the pedal assembly, shift cables, shifter assembly and some other goodies including the throttle cable I need.

Here's hoping no one else has had the same idea with these two cars!

[JoshuaM]

Alright., so after some more conversations., and forum posts along with a lot more reading,.

I may have found the remaining pieces I need to put it together with the S54,. If all goes well, Saturday I will be headed to a 98 Camry V6 5-Speed for the Intake, EVAP System, Wiring Harness, and Cluster, possibly the E153 Transmission too,. Not using the E153 right now, but if it's there I want it, especially if I can get it for under 100 from them.

I've also found they have an ST Celica sitting there that I should be able to pull the pedal assembly, shift cables, shifter assembly and some other goodies including the throttle cable I need.

Here's hoping no one else has had the same idea with these two cars!

Good Luck

I'd go E153 if you can manage it

[sandusky1977]

Project Update,.

Motor ordered today, getting delivered tomorrow $325 + tax after core charge. Throttle cable ordered, coming Friday,. still need to order the rear header,. doing that now,. and hit the u-pull this weekend for some more odds and ends or the evap nightmare.

Other news,. waiting on the electrical diagrams from ebay to arrive so I can start on the wiring nightmare that is my life for the foreseeable future.

[sandusky1977]

Manual V6 Solara Headers coming my way,. $65 delivered,. took about 6 calls but saved a ton!

[sandusky1977]

Well, It's been a little while since I updated the thread, so here is what I've been doing.,

Collecting Boxes,..

In the boxes, lowering springs, struts, exhaust manifolds, ecu, wiring diagrams, sill plates, trd badges, 3.3l badge, center console, stereo surround and throttle cables.

I've still have the clutch and flywheel to get ordered, but plan to do so by the beginning of next week.

Almost forgot, I scored this Carbon Fiber Hood and will be picking it up over the weekend too.

[ClevelandGaint]

I like the hood, im doing the same thing as well, collecting boxes of parts, just finished install the passenger cv shaft and putting new locks throughout the car, still looking for a new suspension set up

[sandusky1977]

Time for an update,.

1st,. there is this,. the 3mz for my swap


and this, is the 99 GT I picked up a couple of weeks ago, I've decided it's just getting an engine and off to be sold,.


oh, but wait for it,... we also went and picked this up over the weekend,. it has an engine that runs brilliantly, along with a beautiful interior, doors, roof, and front right fender, so now I'm back to using my 94 and basically swapping everything from a 99 in to it, along with the 3mz/1mz setup.

[sandusky1977]

Today, projectors.... On the way...

Last Saturday, throttle body, and MAF

Sodo parts car gutted, and the treasures include...
JDM Tails
Infinity front and rear speakers
Full European front bumper with headlight sprayers and reservoir
Full set of European headlights with DRL option
DRL brightness switch
Euro sprayer switch
Used rear bumper
Set.of factory floor mats,
On, and on

Oh I got my cf hood, a VIS Racing hood

Now I just need to get time to build the dragon... And more toys...

Maybe I'll have time to upload apk photos of everything tomorrow.

[sandusky1977]

So, the "Red Dragon" is sold, after I got derailed flipping a couple of others this summer, I picked up two project cars, an 87 Supra Turbo with Targa, and a 95 Celica ST,.

Here is the car as it sits now,







I've got a set of JDM Projectors with HID's on the boat from Japan,. it's getting a facelift bumper, side skirts, tom's front lip, ss-iii rear splitters, JDM tail lights, keeping the 2 post spoiler,. what else do I have for it, front and rear strut tower supports, carbon fiber hood, and if I can get one for a good price a cf rear hatch too, I picked the hood up for $100 delivered.

Today I started on the wiring harness, adapting the cabin harnesses, then extending the engine harness... oh what fun,. why didn't I just send this out to Tweak,.. Oh yeah, I'm a wiring nut,.



Hopefully I will resurect this thread, and start making quick progress on this car,... I'm thinking a new name for the project since it's no longer red.