Close - 96 ST anniversary edition, Story has ended. Car is now sold. Options

[njccmd2002]

you wanted a pic?



And when it was going in...



its not hard by oneself, you have to go slow, every cm counts...

i took several pics, never did bother to post them. This site is not what it used to be. Only a few people are interested to learn. Most are just here to have a good time, and pimp out their cars.

When i joined, this site was the bomb, several members doing swaps, something new all the time. It was amazing. Most of the old members, continue to do stuff, just dont bother to post. As an example. Im in the middle of a 2GRFE swap, i did post it, but only a few members were interested, and those that i KNOW, lol. The rest, are like "whatever", the thread has gone down the pile, as i had expected. So i would not take my time to post a bible on the web, for nothing. If someone wants to do it too and needs help, i will assist, definitely, but unfortunately there wont be a "how to".

Only reason i documented this car, is when i sell it, everything can be seen, and how much it was cared for.. Nothing else.

[njccmd2002]

So Aside from needing A/C this car is done!, end of story.....

[cheela]

nice! you can haz a celi again!

[bloodMoney]

So Aside from needing A/C this car is done!, end of story.....

I love that pic Noberto

[Langing]

you wanted a pic?



And when it was going in...



its not hard by oneself, you have to go slow, every cm counts...

i took several pics, never did bother to post them. This site is not what it used to be. Only a few people are interested to learn. Most are just here to have a good time, and pimp out their cars.

When i joined, this site was the bomb, several members doing swaps, something new all the time. It was amazing. Most of the old members, continue to do stuff, just dont bother to post. As an example. Im in the middle of a 2GRFE swap, i did post it, but only a few members were interested, and those that i KNOW, lol. The rest, are like "whatever", the thread has gone down the pile, as i had expected. So i would not take my time to post a bible on the web, for nothing. If someone wants to do it too and needs help, i will assist, definitely, but unfortunately there wont be a "how to".

Only reason i documented this car, is when i sell it, everything can be seen, and how much it was cared for.. Nothing else.

The only reason you documented this car was to help sell it. . . and NOTHING ELSE? Really?

Maybe after you have climbed the highest mountain, all else seems hardly worth the effort? Luckily, I haven't reached base camp, so I can read and re-read what you've done on this Celica (my fourth complete read this morning -- another several hours sunk; more pearls of wisdom extracted) and I continue to admire your skills and accomplishment.

As to looking back and considering how great the site ONCE WAS, consider that you joined back in 2007, some 7 years ago. Today all 6th gen Celicas are 7 years older than when you joined, 7 years of more and more of them fading from view as they got old and sold, became parts cars, or turned into "cash for clunkers'!

The population of 6G Celicas left in service is dwindling. Toyota isn't making any new ones. The only way to get even close to new is to know people like yourself who pretty much generate new Celicas whenever they undertake and finish a project like the one you just did. You started in the dead of Winter and finished in the middle of Summer, a mere 6 months (yeah, I know you could have done it in less than half the time), but you took up another person's project and did him very much better before you brought your "new" and beautiful, full throated Celica into the world.

Of course, there have been 7 more model years of newer designs from all the auto manufacturers in most of their lines. So, the eyes of the consuming public perhaps may have moved on to what's considered the 'next best thing.' Will our Celicas be left behind in the rust bin of history? Who knows for sure. Still and yet, many of the members of this website maintain that they feel a kind of love for their Celica(s) and I think I also feel a bit of something like that. I suspect 6G Celicas will always be found in the CLASSIC category.

I trust this is not too far off topic, but I am reminded of the first car I ever owned, a brand new 1966 V8 Pontiac GTO, "Barrier Blue w/White Interior" and "four on the floor" with a lot of horses (ahh. . . dreaming). I am also reminded whenever I see classic cars on display and I come across that year's GTO, I know that it is one of the best looking cars ever put on the street (IMHO), and I find myself wishing I had never parted with mine. So, there is no question of whether that car is considered CLASSIC. The tie-in is that these 6G Celicas seem to be of a similar classic look and feel, at least to me. I know I have enjoyed driving my puny ST 1.8 L (7A-FE) over the past 15 years, and can imagine the feel of driving a genuine sporty Celica! And, on balance, I do believe the dwindling supply will soon meet competition that will drive their prices up. And, when that happens, if it does, more people will be trying to locate information like you (and others) have posted here, and cars like you and others are today resurrecting. In other words, I feel you might see a resurgence in interest in the future, and because you have the knowledge and skills people will be seeking, you might find a way to use to your advantage.

Just an innocent digression: With the tools you have at your disposal, the knowledge you clearly possess, and the appropriate careful attention to quality details your work habits embody, might there be a way for you to employ one or more workers, teach them how you want things done, and somehow make what you consider fun generate a profit, while cranking out "new' classic Celicas at a faster rate? I remember you saying, in what seemed like a degree of resignation, "In the end, I will lose some money, but someone will be happy," which tells me you know you are not going to be paid a decent hourly wage, or would that be negative from the get-go? Have you done a financial analysis to see? When you sell, do you know how much you would have to ask just to break even?

So, we have perhaps discovered a counter-example to capitalist theory. Maybe greed isn't the base reason people work; maybe it's an effect?

[njccmd2002]

no can do sir, i have a day job. LOL..

i have a 77 celica, that is 37 years old, that the site generates more members that this site, and those are really getting hard to get in good shape.

unfortunately, it is what it is. a passion for a few, a beater for many...

[Box]

I always thought it'd be a good idea for someone to round up all the GT 6th gens and throw BEAMS', 1MZ's, and 3S-GTE's into them and resell them. If I were an eccentric millionaire(I'm already eccentric, just need the millions) this would be one of my undertakings along with redoing a lot of other cars I see fit.

Anyhow, you WOULD finish it after I already bought a car.

[Langing]

I always thought it'd be a good idea for someone to round up all the GT 6th gens and throw BEAMS', 1MZ's, and 3S-GTE's into them and resell them. If I were an eccentric millionaire(I'm already eccentric, just need the millions) this would be one of my undertakings along with redoing a lot of other cars I see fit.

Anyhow, you WOULD finish it after I already bought a car.

I think it's a good idea.

If someone (like your hypothetical millionaire; not necessarily eccentric) would do what you suggest, following the lead of njccmd2002 regarding level of quality refurbishment, as laid down in this thread and others of his on this website, your concept might be scaled up to become an indecent business opportunity. Imagine being able to go out and buy a "new" (newly refurbished?) 6th gen Celica GT sports car that has the right sound, look and feel, and comes with a "new car smell," all ready for you to drive away, knowing you were buying something "like-new" that was no longer being built AND supplies were rapidly dwindling!

Be careful, however. . . read what njccmd2002 said about his much older Toyota club.

[njccmd2002]

someone already did that, its call the Delorean. did not go to well... lol, not practical..

[Box]

DeLorean is still around, though it's not John DeLorean himself. They're even ready to start production on any parts needed once all of the new old stock is gone.
http://delorean.com/

This post has been edited by Box: Jul 11, 2014 - 3:11 PM

[Langing]

DeLorean is still around, though it's not John DeLorean himself. They're even ready to start production on any parts needed once all of the new old stock is gone.
http://delorean.com/

Visited that website. They are in dire need of a designer. Well, IMHO.

[Langing]

no can do sir, i have a day job. LOL..

i have a 77 celica, that is 37 years old, that the site generates more members that this site, and those are really getting hard to get in good shape.

unfortunately, it is what it is. a passion for a few, a beater for many...

Do you just happen to have a photo of your 77 laying around? Does it "resemble" the 6th gens? When did Toyota start making Celicas? What makes 77 so desirable?

[njccmd2002]

http://www.classic-celica.com/modules.php?...wtopic&t=66

77, they are not desirable. earlier years are desirable.

[ClevelandGaint]

This is a awesome build thread, great craftsmanship, time and dedication. Very few owners of 6gc take time to actually make the car better than it was from the factory. When ever you decide to sell please PM, I would love to add this to my collection.

[Langing]

http://www.classic-celica.com/modules.php?...wtopic&t=66

77, they are not desirable. earlier years are desirable.

Finally finished reading your extraordinary thread on classiccelica.com. I assume the 77 is still in the state where you left off in that thread on Nov 23, 2013. You got the 96 mid January 2014, and you said that you didn't want to attempt painting in the cold temperatures of winter. Or did you have more progress that just wasn't reported? I'm guessing you have the rotisserie and 77, along with it's parts, stored in that extra storage you spoke about in this thread?

When I first saw what you had brought home (the 77), and its horrible condition, I thought you were maybe a little crazy
Then, slowly, as you marched along, I began to see something amazing happening, and finally began to totally respect what it was you were doing.

You demonstrated a tremendous ability to learn, and invest in necessary tooling, as you went along, citing a fellow named yellowjacket as your leading source of inspiration (can you provide a link to the work of his that turned you on?), but all else seems your own growth from trial and error and plain (lonely) hard work. I am still very impressed with you and the work you have done and have myself benefited greatly from the documentation you provided of your project. From a naive person like myself, the documentation you provided has been extremely useful in helping me learn, so from my point of view it is invaluable and I want to tell you how much I appreciate and thank you for providing the information.

You jarred opened my eyes in a couple of cases. Realizing how quickly you were able to tear apart, blast, paint, and refurbish all parts of your 96 suspension made me see my suspension for the first time (sad but true; I was blind to it), since I was just beginning to restore part of my Celica, and began working from the outside-in on the wheels, brakes and wheel bearings, etc., never thinking of the suspension parts you restored, so now that has moved to my todo list, including doing it the same careful way you did. Also, mind blowing was having your 77 fall off the twin engine stand rotisserie twice, which precipitated your purchase of the professional rotisserie, marked the second "aha" eye opening moment.

What was it like when your 77 fell? It certainly made the impression on you that your set up was dangerous to your life and limb, so much so that approx. $2000 was considered insignificant when compared with what damage could possibly happen to you.

Please don't give up on documenting your work so people like myself can learn how to do things. What you document is a treasure.

[cheela]

I prefer the 76-77s, i like the long flat nose rather than the slant nose. When i bought mine I was actually looking for the liftback but settles for the coupe and now it's grown on me.

[njccmd2002]

the rotisserie is only 1700 dollars. An ER bill and hospital stay for a broken arm is around 15k. But some funerals are way over 15K. If you are going to do something do it the right way. No need to risk your life over nothing...

[njccmd2002]

well last few things to button up...

got the A/c done today...



but most importantly

put in a new drier receiver first,



and then i changed all the orings for the A/c which by the way is blowing cold...





then i finished the GT4 hood latch..



sadly as it is, the last update, since the car is now pending sale....

[Box]

Well, just think about the MR2 Spyder you'll be getting though!

[njccmd2002]

well all stories come to an End. The car was taken to be delivered to the new owner. Picked up yesterday.

Thread can be closed. Not sure the new owner will sign on here, after he gets it.

It was fun, an all. But i get to do it again with my convertible. This time, it will not be sold.


The End.
Finit
Final
Cumbaya!!!!! Chocobos forever.