96 Celica 25th Anni. Edition ST #461, A was-to-be clunker's life restoration Options

[TiGZ461]

Hey guys,

Names Marvin, I've followed this forum for quite a while now made a couple friends in the chat room, but never really got into really posting on the boards (besides the FS section). But anyway, ummm, I'd like to thank this site for getting my Toyota craze back. Lol, if it wasn't for this site I wouldn't have my lovely car right now, and I'd probably still be up in Honda forums, not saying I don't go to them now but this is my main site now .

So about the car/ How I came about to owning it.

Well, this really all happened by mistake, a lovely one may I add. I was browsing thru Craigslist and Google like always. I was looking up parts for my moms Accord and on the other looking up car sites. Well while searching up parts, I came across a Supra site. And like many others, Supra was my first love in cars. I click on it, and I see this mutated Supra, and I'm just thinking "wth was this person thinking with this conversion?", lol little did I know it was the front end of a 6gc. Didn't like it at first but then I really started digging the all around look of it. About 2 day's of searching I found out it was a 6 generation Celica, so I tape that into Google and first site on top is 6gc.net. I stayed up like a good week straight all night long reading and researching all the stuff you guys do. I was seriously amazed at all the work put into these cars. It "inspired" me to go out and buy a car. I've never owned a car before, and all I do is read,talk,think ,sleep cars but never actually had one to call my own. So I said fcuk this, I'm getting a 6g.

And here's where the finding of my car begins.

So back to Craigslist.
I start searching for a Celica, and I have to say these car's are rare around here or noone want's to sell them because I would never see any for sale. Except that one day, I saw a posting of a 95 Celica 5 speed ST coupe with 180,000 miles for $800. I was souped and ready to go out and buy, so I call the guy up and tell him I'm going on Tuesday and I called on a Sunday. And he said yea sure come, I have noone else who has called and if they do I'll give you a call, so I said sure I'll be there Tuesday and more them likely I'm gonna end up buying. So Monday came along and I called him again to make sure he had it and he said yea, so Monday passed, and it was Tuesday. I woke up early as I could, got ready and called him up. "Hey man, I'm head out now", and he replied "dude, sorry but I sold the car yesterday, I didn't think you were still interested so I didn't call you back", I hung up. Pissed as hell, went back on Craigslist started searching, knocked out, woke up, and bam! A new 6g posted up for sale.









As you can see it was in a front end collision. Nothing too mayor, but alot of work ahead of me. It was a 25th Anni. Edition, with 160k on it, runs and drives, but needed work. So I drove out, 1hr and 20mins? I think that's how far it was. I show up I see it parked outside, I fell in love. The bright red paint job had me going insane I knew that was my car then and there. He told me the whole 9 yards on how it happened, and all of the info he could on the car. The body and interior was in great shape. But the damage to the front end left it needing this-

Parts needing to be replaced
-Bumper
-Hood
-Passenger Side Fender
-Radiator
-Ac Condenser
-Both fans
-Rad support
-Airbag's
-Windshield

He was asking $850 obo without the rims of course. I said I would give him, $450 but he said it wasn't going that low, and that he rather junk it or something since noone wants to buy and I offered so little(to me that was alot due to the damage). And I said ok, thanks anyway...my heart was pounding a billion times faster lol it scared me when he said that, I had gotten attached to car already. But I kept composure and he came around . He even did me the favor of dropping it off the next day.

Here are the pic's I took once I had it at my parking lot. (Sorry I forgot to take before the bag's were put on)











This post has been edited by TiGZ461: Aug 25, 2009 - 5:07 AM

[TiGZ461]

Interior













This post has been edited by TiGZ461: Aug 25, 2009 - 5:17 AM

[TiGZ461]

In progress-

[TiGZ461]

I threw on the broken bumper, just to see how it would and also for a temporary hold cause I was tired of my bags getting ripped. Looked like crap but mehhh.











My weak ass 7a-



My new Radiator

[TiGZ461]

Random window pic -



Well a little after I took the above pic, some kids jumper on my bumper, finshed braking that and my last two of these





^Receiving a new used set in mail this Weds. Thanks to soulshadow

This post has been edited by TiGZ461: Aug 25, 2009 - 5:32 AM

[TiGZ461]

Bought these-









Lol almost died on my way back from picking these up but oh well . Thanks Fate

This post has been edited by TiGZ461: Aug 25, 2009 - 5:41 AM

[TiGZ461]

Most up-to-date pics

Bought this yesterday, was gonna weld them on today but I have meetings for an appretience ship today and tomorow from 8am till 4pm so maybe on Thurs.







And these were waiting for me when I got home, don't know how I'm make the switches work since it's for a RHD and I have LHD. Any help?



Thanks Remy

This post has been edited by TiGZ461: Aug 25, 2009 - 8:51 AM

[95CelicaST]

Nice progress!

The switches probably won't work, but the lever with the foglight switch can be picked up from 1sttoyotaparts for around $70.

[TiGZ461]

Had a feeling they wouldn't work but I'll hold on to that, till I get more important stuff taken care of. Looks like I got time today being that, I showed up to my meeting and they gave me the wrong address and no one picks up their phones soooo, I'm see what I get done today.

And thanks alot man, I'm trying my best to restore her with the little income I make.

Btw, would you say it would be a hard job to weld that whole front piece on? I really just need the rad support bar on the very bottom but I ended up getting the whole piece since the guy got lazy and didn't wanna cut anymore. Should I just have the welders cut the whole front and weld this one into place?

[cheela]

you shouldve done the GT4 front end conversion! hahahah but nice pick up. good luck with it. keep us updated.

[TiGZ461]

Lol, I was gonna do that. But I couldn't find anyone selling them, till like 3days ago and I got an offer and he lives no more then 30mins away from me missed out on a good deal. I still have the chance to buy them but, with all the cash I've put on it right now, I just wanna have it running.

I'll wait on the GT4 front once I save up some cash, but that might be till after a swap, rather have power over looks.

[OOBE]

Good stuff, brother!

[95CelicaST]

I wouldn't have the shop weld that whole front on. There are so many things that can go wrong if they don't do it perfectly. The front end might end up being too long, too short, crooked, etc. Have a shop drill the spot welds on the radiator support and swap it over.

And I wouldn't necessarily jump right in to the GT-Four front end. Get it fixed and running and find what direction you want to take the car in- be it a GT-Faux, SS-III, a combination of both, or something completely different.


But I suppose what you need to decide is if you're going to search for a red fender and hood, or try and paint match new pieces, or paint the entire car, not to mention getting the 25th anniversary fender badges, which I heard were something like $200 from the dealer.

[SwissFerdi]

Wow, very nice! Certainly very daring. Can't wait to see it finished.

[yagamius]

Nice progress!

The switches probably won't work, but the lever with the foglight switch can be picked up from 1sttoyotaparts for around $70.

by any change you know the part number or correct name, cuz I try to find out but no success on https://www.1sttoyotaparts.com

[Nartanian]

Nice job bro. But why do you have the 96+ fogs with a 94 bumper?

[TiGZ461]

Thanks for the input guys, highly appreciated.

Well I just came back from the body shop and the guy said his gonna take off all the top parts, and just weld on the bottom part after, he heats and pulls on the one that's there already (the bent one). He's also gonna straighten out the fender. His place is very respectful, he showed us some of his work and I knew I chose the right place.

On top of that, he's cool with my dad so he said he would repair all the damage, weld, and paint the fenders and bumper for $350. Good deal or not? I think it is considering everyone else is asking $550 for just the welding and those places don't compare to this shop. And none offer to fix it later on if the problem is caused by an error by them, like this shop does so I'm pretty set to where my money's going.

Getting picked up next Tuesday.

As for the GT4 front, I think I'm pass on that 1. no cash 2. I just can't spend money on that right now. 3. I rather save cash for my 1mz

I'm dieing for a GT4 front end but I crave the power, and before anything I have to at least restore it back to stock to even be making plans so pic's will be added as I go on with this built

Nice job bro. But why do you have the 96+ fogs with a 94 bumper?

Lol, I had the 96 bumper that came with my car but it was all cracked and bent. I repaired it and planned on throwing the fog's on that but damn kid's on my block jumped on my car landed on my bumper and broke it way too much to repair so for now I wait till I get a facelift, if not I'm try to fit them on the bumper I got now. Might look weird but I'm test it out for the hell of it.

[SwissFerdi]

350 sounds like a great deal, if the work is done properly.

[TiGZ461]

He's done a couple of my friends car and his work is always top class. If you feel he didn't perform what you wanted he has no issue on taking it back to the shop and doing the way you want it. Reason why I chose him, hopefully everything comes out like expected.

What should I do in the meantime? I wanna clean and repair everything ahead of time, belts, value cover gasket, change the liquids, what else?

[SwissFerdi]

Sounds like you got yourself a pretty damn good deal then. Consider yourself lucky.