Ruckusas's Progression Thread, 1996 Curren ST206 Options

[ruckusas]

Hey everyone,

I've been lurking around here for a month or two so I felt it was time to contribute at least something. Here is my Curren I bought 3-4 months ago (I know its not a Celica as such, but hopefully in the future it'll be awfully close to one!)



I purchased it for a bargain price given that the gearbox was thrashed. After replacing it, It was running fairly sweet! At the moment it's running a 2L 3S-FE engine with some non-standard extractors coming off it. It sits on 17" TSW rims (Apex I think?) although I am unsure if it's been lowered or not (the previous owner was selling on behalf, so some details are sketchy)

I haven't done anything major to it yet (besides replacing the gearbox). I've just done simple things like putting in my Sony headunit, given it a good clean, painted one patch that was just primer, etc. A previous owner was in an accident in it, so my immediate plans are to replace the passenger door, left front guard, left headlight, and find a new bumper if I can or get a panelbeater to perform a miracle on the one I have. In the long term I plan to put a bodykit on it, either despoiler it or put a bigger wing on it and depending how long I have the car for, look into putting a BEAMS or 3sgte in it if they'll work. Seeing as I'll be a student next year, work on this car may be awfully slow. Or I may even upgrade to a later Celica/GT4

Feel free to add comments/ideas/suggestions for mods etc. I'll do my best to keep this updated!

[RabidTRD]

*drool* I'll be honest, I like Currens. That one looks lowered.

If you're looking for a larger spoiler, check out the TRD style ones. They fit the body nicely and give it that WRC look.

[kurt95gt]

In love with this car
I want that front end of don't get me wrong the celica front end is nice but no one where I live would have a clue what that is

[99gt3sge]

yeah nice curren, i like front end. i would like to have that front end, especially here in cali, it would be very unique.

[ruckusas]

If I ever get rear ended, you'll be the first people I'll offer the front end to

I've found an extra few dollars so I might go pay the wrecker a visit, anyone here know if the Celica doors will fit my Curren? All i'm worried about is the shell, everything else about my LH door is fine.

[SwissFerdi]

Everything aft of the front wings should fit, but looking at the line between fender and wing it almost looks like there's less of a curve to yours - better check first.

[playr158]

The doors will fit, the only differences (bodywise) are

~radiator core support
~front crash bar
~bumper
~fenders
~hood
~headlights

[ruckusas]

As I got to the wreckers hoping to find a celica to grab a door off and what's the first car by the door? a silver Curren with it's passsenger door intact. Kaching! This is what the door looked like before:



The door doesn't look as bad in this photo however when you look at it from an angle it doesn't look too pretty. After an hour of trying to loosen a single bolt, here's the new door:



Still a bit scratched but at least it's straight and smooth. Total cost: $66.50.
I also picked up a replacement standard spoiler (a tree branch went through mine on a windy day), Front right guard (saves me bogging up & respraying the dent in mine), a new strut brace and petrol cap. Next project will be to replace the front left guard, front bumper and left hand headlight.

[Rusty]

welcome NZ'er, where abouts in NZ are you from?

[ruckusas]

welcome NZ'er, where abouts in NZ are you from?

I'm from Lower Hutt, where abouts are you? Loving the SS-II by the way, will definitely look into borrowing your Cold Air Box design

[Rusty]

Hawkes Bay, cheers and best of luck

Quidam is near you I think, owns 2 GT-4's

[ruckusas]

So I've been thinking alot about what's next for the Curren, and wondered if it was better to 'fix' up the front end and sell it for a more powerful Celica or put a better 3s engine in it etc but then I thought, what about putting a GT4 front end on it to make look meaner? What parts will I need and is it a job I can do without heavy welding equipment/ getting a professional to do it?

I thought it would be pretty unique having a GT4 coupe and being modest under the roof (keeping the 3sfe). I totally understand if it's not really a feasible project, just thought i'd hear everyone's ideas

[ruckusas]

Ooops my bad, didn't realise there was a whole article on GT4 front conversions... but still, will some parts of the Curren front end be used for the GT4 front? the existing crash bar (if my car has one) etc...

[Rusty]

a lot of work imo

though a curren GT4 hybrid would be interesting

[playr158]

keep the curren front end!

but you'd have to cut out your radiator core support (the metal bar your hood latch is bolted to) and weld in one from a GT4
you'd have to replace the fenders, hood, headlights, bumper, bumper crash bar, latch, ect.

its more work than a normal celica.

[cheela]

Curren front. Gt-4 hood. TRD spoiler. Anybody else loving this idea?

[ruckusas]

keep the curren front end!

but you'd have to cut out your radiator core support (the metal bar your hood latch is bolted to) and weld in one from a GT4
you'd have to replace the fenders, hood, headlights, bumper, bumper crash bar, latch, ect.

its more work than a normal celica.

Ahhh. I thought there would be more to it than the crash bar thing the conversion article describes! Does the radiator core support HAVE to be a gt4 one? Celica parts are pretty easy to find here, not so much ST205 specific parts. It does seem like alot of work, but ill see if I can have a look under the hood of my Gf's brother's GT4 and compare it to my front, see what similarites there are etc.

Curren front. Gt-4 hood. TRD spoiler. Anybody else loving this idea?

I have actually thought about the GT4/Curren hood or even the bottom part of the GT4 bumper attached to the curren one, although there is the risk of it looking like arse or try hard. I do love the TRD spoiler, though I love the height and shape of this spoiler



It's a shame though because the guy that's selling the kit doesn't make this spoiler The front part looks nice. The back part however... looks a bit odd.

[kurt95gt]

That looks sweet minus the big wing

[ruckusas]

That looks sweet minus the big wing

Really? The rectangle thing at the bottom of the rear bumper looks really.. unnecessary. I prefer rear caps on the back

I've never actually taken on such a big project to a car so where is the first place to start? is the radiator core support the first step or is is something else?

[playr158]

keep the curren front end!

but you'd have to cut out your radiator core support (the metal bar your hood latch is bolted to) and weld in one from a GT4
you'd have to replace the fenders, hood, headlights, bumper, bumper crash bar, latch, ect.

its more work than a normal celica.

Ahhh. I thought there would be more to it than the crash bar thing the conversion article describes! Does the radiator core support HAVE to be a gt4 one? Celica parts are pretty easy to find here, not so much ST205 specific parts. It does seem like alot of work, but ill see if I can have a look under the hood of my Gf's brother's GT4 and compare it to my front,

You can take a radiator core support from a non gt4as they are the same. You just can't use the current support.

This post has been edited by playr158: Dec 15, 2011 - 10:06 PM