The Others (Image heavy, no 56k)

[Tommychu]

Figured I'd post pictures of/stories behind my cars out of boredom.

The Camaro:
Ugh. It was gonna be a great project. I got it for free a couple summers ago. Had a terrible '80 Malibu with a good 305, and this car had a blown-up 2.8 so I swapped them.
Torque converter was a bad match for the setup (pretty high idle), engine was constantly pushing the car, and the brake booster was weak. so even in neutral stopping the car was a little slow. Rear-ended a lexus that forgot to signal.
Someone tried to steal it, but couldn't work the shifter, so it was left in the middle of the parking lot with a busted column.
Then, in -40c I had to start it to move parking spots, something got knocked out of whack in the timing or carb. barely runs.
Specs:
'85 Sport Coupe (base model)
LE9 305 w/Holley 600cfm vacuum secondaries
700r4 out of a newer astro/safari, torque converter out of something else entirely
Berlinetta 14" aluminum wheels, refinished
3.42 posi rear end w/disc brakes- never got around to installing it
4th gen camaro door handles
AutoMeter Gauges and B&M ratchet shifter
Hooker muffler
Sunfire 8-band EQ/CD stock stereo
Alpine Type-S 6x9 and 4x6 speakers

I've pretty much given up on it, parting it out this summer

Test fitting TSW Lagunas. Would have looked amazing, but the offset was way out to lunch


Clusterfun wiring and fitting gauges


It was all brown before the Lexus...



And I'll do one car per post to break it up a little.

[Tommychu]

The Hilux

I'm using it's name in Japan/Europe 'cause here they just called it the pickup. How boring.

It's an '81 Toyota Hilux single cab/long box 2wd. My brother's first vehicle. He's the 2nd owner. it's got 146000k. Very uncommon truck. The couple bought it to haul out everything they needed to build their house from Calgary to Cochrane. after that it had an easy life- 1 trip to the city every weekend until the Husband passed away. After that it sat in the driveway for 10 years, taken for a quick drive and a tune-up every 6 months. My Dad ended up marrying her daughter, and she (the mother) passed away last summer which left us with it.

I took it on as my own project because my brother doesn't seem to want to work on it much. And I don't mind because it's a blast to work on, and everything I need comes from his pocket. It should be done this spring.
It was a great intro to old toyotas, everything is so simple and well-engineered it's amazing.

Specs:
22r 2.4l carbed, 4spd standard

No P/S, P/W, P/L, Stereo (only thing we're adding is a stereo

Made with chinese-sourced high sulphur steel, which is great for the temperate climate it was built in but not so much in Canada, Lots of rust.

New springs, not sure of rate but they're OEM for the JDM 1-ton chassis cab so, stiff.

Dynomax Super Turbo muffler, new cat (Yes they had 'em in 1981), side pipe
Rebuilt carb, considering moving to a mikuni side draft setup to remove complicated emissions controls (and for more POWAH)

Ford Ranger stock staggered wheel setup with fronts custom machined for hub-centric fitment (185/60r14 front 225/60r15 rear). Will be attempting to do a full refinish myself

Will be making winter rear bumper- for some reason it came with a steel tube bumper on the back- you couldn't get a rear bumper on these from factory... Anyways I'm gonna fill this sucker with lead so he doesn't have to use sandbags for traction in the winter. We'll just take it off in the summer so it's not so gnarly on gas

Repainted trim, Will be painting the truck in Toyota Speedway Blue pretty soon...


Pictures:

Just before driving it for the first time, after it hadn't moved in 3 years, and only sparsely before that.


After fitting the Ranger wheels


And that's why I put new springs in.

[92festie]

tryin to let go of that camaro?? lol jk sweet projects tho

[Tommychu]

The Nissan:

K so I had an Onfire/Sunflower/whatever. Once I realized that this was not going to be different from any other sunfire out there, I decided to sell it off and picked out a my first japanese car. 1995 Sentra GXE.
One of the slowest straight-line cars I've ever owned, but the best handling for a FWD (until I put the new sway bar in my current daily). I never had to slow down for any overpass unless it was blind, and most corners I could rail at 60k. My Girlfriend is taking it as soon as she gets her license.
It's also the first car I've done subs on.
Specs:
GA16DE/4 speed autotragic
JVC Deck, Pioneer 6.5's, Alpine 400w monoblock, Rockford P1 12" subs
Baby blue, the Lady wants to paint it red
Old American Eagle 15" 5-spoke wheels (we had 'em at the shop for 8 years, so I got 'em super cheap
205/50r15 Falken ZE912
175/70r13 Nokian winters
Did *not* come from the factory with a block heater. And the records show it was originally sold here in Calgary. Makes me scratch my head...

Pictures:
The only ones I can find are from the gas station conundrum, which I took to prove what happened and that it was the station's fault.

[Tommychu]

And Lastly, My first late-model car. 2004 Pontiac Vibe. I call it a matrix all the time, they're essentially the same thing anyway.

I was getting bored with the Nissan, and I have a thing for wagons. But I'd never owned one. After a couple of months working on the Hilux I was lovestruck by Toyota, and I started to look at the matrix. At that time I was also having trouble with the gravel collection I was keeping in my gallbladder.

Apparently you're not supposed to have any cause it makes you hurt.
So I go have the surgery to take it out (during which my heart stopped for a bit, apparently i'm very sensitive to certain narcotics). Other than that it went well, but then I had a month without driving, changing any tires or smoking any cigarettes- things I'm used to (and love) doing a lot of every day.
First stage of recovery, I sit in bed for a week and get all psychedelic on painkillers. Then I start moving, and lastly I have to walk. and I'm so bored by this point I'm very willing to walk a lot. and my muscles-which are the most vital tools I work with are broken down.
So I walk to a bunch of speed shops and car dealerships.

And then I saw it. I didn't like the styling of the vibe at the time, but for being the same car as what I wanted and being $3000 cheaper than the same car with a different logo stamped on it I was all over that (GM cars depreciate more than Toyotas? whodathunkit).

Once I was physically able to drive again I test drove it and the rest was history.

And as an added bonus, while I was out someone came to my shop with a scion tC. Bought custom wheels and left the stockers behind. It's all the same platform, so on they went. For free.

Specs:
Toyota 1ZZ-FE (would have found a 2ZZ but they came with a severe factory clutch problem, and don't tend as well to boost)

5spd.

No ABS (surprisingly), no optional equipment (I love simplicity. the less gadgets I didn't put on it the better)

Free wheels wrapped in 235/45R17 Nitto NT555
Stock wheels have 205/55R16 Nokians

AEM CAI (I like the idea of a washable filter without oil)

Progress rear sway bar

Energy suspension Motor Mounts

Considering a Rotrex S/C- can probably afford it once the car's paid off

Cheap remote start

Trumpet Horns off an '88 Cadillac Fleetwood

In the process of polishing the stock valve cover, ordering a billet oil cap, going to polish the alternator and everything else underhood that will hold a shine

Still undecided on what to do for the suspension setup. Aiming for coilovers that can vary preload at stock ride height. sway bar alone, while a vast improvement, is just not enough- but I don't want to lower it much if at all.

Tons of other stuff to come, but I usually work on my dailies through the winter and take on summer projects. and it's almost time to transition back to the summer stuff.

Pictures:

Best picture. 'cept I didn't have my center caps yet (Pontiac G6 caps with a ring of epoxy on the wheel to adapt it

[Tommychu]

Funny thing about a modern station wagon though is the fact that no-one knows what it is.
Types of vehicle it has been called since I've owned it, besides car and wagon:
Crossover
SUV
Van(?!)
Truck
Thing
Chevy

[eurotiva]

At least you will be able to buy toyota parts for it in the future.

[sasquatch]

i love camaros... i want to get a 3rd gen for my next project... or a ford truck 1953 or 55 more leaning towards the truck cause its totaly awesome and i can fit a 460 with a single turbo in the engine bay and still have enough room for a family of 5

[Flyin4stroke]

i know where a good looking 56 ford is sitting for sale...

[sasquatch]

i think FL is a bit of a far drive for me lol...