My sweet little $300 Celica

I love originality too, and plan on keeping / renewing / replacing with original stuff as needed / available. I plan on this being my little project for a few years (the rest of my life probably, lol, I am 43 and can retire from FD just before I turn 51). I guess I could look for a stereo (when/if I do) at one of the Pick-A-Parts within 2 or 3 hours of me (along with anything else I can make a list of). I know this is just the "plain jane" version, an ST 3SFE with manual everything (mirrors, windows, locks), but I really prefer manual windows and locks (have had to replace window motors before) and really don't care about the things like turbo, lots of power / speed /etc (this is fast enough for me - I get way more "fast" than I care for driving the fire truck and riding in the back of the ambulance). I am really impressed with it altogether (reliability, simplicity, fuel economy) and it being a smaller car is even more encouragement for me to slim down my 6' 2" 300 lb frame. (The wife is helping with that now that I am in a cast and totally depending on her - and can't eat 3 or 4 thousand calories a day in junky food while out on the fire truck or ambulance).

I think the body is pretty good too (25 years old after all). My main concern is arresting the small spot of rust below the taillight. I am wondering if I should be concerned about any under the cracked paint on the roof, although it feels solid when pressed on and I "caked" wax/polish in the cracks. I don't want to flake the paint back if not needed. I have seen a lot of good results online from folks doing the whole "rolled on" paint jobs with Rust-O-Leum. Not having a compressor, guns, booth - I may consider that in the future, I don't know .....

I don't know about "lacquer peeling." I was under the impression this was basecoat / clearcoat. A fellow fireman who does bodywork and paint (mostly for himself and as a hobby) tells me it was painted years ago and that it was a really good paint job when it was done. He was actually #1 in the state and #4 in the nation in some kind of body / paint competition back when he was in high school (7 or 8 years ago). Where that paint is gone there is like white underneath. I am fortunate that this pretty lady was bought and kept in Alabama, then Arkansas, now back in Alabama, as we have no snow / salted roads - or coastal sea air - so the chances of corrosion go waaaaaay down.

And as requested, here are a couple pics of where the stereo "would be." Do you want / need pics of where the speakers went on the rear deck? LOL

Take care, Tracy
















EDIT - This is a actually a picture of it with a stereo in it (a picture the last owner listed on eBay). It JUST occurred to me looking back at the listing photos that it was shown with a stereo in it on the eBay listing. I cannot remember if there was anything in the item description that said it would NOT come with a stereo (and that auction was about a year ago now). I may shoot that guy an email and inquire (just to know what happened to it). Does this one look like the factory one (or possibly an aftermarket one they wanted to keep)?







AND it shows it with speakers in the back deck!

 

Also, is there a way to tighten up the gear selector stick if it has some side-to-side play in it? I know I have removed center console stuff on past Toyotas (Camrys) to tighten up the emergency brake, but none of them had slack in the gear selector stick.

Thanks,
Tracy

 

Yes this is my daily driver (when I start back driving lol).

You said we are a lot alike. I think I have seen you mention doing what I do sometimes - going out to the car and just sitting in it enjoying it late at night - or looking at it through the window. I did that a lot more when I was working both jobs, keeping it wiped down spotless about daily, and not in a cast. It just brings me pleasure, pure and simple.

I contacted the guy that I bought it from on eBay and asked about the radio and speakers - the fact that they were there in the pictures on eBay, not there when I got it, and we cannot access the item description from an auction a year ago. He said he would have put that in the description if he realized it, that he thinks he remembers it not working, but has no good recollection of the radio (his daughter was using it for college). I got it at a steal (come to find out, could have been something big wrong with the transmission) so I am not real concerned about it. I can't wait until I am back "on my feet" to go through more on this. I know it has a slight wobble when braking and plan to go through all the brakes (definitely new rotors and pads and shoes, clean up everything well, lube, etc). I'm also going to replace a weak battery that I found out about after it had set for a couple of weeks and I went to start it up. I noticed the starter mod from reading on here and may do that sometime, as I have a 30A rated fuse block and 30A SPDT relay lying around from making a couple of hydrogen generators last year, along with plenty of wire and soldering supplies, spaded connectors, etc. I also can't wait to finish installing the precut window tint kit I got off eBay. I toughed it out the other day for long enough to put on the rear driver's side glass and driver's door glass, heat-shrinking them to the perfect contour first. They look awesome.

I also need to add that plastic air dam for the front to my list of parts to scavenge for the next time I go to a Pick-A-Part.

 

eNtraxGT88 -
It sounds like that starter modification is definitely something I will do when I am back on my feet. I mentioned solder because I like to use solder and shrink tubing in place of butt connectors, and use solder in addition to crimping with spade connectors. You cannot beat the conductivity and the mechanical strength of a solder, as I have found out doing remote starter installs and a couple of hydrogen generator installs (and yes, they made hydrogen - but not enough to make a mileage difference and justify the 20A of current draw).

CelicaSteve
I "should" be out of a cast in about 4 more weeks according to the Dr's initial prognosis from the Xray. I work two jobs, one 56 hours per week and the other 33 (which includes night hours when I can sleep unless we are called out). So I won't be able to get everything done with the progression that some of the guys on here might. But I will just be glad to be able to drive it again (and keep it clean lol).

Yes I have always loved Toyotas, or I guess I should say Camrys, as that is what we have owned several of (and have helped friends work on). But they told me a lot about the reliability of Toyota. To be perfectly honest, I had never really thought much about a Celica before. I just found that deal on eBay when looking for something for one of my daughters (to replace a car she already has). But once I got it and saw the nice shape it was in, I took notice. Then once I got the transmission working with that governor valve, I test drove it and started liking it more. Getting to the governor valve and seeing the ease of working on it also helped (much like the Camrys). I appreciate good design / engineering, function, and ease of working on. I am looking out the window at her from my recliner right now, about 6 feet away outside the window lol!

 

Don't you hate when you have a nice post all typed out and then when you hit "submit" you find it has logged you out? :lol2

Anyway, I was not "exactly" looking for something for my daughter, but thought of her when I got it is more accurate. She is mostly looking for herself. She has been married since last August, so she is out on her own (and expecting our first grandchild we found out Mother's Day). She really wants a Geo Metro for the mileage, even though I have told her I don't know about their reliability and I have never worked on one.

That picture I can do without getting up from my recliner - haha. She is parked right outside the window I am stranded in a recliner beside.

 

I thought of that (pulling the blinds) but it was out of my reach (without getting up on my messed-up feet) and that is the (realistic) view I have as you mentioned.

BTW - what is our time difference (I am in CST or Greenwich Mean Time -6).

Also, does anyone have any experience with tightening up a gear selector that has side-to-side play in one of these?
Are there any opinions out there on painting using the roller method (with the half-and-half Rustoleum / mineral spirits for several coats and wet-sanding)?

Thanks