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(To be) Hellaflush Celica: Hinge and first BeeR. :P

Discussion in 'Your 4th Gen beauty' started by Thaifighter, Mar 20, 2011.

Which motor should I get ($2K budget)

  1. 3rd gen 3SGE ($1K w/ tranny, wiring, and ECU)

    8 vote(s)
    47.1%

  2. MR2 5SFE ($300 w/ tranny, wiring, and ECU.) Will rebuild and boost this motor so ~$1500 total?

    1 vote(s)
    5.9%

  3. 4th gen 3SGTE ($950 w/ wiring and ECU)

    8 vote(s)
    47.1%
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Page 3 of 20
  1. CelicaSteve

    CelicaSteve Well-Known Member Staff Member Super Moderator Donated!

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    Good thinking in just doing the rear first, but if you really wanted to do the front, it definitely would have to be done properly so it looks part of it instead of something that was just stuck on. :cool
     
    CelicaSteve, Mar 23, 2011
    #41
  2. PhantomJDM

    PhantomJDM Well-Known Member Donated!

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    I love the idea's of a old school car with a fresh new look, i like it a lot but the lip thing the back is ok, but don't let it touch your exhaust, the front try something off of a front bumper at the junk yard it's made for it and test fit if they have our car there, even with my car I hit dip's on the front lol I can hear it hit.
     
    PhantomJDM, Mar 23, 2011
    #42
  3. Thaifighter

    Thaifighter Well-Known Member

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    Lol I'd be crazy or ignorant if I left it on the exhaust. Haha. Plan is to cut the thing before it gets to the exhaust, then put the rest on the other side of the exhaust.(essentially just cutting a space in the lip for the exhaust.)
    As for making the front look less like there was something just tacked on, I got lotsa bondo lying around. :p I could try to mold the lip to the original lip... You guys kinda convinced me to not get the extra front lip though, so I don't think I'll be doing that anytime soon. (lol thanks for hushing my inner ricer)

    Question of the day:
    Coilovers or wheels first?
     
    Thaifighter, Mar 23, 2011
    #43
  4. PhantomJDM

    PhantomJDM Well-Known Member Donated!

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    Coilovers! if you redo the whole shock you can fit bigger wheels for sure.
     
    PhantomJDM, Mar 24, 2011
    #44
  5. cliffmeister3

    cliffmeister3 Well-Known Member Donated!

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    Coilovers first. . .

    I personally think a lowered car on stockers looks way better than cars with rims on stock off-roading ride height.
     
    cliffmeister3, Mar 24, 2011
    #45
  6. Thaifighter

    Thaifighter Well-Known Member

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    Got coilovers...

    [​IMG]

    In Gran Turismo 5!!! :p
    Those JDM corner lights are growing on me now...

    The reason why I asked, was because I was tempted to cheap out on the suspension and see how the new wheels would look. (after all, cutting springs has the same aesthetic result)
    Currently, I'm trying to convince my parents to let me buy those coilovers. Not sure if I've already mentioned it on this forum or not but my parents have been hesitating to let me mod this car since it's old and not worth much and stuff despite the fact that I'm going to spend my own money on it... Hope that I eventually convince them...

    In the meantime, I'm gonna have some local friends come over and help me with the overheating this or next week, so hopefully, that won't be a problem anymore.
     
    Thaifighter, Mar 25, 2011
    #46
  7. LionTR

    LionTR Well-Known Member Donated!

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    Which coilovers have you your eyes on? :)
     
    LionTR, Mar 25, 2011
    #47
  8. cliffmeister3

    cliffmeister3 Well-Known Member Donated!

    cliffmeister3, Mar 25, 2011
    #48
  9. cliffmeister3

    cliffmeister3 Well-Known Member Donated!

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    Either that or a new motor.

    @Lion
    How do you like the BEAMS? I was really looking into that motor as well.
    Am I right to assume it's great as far as fuel efficiency and just overall practicality of it?
    And are you satisfied performance wise? And last question, was it fairly easy as far as the actual swap itself?

    I've really narrowed it down to either the Red Top BEAMS or ST215 3SGTE with the FWD/LSD transmission and I just can't seem to make up my mind.

    Any input will help tremendously.
     
    cliffmeister3, Mar 25, 2011
    #49
  10. Thaifighter

    Thaifighter Well-Known Member

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    What cliffmeister said.

    I've always thought that the st215 one would be the hardest to swap since it's the newest, but I dunno. It does have close to 60 more hp than the BEAMS...
     
    Thaifighter, Mar 25, 2011
    #50
  11. Thaifighter

    Thaifighter Well-Known Member

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    Oh snap...

    A bunch of ST185's just popped up. Really tempted to buy one... :shock

    They have between 80K-110K original miles and are between $5-6K (USD)

    What do you guys think?
     
    Thaifighter, Mar 26, 2011
    #51
  12. Jamezzy

    Jamezzy Well-Known Member Donated!

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    4thgen FTW :mrgreen
     
    Jamezzy, Mar 26, 2011
    #52
  13. LionTR

    LionTR Well-Known Member Donated!

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    Same here :)
     
    LionTR, Mar 26, 2011
    #53
  14. LionTR

    LionTR Well-Known Member Donated!

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    Fuel efficiency:
    If I drive mostly in city it's about the same as my old 3SGE. What really surprised me is what it produces when I go to a longer trip. At a comfortable 100-110kmh pace with sporty overtakes it still only eats around 7l/100kms, or even below 7.

    Swap:
    It's quite easy as long as you get a Celica BEAMS engine, which wasn't the case with mine, as it came from an MR2 :)
    Biggest problem was the wiring hell, but my mechanic have done it well.
    We have removed the AC compressor and fitted the power steering pump from my old engine, because the MR2's don't have it (or they have electronic power steering).
    We had to make a bracket for the alternator, because it's on the other side on the MR2.
    The transmission had to be modified so the linkages could be mounted, because this is facing the other way on the MR.
    Next problem was the intake, as there is not enough room in the Celica for the MR hose and airbox. Luckily after some time I found a Celica hose and airbox, and it's fine now (the BEAMS is very sensitive for the intake, so I better brought it in OEM layout)
    These were the biggest modifications, and as you can see it can be done, no real problems.
    BUT! You can drop all these points if you have the Celica BEAMS engine, except wiring, but that would be simpler too.

    As for satisfaction, what I really like now about the engine is reliability. I bought it with 60K kms, now it has something over 90K, and I only have to change oil in it.
    I'm still struggling to get a proper exhaust layout, only after it finally comes together will I truely enjoy it's performance as well.
     
    LionTR, Mar 26, 2011
    #54
  15. cliffmeister3

    cliffmeister3 Well-Known Member Donated!

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    I can't wait for you to get the exhaust layout done.

    I definitely will be keeping my eye on your progress.

    Just please keep us updated.
     
    cliffmeister3, Mar 26, 2011
    #55
  16. LionTR

    LionTR Well-Known Member Donated!

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    Sure, will do :)
    Have to take the car to another mechanic for various reasons, but after that, exhaust is next!
     
    LionTR, Mar 26, 2011
    #56
  17. PhantomJDM

    PhantomJDM Well-Known Member Donated!

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    Before you put coilovers on make sure your shocks don't make any noise or better yet get new ones if they have never been replace. You are right tho, that's a lot of st185's for sell but think how nice your car would be with +$5,000
    on your car? haha 4th gens for life :cheers2
     
    PhantomJDM, Mar 26, 2011
    #57
  18. Thaifighter

    Thaifighter Well-Known Member

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    With my lack of experience, +$5K will probably only get me a 3sgte swap (if I did that before stance)... :(
    Although I do agree with you guys that I like 4th gens better. Never really liked the looks of a 5th gen... At least not as much as the 4th gen.
    I think the coilovers I'm getting come with shocks so I'll probably be OK.
    Your car is awesome! Hope you get the right exhaust soon. Can't wait to see it. :)
    So how much did you spend on the BEAMS swap? Do you think it costed less than what a GTE would've costed in terms of labor?

    Probably gonna keep the '162 then.
    In the meantime, I'm gonna have to fix this...
    [​IMG]
    What windshield blades do you guys use?

    Thanks. :D
     
    Thaifighter, Mar 26, 2011
    #58
  19. PhantomJDM

    PhantomJDM Well-Known Member Donated!

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    I use some rainx wipers from wal-mart :cheers, an your getting full coilovers then? thats awesome I want some really badly but they say the magen ones only fit the 89's but on that link to a st185 it had them on? I think I want them now. St165 with Magen Full coilovers http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/cto/2282744150.html
     
    PhantomJDM, Mar 27, 2011
    #59
  20. Thaifighter

    Thaifighter Well-Known Member

    Re: (To be) Stanced Celica

    ^ HOLY CRAP!!!
    I want that thing super badly now!!! Too bad it's not close to SoCal... Now, how to go all the way up there and back without falling behind on schoolwork... :(

    Maybe I just installed them wrong or something cause I'm also using Rain-X's...
    As for coilovers, just look up the eBay (selex) ones mentioned earlier. Dude custom makes them for almost every car. He personally has a '162 and a '165 and seems like a nice person.
     
    Thaifighter, Mar 28, 2011
    #60
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