Cam's JDM RA45 Celica

Camshaft · **Posted:** Wed Aug 01, 2012 10:33 am

ill-minded wrote:

I guess the upside to having to search for a motor means you can focus on getting bodywork done in the meantime at least, haha.

Let me know if you ever need to source any smallish RHD specific parts, though remember we weren't fortunate enough to get GT spec (for just about any car, really) in Australia, so I can't help with those bits.

Really?! You're the best, dude!

Thankfully, most of the 2000GT specific stuff is in good nick (except for the missing engine :roll:

), but there are actually a few things I am specifically looking for. Mostly lenses and rubber bits, fender mirrors, and clean door panels with the JDM warning labels on the driver's side - some dingus cut mine.

The center console and the panel under the dash may be up for replacement as well. Let me know if you see any A40s in yards nearby!

ill-minded · **Posted:** Wed Aug 01, 2012 10:49 am

I can keep an eye out. They appear every now and then at the two local wreckers, and I think there are a couple in a yard on the other side of town, but they've been sitting for some time from recollection, so there might not be anything of use on them.

- Are you looking for any lenses in particular?
- Rubber bits are often quite shagged, so don't get your hopes up for those.

- Australia never received fender mirrors on Celicas, sadly.
- Door panels won't have the Japanese warning labels obviously, but I'll keep an eye out if there are any clean, unmolested ones.
- Not sure how well fragile plastics would handle international postage if I did find some, but I'll let you know if I see some exceptionally clean examples.

Camshaft · **Posted:** Wed Aug 01, 2012 11:00 am

ill-minded wrote:

I can keep an eye out. They appear every now and then at the two local wreckers, and I think there are a couple in a yard on the other side of town, but they've been sitting for some time from recollection, so there might not be anything of use on them.

- Are you looking for any lenses in particular?
- Rubber bits are often quite shagged, so don't get your hopes up for those.

- Australia never received fender mirrors on Celicas, sadly.
- Door panels won't have the Japanese warning labels obviously, but I'll keep an eye out if there are any clean, unmolested ones.
- Not sure how well fragile plastics would handle international postage if I did find some, but I'll let you know if I see some exceptionally clean examples.

I'm missing one taillight lens, one corner lens, and the side markers are so foggy they're opaque. The taillights are the big issue since the rest of the stuff is common with USDM cars.

Oh, and that loving stainless trim around the wheelarches. I don't know what's on there now but it's certainly not factory...

yella81celica · **Posted:** Wed Aug 01, 2012 12:47 pm

I have a friend that is into celica and can read Japanese. So if you can get a picture of the door plate and or the engine bay plate I can let you know what it says.

palatine · **Posted:** Thu Aug 02, 2012 9:43 am

Camshaft wrote:

and the side markers are so foggy they're opaque.

I've had success polishing non-Toyota lenses with car polish to remove the opaqueness and get a clear finish again. Apparently the opaque sun-bleached finish has something to do with a UV-protective coating being left off of generic aftermarket lenses.

Any idea of the history of the car? How did a RHD Celica without an engine end up in your neck of the woods?

OkieRA29 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 02, 2012 4:11 pm

Fender mirrors are still available through your local Toyota dealer. I just bought a pair myself. If you need some help finding parts, there are a couple of guys on other forums that are Toyota part guys and can usually find something if it is not discontinued. I can send you their email if you want.

Camshaft · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2012 8:45 am

palatine wrote:

I've had success polishing non-Toyota lenses with car polish to remove the opaqueness and get a clear finish again. Apparently the opaque sun-bleached finish has something to do with a UV-protective coating being left off of generic aftermarket lenses.

Any idea of the history of the car? How did a RHD Celica without an engine end up in your neck of the woods?

When you're into oldschool JDM cars in the Northeast, you pretty much have to take what you can get, or ship it in. I consider myself very lucky to have found this gem.

If I'm reading the JDM rego sticker properly, it was last registered in Japan in November '87. Then I can see the remains of a Louisiana registration sticker on the lower corner of the windshield. The date code on the sunroof glass in 1989. The PO told me that someone rescued it from a salvage yard just outside Andrews AFB. Per the other thread, Jim (who needs no introduction) got it from a friend, who got it from another friend. She's been everywhere, it seems.

OkieRA29 wrote:

Fender mirrors are still available through your local Toyota dealer. I just bought a pair myself.

WHAT

OkieRA29 wrote:

If you need some help finding parts, there are a couple of guys on other forums that are Toyota part guys and can usually find something if it is not discontinued. I can send you their email if you want.

Yes please! I'm in over my head with this Toyota nonsense. :lol:

Thankfully I've always loved Celicas and I've picked up a few books along the way!

yella81celica · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2012 7:39 pm

What's the build plate on the door say? Im curious as to know when it was built. Trying to figure out if when the U.S. Switched the vin system if Japan did it at the same time.

Celica RA45 · **Posted:** Fri Aug 03, 2012 11:50 pm

if this is a gt find the 18rgeu motor .ecu will be in the passengers kick panel and see if igniter and resistors are there for injectors

Camshaft · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2012 8:14 am

yella81celica wrote:

What's the build plate on the door say? Im curious as to know when it was built. Trying to figure out if when the U.S. Switched the vin system if Japan did it at the same time.

The door tag is missing.

The car's been repainted at least once.

I do have a picture of the engine tag:

Maybe a 1980? I know midway through '81 the tranny switched from a W50 to a W55; and the VINs were supposed to standardize; maybe an expert can chime in...

Bill at the shop suggested pressure washing the exterior to get an idea of what we're working with:

Looks pretty good after a bath.

Bill was right, the car's various sins are much more apparent now and I have a far better idea of what I'm working with. Next up is a light interior cleaning to better gauge the condition of those parts.

CaptainSlow · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2012 3:03 pm

Nice find! Obviously by the engine tag it had an 18r-geu, and you have the highly sought after 7.5 axle found in the supra,its an f312 code which is a 3.91 gear non LSD axle, also if you can take good care of that honeycomb gt grille, they are super rare here in the states and only came on the 1980 usgp celica and the 1981 gtv celicas, once again nice find!

Nakazoto · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2012 3:45 pm

Alright Cam, that thing is awesome! Very much so looking forward to progress on this!

BeanBone · **Posted:** Mon Aug 06, 2012 6:38 pm

Can't wait to see how this one turns out!

yella81celica · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2012 5:56 am

I would assume that it's an '80 because of the shorter vin.

Camshaft · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2012 6:25 am

yella81celica wrote:

I would assume that it's an '80 because of the shorter vin.

That's what I'm leaning towards, too. Do you have a picture of your engine plate?

Murad · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:36 pm

Camshaft wrote:

yella81celica wrote:

I would assume that it's an '80 because of the shorter vin.

That's what I'm leaning towards, too. Do you have a picture of your engine plate?

Heres a plate of a '80 celica. It has the longer VIN. I hope the owner doesent mind.

On the other hand my '81 celica has the shorter Vin number. I will upload a pic of that tomorrow.

yella81celica · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:41 pm

To the guy who just posted, very interesting.

Hope the picture attaches.

Camshaft · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2012 1:43 pm

Murad wrote:

On the other hand my '81 celica has the shorter Vin number. I will upload a pic of that tomorrow.

Well if your number is lower than mine I'll know mine's an '81, hahaha. :lol:

Thanks for everyone's help getting this sorted out.

Murad · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2012 2:03 pm

Glad i was able to help out

yella81celica · **Posted:** Tue Aug 07, 2012 7:56 pm

Ugh! Even after cutting/ down sizing my picture it's still to big. I'll try a different way to post it.

Cam's JDM RA45 Celica

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