Project RA21 1974 *Updated 5/23/13*

Skellington · **Posted:** Thu Aug 09, 2012 5:44 pm

very nice!

Crash1976 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 16, 2012 7:55 am

Thanks for the compliments!

I have now been driving the car for a couple of weeks now on a daily basis. I have about 90% of the bugs worked out. The wipers were fixed yesterday. It was raining yesterday moning so I had to fix those before I left for the office. I got them working about the time the rain stopped... :doh: But theye are all ready for the next time it rains.

Finished the seats and rear deck this week.

Front. I was pretty upset when one of the covers tore a bit when installing it. look close you can see it. i think it can be fixed though.

Back

Rear deck. i wanted to do a custom touch on this. I'm sure you guys will know what the stars are from.

still needing to address the door panels and rear side interior panels, adjust the window mechanics, do my rear wheel cylinders and ofcourse restore the center console bits...but its coming along.

Crash1976 · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2012 11:43 am

UtahSleeper · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2012 3:05 pm

Damn she is sexy!!

Crash1976 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 29, 2013 11:32 am

Have been daily driving this for the past few months but recently got another car so I'm parking the Celica for a bit while I do a few more things.

This is what I'm working on right now.

Aside from a little wire tuck'n still needed the stereo and amp are dun, Stick a fork in there.

Will be making places for the first aid kit and also a tool kit on either side of the amp on the amp wall.

then will be flooring and carpeting the trunk and making a proper battery cover etc.

After that I get to tackle the big drag... head gasket. leaking coolant out the back of the head. Not overheating but leak'n ain't gud... ifyaknowadimean.

Hard to believe this project has been going on for so long. I went back through the previous posts and fixed as many of the broken picture links as I could... This was one of the very first projects started on JNC... This thread is OG!

Crash1976 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:26 pm

New Pictures. Just messing around with my new lens.

Crash1976 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 18, 2013 7:30 am

Leaking head gasket. Not too bad but cool weather is the best time to takle stuff like this here in Texas...
So...
Head off...

Head looks really good inside. All componentes apear to be in good shape. Major plus.

Block looks about like you'd expect for an engine that has never been open to my knowledge. A little carbon on the tops, lots of coolant deposits in the head and water jackets of the block.

I am beginning to wonder if I shouldn't finish the job and go ahead and pull the block out and rebuild the whole dang thing even though it was running fine. Thoughts?

UtahSleeper · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2013 2:47 pm

I would say keep it running. If it ever really breaks then rebuild, but I would be more inclined to try and source a spare engine and rebuild that as time allows and swap when the current dies.

Crash1976 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2013 2:51 pm

Prudence and my wallet have me inclined to agree with you.

kingtoy · **Posted:** Sun Mar 03, 2013 10:46 pm

WOW, it it looking really good there Cody. You have really put some serious work into it. Who would have thought just a few years ago the car would look like this now.

Now you just need to drag it back to the meets once you get the motor back together.

Crash1976 · **Posted:** Tue May 21, 2013 7:59 am

Finally got my compressor all wired up with a new breaker so I can get some work done.
Sent the headers last friday to Specialized Performance Coatings (http://www.spcoatings.com) for ceramic coating.
This is how they looked when I dropped them off. Can't wait to get them back.

Head is back from the machine shop.

And gaskets are here from Toysport.

Got the Engine bay cleaned up a bit in prep for the work.

Working on the head today. Going to do a mild Stage 1 port and gasket match on the head and manifolds today.

whit · **Posted:** Tue May 21, 2013 3:41 pm

Did you keep the Hi Lux?
Did the seller know what he had when he sold it to you, the 18rg?

Crash1976 · **Posted:** Wed May 22, 2013 5:45 am

whit wrote:

Did you keep the Hi Lux?
Did the seller know what he had when he sold it to you, the 18rg?

I did not keep the Hilux. I sold it to a fellow Toyota enthusiast friend of mine who decided he had too many projects and sold it to someone else who planned to restore it.
The fellow I purchased the truck from knew what motor was in it and what it was. he just needed the cash and to get rid of the truck. Since it had been sitting so long the engine was in "uknown" condition so the price was low.

In other news I have been working on getting the motor back together. Did the mild port and gasket match on bothe the head and intake manifold. Have the head on and torqued down. A little more prep work on the intake manifold and it's ready to go back on next. Still waiting for my headers to come back from ceramic coating...

Crash1976 · **Posted:** Wed May 29, 2013 6:35 pm

Picked up my Headers today and finished buttoning everything up.
Headers before:

Headers after:

All buttoned up:

While I was waiting on the headers to be ceramic coated I put another coat of wrinkle black on the valve cover and cleaned the plug wires. Just need to go back and tidy a few little odds and ends up. Coolant is in and I ran it for about 30 mins to get it up to temp at idle and get all the air from the coolant system and to make sure everything is working properly. I think I'll want to get it out on the road for a few miles then let it cool down and go back and torque everything again and check my valve clearances and then timing . I'm really anxious to see if the butt dyno registers any improvements with the head porting and gasket matching. We will see.

Does anyone even read this? I feel like I'm the only one who ever posts on this.

. oh well no love for the first gen I guess..

Hitman Cody2130 · **Posted:** Wed May 29, 2013 9:55 pm

Header coat looks good, I like my cars a little lower than you have yours but thats just me

kingtoy · **Posted:** Thu May 30, 2013 3:22 pm

Damn, that looks really good now! Excellent work Cody!

Skellington · **Posted:** Thu May 30, 2013 3:38 pm

Crash1976 wrote:

Does anyone even read this? I feel like I'm the only one who ever posts on this.

. oh well no love for the first gen I guess..

Im sure lots of people read it. You have my dream car so you got me hooked. Your car looks amazing. Feel free to test lenses on your camera more often. Perhaps a video of it?

Crash1976 · **Posted:** Thu May 30, 2013 5:36 pm

Actually I have a new lens I have yet to try out on cars... Guess I need to now.

Do you realize this is one of the oldest threads on JNC? Over 30k views, the admins here even sent me a little Celica penny racer for being one of the first JNCers. I guess I'm special, special as in rides the short bus.

Camshaft · **Posted:** Sun Jun 02, 2013 9:44 am

Wow, that first pic of the corner lens in the "new camera lens" post gave me chills. Car loks great so far...jealous of your 18RG.

Crash1976 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 05, 2013 10:13 am

Thanks for the compliments!

Project RA21 1974 Updated 5/23/13

Who is online