1978 mx32 Cressida project

Akio · **Posted:** Tue Nov 20, 2012 10:26 am

Hello,

So about six weeks ago i picked up a 1978 cressida off a craigslist add in West Linn Oregon for $500, it had been sitting from the 2nd owner who has owned it since 83 and it was her first car. She never sold it and did not want to sell it to anyone who would not want to restore it so i had to prove that it was my plan to do so!

It had been hit in the front and the driverside fender had some kind of rusty heat cracking action. and some other dents on the passenger side fender and doors. other then that, mint condition interior! ugly brown but that will be resolved.

My plans are a 2jzgte auto, mk1 supra rear end or another idea i got from another member. rolled an pulled fenders, stitch welded, and Im getting bumpers for a swap to get rid of the parkbenches.

My cluster will be swapped with an IS300 unit, but thats to come.
when i got it.

starting to pull the damage out

starting on the front fenders, flares and body mods

still pretty rough but getting there i dont have much time to work on it!

lolumad · **Posted:** Tue Nov 20, 2012 11:06 am

okay.

so how did you prove you're going to restore it?

why spend the money on a GTE motor if you're just going to leave it auto? guessing that means JDM aristo motor. what are you doing about subframe/steering? stock?

do you have a line on a mk1 supra rear or know where to get them? they're getting harder to come by.

you're going to use an is300 cluster? why is that? do you have the wiring figured out to make it work? what are you going to do about the idiot lights and CEL you're going to be throwing? just ignore them?

Akio · **Posted:** Tue Nov 20, 2012 11:44 am

i proved it by showing her pics of my z project. and my wife talked her ear off about me and my restoration projects.

I am not worried about wiring, I have wired very difficult swaps before and its not hard to get factory diagrams and read them properly.

I want auto because its just going to be a cruise car and i might drag it once in a while. plus my wife loves the car and what its going to look like and will probably drive it too. and getting the valve body reworked for a few hundred bucks makes all the difference. a big heavy duty clutch and her will not be friends, I am not going to hook everything up on the cluster just the essential systems. so idiot lights wont be a concern.
using in IS cluster so i have a speedo, a digital tach and im using an is300 gas tank and sending unit anyway.

the only reason im going 2jzgte is for cool factor and it pisses my friend off who has a 1jz cress lol.

im still working out the steering and probably going to put in a rack and pinion plus a collum from a mk3 supra.

brakes will most likely be z32 calipers so i have better clearance for wheels.

ive already got a mk1 rear lined up because my friends father has a bunch of junk cars in his field and he has one. plus there is another at a local wrecking yard on there shelves.

lolumad · **Posted:** Tue Nov 20, 2012 1:54 pm

is that LSD or non on the mk1 rear ends? what kind of prices are you thinking on them? what kind of diff are you going to be using that can handle 2jzgte power?

link to your z build?

why mkiii supra rack? there are other options that would probably be easier and better suited to your chassis. don't ask how i know.

what else have you wired? the reason i asked specifically about the is300 cluster is it seems like additional/unnecessary work. is the motor you're looking to get vvti or non?

teach your wife to drive stick, that way you can force her to drive your car home from the bar.

are you planning on reinforcing the body with more than stitch welds?

the z32 brakes mean you'll be looking into at least 16" wheels, i think i heard that there are a few 15" that will clear them, not sure though. so do you have any thoughts on what wheels you're going to try to run? who is making your adapter spacers and hubcentric rings for the z32 brakes? what master cylinder are you thinking about running to go with them? guessing you're going with the T3 front suspension?

every once in a while you see jdm bumpers pop up on yja, is that what you're going to do to ditch the 5mph bumpers?

Akio · **Posted:** Tue Nov 20, 2012 5:29 pm

The bumpers are from a secret source that I'm not willing to divulge until I get my bumpers first.
The is300 cluster is just neat. And I have one with pigtails already. That's basically why.
The z32 brakes will clear some 15s and I don't have to run them I'm just still in creative stage. I might run fc calipers either who knows.

Both rears are only something like $100 and the size that I cant quote right now I can get a kaaz that will work, I have heard.
Or I might go the s10 rear axles another member here runs on his or even a gsl-se rear if I can find one.
Ill do pics of my reinforcement as I go along but I will be adding a few bars but no cage.
I am just fine with the auto. It's cheaper, easier, and its not a sports car I don't need to "bang" gears to justify it being a fun car. It's an age things lol I never wanted an auto before!
My z build is not being Internet documented due to the fact I would like to some something semi original when completed for at least a month lol.

I agree there are other options I. The rack that will be quicker ratio. But it's not something I need, and I have the parts already and Ivan always change it later if I need to.

I've been wiring swaps, doing engine management systems like haltech and mega squirt, chipping ecu's, fabricating, for just about every import brand, for about 10 years I can handle a non vvti swap I am sure.

lolumad · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2012 9:05 am

pretty sure i'm staying auto for my x3 plans as well, but i'm pretty set on the 1uz. i'm just going to get cheap aftermarket dial gauges and build a housing for a cluster. i need a mki axle for the discs and enough of a rear end to hold up to the v8.

i have a pretty good idea on what kind of bumper i'd use that i can find in any junkyard. it's been done on other x chassiss but not any x3s i've ever seen.

i'd like to avoid having to do more than stitch welding and some reinforcement here and there, mostly i was thinking about beefing the frame rails so i can stick a hitch on the back of the car at some point.

i have a friend that has made z32 adapter pieces for x8s and FC adapters for ae86s. his stuff is really nice, he actually made some NRCA's for my x3 that i have yet to put on. i really don't want to run bigger than 15" on the wagon, the 14" on there now look a little small but that may be ride height/tire more than anything else. if I find a decent set of wide 15s i might consider bigger brakes up front.

i have a good contition '79 front grille and surround i want to swap for an equally nice '78 piece if you come across one.

schassisowner · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2012 1:08 pm

hey man still have the 80 style front but shipping is going to be super expensive to the west coast

Akio · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2012 9:22 pm

The stitching I've done so far has made a drastic improvement an I only have one corner done, I did over 130 stitches just on the passenger side front. Ill post pics later. I considered 1uz but decided against it.

Sschasis I've basically already fixed my front so I'm set as far as that goes.

pagong · **Posted:** Thu Nov 22, 2012 1:51 am

1uz it

Akio · **Posted:** Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:56 am

Why don't I do a 2jzge too and copy everyone else? I already bought my 2jzgte so I'm sticking too it!

orangekid · **Posted:** Tue Nov 27, 2012 9:31 am

do you still have the emissions crap from the 4m? I might be interested in a few parts...

Akio · **Posted:** Tue Nov 27, 2012 5:38 pm

Sure what do you want?

Skellington · **Posted:** Tue Nov 27, 2012 5:48 pm

Nice car. its the big bro to mine.

Akio · **Posted:** Tue Nov 27, 2012 6:43 pm

So I'm pretty sure I'm doing a t100 rear axle with an aftermarket LsD. It's the right width.

I began stitch welding a few days ago. I'm not doing the whole car but about 75% mostly doing this since the zombie Cressida is cracking I read so I have also added a few braces like I did to my ae86 way back when I saw the YouTube video of the tsuchuyas ae86 being stitched and braced. Going go so far I need to grind some of the welds down. You have I be very carefull to make sure the car is even and take your time to let areas cool so you don't warp it.

Pics later

orangekid · **Posted:** Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:44 pm

Akio wrote:

Sure what do you want?

This may seem like a lot, but here's what I need:

This is a picture of the 1978 emissions layout. I need everything highlighted (the air injection manifold is highlighted, but not labeled. I need that as well)...

Also, this is a picture of the 1979 emissions layout. If you have the HAC valve in the lower part of the diagram, I want that too. Not sure if it came on the 1978 models though...

I also need the PCV valve and the grommet that fits around it on the top/rear of the valve cover.

My car runs great without all this stuff, but being in California means I have to have it. Let me know what you've got and what you want for it. Thanks man...

lolumad · **Posted:** Wed Nov 28, 2012 7:28 am

so you aren't going to use the mki supra rear ends you have leads on?

white_raven · **Posted:** Wed Nov 28, 2012 11:53 am

awesome i love cressidas!

Akio · **Posted:** Wed Nov 28, 2012 4:49 pm

Nope, there not going to work for the power I'm going to put down. I want to be able to drag it now and them and the axle diameter is not goin to do it.

Akio · **Posted:** Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:12 pm

started working on her again.. working on stitch welding. although im not doing a full hardcore stitch. I am adding tacs because the car is put together with suprisingly few welds. ive added about 280 so far and i expect do to about 400 more. i hate toyota sound deadening. remember kids stitch slowly and make sure the car is level to make sure you do no warping.

I could do a better job but i plan to clean it all up and none of it will ever be seen. if you take this on yourself make sure you go slow and tac two or three at a time, then move to a section about 12 inches away.. you have to let areas cool and not get too hot.. if you hear a groan or a pop your going to fast.

the engine bay ones will be grinded down flush then rest will be cleaned up and sealed. it allready makes a difference if you knock on it with a mallet you hear a more solid sound.. hard to explain.

pagong · **Posted:** Fri Nov 30, 2012 10:39 am

Akio wrote:

Why don't I do a 2jzge too and copy everyone else? I already bought my 2jzgte so I'm sticking too it!

Great choice

This thing is going to be nice when finished.

1978 mx32 Cressida project

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