Critique my build: 1985 Celica edition.

So I would like to invite mature, sensible, and honest, oh, better include "experienced", people to observe what I've built, what my goals are and what my plan of attack is. Then offer advice, suggestions, questions, etc.

Here we go: 1985 Toyota Celica (last of the RWD) 196k. Hardly any rust. 5spd. W58. Oem 22re.

Current goals: occasional autocross. Maybe a track day. And occasional rally (more on this later). Lexus v8 swap in the garage. Driven mostly on the street. I like hoonery and drifting.

Current state: 450lb front coilovers from a Honda Civic. Lowered about an inch. Front struts are AGX from Rear mr2. Roll center is still above ground. No RCA's needed. EBC reds on stock calipers and rotors. Have some urethane bushings I've yet to put in and a superpro steering rack bushing. Datsun 14x6 with 185/70/14 kumho street tires(junk). Rear suspension: ford 8.8 four link. Trac lock. 3.73 gears. Drum brakes. Mustang GT springs cut one coil for awesomeness. And rear Camaro AGX's. Polyurethane everywhere. No sway bar in back.

Potentially I am getting a second set of strut tubes to build a rally suspension so I can switch between the "street" suspension. 14x7 "danger ranger" wheels in back running 195/75/14 (because I haven't switched them over)

Gutted rear interior. Weighed nothing, it's going back in.

Motor is stock. Runs well. But lethargic as anything 22re powered is. I'm set on the 1uzfe swap.

Questions? What would you change? My goals? My build? "Just as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens the face of another"

GTS wheels and flares, maybe?

"Occasional rally" does not compute. Everything else you listed, you can do without a cage, but the rally aspect means an extremely extensive cage, so if that's a goal, you'll need to budget for it- I'd skip the V8 and do that instead. If you want to make it "occasional rallycross and volunteering at rallies" then your plan sounds pretty solid.

In reply to ¯_(ツ)_/¯:

Yeah, I forgot "rally cross" not stage rally. Although I'm not opposed to a cage, I just know it would be way expensive to do a cage and keep the interior.

Anyone have anything to say about the suspension setup? I have read you want to keep the front (Mac strut) stiff and the solid axle soft. Any inputs? It understeers hard. Likely due to no rear bar and now a LSD.

It will probably need 2-3 degrees of negative camber in the front and a good size rear bar to dial out the understeer.

I'd do some cool vintage race seats and steering wheel if it was me. Rear bar, and some camber like jstein said. Flares and a 1uz. Super cool car already in my book. I'd stay on the tarmac, too nice to ruin in the dirt.

This:

belongs to a friend of mine. They do stage rally with it, but there's nothing "occasional" about it. Not honestly sure how competitive it is, but it's got the fun factor pretty much max'd out. Submitted primarily for inspiration.

As for the "swapping out the suspension" to do rally/track/autocross, I guess depends on your goals and your available free time. I've never really seen anyone pull off the multi-purpose car and be competitive at anything. It becomes even more complicated if you want to keep the option of daily driving, or even just cruising in comfort. I have a friend who DD's, rallys, autocrosses and (IIRC) even occasionally drifts an old Volvo. He's not exceptionally competitive at any of them. He has a relatively soft, long travel suspension for the rally work, and just sort of bounces through other events, usually sideways with a huge grin on his face. I guess the flip side is he's never at a loss for something to do and has more fun with an old, cheap car than should really be allowed. I can't imagine wanting to swap out the suspension more than once or twice per season though, which would really limit your options for available events.

Honestly, I think the "do it all" car it a bit of a video game inspired fantasy if you're looking for anything other than just opportunities to have fun with your car.

My suspension would be seasonal. Summer time would be drift and track. Winter time would be rally. The area I live in has a lot of open deserted back roads. And we get snow. So if love to have a function and fun car for the winter. As for being competitive, why bother? If I wanted that I would have bought a Miata and a wrx. The car does nothing exceptionally well, but is exceptionally fun.

Is there a different, smaller, rear bumper available anywhere in the world for that body? It's the one thing that keeps it from being right on aesthetically.

mazdeuce wrote: Is there a different, smaller, rear bumper available anywhere in the world for that body? It's the one thing that keeps it from being right on aesthetically.

Here's the Japanese version. Probably a difference

This particular one is a TA63 which is basically just shy of the group B homologation version. It would be cool if he could find the engine from this and swap it in lol.

edit:

nope, still massive bumper, this is the actual homologation special too (ta64).

If it were my car I would probably do a 7mgte or 1jzgte swap.

One of my neighbors had a mint celica gts and he just sold it at random, didn't know. If I knew he was selling it I would have snapped that up immediately.

No matter what you do, you have got to keep the louvres, classic 80's right there!

The louvers are staying! But the bumper is actually getting a shave. Think roll pan on a pickup.

I think its already going to be a dope build. I would say get the suspension sorted (big rear bar, front camber) and then paint it so itll stand out from all the other silver cars.

That car needs 4 pieces of GT-S flare(s).

Nice build. so you have any wheel and or tire upgrades planned for the V8 swap?

Appleseed wrote: That car needs 4 pieces of GT-S flare(s).

Gts flares don't fit the GT without massive modifications. It's easy to get a set of ZG flares meant for a s30 z.

As for wheel options I want 15x7-0 all the way around and 195/50-15 direzza or something like that.

So I've been thinking that an RA64 rally car would be awesome. Here's some inspiration.

Jon Rood's RA64

gearheadE30 wrote: So I've been thinking that an RA64 rally car would be awesome. Here's some inspiration. Jon Rood's RA64

I know about Jon. He's on the Celica forums. His build thread is awesome.

I had a 1985 GT-S convertible that was waaaaay too pleasant as a car. If you keep the 22RE for a bit, find a Supra AFM (check the Celica forums for year compatibility). A super-simple elbow, some clamps, and some metal from your hardware store yields a decent improvement in responsiveness.

Sadly, I made the realization that it would never do what I wanted suspension- or motor-wise and sold out for a Miata. I never installed the Koni bits I got for the car...

I also wish I had a chance to try my Doug Thorley 502Y.

Nothing to add except I am ver interested in your project, and would like to subscribe to your newsletter

If you are really interested in my build had over to celicagts.com. I have a bunch of write ups over there.

I would go with 15" wheels like you mentioned to run Miata size tires, 14" tire selections have to be very small now. I would personally go with an independent rear suspension, either a Mustang Cobra, E36/E46, or a RX7/RX8. I would go with a LSD no matter what rear suspension setup was in the car. I've driven my brother's 91 Camaro quite a bit, and after owning my E36, I'm not going to a solid rear axle ever again.

Mr_Clutch42 wrote: I would go with 15" wheels like you mentioned to run Miata size tires, 14" tire selections have to be very small now. I would personally go with an independent rear suspension, either a Mustang Cobra, E36/E46, or a RX7/RX8. I would go with a LSD no matter what rear suspension setup was in the car. I've driven my brother's 91 Camaro quite a bit, and after owning my E36, I'm not going to a solid rear axle ever again.

Lololololol.... I don't think so man. They make a Celica with IRS of the same '82-'85 years. They are ok, but are not good when using it for racing, unless you feel like dialing out all of that bad geometry that lotus made. (Yes, lotus didn't do great) squat induced toe and camber, all kinds of wrong. It's well established in the Celica world that the SRA is king. And in no freakin way am I transplanting another style of suspension back there. Not after all the work I did to get the ford axle in...

If a solid axle works for the mad tyte JDM yo AE86, it'll work fine here. Mericans love straight axles.