Rally Cressida Help

Hi all, long time lurker here. I have been enjoying from a distance but need some advice and figured I would seek the wisdom of the collective hive.

The car in question is a 1983 (MX63) Toyota Cressida, 5MGE 2.8 I6, 5-speed, RWD, 271k miles, glorious. It's a pile that I got a year ago in exchange for some wheels an tires, so some friends and I decided it would make a nice rallycross beater.

First step was to replace a few bits of the suspension/steering so it wouldn't kill us, fit some old snow tires, strip the interior, throw in an ebay steering wheel & some CL racing seats. We spent the season rallycrossing it in Colorado, beating the crap out of it and having a blast. It never complained and except for a few tire blowouts, was dead reliable. We even set some respectable times, especially when compared with lighter cars on rally tires.

Well this last weekend we finally pushed it too far and blew a hole in the side of the block. I'm pretty sure a rod or part of piston let loose, it still runs (sortof) but sounds horrific.

The car is worth practically nothing, but it's wayy too much fun to just let it go. It's also not nice enough to save, so any value in the car is the drivetrain which could be re-purposed or sold after the fact. The easy button is to find another 5MGE or 7MGE from an NA supra and bolt it in, but part of me wants to use this as a platform to perform my first engine swap. The main requirements are cheap (under $1000 all in) and sounds good. Power is nice, and since it's a rallycross car I'm leaning towards NA as opposed to turbo. Reliability is not a concern.

Ideas? I've been reading the Vorshlag E30 challenge build and the iron block 5.3 LM7 has piqued my interest. It seems those should be available under $500, which means if were creative we could get away with the 1K limit all in. Even better would be to find a car we could pull the drivetrain from and sell off the rest to minimize cash outlay.

Keep it toyota and throw a 1UZ in there! You'll have to figure out the auto to manual part of the swap for the engine but it's been done on the internet before.

Welcome to the boards. Nice to see another 5 spd MX63 out there. I've got one waiting for an engine swap as well. Just my $0.02, find a 7mge, bolt it in and go have fun with .2 additional liters. A big engine swap project will keep the car off the road longer then you think. Do an easy swap and keep having fun improving your driving.

hobiercr wrote: Welcome to the boards. Nice to see another 5 spd MX63 out there. I've got one waiting for an engine swap as well. Just my $0.02, find a 7mge, bolt it in and go have fun with .2 additional liters. A big engine swap project will keep the car off the road longer then you think. Do an easy swap and keep having fun improving your driving.

Very nice, there doesn't seem to be a lot of Cressida's out there, even less with a 5-speed.

I know this is the right answer, and probably what I need to do. I have a garage, but it's un-heated, and we all know the Starks are right, winter is coming. Swapping in a V8 might be an "eyes are bigger than the stomach" situation.

Any ideas on where to find a (cheap) 7MGE? I got offered an NA 2JZ from a fellow rallycrosser for $500, but that's more than I want to spend, especially considering the 2JZ isn't bolt in.

RossD wrote: Keep it toyota and throw a 1UZ in there! You'll have to figure out the auto to manual part of the swap for the engine but it's been done on the internet before.

I do like this idea, what do the 1UZ's bring used? I would guess between the motor and sorting out the manual swap would be well above budget.

Number 1: you are awesome.

Number 2: I also vote 7M to keep it on the (off) road as much as possible.

here's a very fast search for a JDM engine importer who has a 7M-GE for $650.

http://jdmengineworld.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=69

Robbie wrote: Number 1: you are awesome. Number 2: I also vote 7M to keep it on the (off) road as much as possible. here's a very fast search for a JDM engine importer who has a 7M-GE for $650. http://jdmengineworld.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=69

Ha, thanks.

I did find this locally, closer to my price range:

http://denver.craigslist.org/pts/5297411619.html

Not sure how much extra fab a turbo setup is. If all the stock parts are included, it can't be much worse, maybe just some IC piping and an exhaust? It might be a great excuse to learn how to use that expensive TIG welder I have.

7MGE also came in the later versions of the Cressida...

One word of warning about the 7MGE... it may have headgasket problems....

Milo902 wrote:

Robbie wrote: Number 1: you are awesome. Number 2: I also vote 7M to keep it on the (off) road as much as possible. here's a very fast search for a JDM engine importer who has a 7M-GE for $650. http://jdmengineworld.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=69

Ha, thanks. I did find this locally, closer to my price range: http://denver.craigslist.org/pts/5297411619.html Not sure how much extra fab a turbo setup is. If all the stock parts are included, it can't be much worse, maybe just some IC piping and an exhaust? It might be a great excuse to learn how to use that expensive TIG welder I have.

Looks like a good deal. but if he is not including gaskets and stuff it will cost you a lot to reassemble. I would be really tempted to do it because turbo.

I have nothing to add. Just chiming in to say, I approve!

Ok. From one toyota man to another- 1UZFE. You can pick up an ENTIRE ls400 for 500! Part it and scrap it, then part out the 5mge. You'll be about even or ahead. Then visit my buddy Rich Kubhila at Xcessive manufacturing. He can get you everything for the swap to the w58 you have. I'm putting one in my Celica, I'll be under 1,200$ when done. You can eventually add a ford m90 supercharger and put down mad amounts of power. Oh, I'll leave this here: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f-AKyXHgp9c

Depending on where you are located (you said CO?) you could be a weekend trip away from the 5MGE I have sitting on a pallet in my shop. It would not take much to talk me out of it.

But, since you have a manual transmission you may want to Google around for one of those threads about swapping with the ax5, ax15, mau5, and Toyota transmissions. Off the top of my head the two easiest answers would be a Mopar turbo-4 using a Dakota bell housing or some 60* GM product using the Jeep bell housing. GM 3800+ supercharged ecu and map sensor+ junkyard turbo would be awesome and cheap, but a 2.8/3.1/3.4L v6 is usually almost free and would be plenty too.

Trackmouse wrote: Ok. From one toyota man to another- 1UZFE. You can pick up an ENTIRE ls400 for 500! Part it and scrap it, then part out the 5mge. You'll be about even or ahead. Then visit my buddy Rich Kubhila at Xcessive manufacturing. He can get you everything for the swap to the w58 you have. I'm putting one in my Celica, I'll be under 1,200$ when done. You can eventually add a ford m90 supercharger and put down mad amounts of power. Oh, I'll leave this here: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=f-AKyXHgp9c

I certainly like this idea. Those adapters are nice, and well priced, but I'm leaning more towards LeMons budget vs Challenge budget. I'll keep an eye out for LS400's, just in case.

oldopelguy wrote: Depending on where you are located (you said CO?) you could be a weekend trip away from the 5MGE I have sitting on a pallet in my shop. It would not take much to talk me out of it. But, since you have a manual transmission you may want to Google around for one of those threads about swapping with the ax5, ax15, mau5, and Toyota transmissions. Off the top of my head the two easiest answers would be a Mopar turbo-4 using a Dakota bell housing or some 60* GM product using the Jeep bell housing. GM 3800+ supercharged ecu and map sensor+ junkyard turbo would be awesome and cheap, but a 2.8/3.1/3.4L v6 is usually almost free and would be plenty too.

Yes I'm in Colorado, Boulder area to be specific. Where are you located? A replacement 5MGE, while not hte most exciting, certainly

Time to do some research on GM swap compatibility. This may be the perfect time to do a junkyard turbo setup I've always dreamed of.

I'm all for learning experiences and expanding horizons, but speaking as somebody who hasn't driven his competition car in anger in 2 years, cars are much more fun running than they are in pieces on your garage floor.

Duke wrote: I'm all for learning experiences and expanding horizons, but speaking as somebody who hasn't driven his competition car in anger in 2 years, **cars are much more fun running than they are in pieces on your garage floor.**

Milo902 wrote:

oldopelguy wrote: Depending on where you are located (you said CO?) you could be a weekend trip away from the 5MGE I have sitting on a pallet in my shop. It would not take much to talk me out of it.

Yes I'm in Colorado, Boulder area to be specific. Where are you located? A replacement 5MGE, while not hte most exciting, certainly

As you state not that exciting... but it is as simple as it gets... and it gets you up and running...........

Update time. Cressida is still sitting while I search CL for a motor. Although throwing in a replacement 5M makes sense, I'm hankerin' for a project and think I might as well take advantage of the situation.

Currently on CL there is a 96 mustang, 3.8 V6, 5-speed, 100k miles, seller claims runs well but extremely beat cosmetically for $300. I'm really temped based on the price alone, it's been up for a month so he may even go cheaper. I know the 3.8 isn't well thought of, but it makes 5 extra hp and a ton more torque than the 5M.
https://denver.craigslist.org/cto/5332700229.html

Other option is an '88 5.0 & 5-speed, claimed complete for $750. This is tempting as well. It's a lot more money, but my biggest concern is any missing parts that could nickel and dime me vs. having a complete car to pull it from. http://cosprings.craigslist.org/pts/5366668260.html

Anyone care to talk me out of either/both?

5 point hoe for 750$? Can't pass that up.

This advice is worth exactly what you're paying for it, but... go for the V6 that's actually installed in an actual car. I think you're right to worry about missing parts. There's nothing like being nicely launched on your Free Time In The Garage Day and suddenly realizing, "Aw, crap, I've gotta go get a [insert name of small but vital component here.]" Also, $300 vs. $750 speaks to me in a clear and penetrating voice. Is the 5.0 (OK, plus trans) worth two and a half times as much as the whole V6 car? Um, no.

Stealthtercel wrote: This advice is worth exactly what you're paying for it, but... go for the V6 that's actually installed in an actual car. I think you're right to worry about missing parts. There's nothing like being nicely launched on your Free Time In The Garage Day and suddenly realizing, "Aw, crap, I've gotta go get a [insert name of small but vital component here.]" Also, $300 vs. $750 speaks to me in a clear and penetrating voice. Is the 5.0 (OK, plus trans) worth two and a half times as much as the whole V6 car? Um, no.

Pass on the 3.8 v6. It's a horrid engine. Get the 5.0....

Well I have been convinced to keep away from the mustang V6. A complete car for that price is mighty tempting, but given the amount of work to swap in the motor it's probably not worth it.

I'll follow up with the 5.0, see if it's truly complete enough to be worth while.

a late 90s tacoma 4 cly could be interesting too.

Well I was ready to plunk down a deposit on the 5.0 when a 5MGE out of an '85 Cressida popped up on CL. A few hours later we had the harbor freight engine hoist assembled & the motor unloaded.

250k miles, complete, recent water pump, timing belt, plugs & alternator. Plus he included the clutch which is most likely in better shape then ours. Lot's of miles, but a spring chicken compared to the current motor's neglected 271k miles, plus it was only $150.

The car it came from is getting a 2JZ swap, seller is a tech at a Volvo shop in Denver so I'm taking his word on the condition of the motor.

Pics are pretty bad as my garage lighting is lacking.

After we get the "new" motor in, we plan a few more uber budget upgrades. I'm thinking some extreme weight savings, ghetto hydro hand brake, maybe a lincoln locker in the rear as the LSD is pretty tired. How much work is it to shim an old clutch-type LSD?