Catching up, and updating.

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated the blog but with a number of requests and to have a place to put all of it in one nice neat place I’m going to update the progress I’ve made since August.

Got the motor set in with some temporarily fabbed up motor mounts

Fits like a glove

Now started to test fit up the turbo on the cast manifold, and realized that it’s pretty narrow between the shock towers even with the straight 6. Crazy how 351′s etc.. slide in there.

Turbo comes a tad close but she clears!

leveled out the engine so I could attach the transmission and make up a mount. I’m using a th400 with a cut bellhousing and a custom converter using the toyota bellhousing. Good for plenty of power, it’s a reverse pattern but no transbrake since the car is really more for street vs drag use.

I had a couple of revisions to my trans crossmember until I settled on this one as it will allow me to fit up the 4″ exhaust still

Motor chosen… 6 cylinder????

I may lose some here but this been very exciting for to have chosen a 2jz for the car. While it’s not everyones taste, I’ve been around the supra world for 10yrs and have had a couple of 1000hp ones so I know this engine inside and out. Also, I had lots of parts at my fingertips so that helped in the decision. It will be a stock bottom end, billet 67 PTE turbo with a cast log style manifold, 1000cc injectors and supporting other mods to handle plenty of power with e85, inlucding a ProEFI engine management setup.
To hold the power I have a bullet built th400 to put in it and haven’t chosen the converter yet.
Anyways, here are some pics of her sitting in there with the custom mounts I made using part of the Ron Morris ones and half fabbed by me.

Fuel system complete

I decided to go big with the fuel system as I knew I wanted to run boost with E85 so I went with sumping a new tank and using a Magnafuel external pump. Single -8 feed and single -6 return

Update!

It’s been pretty busy but I’ve managed to get some work done on the car even with loads of work/travel, thanks to my loving and understanding wife
I’ve managed to get together the front mount intercooler and piping, as well as the 2core aluminum radiator which is for a supra and fits nicely between the frame rails. I just had to make some brackets for the tabs to sit in.

Rack & Pinion

Since my wife will be driving the car a fair bit, I wanted to make it easier on her and give her a nice responsive steering setup. I ended up going with the Aeroform rack and pinion with a chrome Ididit steering column. Very nice quality, and a very complete kit. nice thing is the ability to adjust bump steer.

I am now looking at choosing a steering wheel for the column, most likely a Grant 3spoke of some sort.

Progress

With limited time as of late due to work etc.. I’ve slowed a bit. That said, I’ve found an hour here and there to get some things done.

I ended up getting some fatmat sound deadener to keep a little of the road noise out, given that it’s a convertible I knew it wasn’t going to be terribly quite inside of the car, but this will reduce some.

I also finished up the trunk area with some Transtar rubberized undercoating.
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Wheels

I installed my 4.5 mid eye grab-a-track leaf springs and the rear (8″) to be able to use my fender roller tool, and to check the spacing on the wheels I’m going with. Wheels fit perfect!
Coming together

one more thing

Well, I decided to add some subframe connectors for a bit more support. I made these out of some square steel and tied the front and rear frame rails together. I didn’t go as far as channeling the reinforcement pan but I think this will help enough for the kind of power and driving this car will see.

I painted them to match the red but didn’t snap a pic.

Completing the bottom

Since the subframe connectors are not going to work and as I get the time I’ll make my own, I decided to finish up the bottom of the car. So on went the Basecoat/Clearcoat, wow is it pretty!!

I tossed back and forth using an undercoating,bedliner,etc.. but figured this would be the nicest way for me to do this car, as our usage is only nice day driver. I may use a bedliner product in the wheel wells but that would be it.
Base coat

Clear coat

Subframe connectors…..

Well, I should have installed these prior to laying the epoxy on, but no sense in worrying about it now.

Anyways, I got a set of Global West connectors from CJ Pony Parts (thanks as usual guys!) However they are not very close in respect to fitment. I’m not sure if it’s the Dynacorn replacement pieces I’m using (frame rails) etc.. but they said they have never had a problem. That said, I’m returning them and will make my own when I get the car on the ground.