Full Circle but this time with a 1UZ?

[Phil Bradshaw]

Greetings from New Zealand. I bought my first AE86 as a wreck in 1992 as a donor for a Lotus 7 kit car. 18 months and 30,000 km later in 1994 I Upgraded to a silver top 20 valve and still have the 7 today. I had a whole bunch of AE86s and AE85s about 20 years ago including an ex-UK 1986 Corolla GT that had been crashed. Got out of it around 2002 when we upgraded to GTFour Celicas.

Fast forward to today and I need to re-shell my 1983 SA60 RWD Celica coupe 1UZ project as it has rotted too far from sitting outside for 8 years whilst we have rebuilt our house and finally built a bigger garage. Celica is about 85% complete mechanically. I had a lead on a replacement shell but it has gone cold. Long story short have just bought a 1984 Trueno rolling she'll that has been dry stored since 2001. It should arrive in the next 2 weeks. My challenge will be making as much as possible from the Celica fit with the minimum of re-engineering. It will be just a regularly driven toy. Spec is currently

Engine and trans:
1996 UCF21 1UZFE with genuine 20,000 km. Stock ECU etc. Precision Engineering billet lightweight flywheel with integral ring gear and 10" All Terrain clutch. Howe hydraulic throw out bearing with round faced bearing fitted. 3/4" land cruiser master cylinder. One of my own laser cut adapter plates. GA70 supra W58 with MA61 shifter mount. Custom engine mounts. Stock w series MA61 trans crossmember and mount. Got BMW 3 series radiator and twin electric fans. AA63 EFI fuel tank with ST205 pump and GA61 hard lines.

Rear Axle:
Early 1980s Crown F-series disc rear end. Celica 5 link mount conversion. Got 3.7 and 3.9 ratio diff heads both with Altezza SXE10 Torsen LSDs but will switch to 3.5 ratio crown and pinion I have on way from Australia. Brakes will be most likely upgraded to ST205 316mm rotors and alloy 4 pot callipers - I have a few options. Will fit coil overs I have.

Front Struts:
MA61 struts cut down and pressed/welded to BC adjustable coil overs from a S14. Early crown 5 stud hubs. JZA80 supra 324mm vented rotors with ST205 4 pot callipers and my own adapter plates for callipers. Endeavour Engineering billet RCAs. ST205 master cylinder on SA60 booster.

Exhaust:
Custom 4-1 headers I got off a Cressida drift car and modified slightly to fit. Rest of exhaust will be recycled from my long gone JZA70 supra that I converted to 1UZ and W58 12 years ago. Is 2.5" system with 18" resonators that merges into 3" single tail pipe with cherrybomb Vortex tail muffler.

Wheels:
Celica has both sets of 17x8 35P Oz Racing disc wheels with 225/45x17 tyres plus 17x8 & 9" Enkei NT03 35P with 225/45x17 and 255/40x17. Will try out 16x7 44P NT03 with 205/45x16 on Trueno as I reckon it will just fit under guards. Trouble is front brakes will likely need downgrade to 316mm LS400 rotors to enable callipers to clear 16s. This is also why I am getting 3.5 diff ratio.

I have some rose jointed rear arms for an AE86 I will see if I can modify to enable crown rear end to bolt in. Otherwise likely buy arms from T3/Xcessive etc. will use their custom steering arms to mate my MA61 custom struts to the Trueno TCAs. Will likely build my own engine mounts and trans mounts but Xcessive ones may be option. Don't want to cut shell (Celica shell unmodified) but also don't want to lower front cross member. Will see how it all looks once I get shell. If all else fails have range of 4 cylinder option kicking about including BEAMS 3SGE and 6 speed from Altezza, stock AE86 4AGE/T50 and 4AGZE with SC14 and W55. Prefer 1UZ as I have it all largely ready to go, and I reckon something 400 kg lighter than my Supra will be fun.

Phil

[dr.occa]

It's been 2 years...Updates?