Sam's SA60G Carina Surf

[Sambo]

Not much has changed since I bought this really, been putting time and money into my AE85 and bathroom at home. Now things are set to improve as my confidence in it's reliability diminishes

I also got sick of it looking so rough.

I spotted it on the side of the road ages and ages ago, stopped and had a proper look a few months later and pined after it until the start of this year while I watched it get rougher and rougher. I finally went and door knocked the guy who said that he didn't want to swap for my freshly wof'd KE70 wag (wof had just gone on this), so I grabbed his number and waited for it to fail it's test. After that he said he'd sell for $800, I paid $600.

Basic specs:

1.8L 1S-U Engine

T50 Box

T series 3.73 with COIL SPRINGS (only came on the Carina Surfs)

Close to rust free, it's only got rust around the screens as the rest is all tectyl shit'd

When I got it:

Interior is fairly tidy bar the boot

This was worse than it looks, full of soil, grass clippings and engine oil of some sort

So yeah, all I did to start was:

Cleaned it

Threw some wheels on it which had wof spec tyres

Replaced the cracked windscreen

Replace the tail lights (couldn't find Carina wag ones, so stuck with corona atm)

Obtained wof

Goals are to have a practical daily that looks good (not wild)

mild lowering

nice wheels

fender mirrors (have electric ones and some mirrorless doors)

Make everything work

Discussion: //oldschool.co.nz/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=30489&hilit=carina

[Sambo]

The current issues with the car are:

Engine leaks, quite a lot. I've ignored the leaks and kept topping it up, but it has been driven very, very low on oil and now takes about 15 seconds to register any oil pressure on the factory gauge ( ) and makes knocking noises until the pressure comes up.

Rust round the front screen is really coming up. I'm a bit pissed about this as when I had the screen replaced I asked the guys not to go ahead if there was any cause I wanted to have it fixed, they obviously ignored that and sprayed over the rust with primer with no prep/wirebrushing or anything. I'm going to be hitting them up for free removal and refit when it gets done.

I'm not sure whats going on with the rear suspension. The back sits quite low, like it's got a heavy load. A high tech bounce test bounce test tells me the rear shocks are a bit tired, but not totally gone. It's got monroe shocks (can't find any part numbers?) and standard looking springs, I was thinking perhaps they used shocks from a SA60 coupe, *T141 or other similarly related car that isn't the same? The front shocks seem to be original and are very rooted, but not sagging. I'd like to do it properly one day, but for now it means I only have to lower the front

So I've collected a few other bits and bobs:

Mirrorless doors to go with the fender mirrors I had, these are also a bonus as the passenger window mech is fucked and the drivers window frame is half cracked off the body so it doesn't seal at the top. It doesn't leak but it whistles at anything over 50km.

The car originally had a/c, but it was removed with a past engine replacement, I've got the full A/C setup from a SA60 Celica coupe that I hope goes straight on.

Full PS setup from the same car ^^ Needs all new boots etc.

Got some superlow springs (dobi?) for the front cause they were cheap

Rust/dent free corona front valance

Also have a good engine coming from a SX70 that a mate is wrecking, I'm also going to have a look at how far out the E series rear is from fitting the wagon.

The car looks like it sits level in the carport, but the concrete isn't flat. Very deceptive.

[Sambo]

No pictures, but engine has been removed from the SX70 that bosogx71 got his parts from. Minimal oil leaks, but very dirty.

I'm wanting to get this in asap.

[Sambo]

GF went shopping yesterday, and I got told to 'do man stuff'. So i jammed the new front springs in the wag and mowed the lawn I wanted to get it done in time for NY wagoneering, the back will be full of shit so it should look even. Also giving the engine a major birthday to ensure it runs well and swapped to some 15s on the rear for better cruising.

The new springs are juuust uncaptive on one side.

Also got my first ever 'sell me your car bro' note.

[Sambo]

Sooo, just had a wicked weekend.

The wagon seized the cambelt tensioner pulley and snapped the belt... on the harbour bridge. Thank golly it was the downhill side. Towed it home and ordered a new belt etc from Toyota.

Ripped it apart Friday, cleaned everything and reassembled most of it on Saturday and spent 3 hours Sunday trying to figure out why it wouldn't start A combination of the belt and dizzy each being a tooth out

Also:

Found the cause of my huge oil leak. A bolt sheared off in the cam carrier part of the head was meant to hold down half a sensor flange, oil pouring out. Replaced the entire cam carrier.

Found why I could never tension up the alternator properly. The adjustment stay had no bolt at the bottom.

Discovered that the vacuum advance hoses had been looped. Put them where they should go, maybe when I've done the timing and tuned the carb properly again it'll go better.

Spent all my spring compressing money

[Sambo]

One year on I have something to update 

 

 

I bought another wagon for parts over NY, and have swapped several panels over including the mirrorless front doors (only 1 atm actually). So this meant actually getting the fender mirrors I bought ages ago, onto the car. They are electric ones from a Corona coupe the same as Simon's. 

 

The parts car is a CA67 (ultimate poverty spec), with a twin headlight setup that I'm not using. I did however want to use the front guards as they are super tidy and already have holes for the mirrors, got one swapped over and THEN realised that the headlight/indicator brackets are totally different. It was getting dark at that stage, so a hole was drilled to make the HL fit-ish and I've spent the last ages driving around without an indicator while I welded up the rust in the other guard (my first ever patch ). Got it back on the car today with the mirror (after killing two hole saws). Can't wait to get the other side done! Will have to be next weekend I think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, fuck. The trim I had the mounting points repaired on has disappeared . I spent hours retracing my routes everywhere, but couldn't find it. I certainly don't expect to find one in NZ, Ewan says he's too busy to contact wreckers around japan and all that comes up on the yahoo auctions for this car are boss kits and brake pads. I had an idea that it may be possible to 3d scan the trim from the other side, mirror image it and print? Or any other ideas? 

 

Discussion: //oldschool.co.nz/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=30489&hilit=carina

[Sambo]

No update on this car, except that I sprayed the D pillar with the missing trim matte black to match the other side using my hand as masking. Turned out mint, no pictures.

 

It just occurred to me that I don't think I've ever put pics of my ae85 up on here, it's not that oldschool or unusual, just another ae85 build. 

 

 

 

 

It's nothing special. I bought it "90% finished" and subsequently had to re do EVERYTHING that the last owner had done.

 

Now:

 

Smallport 4age

W55 box w/ Niteparts bell

TE71 T series diskbrake rear w/ TRD LSD (unsure what type, came super cheap off yahoo with no description).

BC Gold suspension

AE86 red interior

L4VNDR  PPlate

 

Needs the wiring finished (Brad aka XS1V has rewired the entire front of the car, hence panels off) and to be put back together so I can measure up for the driveshaft then done. Just gonna bog and spray the rear 1/4.

 

 

Discussion: //oldschool.co.nz/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=30489&hilit=carina