Kirk28s' 1991 Toyota Century VG45

[kirk28]

So I bought my Century last year as a Christmas present to myself...

 

 

Have always been into Jap Barges, owned plenty of Crowns, and two Nissan Presidents over the years.

I live in Australia but  it resides here in NZ for when I visit home. 

 

I had intentions of doing up a 1984 Crown wagon  GS126 that I had bought earlier

 

but realised that being back only a few times a year, makes this very very difficult, so sold it to Bogangeof ...this allows me to drag out  the Century and give it some attention.

 

The Century is immaculate with 46,000km , even the interior smells new, one is  the more desirable VG45 (long wheel base model)

I bought it sight unseen and flew back at Christmas to pick it up, drove it down from Auckland to the Naki, Old school 4.0 pushrod V8 means this  isn't a fast car but  a great cruiser and will accumulate speed without you realising, just sails along. It also generates a massive amount of interest, if you are going chuck in petrol allow for an extra 15mins to talk to strangers who will try to guess what it is, and where it's from.

 

 

What I have done so far is remove the massive CRT TV and VCR,

 

retro cool but was bulky and uncomfortable to drive with it, and left no where to put your left arm. By the way in the VCR player was a video of The Godfather...dubbed in Japanese (no lie). I also found some paperwork in the door map pouch  that is in Japanese with some English, suggests that the car was used as a Municipality car In Tokyo and as recently as 2011.

 

The leather is totally unmarked and softer and more comfortable than the leather in my Lexus '06 LS430.

 

I also imported a 15" factory alloys set from Japan earlier this year (Alloys were fitted instead of the Hubcaps after late '91). Bought some Michelins Tyres and I reckon makes the car look much much better, and certainly handles better. I want to keep the car 100% stock, so this and tinting the windows are as much as it gets.

 

 

The struts that hold up the heavy as hell bonnet and boot lid I had regassed, nothing more annoying than being hit on the head.

The Air con blows cold both front and back, but it does have small issues i'm going to fix: really would like to get my hands on a wiring diagram and drop it into the Auto Electricians...

 

There seems to be some fuse or short as:

The electric quarter windows work fine only two of the actual door windows do.

The dealers tried to fix the windows themselves, and butchered the left rear window motor (I'll have to get on Yahoo Japan and order some more).

 

The interior lights don't work

The digital dash trip meter don't hold memory, so everytime the car is turned off they reset

The digital clock and the stereo are also out, apparently these were working fine just before the car was sent over here from Japan, so need to do some trouble shooting.

 

The TEMS doesn't work either - no lights on the dash and it is failing to soak up corrugations resulting in a thunk everytime you hit a pothole, anyone a TEMS expert??

 

i'm not sure whether to bother to fix the TEMS, or just replace to normal struts (apparently not too difficult with these things) but the most important thing from my point of view is that the ride is soft and dreamy as you would expect from this luxo barge behemoth. 

 

I am also keen to buy a GZG50 V12 century, I drove one when in Japan last and they are beasts,  let me know if you come across one for sale here in NZ otherwise i'm going to import one (It can sit in the garage next to the VG45 as I wait for it to be old enough to get compliance)...

[kirk28]

Here's it's mate in the shed...gzg50 1GZFE V12

 

[kirk28]

last time I was back in NZ I pulled it out of the garage and gave it the clay bar then hand polished treatment..I have sourced a wiring diagram so will be getting the windows etc working.

 

 

 

Also on Japan Yahoo I found the red missing badge for the boot lock latch ...

 

[kirk28]

I flew up to the Gold Coast last weekend, and decided to go pick up a spare Window Motor that I need for my Century.

Had to drive up to Ipswich and met an old bloke who had two wrecking, he was pretty awesome, had three large work shops on his land, a mint Mk1 Zephyr a Mint pontiac Firebird a Cobra kitcar with a century V8 and he was building a 56' Ford F100 running a century V8; pretty serious engineering -he had fab'ed up a wider chassis to fit the wider engine, fitting Air Con and elecs from the century.Should have taken pics but my phone was flat.

 

Anyway anyone who knows the VG40 + VG45 Century probably knows the electric windows usually fail.A bloke down in Melbourne who has a few explained how to fix them, which is good because since I've had my 91 Century they have never worked. Before I bought the car some amateur auto electrician had pulled one motor completely apart and fuked it good.

 

Here's the Fix - emailed to me by a mate..will have to wait till i'm back in NZ to fix mine.

 

The nylon gear is the weak point, it cracks in a straight line between a pair of teeth through to the centre. Once the two teeth separate you have no more drive, just a clicking sound.

Toyota no longer make the nylon gear, but to  repair your existing ones :

 

*Gently clamp the crack closed with a bit of super glue in there, then used a soldering iron to seal over the join on front and back,

*Then plate it like surgeons do with bones. In this case I used a piece of old feeler gauge, again glue behind it and a couple of tiny screws into the nylon for lateral support. Works like a dream.

 

 

Also note Century window lift motors are close cousins of those used in the Crown MS85 (and possibly others models of that era). The only differences are the lugs on the outer casing, everything else is the same.

 

I also remember reading somewhere that someone had new nylon gear made up at a cost of like 2k? if anyone knows how to get these made cheaper -you will have a ready market for them.

 

I also have wiring diagrams if anyone needs them.

[kirk28]

oh yeah also bought this in Japan

 

[Century]

Hey buddy. New owner of 94 Toyota Century here. Beautiful car. 

Just recently got the drivers and left rear passenger window fixed - and yes it was the nylon gear which had gone. Had to get them machined but working well now. 

Just wondering whether you have any wiring diagrams or manuals for the VG45? Struggling to find anything online.

Thanks

Hamish 

 

 

[fletch]

8 hours ago, Dredso said:

Do you still have the wiring diagrams available?

whats your email address? i can send you the 1998 wiring diagrams if your interested

[vauxhallali@aol.com]

Hi Guys,  just join this group  whilst searching the web for a wiring diagram for an 1983 century.

i live in England and have owned my century for 13 years  and have known of it since it was imported to the Uk in 2003.

I'm  hoping one of the members will be able to help me with a diagram.

I have visited New Zealand twice 2007 and 2015 and hope to visit again in a couple of years time when i hit the big 60.

A beautiful country with beautiful people.

Many thanks in advance for any help.

Graham

 

 

[eurocardoc]

On 13/11/2019 at 01:59, fletch said:

whats your email address? i can send you the 1998 wiring diagrams if your interested

eurocardoc@aol.com

need assistance if you could send the wiring diagrams  got a 1991 here with no main door windows working

[granitemist]

Would you be kind enough to email me the wiring diagram for your first generation Century? I am in desperate need. THANK YOU!