Finally more mods taking place on the GTS racecar!

Finally got both sides of the rear suspension finished, had to order more control arm bushings from Toyhead Auto. Now that the rear is complete, I've started installing my front hub bearings and outer seals. Once these are all finished, I can re-assemble the front end and put her on the ground, then it's engine re-build time. Oh yeah and somewhere in there I gotta get the rest of the rollcage installed!

Here's the completed rear suspension......


And the front hubs being fitted with new bearings and seals....


racerb :driving

 

What's wrong with this picture....


Well some dumbass in his hurry to install the hub seals for the bearing, forgot to re-install the bearing retainer snap-rings! So guess who had to go order more inner seals to replace the 2 brand new ones he just f#%ded up royally!! You guessed it, this dumbass!!

Moving on, just having to take 2 steps backward........

racerb :banghead

 

New seals just came in, so tomorrow morning the hubs go back together and back on the car. Gotta get her rolling again to make room for another GTS parts car arriving soon, just have to go pick it up!

racerb

 

Well I finally got everything back together after way too many months, so she actually rolls on her own tires again. Just re-installed all suspension pieces, brakes including rotors, calipers, and lines can go back on later when I'm finished re-building the calipers.

Here are a few pics of the last few days progress....


And here are a few of her sitting on the ground, front still high without the engine weight.....


Now to re-build those calipers, drop and boil out the fuel tank, maybe replace fuel pump and screen, and work on dropping in a running engine, hopefully soon! Oh yeah and cage work and paint (maybe) have still gotta be done!!

racerb :corsair

 

Thanks Man, if I didn't have 3 of the 1st Gen 3SGE engines (soon to be 4) I'd probably jump all over a Beams. Maybe some time in the future I'll pick one up!

racerb

 

My JDM engine will be pretty close to stock, a quick balance and blue print, new rings and bearings, replacement ARP studs, bolts, and fasteners, oh and a Moroso oil pan, Accu-Sump and oil cooler set-up.

At least one of my USDM engines is probably going to end up at LNA Enterprises for a complete N/A race prep, with hopefully HP numbers close to the JDM unit. LNA just won the E Production National Championship at Road America during the SCCA Runoffs, here is their link.....www.lnaenterprises.com

racerb :eng101

 

Minor progress on the Racecar, did finally remove all the power door locks and replace them with manual units and new door handles. Installed a new fuel filter using the modified mounting bracket cut down from the original filter/charcoal canister mount. Also finally felt well enough to strip a little more from the '88 GTS hatch, including struts, brakes, control arms, and swaybars.

More updates to come along with pics of the progress....

racerb :science

 

Got back on the project a little bit more, building up more suspension pieces for the '86 GT chassis and building a front airdam/splitter for the '87 GTS.......

Pics of the airdam/splitter as a mock-up, will be around 8" or so tall when finished. Also had to figure out a best way to make a support attachment and worked that out using heavy duty lawn edging which will hold 1/4 turn quick release fasteners. Here is the support in black.........

Also the airdam material set in place, will mark and cut to fit later this week......


racerb :eng101

 

Thanks, it's been a long and drawn out process, but starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel, just hope it's not a train!!

racerb :corsair

 

You and me both! Really want to get the JDM engine re-build soon........

racerb

 

Made a little more progress today with the airdam, got it cut to size and temporarily attached to the cars. Now to make the splitter and it's attachment plus come up with a set of supports for the center of the splitter. Thinking of using something like this to support the splitter..... http://www.summitracing.com/parts/lng-23708/overview/

Also been working on transferring the SuperPro bushings from the '88 Celica parts car into the suspension pieces for the '86 GTS project car. Plus tearing down hubs and installing the longer Moroso wheel studs I had on hand.

And one last thing today, I made a template for the top panel for my radiator ducting so I can close off this area. Like the front airdam, this panel will be fastened in using 1/4 turn Dzus fasteners, so I can access the oil cooler and possible pusher style electric fan. I'm still debating on where to locate my cooling fan, in front or behind the radiator?


racerb

 

Next up on the airdam install will be the brake duct setup, which will include bumper ducts, high temp hose and air directors to concentrate the cool air directly onto the rotors.
Here are the bumper/airdam mounted brake ducts I'll be using.......
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hre-re206/overview/

Here is the air director for the brake caliper/rotors that I plan on using....
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/aaf-all42117/overview/

racerb

 

Still hurting, but gotta get some work done, so pushing through the pain and making some progress. Hope to start on the engine re-build soon, going to concentrate on just building a new bottom end and re-using my good head.

Thanks for the kind words, hope your car is coming together well also,

racerb :corsair