Hirst

Not in a UK scrapyard I won't, I'm lucky to see anything older than the mid-90s! Will see what I can do though, if anyone has any part numbers handy it'd be appreciated. Sure I'll be able to sort something out though.

Yeah I think it is the stock setup on these, certainly doesn't look cobbled on and wouldn't tie up with the rest of the car which is pretty much untouched (45K miles, elderly owner for 20+ years etc.). Gave Tojo2's advice a shot and unplugged the sensor, fan fired straight up. Most interesting, glad the fan isn't dead. Sounds like either I need a new switch or it isn't in right, gives me something to go off at least. Will have a proper look at it later and keep you updated with the progress. Cheers fellas!

Hello there, long time no see, etc! After sitting in some enormous queues with the heater on full for two hours to stop the car boiling up, I've decided it's about time I sorted out my radiator fan. I don't remember it ever working under my ownership - I'm guessing it is one of these fans which is meant to be "always on" in some way. Mine is completely dead and never moves. Just wondered what the general checklist was to cure this - the only dead fan I've dealt with was on a Datsun Stanza and that just had a broken fan switch. Really not sure how to approach the fan on one of these, some kind of fancy clutch-based setup? Unsure and the Haynes manual is surprisingly unhelpful. Here's a terrible shot of the engine bay if it helps any, just a standard old 4K setup: And here is the car, it's a Daihatsu Charmant (KE70-based): Let me know if any questions and I await your assistance. Thanks.

Yep I had a look at that, does anyone know which of those wires are responsible for the lighting circuit and ignition?

Have been studying wiring diagrams from Toyota and Daihatsu in an effort to figure this out, but I'm just not 100% sure. Basically, I need to fit a tachometer to my car. Unfortunately as my car is a Charmant, I can't just swap in a tacho version dash like you guys - they do exist, but they're so rare that I could be waiting literally years for one to turn up (if one ever does). So I bought an Omori gauge which rather optimistically goes up to 10000rpm. Then I took out all the surrounds etc. and was a bit disappointed to find that the wiring connectors are different to the KE70 ones. However, I suspect that the wires themselves may well mean the same thing! So I'd just like someone to confirm whether these wires are largely the same as the KE70 ones and which I need to "tap" to get my Tachometer on. On the left hand side we have this: This controls the "Stop" Warning Light, Oil Light, Battery Fill Light, Battery Light, Fuel Level. On the right hand side we have this: This controls Headlight, Door Open Light, Parking Brake Light, Battery Fill Light (again?) and the Digital Clock. I suspect that the Brown/Black wire on the right hand side is for a tachometer. According to translated Tachometer instructions I need 4 of 6 wires hooking up (others are a redundant one and one for an external shift lamp): Black - Earth Red - Ignition Plus (does this mean power?) Green - Minus Coil Ignition (suspect this is the one for the brown/black tach) White - Lighting Would appreciate any help I can get!!

Thanks for the help everyone, I'll be getting some money together and will post up the results in some months time!

It's no problem, I like to hear the pros and cons from everyone! I don't really have great knowledge of springs as I've never had to buy them. However, I can get the Whiteline "Control" springs for a reasonable price, it says they will lower the vehicle between 15-40mm. If it's towards the latter it should look OK, but tell me a bit more about compressing springs - are there any disadvantages to that? How do you get it done? I'm not wanting to lower the vehicle substantially, I just want the car to sit right instead of being "jacked up" like it is now. I've read up about cutting springs, but I don't like the sound of that to be honest, it sounds OK for a cruiser type car, but too much of a compromise for sports driving. Thanks for the assistance so far, has helped a great deal. KE70s are quite rare over here, modified ones even more, so it's quite hard to get decent info. Plus as you can tell I know very little about shocks and springs, I've never had to change any before!

andro0o: Thanks! For those who don't know, they're an old set of Work Equips. Better pic which shows how high up the suspension is: tojo2: My Charmant uses the K50 box and 4K engine, exactly same as a KE70 DX. Though you could get the K40 4-speed on the LD spec, a super-base spec only available in Japan and a few other countries. All other mechanicals are same too, brakes, suspension, etc. But there's also a 1.6L Charmant that uses a T50 box and some other Toyota engine I forgot (not a 4AGE or anything exciting sadly). Adjustables are interesting, are there any springs that would suit off the shelf, or any particularly good combo? I've seen the TRD ones available and Koni.

Hello! I have searched for info, but I'm struggling to find all the info I need. The suspension on my Charmant (rebodied KE70) is awful - it is worn out and it sits far too high, so I'm after new shocks and springs. I don't require race suspension or anything like that, but I don't mind spending a decent amount of cash for quality items. I want to bring my suspension down so it sits nicely in the arches, something like a 40-50mm drop, nothing extreme. I only use my car on the road and it still uses the stock 4K (will do for another year or so) so I don't want/need a hard "racetrack" setup. This is how it sits now, monster truck style: I know there are a few sets of KYB shocks available, Excel G and the Gas Adjust ones. I like the sound of the Excel G ones and can get them at a decent price - any thoughts? Anyone have any other recommendations? I've seen Koni ones I recall. As for the lowering springs, this is where I'm stuck. The only ones I know of are those King ones, how much do they lower it? Any good? What about other sorts? I ask this as my driveway is on an awkward slope so I can't go too low or I won't be able to get it down the drive. Let me know if you want any more info and thanks!

Thanks - yeah, to be honest I'm not sure why Daihatsu didn't use the Carina A60 as the base rather than the Corolla KE70. Given that the car was aimed at the compact executive market, the Carina would have been a more suitable base car in the first place. I think the Corona tail lights would probably fit in too, they look the same size. I actually need new tail lights as one is fogged up and the other has a big scrape in it (repaired with some of that tail light lens repair stuff), but as I say, Charmant stuff is very difficult to get hold of so I'll have to keep waiting.

Thanks! Forgot to mention I have now got tyres (Yokohama S-Drive) and have installed the Equips. Now it is more glaring how high the suspension is, so I need to sort that out. Another thing I need to do is replace the current mirrors (one standard, one weird one, due to Charmant trim parts being very difficult to find now, was like that when I got it) with a set of fender mirrors I have.

Minor update, has been running OK apart from a bit of missing on idle which I'll hopefully have solved once I get the parts in. Apart from that, I fit some cheesy seat covers from Japan (lace taxi driver specials) and trial fitted some new wheels, some very old Work Equips. Quite wide! Just need tyres. Then onto the messy business of an engine swap I guess.

I like the KE70 rear lights but they'd not fit, the rear light unit on the Charmant is bigger as you get an inch of trim underneath whereas on a KE70 you get bodywork. Regarding the headlights, I think they're actually the same headlight/reflectors as the late KE70 but just shoved inside a bigger housing! We do have KE70s over here but they're pretty rare and I like the look of it already. Just got some fender mirrors though! And yes, same suspension geometry and all! Nothing wrong with Daihatsu engines though, have two Daihatsu turbo kei cars and they pack a fair bit more punch than this old 4K. Just serviced it today, runs smoother now! Think it needs timing chain doing though.

Hey that's a video I uploaded! Wish I had more info on it. Think it was off some ancient old Option.

Hello Rollaclub people, see a few familiar names on here! Thought I'd register and get my foot in the door. This is my Daihatsu Charmant A35, I'm sure you'll be familiar with the name as in terms of parts it is mechanically identical to the KE70. It has a 4K engine and 5 speed manual box just the same, it just looks different. They're a pretty obscure car worldwide, Daihatsu marketed it as an executive car back in the early 80s and as expected didn't really sell many. They faded into obscurity quite fast! It has a more obviously 80s look to the bodywork, very plush carpets and the most beige and brown interior ever. Asides from that it's a KE70 really. In the short term I'm giving it a full service, fitting fender mirrors, a rev counter and sorting the rust before it gets any worse. In the medium term I'm going to sort out some nice Japanese wheels (SSR Mesh, Hayashis or something) and have the repaired rusty bits resprayed (in the same metallic beige, the colour is part of the charm). In the long term I'm going to tune up the 4K a little and if it blows up maybe plop a 20V 4AGE in. That would be a long way away though! The aims of the car are to keep it very plain looking though, I like it just the way it is really. Wanted one for years and now I'm done!