New T-18

[white_sandshoe]

Hey all,

 

After deciding to get stuck into rebuilding Sherridan, the KE20, I went looking for an engine to freshen up. I found a 4K from a liteace in the Quokka and went to have a look... turns out the guy selling had a 1989 T-18 for sale too... seeing as my budget was fairly limited, i didn't bother asking the price he was after.

 

From what i remembered, getting one cheap with as many parts as he had just wasn't a possibility. Anyways, after deciding that the 4K had too much water in the block, we were about to bid him 'farewell, but no thanks' when my girlfriend, Jo, recommended asking what he wanted for the TE...

 

Turns out $600 is good for a car with 5 months licence, spare running 3T engine, T50 gearbox, doors, glass, bumpers, aprons, hatch, ummm... yeah, and lots more!

 

well, I handed over the folding and took possession of the beast, then had to do three trips to get all the parts home!!!

 

anyways, here's the PLAN!!!

 

Rebuilt and forged pistoned 3TGTEU

(Provided i can find one...)

 

T3 Turbo pushing no less than 15psi and no more than 20.

 

new clutch

 

Rust repaired (brothers that can weld rule!!!)

 

Custom twin exhaust (just for kicks...)

 

15" V-tech rims with 195/50 rubber. (ends up with smaller rolling diameter than the 13's that are there now!!!)

 

Lower and stiffer springs front and rear

 

Girlfriend will choose paint... current votes are for either charcoal or a nice deep green...

 

super san intercooler hidden behind custom front apron

 

NEONS!!! (what? i have a set laying around doing nothing!!!)

 

Autotechnica adjustable bucket seats in grey

 

Custom dash+tacho

 

Rear seat removed and flat bed built in with tool kit where seat was. (thinking about keeping one seat in there for those emergencies when i need to carry an extra body legally...)

 

Anyways, enough of that... here are a few pics of her as she is now...

Edited May 1, 2008 by white_sandshoe

[CanadianMedic]

Awesome car, definitely lots of potential there

 

just looking at your plans for the car, it's gonna be similar like my TE72

 

I've got 15" aluminum rims with 195/50 (brand new), Mangnaflow exhaust complete with a humble muffler and headers, and of course springs cut to lower it 1.5"

The the width of of the tires combined with the lower center of gravity make cornering comparable to driving my uncles BMW Z3, and turning heads with a resonant exhaust is a bonus!

 

post some pictures of your progress when you can, can't wait to see her with some nice rims

[white_sandshoe]

Awesome car, definitely lots of potential there

 

just looking at your plans for the car, it's gonna be similar like my TE72

 

I've got 15" aluminum rims with 195/50 (brand new), Mangnaflow exhaust complete with a humble muffler and headers, and of course springs cut to lower it 1.5"

The the width of of the tires combined with the lower center of gravity make cornering comparable to driving my uncles BMW Z3, and turning heads with a resonant exhaust is a bonus!

 

post some pictures of your progress when you can, can't wait to see her with some nice rims

 

Cheers for the comments. Rims are going to be at the end of the lines mod wise. It's winter here, and I want to get the body straightened before the rust gets any worse, and I've found a 3TGTEU in pieces that I am saving for, which is painful, considering today i saw an import celica with one, and the W series box for the same price!!! oh well, i guess that's what happens when you're poor. lol

 

How do the cut springs go? I've to soooo much body roll in her, i'd be scared to give them the chop... by the way, does anyone know the standard spring rate for these??? I kinda want to get some springs and dampers that i can change in and out without too much hassle...

 

Plan is to have one set for slip and another set for grip... i'll be running the 15's for slip, with a lot of pressure in the rears, and i'm keeping the 13's that are on it now, as I know where to pick up some drag slicks for them... hehehe.

 

I've got to finish reading your thread there Canadian... you got a nice ride there.

 

My brother has a muffler i am going to get back off him at some stage... 3" inlet, 6" barrel, 5" tip!!!

turbo would sound so sweet through it.

[Golberg]

Sweet ride, I wish I could get a T-18 for $600. You've got atleast $1500 worth of car + parts there. 3TGTEU conversion will be great, if I had one I'd do the same.

 

I would imagine the standard spring rates would be the same as any other *E7* in the rear, not sure about the front though.

 

One of the contributing factors to the massive amount of body roll is probably the fact that the series 1 T-18's didn't even have a sway bar all at the rear. Now you can buy new sway bar mounts to weld onto the diff from AJPS but I'm not sure if series 1 T-18's have the position on chassis at the back to bolt on the sway bar there either.

 

If you get the sway bar I'm sure you'd see an improvement in the body roll especially if you went for a thicker aftermarket one.

 

Keep up the work :cool:

[white_sandshoe]

Sweet ride, I wish I could get a T-18 for $600. You've got atleast $1500 worth of car + parts there. 3TGTEU conversion will be great, if I had one I'd do the same.

 

I would imagine the standard spring rates would be the same as any other *E7* in the rear, not sure about the front though.

 

One of the contributing factors to the massive amount of body roll is probably the fact that the series 1 T-18's didn't even have a sway bar all at the rear. Now you can buy new sway bar mounts to weld onto the diff from AJPS but I'm not sure if series 1 T-18's have the position on chassis at the back to bolt on the sway bar there either.

 

If you get the sway bar I'm sure you'd see an improvement in the body roll especially if you went for a thicker aftermarket one.

 

Keep up the work :cool:

 

Is all good, as If i can't work out where i can get a LSD centre from cheaply, I'm going for a cut down 'Lux with 4.11's Gotta love wreckers!!!

 

Hope that'll have somewhere to mount a nice big thick length of steel... then just gotta work out where to attach to the chassis... oh well, that's half the fun isn't it?