Build thread: I'm back with the Corolla

[verse]

3/18/08

 

We just got back on Sunday from picking up my old Corolla from the guy I sold it to. The car has been sitting almost since the day he got it from me (he blew up the motor the day I sold it to him). The title was never even changed from my name so it still has my name on the title. He also had a GTS liftback that he was using as a parts car that I got as well.

 

The plans are to completely GTS swap my coupe. I'm hoping to have this done before summer. I just order all the OEM parts to rebuild the GTS motor. It's basically going to be a resto-mod car, not much of a drifter (although it may see a few events). The car still has some of the parts that I put on previously (OEM JDM spoiler, OEM JDM zenki rear bumper/brackets, and OEM USDM GTS front end)

 

The drift car will come in the future after this car is going the way I like it.

 

 

Here's how most of you remember the car.

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/DSC01474.jpg

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/DSC01479.jpg

 

As it's sitting now

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap015.jpg

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap014.jpg

[verse]

The GTS parts car is actually in pretty decent condition. Practically rust free, only a little on the hatch and surface rust on the roof, other than that it's clean and will be for sale in the near future.

 

I worked on the parts car a little last night while my boy was napping. I got the interior cleaned out and pulled a few pieces. It was pretty disgusting, even found some opened condom wrappers. :-X

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap003.jpg

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap004.jpg

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap005.jpg

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap011.jpg

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap010.jpg

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap009.jpg

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap008.jpg

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap006.jpg

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap007.jpg

[87GT]

Good luck with the build !

[Skinner]

Hello Kitty?

 

j/k good luck with it.

[Mr. Jones]

Yes, wheres the hello kitty air freshener?

[verse]

3/23/08

 

Today I decided to start stripping the GTS apart. I took the dash, part of the interior, and some miscellanous engine pieces off. Found out that I'm missing a couple pieces out of the engine (coil/ignitor and TPS connector had been cut off).

 

I decided I'm going to try to basically make the engine look just like it did on the factory floor with a few little goodies. Plans are to delete the A/C system and keep the P/S, purchase/install TRD header, purchase/install injen intake, rebuild motor using all available OEM parts, delete cruise control, and clean/paint all parts to look new. That's basically the engine part of everything. I'm still uncertain on the rest of the setup.

 

Anyhow, here's some pictures from the progression I've made today.

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap017.jpg

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap016.jpg

[Science Abuse]

Don't forget to sell off your old wheels and 4AC parts.

[verse]

Don't forget to sell off your old wheels and 4AC parts.

 

As soon as I get everything worked out I'll let you know for sure.

[Rally Pat]

Staying with EFI?

[verse]

Staying with EFI?

 

Yeah. This is basically going to be a restoration with a few tasteful mods of quality parts.

[verse]

5/5/08

 

Yesterday, Andy (eightsixgts) and I decided we'd tear into the cars a bit since it's starting to finally get nice out. We complete tore the interior out of the parts car and got the GTS harness into my coupe. A couple things I found out. Well, the GTS parts car didn't have power mirrors and my coupe did, but the power mirror harness isn't inside the GTS harness, so I guess I'm going out without power mirrors now. Also the GTS HVAC box was completely different than my coupe's HVAC box and half the connectors don't go together, so I guess it'll never have A/C. It's not a huge deal to me, but I did plan to set it up. Also a couple things I found that I've never heard from people doing GTS swap, but my neutral safety switch and brake switch were both completely different between the models. Not a big deal just swap them over, but I've never heard this problem with anyone else doing the swap.

 

We are planning do pull the motors within the next two weeks as our schedules work together.

 

Here's some pictures of the progress made yesterday.

 

Parts car interior

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap018.jpg

 

Parts car engine bay

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap019.jpg

 

Coupe's interior

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap020.jpg

 

Coupe's engine bay

 

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/irockacorolla/GTS_swap021.jpg

[87GT]

Coming along good. You going to let me ride in it with you when it is running?