Hey everyone. This isn't totally dead. I'll have some new pics up soon

Well, I think now that it’s been a little longer then forever, its time for an update, shall we?

Anyhow. Here it goes…

We got the wiring semi sorted. This means that everything that we need has been identified, separated, and marked. Plugs have been matched to the mating switches and buttons and dials and whatever they stick into. The fuse block may be moved to behind the center console, so nothing has been cut out yet… but it will be thinned and only the wires used will be kept.

The ViPEC has been sorted and our crank trigger has been water jet cut out and pressed onto a new Toyota OEM crank pulley. Unfortunately, I’m lame, and forgot to take pics before we sent it off to get balanced with the rotating assembly and clutch cover.

Which brings me to my next point; my clutch has made its guest appearance. I’m the proud new owner of an ACT 4 puck solid center clutch with a heavy duty pressure plate.

On the machining/head work side, I’ve had the most horrible luck lately. I found out that Toda valve springs and Web Camshafts’ 110 grind do not mix well together. There is coil bind. So I had to get new valve springs. Enter supertech. I bought the supertech valve train kit which had dual valvesprings, titanium retainers, new keepers, valve guides, and seals. Problem solved. And [potential, but un realistic] redline problems eliminated.

As for what I’ve actually been doing to the CAR, I’ve gotten a bit of stuff done! The front suspension is more complete, as the front radius rod things are on now, and I’m working out a new sway bar attachment, as the stock one doesn’t work with the coil overs.

I got the steering rack in today, after hunting for the brackets and the bushings. Once I found the brackets, I painted them black, and installed them after they dried. The reman’d rack I have didn’t come with tie rods, so I need to dig my new ones out from upstairs and install those, so I can hook the rack up to the steering arms on the knuckles.

Body work wise, I got the trunk lid all sanded down and painted the inside. The outside is ready to be wiped down and painted, but will not be painted until its on the car. The driver’s door is the same story, but there is a little bit of exterior work left to do that I can’t do until the doors are hung. I did however jam (paint the inside jams of the door, the parts you see when the door is opened) the driver’s door, so now I just need to make some door panels. The passenger side is all taken apart and ready to be sanded, but I had to stop for the night, as it was 10pm.

I should have some new pics up soon, I just need to find where I stuck them, haha. And take some of the new work.

I have pictures on my phone, but theyre kinda small, haha. Congrats getting work done finally!

~T.J.

Sort of an overall side shot. Too lazy to take the whole tarp off, haha.


Rear suspension being sorted out.


Third member getting put together. LSD got taken apart, inspected, and re clearanced. The plates seemed good. Sealed in its bag to keep dust and shit out!


the awesome little tool Dad designed and I welded to make tightening the round screw plate things easier. It also tightens the main caps holding the diff down.




Rear axle ready


Random pic of the front hub awaiting new bearing races


The head is back and the valve's seem to be almost done. We may be backing cutting the 45* face on the valve itself do to our particular application. After setting up a dial indicator (the little ones that read crazy accurate, not the bigger ones, that didnt work) we were able to match valves to ports and we seem to be within clearance for every port for the one piece yaris lifters. Ah... developmental engines...

We got the brake caliper side of the brake bracket drilled to mate to the strut piece and found a problem. Apparently, there isn't room for the bolt head that joins them, as it rubs on the rotor. A lot. So we redesigned the hole to use a different style bolt [name escapes me...]. I'll get pics when it's done. It will be easier to understand if you see it.

Basically, I'm just chipping away at stuff to get the car off the rotissorie so Marcus doesn't come down and steal it haha.