Project CMS

CMS-GT4 · Mar 11, 2007

Something new, maybe a clue. Sounds good when properly tuned.
Next clue:
Solve: http://www.coldironworks.com/riddle/(Coilover Brand on my car).html
Clue: 4

I got the alltrac back ~Aug. '99.

I hunted for one for about a year. I found it in Michigan in perfect condition for a good price. The person had gotten laid off, and was selling it for 10k with only 69k miles. At the time I was having a hard time finding them for less than 15k with many more miles or damage.

Day after I bought it.

For a long while I did not have plans for the car. I thought it wa great. My only complaint was understeer, which I was not used to. I had come from a rwd celica gt, and was not really used to front biased cars. I loved the car. I came from a poor family, and was working myself up the ladder, and this was my first major purchase. It has always been a symbol of progress and that I can make it. I worked non stop for 6 months to pay off the loan. The car has been paid for since.

The car stayed stock for a long time. Up until the accident.
It was always intimidating to look under the hood. there was so much crap that had to be removed to do anything.
The only mod the car ever had before the accident was a k&n drop in filter. Even that was a pain in the aqss to install. I did buy other things, but ended up returning them or selling them since I didn't really have any tools and it was such a major task to do anything to the car.

About 5 years ago I was in a fender bender. This is when I became mod happy. I used to insurance $ to get a RC hood and bumper instead of oem. The shop who was doing the work, was friends with my dad so I got this wholesale.
He offered to paint the whole car a new color for the cost of paint, and 100 bucks. My first mistake. The paint job looked good for about 6 months, then it started washing off and chipping off. The car was never painted right. It especillay sucks since the cars red paint was in prestine condition. The guy sorta disapeared after that (divorced) so I was stuck with it. I used the claim $ to buy more after market parts. A st205 IC as well as some y2k celica wheels. I eneded up getting rid of the IC which had all kinds of drama with the mr2 board, this board and roo. (Shipping damage). I eneded up taking it back, and getting rid of it since I was unsure of what to do to fix it. I ended up getting materials fora fmic but never got it installed. Always was looking for a cheap outlet for welding.
The wreck did get me to start talking to my dad again, who I had not spoken to in several years.

After the wreck.

The death of a perfect paint job.

Just after getting new wheels. Y2k celica wheels.

First celica meet. Also the day of the first autox. Everyone thought the car was lowered, but I had blown front stuts which I replaced, and hated the cheap replacements. The car did well.

The car started suffering some due to me being out of work. It wasn't getting the aftermarket stuff it needed, and maintenence like it needed.

Once I got work again, I got mod happy.
I ended up getting some tein HAs, new wheels, spacers and some other mods. After getting teins, and some ADR fuels. Stupidly, I never dealt with the IC issue.

Even thought the paint job was bad, it did create a new color I fell in love with, which I would like to get recreated someday.

Out second celica meet, which also ended in an autox. As usual, I am the only person from the meet running. I leanred a lot about tires at this event.

Here is a short vid from that meet on the dragon.
http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p136 ... I_0890.flv

As I started getting funds to get the car back into shape, a horrible thing happened on the way to the dragon. I sucked in a chunk of intake at killed my turbo. The car got me home. I drove it one more time, which is when the turbo blew and dropped the oil out on the interstate. I put the car up for sale right away. I sold most of my aftermarket parts but was insulted with most of the offers I was given for the car.

That day I decided I was done with cars. I went out that night and bout a 350z. I wanted something done.
After going into debt for 30k, after a while I started missing having a paid off alltrac. It was rotting in another town, so I decided to revive it.

I found a good deal on a st205 engine and someone to put it in for me. It took them a few months to get it in, and then I brought it to my house where I would do the rest of the swap conversion myself.
I stayed busy and worked a lot so I had a hard time getting around to it. Took me a year to really do.

You can see much of the efforts here.
http://www.alltrac.net/phpBB2/viewtopic ... highlight=

The swap is pretty much done less 1 issue I have. I need to locate a new ecu. The code 54 function is blown, so I am looking for a new one.

I had lots of plans for this car. In the time it took me to do the swap I paid off the Z. Also after driving both cars, its nice to have a warranty. So the Z stays. I had concidered making the alltrac a track machine and stripping it of its civility, but I have grown in another direction in my life.

I am an artist and a designer and my obsession with cars hinders my work. I love cars, but all in all, I love to drive. I will not be turning this into any track machine. Its a much better winter car then my Z. I will restore it, andget it painted right. Then I won't be doing much to it.
I will get a new clutch (I regret not doing this during the swap) installing a boost controller, and an emange. Then I am done. The car will see some autox's and maybe a few track events, but thats about it. I do not have the time to dedicate to being a competitive driver. I love to drive, and I love my alltrac but it will most likely turn into just a nice, fun car and remain my symbol of progress and accomplishment.

I am sure there is more to say about the life of my project alltrac, but I have work to do and we have to get our online shop going so, thats all I have time for.

As of March 2013 my car now looks like this:

syko says · Mar 11, 2007

that was a great read. ive been meaning to do something like this but still havent gone around to doing it. its funny though, cause it seems like our cars AND our money has mood swings

goodluck with whichever plans you have for your car!

CDN-GT4 · Mar 11, 2007

Wow, great read. Great colour too, I look forwad to seeing it repainted!

smog7 · Mar 11, 2007

I have to say that this is one of the better posts(stories) that I have read in a while. I have already gone through one of the so called alltrac mood swings. damn cars.

CMS-GT4 · Mar 12, 2007

Well I found a st205 ecu in the UK. As soon as it gets here I am going to wrap up this project. Then I will start a little restoration as I get time.

GT4_CR · Mar 12, 2007

For reading posts like this I cant sell my St165.

Only with an artists sensibility one can write like this!

grip addict · Mar 13, 2007

don't take this the wrong way josh, but you and every other single alltrac owner i've met share one thing: we all look like a bunch of dorks.
or maybe just i do and i'm trying to rationalize it, lol.

congrats on getting your swap done btw.

1990CelicaGT-S · Mar 13, 2007

Great story! Its all in the love. I hate selling my cars.

CMS-GT4 · Mar 20, 2007

So the ecu is in and it runs like a champ. Still have some gremlins to run off. Car should be ready for the meet less the paint.

1990CelicaGT-S · Mar 21, 2007

Meh, paint adds too much weight anyways! :twisted:

CMS-GT4 · Mar 21, 2007

Well the spoiler is decent weight reduction. I think its weights ~10lbs.

I cleaned up my code 54 wiring today. Wrapped it up all nice.

Found my ps leak. I hope I can fix it w/o having to take everything off. I am slowly going to start puting the car back together. I am going to install the boost controller since I have everything apart, but will not use it till I know everything is done.

Since I am busy, and won't be able to tune the emanage till I get a better clutch, I will most likely leave that off.

1990CelicaGT-S · Mar 22, 2007

Where was your leak at?

CMS-GT4 · Mar 22, 2007

At the plate where the threads fit into the pump. I had someone switch the plates for me, so I could use the st205 pump and the 185 haard lines. I do not think it was torqued down enough.

darthripley · Mar 22, 2007

this was a great read and an interesting history of your car.
hard to believe that it was once red & what it looked like completely stock.
the car has really come along way as you have as well.

good luck getting everything going smoothly & fixing the p/s leak.

1990CelicaGT-S · Mar 23, 2007

Just curious, why did you go with a 205 pump? I don't know the differences. Also, what paint code is that? If you don't mind my asking.

CMS-GT4 · Mar 23, 2007

I went with the 205 pump cause it was newer and my 185 pump had a bent pulley.

Its leaking where the hardlines go in. I am not sure how I am going to fit my hands in there to tighten it but I am going to try this weekend.

I am trying to find my tein height adjustment tool. I need to lower one corner to match the car so I can taked it in for an alignment.

Guess I should list my mods as well.

1992 st185
RC hood and bumper
JDM clear corners
hks turbo timer
ae92 short shift lever
razzo weighted shift knob
speed source shifter bushings 1.0 & 2.0
RC gearbox
st205 engine

whiteline rear swaybar
tein HA coilovers
konig solid diff mount
some of the super pro bushings
25mm rear spacer
17x9 sportmax 050 wheels
255/40/17 tires

3" dp, midpipe
sard 2.5" catback
custom straight intake
aluminum a/m charge cooler, cobra IC pump

removed charcoal/ cruise/ rear seat

Things to do before the meet:
Fix alignment
change rear diff fluid and verify lsd (sell extra lsd)
install: interior, emanage, remaining super pro bushings, whiteline strut bars, ebc, dp bracket, 255 fuel pump, momo knob
double check vac hoses
get guage pod

Extended plan: paint, better clutch, tune emanage, steering wheel and maybe a new solution for the ps pump.

1990CelicaGT-S · Mar 28, 2007

Nice list. I noticed you had a Razzo weighted shift knob...how does that affect shifting?

Also, how did you go about removing your cruise control?

CMS-GT4 · Mar 28, 2007

I pulled out the control box and the mechinism under the engine bay.

I am sure their is more to it, but I might end up wanting to put it back in, depending how much I use this car.

I am not going to bother with the powersteering for now. I am just going to start working out more.

If it does not rain tonight, I am going to roll my fenders and adjust the height of my coilovers. I may try an install my remaining bushings. Then I send the car off to the alignment shop. Going for a mostly stock alignment with 2 degrees of camber in the front.

Next chore is chainging the diff fluid and verifying my lsd.

The weighted knob is much like the stock knob. I didn't realise how much the stock knob was weighted till Ibought the razzo one. I like the shape of the razzo. It much like stock as well.

CMS-GT4 · Mar 29, 2007

Rolled the rear fenders this morning.

Here are some pics.

The rear suspension is so stiff, that I had to push the car pretty hard to get it to rub. I wanted to remove the chances of more rub.

I also added enough pressure to the roller, to flare the fenders lightly. Looks like I have some flex room on the backs now if I wanted to ever go wider on the tires.

I need to finish a spot on the rear driver side then the rear is done. I didn't bother using a heat gun since I am getting the car painted anyway.
I would suggest using one if you want to save your paint though.

I am going to attempt to do the fronts as well. They are already rolled from the factory but I want to try and flare them just slightly. I have a little bit of rub on the right side in the front. Adjusting the height might help that some, but I want to make some room to add my 8mm spacer in the front.

I also drained the rear diff. It passed the turning lsd test, but I can not see in there well enough with a flashlight. So I am going to go rent a scope or something. I hope there is an lsd in there cause I don't have time to install one right now. I am going to have to start spending so much time on the car and get back to the business.

Before

Roller

After. This shows how much clearance there is now. Still not a whole lot.

Comparisons to the inner llip of the fender.

turbo4wd · Mar 29, 2007

Hmm.. I was thinking about buying a fender roller..

I have the problem in the rear where the tires will rub against that litle part of the fender and leave a gummy residue..

Project CMS

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