Toyota Corolla 1979 KE30 - Build log *for some to enjoy*

[soup]

you might want to stay away from the Off Topic. 

 

Indeed I shall, don't really know how I got here in the first place.

[FireFox]

That is a pretty nice car mate though I admire the work that has gone into the interior I must say that I'm not keen.

 

Here is what I'm lusting after at the moment, I want to restore one with modern suspension and brakes and would like to rebuild the original engine with a small turbocharger for a little added poke

 

[daveyjones]

Nice! I've always wanted to work on my car like that, I love what you've done with it...

[MG2R]

Yep. Subbed. Will be nice.

[Askew]

Really cool, thanks for posting I'm following this thread.

[mr moose]

 

Replaced the main and big end bearings, also new piston rings on the 4AGE. That's the block done. Time to reshim the head and the engine will be all go!

 

 

 

 

Not to scare you or anything, but are those score marks on the crank from linishing or wear?  Also did you get the crank checked for round and how far from factory was it?

 

 

BTW, nice car and project, I have had a KE20, KE55 and driven a few others, In my youth we were all corolla nuts.   Was the original dual carb the sprinter dual Asians or were they aftermarket webbers?

[PBaines]

I kinda wing'd it and thought it would be all good. However I have decided to get the flywheel lightened and balanced so may as well take the crank and rods in while I am at it. So crank is getting balanced and polished as well as checked for round. Also rods are getting balanced too.

 

I also have a KE20 in my basement which is 100% original so far with 0% rust and complete perfect body. It is a bit rough inside ie ripped seats. But will get those reupholstered. Body is just painted in prime.....  but will be painted cherry red. because red is boss.

Your kE55, same car as this right? bar minimal things like dash and gearbox mounts etc

[mr moose]

I kinda wing'd it and thought it would be all good. However I have decided to get the flywheel lightened and balanced so may as well take the crank and rods in while I am at it. So crank is getting balanced and polished as well as checked for round. Also rods are getting balanced too.

 

I also have a KE20 in my basement which is 100% original so far with 0% rust and complete perfect body. It is a bit rough inside ie ripped seats. But will get those reupholstered. Body is just painted in prime.....  but will be painted cherry red. because red is boss.

Your kE55, same car as this right? bar minimal things like dash and gearbox mounts etc

 

Mine was very similar to the red one in this thread,  Mine was cobolt blue and had the later dash and square head lights.

 

http://www.rollaclub.com/board/topic/12970-the-storey-of-a-skank-a-hardtop-ke55/

[Blackterror25]

Dude that's awesome, I know a lot about PC's and about Electricity but hardly anything about cars.
I wish I did thought, wouldn't know where to start with a project like this.

[PBaines]

So I decided it might be wise to take the crank in to get checked. All was good with it and got it polished. Also decided I may as well get it balanced as well as the rods and flywheel (Which I also got lightened). 

Am pretty confident this engine will last and be a top performer, will be keen to get her on the dyno once she's all up and go

 

Will aim to get the head on it done in the next couple of days. Still have to decide if I will get new valve springs though I probably won't since using stock ECU for now

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bob345]

looking great! i wish i had the time and space for a project like this. should be an amazing car when finished!

[PBaines]

Got all the bottom end stuff done today, tomorrow will be moving on to measuring the shims since I had the cams ground

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not long till she's all go, and I can move onto my next old car!!

which looks like this currently

[mr moose]

 

So I decided it might be wise to take the crank in to get checked. All was good with it and got it polished. Also decided I may as well get it balanced as well as the rods and flywheel (Which I also got lightened). 

Am pretty confident this engine will last and be a top performer, will be keen to get her on the dyno once she's all up and go

 

Will aim to get the head on it done in the next couple of days. Still have to decide if I will get new valve springs though I probably won't since using stock ECU for now

 

 

 

Excellent move,  even though it turned out to be o.k, just knowing that it is and having it balanced makes a world of difference.  Well done and great work.

You are inspiring me to pull my finger out do some work in the shed.

[PBaines]

So over the last couple of days got my new Diff in (Toyota Hilux diff with an LSD), old engine and gearbox out. List of what has been done to the motor in the last day *NEW*

Water pump

Spicket bearing (between crank and gearbox spline)

clutch kit (thrust bearing, clutch, pressure plate)

cam belt

cam belt tensioner

got my head re shimmed, to all have a clearance of .3mm (as per cam specs)

 

Monday the engine and gearbox will be going in, then the drive shaft needs to be sent for shortening and convering to a one piece shaft, with a T50 spline end (22 I think) and Hilux end. All good fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Askew]

Nice to see progress on this project, good job!

[Thorium19]

This is looking good so far, can't wait to see the finished article!

[mr moose]

nice work, love those old k series motors though, they might take 3 years to wind up to speed but special none the less.

[PBaines]

The 4K that was in there was actually really quick... I would estimate around 90hp?

 

It was keeping up with a 2L 140-150HP TX5 Telstar for the first 3 gears.

 

Light cars are awesome!

[Snapy1]

Once its finished, will you be keeping it or selling it? 

[PBaines]

Definitely keeping, I wouldn't put this much effort into it otherwise! Haha. Plus they're getting pretty hard to find

[Leonard]

WOW that is in prime condition. Nice pictures.

 

I remember when my uncle had one of these with the mag wheels. His was really fun when he went about 80, the wheel would shimmy and he would say "HOLD ON MEN, I AM GOIN IN TO WARP DRIVE!" and my cousin, his son and i would be in the back and the car would just shake.....boy was that fun.

[PBaines]

So been a bit of progression. It was down at the electricians getting all the loom wired up which took a couple of days.

 

Also the water outlet/inlet needed to be modified as the thermostat bypass was corroded so water would have leaked everywhere pretty much, so get them welded over and drilled some holes in the thermostat to allow a small amount of water to flow through till the thermostat opens.

 

Also got my driveshaft back which fits nicely

 

Topped up the Diff with some LSD oil, and also the Gearbox.

 

Just need to do the new fuel line and clutch assembly (master/slave cylinder and line etc)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PBaines]

So the KE30 is all running now, taken it for a drive and am very happy with the performance increase. I have also bought a Link G4 Atom which I will get around to wiring in at some point, which then I'll take it in to get tuned nicely.

Taking in the car to an engineer tomorrow to get the restud sorted so I can get rid of those whorey bikkies on the back

One of the fuel injector seals had carked it so decided to replace them all. At $9 each they're kinda crucial so price didn't worry me

New radiator hoses for the bottom piece, new radiator would have been EASIER however the one in there at the moment is huge so don't see the point

Modifying the clutch pedal to suit the master cylinder

Kinda shitty photo, but here is the fuel pump assembly

The metal piece there connects to the drain port of the fuel tank. Had to get that made up by the engineers across the road to suit, then it is gravity feed to the pump

Happy with how the exhaust is looking, pretty tidy overall. Though it has a small leak somewhere, ill wait a week for the hole to go black so I know where it is exactly

Nearing completion, just a small amount of wiring left to do. Waiting on my new coil/ignitor to arrive

Skip forward a few days and it's aaaaaall go!!

new Accelerator cable as the old one was probably 40cm too long due to intake being on opposite sides

Pretty close with the intake/water. Probably isn't ideal however I just can't find a hose tight enough to work so will probably make a custom one one day in the near future

New cam pulleys. Haven't really tinkered with them yet though will are needed for when I get it all tuned

I also bought some new rims. Lenso RS5's. total diameter is only about 4cm more than that modgies and Toyo's on at the moment so no worries about clearance. Also found out the guards have been rolled all ready so that saves any trouble

Also got my A pillar plastics painted. found some on facebook. Guy only wanted $20!!! If anyone knows these cars, finding some in this condition is rare and to only pay $20 instead of around $150. I'm stoked

[mr moose]

sweet,  Not to many tech forum threads make me wet but this one does....     

[GhostWindGamer]

this looks awesome good job dude