RE: Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205: PH Heroes

[stew-S160]

Another few questions for the knowledgable.

My neighbours friend has one that's been sat for 3 years ish. It flew through MOT at the time. It's an import. Had the bananas and 8's done. Rare Recaros, low level spoiler(damn).

What I'm wondering is how likely the engine/turbo will develop problems quickly? Obviously I'd do a service first etc.

Tyres are gonna be shot I'm sure...jeez 215/50/16 are hard to source. What's the alternative? Car is fitted with OZ wheels too.

I can get it for a bargain price, so other than needing the service, what else is a potential huge problem?
He will get it through a new MOT for me too.

Thanks

[BlownImp]

Front flexible hoses should be replaced, these can perish and because of the super strut system they can be under more stress than normal cars.

The engine will be fine, they are very well behaved to be honest would be worth checking the charge cooler to throttle body connection for perishing / bolts loose. Change the charge cooler and engine coolant with water and 4life Toyota coolant. Check the hoses for the gearbox cooler, they can corrode.

Apart from that check the usual things really, chance of sill corrosion, diff and gearbox oil leaks, clutch engagement (engine out to change), fuel gauges can go faulty as do the low level light (usually an easy fix). On a test drive check that the diff mount is good by coming off the throttle quickly, if goosed it will clonk

Any more questions just ask

J

[stew-S160]

Thanks for the reply.

Engine out to replace clutch? Damn...

[eybic]

You don't have to take the engine out but it makes things a lot easier.

[rb5er]

Great cars. A friend had one with a few mods and it was quite interesting, he could certainly overcome its traction.

I love all the rally style cars of this era, what a great time for cars.

[BlownImp]

Tyres and wheels, I would try and stick with 16" is possible, the geometry and suspension are set up for that size and work best, but clearance to the BIG brakes is tough.

If you have 16" wheels then 225/50/16 is actually very close (1mph difference at 60mph) so a good compromise and a considerably wider variety available.

I have initially gone for a 17" wheel with 225/45/17 tyres (1.5mph at 60mph), they clear the brakes and will do for now. But I am hunting for 16" wheels with a bit more offset, so I can fit nice chubby tyres and brake fans

[stew-S160]

The car I've seen(and decided I will be buying...yay) is running 205/50/16 on the OZ wheels.

[Nomgle]

BricktopST205 said:

Only thing I would say it is a shame Toyota were booted out of the WRC as it could have seen further development of the ST205 to give us the consumer more fantastic homologation specials

There was more development - right up to 2007 in fact.

http://www.j-spec.com.au/wiki/toyota/Caldina/ST246...

Engine and drivetrain were straight from the Celica GT-Four - but the chassis turned into a 5-door Estate. And there was no Manual box...

http://www.roadandtrack.com/special-reports/toyota...

Edited by Nomgle on Monday 2nd December 00:53

[stew-S160]

Just a thank you to folks who gave advice on this thread, as I've now bought a GT4.
I'll do a readers car thread next week.
But suffice to say, I'm happy.

[crossy67]

Great stuff Stu. Post a link if you do a separate thread.

[binman jim]

RedAndy said:

I had 2.

Completely agree about the individual car feeling different. First was standard apart from boost upped and ARB. It was smooth, quiet, grippy, nippy. The second was much more bone-shaking, animalistic and noisy. They were the same underneath - and well looked after. Such a difference. Both same year, both imports.

The car is stupidly capable... but it always feels so cosseting you dont realise how quickly you're travelling. It never felt that fast. But the trail of other "fast cars" behind proved it was pretty quick! I guess some sound proof removal and a big exhaust would help.

I want a 3rd.

+1 for MK Autos Blackburn

Did one of them look like this
Loved and looked after this, unfortunately later heard that the new owner wrote it off within a couple of months of owning it, such a shame as it's the only car I ever owned that I would buy back.

[RedAndy]

Binman.. yeah that looks pretty familiar ...

I saw it when you sold it and toyed with the idea of buying it back off you!! I didn't know it was binned. Shame - was a nice motor.

[Hairbrakes]

stew-S160 said:

Tyres are gonna be shot I'm sure...jeez 215/50/16 are hard to source. What's the alternative?

Take a look here to see what equivalent sizes you could try:
http://www.discovery2.co.uk/tyresize.html

As for the rally turbo cheating - I've long known about this but I've always been curious as to how they were caught? Given that the device was so un-discoverable, what gave them away in the end?

Also, IIRC weren't they also caught cheating by illegally using a spare car instead of rebuilding a crashed one halfway through a rally?

[eybic]

Hairbrakes said:

As for the rally turbo cheating - I've long known about this but I've always been curious as to how they were caught? Given that the device was so un-discoverable, what gave them away in the end?

I believe a recently (at the time) jilted mechanic alerted the FIA to it.

[andycaca]

gratuitous plug for my own car here, the first generation GT4, model designation ST165

rev3 forged engine and gearbox, somewhere way north of 400bhp. much fun when driven hard (i did save the 4 wheel drift in this photo!)

used for trackdays and sprinting, this is my expression when i discovered i could not turn the boost down from 1.8bar on a wet October sprint day...

(laptop plugged into motec to disable the boost actuator, made no difference as the external wastegate had stuck shut!)

and it in action at blyton park, following a very stressful couple of days breaking driveshafts...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embed...

Edited by andycaca on Wednesday 8th January 17:31

[crossy67]

Nice vid Andy. What does the gauge in the top right read, speed and in what unit?

[andycaca]

crossy67 said:

Nice vid Andy. What does the gauge in the top right read, speed and in what unit?

yep, thats speed as measured by the racelogic box. i wish it was MPH, but this particular video is in KPH. car would doubtless be faster without the slipping clutch

[KeithAdams]

Here's mine. Half-owned with my son, we both love the GT-Four.

Mine's a JDM WRC version, and it's been slightly played with... Just slightly. It shares my barn with my 1988 Integrale 8V. Don't ask me to choose between the two, though

[crossy67]

What's the reg on the 4 Keith, it's not L913EAB is it?

[KeithAdams]

L282 SWT

Here be stuff...

Edited by KeithAdams on Friday 10th January 08:39