89' Toyota GT-Four Lightweight
Discussion
Hello all,
If this post seems a little disjointed at all I've pulled it off the alltrac.net page that I posted on recently. Hopefully I've made it coherent.
I've been meaning to post up here for a while. I've got a 19 page thread on the GT4OC from day 1 on the LW; nothing too revolutionary but it's all there. This is what it currently looks like
89' Lightweight version with E152F gearbox. Box for everyday driving is pretty terrible imo. I'd never get rid of it as it keeps the car authentic, I'm having it rebuilt soon by wolfiehere. It does just about 80mph in 4th @ around 6000rpm. I don't like revving on too much but 80 is simply too slow for pressing on; even in lanes. The jump to 5th is bizarre as 5th is the standard E150F ratio; therefore it goes from all the revs to bogging down and coming off boost.
I pitted the LW against an E30 touring with a 328i M52 conversion and we we're equal until 80mph. I went into 5th - he sailed past and I gave up. A weird Toyota choice on ratios.
The Lightweight also differs from the standard model with
manual windows
no elec aeriel
no telescopic on steering adjust
grey cloth interior-lighter (replaced with sr3 recaros)
thinner headlining
no abs
no elec fold mirrors
no led rear spoiler
It has the following mods
Mines p&p ECU
CT20 turbo from a 205 WRC with manual boost controller running a few psi over standard
Golpher rad with twin Spals
Late spec single pot front callipers with Pagid pads and grooved discs
7X17 ET47 OZ Roulettes. These will soon have 25mm H&R hubcentric spacers fitted
Momo Competition Steering wheel
Excel G suspension
custom 2.5" turbo back stainless system
new 205 rear subframe and diff + arms and 205 hubs
It spends most of its time sat in the garage and normally comes out during good weather (assuming we have any in a given year)
Plans in the next 3 months are
BC coilovers
bespoke uprated braking system front and rear
rebuilt E152F box
the above mentioned roof scoops
lots of service items replacing on the engine such as leads, distributor etc
orignal post edited with a bit more info.
and a few pics relating to the above
firstly my old ata (air to air)
as I found the LW
The N/S rear bearing had seized in the hub so the car was off the road due to excess play. The hub was removed, put into a bucket of diesel for a week then put in a 40 tonne press, it mullered the end of the shaft. Solution was to replaced the entire back end after freshening it up a little
getting ready to strip the rear end
old subframe dropped
notice the ratchet strap onto the rear towing eye. I was undoing a nut with a power bar and lifted the back end of the car off the lift
wrapped decat
how it looked a while ago
can't remember what was being done here
2.5" stainless being fitted
Rad going in, the air con rad was removed at this point
The Recaro(s) before fitting
wheels going on
and how it looks now
and dyno print out
If this post seems a little disjointed at all I've pulled it off the alltrac.net page that I posted on recently. Hopefully I've made it coherent.
I've been meaning to post up here for a while. I've got a 19 page thread on the GT4OC from day 1 on the LW; nothing too revolutionary but it's all there. This is what it currently looks like
89' Lightweight version with E152F gearbox. Box for everyday driving is pretty terrible imo. I'd never get rid of it as it keeps the car authentic, I'm having it rebuilt soon by wolfiehere. It does just about 80mph in 4th @ around 6000rpm. I don't like revving on too much but 80 is simply too slow for pressing on; even in lanes. The jump to 5th is bizarre as 5th is the standard E150F ratio; therefore it goes from all the revs to bogging down and coming off boost.
I pitted the LW against an E30 touring with a 328i M52 conversion and we we're equal until 80mph. I went into 5th - he sailed past and I gave up. A weird Toyota choice on ratios.
The Lightweight also differs from the standard model with
manual windows
no elec aeriel
no telescopic on steering adjust
grey cloth interior-lighter (replaced with sr3 recaros)
thinner headlining
no abs
no elec fold mirrors
no led rear spoiler
It has the following mods
Mines p&p ECU
CT20 turbo from a 205 WRC with manual boost controller running a few psi over standard
Golpher rad with twin Spals
Late spec single pot front callipers with Pagid pads and grooved discs
7X17 ET47 OZ Roulettes. These will soon have 25mm H&R hubcentric spacers fitted
Momo Competition Steering wheel
Excel G suspension
custom 2.5" turbo back stainless system
new 205 rear subframe and diff + arms and 205 hubs
It spends most of its time sat in the garage and normally comes out during good weather (assuming we have any in a given year)
Plans in the next 3 months are
BC coilovers
bespoke uprated braking system front and rear
rebuilt E152F box
the above mentioned roof scoops
lots of service items replacing on the engine such as leads, distributor etc
orignal post edited with a bit more info.
and a few pics relating to the above
firstly my old ata (air to air)
as I found the LW
The N/S rear bearing had seized in the hub so the car was off the road due to excess play. The hub was removed, put into a bucket of diesel for a week then put in a 40 tonne press, it mullered the end of the shaft. Solution was to replaced the entire back end after freshening it up a little
getting ready to strip the rear end
old subframe dropped
notice the ratchet strap onto the rear towing eye. I was undoing a nut with a power bar and lifted the back end of the car off the lift
wrapped decat
how it looked a while ago
can't remember what was being done here
2.5" stainless being fitted
Rad going in, the air con rad was removed at this point
The Recaro(s) before fitting
wheels going on
and how it looks now
and dyno print out
Thanks Maty, totally agree, still a very pretty car. My only quibble is it's a narrow body. If it was a wide body version it would be perfect but I'm more than happy with it.
All the pictures I have of the interior
didn't notice my thumb when I took this
older pics with standard wheel and seats
All the pictures I have of the interior
didn't notice my thumb when I took this
older pics with standard wheel and seats
Mr MXT said:
Looks nice. Wierd Toyota went with thinner headlining, but kept the air con!
Cheers!This is the biggest irony of all. The LW version was roughly 40kg lighter than the standard GT-Four. Aircon is roughly - 40kg
I believe it was an option when new so someone thought it was a good idea to fit it. I'm in the process of removing it
Thanks guys 
always nice when someone takes the time to comment.
Agree with the wheels to some extent Paul, tbh I shouldn't havegiven away sold the 15" roulettes quite so easily but the 17" are kind of the holy grail so I had to have them (even if thy do have a weak et47 offset) and my forthcoming brake setup won't fit under 15s anyway so hey ho..
It's quite poorly at the moment, a hot start problem plagues it and it's now running on 3 cylinders. All will be sorted soon when it gets trailored away for some much needed tlc and aforementioned upgrades
Can't believe I almost sold it a few months ago
always nice when someone takes the time to comment.Agree with the wheels to some extent Paul, tbh I shouldn't have
It's quite poorly at the moment, a hot start problem plagues it and it's now running on 3 cylinders. All will be sorted soon when it gets trailored away for some much needed tlc and aforementioned upgrades
Can't believe I almost sold it a few months ago
I love the ST185 Celicas, they are the best looking of the lot. I often look at them in the classifieds, but then I remember the lad who bought my MR2 Turbo off me, he had one which had blown it's bottom end. Probably a rare thing, but enough to make me wary - probably unnecessarily so!
Interesting! Head Gasket failure is slightly less frightening. What sort of value would you place on yours? I find the GT4 Celica values can be a bit 'all over the place' with some fresh imports being extremely expensive whilst older, leggier mechanically sound models can be (relatively) cheap?
cheers again..
Bar - head gasket can run into many £100s still if head work needs to be done but yes slightly less imposing. You're right with pricing, Celicas tend to be the runt of the litter when it comes to 4x4 rally bred hatchbacks, I find it odd how an escort cosworth commands so much more for example. Prices I would say are rock bottom at the moment for the celicas and have been for some time. high mile example 185s with tatty paint work and a 'yo' stereo go for sub 1k all day but they're the money pits. The cheapest part of these cars; as I'm sure is true with many others is the purchase price. You can expect to change
clutch
timing belt and tensioner
suspension
wheel bearings
turbo
arb bushes
for starters to freshen things up. Then the modifications start if you're so inclined and then things get expensive
It's the relative youngsters who see that they can have a 'rally car' for 1k and purchase only to find the horrendous 'to do' list/running costs and sell at a loss to get rid, driving prices down even further. I believe the Celica marque suffers more so than some others in this regard.
I advertised the LW a few moths ago (I had designs on an E46 330Ci Sport) and priced it at £3500. No bids. £3200 was the reduced price and had one interesting but ultimately fruitless enquiry. Any less than 3k and I'd have been mad to let it go; it 'owes' me 5 (It doesn't owe me anything as I never intended to spend money with a view to getting it back on a sale)
In summary yes; cheap to buy and if you're lucky there are some great examples out there, pay 3k and you'd find a lovely one, pay 1k and take your chance but expect to spend double that on bringing it up to a decent (standard) level.
thank you wayne, nawt wrong with a gti, I hear they go very well, and it'll be lighter than mine, cheaper to run and just as much fun I'm sure
Bar - head gasket can run into many £100s still if head work needs to be done but yes slightly less imposing. You're right with pricing, Celicas tend to be the runt of the litter when it comes to 4x4 rally bred hatchbacks, I find it odd how an escort cosworth commands so much more for example. Prices I would say are rock bottom at the moment for the celicas and have been for some time. high mile example 185s with tatty paint work and a 'yo' stereo go for sub 1k all day but they're the money pits. The cheapest part of these cars; as I'm sure is true with many others is the purchase price. You can expect to change
clutch
timing belt and tensioner
suspension
wheel bearings
turbo
arb bushes
for starters to freshen things up. Then the modifications start if you're so inclined and then things get expensive
It's the relative youngsters who see that they can have a 'rally car' for 1k and purchase only to find the horrendous 'to do' list/running costs and sell at a loss to get rid, driving prices down even further. I believe the Celica marque suffers more so than some others in this regard.
I advertised the LW a few moths ago (I had designs on an E46 330Ci Sport) and priced it at £3500. No bids. £3200 was the reduced price and had one interesting but ultimately fruitless enquiry. Any less than 3k and I'd have been mad to let it go; it 'owes' me 5 (It doesn't owe me anything as I never intended to spend money with a view to getting it back on a sale)
In summary yes; cheap to buy and if you're lucky there are some great examples out there, pay 3k and you'd find a lovely one, pay 1k and take your chance but expect to spend double that on bringing it up to a decent (standard) level.
thank you wayne, nawt wrong with a gti, I hear they go very well, and it'll be lighter than mine, cheaper to run and just as much fun I'm sure
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