Toyota Crown JZS171 - JDM Barge
Discussion
A few bits done..
paint correction:
and then taillights decided to not want to be chrome plated anymore
so an order was placed through an importer to get some new clusters sent over from japan, £250ish all in for all 4 + number plate chrome when/if that goes.
now just need to install them..
chrome funny enough failed due to tar remover! have used it many times before but this time it somehow damaged the plating, can only image small pores/damage on the chrome + tar/glue remover = chemical reaction under the "plating" and this is what I got.
anyway! other than that she's doing good, barely any driving these days.
did get featured in adamc drive-by-show video!
https://youtu.be/rJd1MNdlC_A?t=874
paint correction:
and then taillights decided to not want to be chrome plated anymore
so an order was placed through an importer to get some new clusters sent over from japan, £250ish all in for all 4 + number plate chrome when/if that goes.
now just need to install them..
chrome funny enough failed due to tar remover! have used it many times before but this time it somehow damaged the plating, can only image small pores/damage on the chrome + tar/glue remover = chemical reaction under the "plating" and this is what I got.
anyway! other than that she's doing good, barely any driving these days.
did get featured in adamc drive-by-show video!
https://youtu.be/rJd1MNdlC_A?t=874
21st Century Man said:
My bright bumper inserts have also delaminated and crackled up like that. I can get replacements from Toyota, but not got around to it yet.
Love it when black comes up like a mirror.
I didn't bother contacting toyota, wonder how much it would've been for replacement clusters.. probably not cheap! Love it when black comes up like a mirror.
all sorted now! Deadbod said:
Jealous of your paint! Looks mint. What pads/compound do you use?
Oh the paint isn't great! It's much better now but there are parts that have been sun damaged and need respray, no compound etc will fix that sadly.I used scholl s20 black with a medium pad, it cuts really well but finish was a bit cloudy(2passes) so I went over with megs ultimate compound and soft pad over it, one pass, and that really brought out the gloss! Could've probably gone even further but I'm not a professional and it took 6 hours already! Without claying, decom etc
Deadbod said:
Yeah its definitely a long old job, I've not picked up a polisher in years so I've no clue what's good anymore! My 110 has loads of imperfections, lacquer peel and the like... dont know at what point you're just better off painting the whole thing!
its the same with mine, bonnet and boot lid are gone, roof is quite bad too but not as visible.Japanese sun damage I guess, areas where clear is very thin or flaking etc. The only way out of it is a respray which I might get done as I can never get that big panel looking good and I think it lets the whole car down, but if I was to go get those 3 done I might as well get a full blow-over in the same colour!
it's a difficult one, the car is worth maybe 4500-5000 without the SSR wheels and I don't know if spending 1500 or so to get it done is worth it.
went out for a bit yesterday, some pics of the boat.
Jaaack said:
Really, really liking this. Been looking for years at import websites and promising myself something cheap but very very turbocharged (Legacy twin turbo is the current favourite) when the time is right, which it just hasn't been yet.
By far the cheapest 1JZ powered car out there - the JZX bodies in Tourer V form start at about £15k in Japan, although that's for a manual. Soooo much car for the money!
One of these, with a manual conversion and some handling mods would surely be one of the best value for money performance cars out there? It's big and boaty, but it's still a FR saloon with a stonking turbo inline 6, so a very good place to start from. In some ways I guess you could compare it to a Lotus Carlton or M5 if you gave the engine some basic mods, along with tightening up the chassis and a manual conversion.
Very cool car, the only downsides I can see are the autobox, and the interior. Always thought this about Crowns - the exterior writes cheques that the interior can't cash. Especially when you compare it to something like a Legacy or Galant, cars that aren't seen as such a luxury barge but the dashes are nicer and they often come with very nice leather, where the Crowns have proper taxi-spec cloth (unless leather was a rare option?)
Still love them, and yours, in black, with the SSRs on looks as if it'd definitely be an accomplice in a murder.... Probably 'cause I slagged it's interior off
Thanks! I know what you mean, they're currently one of the cheapest 1jz cars you can get but I spoke with an importer and they said they're getting popular and harder and harder to find for reasonable money in Japan, the prices of the few that are around in uk will soon reflect that.By far the cheapest 1JZ powered car out there - the JZX bodies in Tourer V form start at about £15k in Japan, although that's for a manual. Soooo much car for the money!
One of these, with a manual conversion and some handling mods would surely be one of the best value for money performance cars out there? It's big and boaty, but it's still a FR saloon with a stonking turbo inline 6, so a very good place to start from. In some ways I guess you could compare it to a Lotus Carlton or M5 if you gave the engine some basic mods, along with tightening up the chassis and a manual conversion.
Very cool car, the only downsides I can see are the autobox, and the interior. Always thought this about Crowns - the exterior writes cheques that the interior can't cash. Especially when you compare it to something like a Legacy or Galant, cars that aren't seen as such a luxury barge but the dashes are nicer and they often come with very nice leather, where the Crowns have proper taxi-spec cloth (unless leather was a rare option?)
Still love them, and yours, in black, with the SSRs on looks as if it'd definitely be an accomplice in a murder.... Probably 'cause I slagged it's interior off
They're obviously only going to go one way due to engine/style.
interior wise, Japanese are different to rest of the world, if we look at previous Japanese luxury cars leather is seen as "cheap" material for the driver to keep it clean/easy to maintain, cloth on the other hand is seen as a luxurious material and to be fair the cloth in the crown is epic! I was very much "must have leather" kinda person but after selling my is250 lexus and getting this I am a convert!
no stickyness in summer, not cold in winter.. always plush and comfy.. etc! only con is that they're easier to stain but I don't plan to eat bbq ribs in the car
manual conversion is not that expensive, heard quotes of around £1500, gt86 LSD fits in the casing too, basically it's typical toyota! you can make what you want out of it
for me it's a cool daily driver and it does that task spot on! I have no need for a manual in a car like that, for raw hands on experience I drive my s2k when I need more excitement. d_a_n1979 said:
See, I like the interior
It's retro-cool; not vinyl or leatherette; warm in the winter/cool in the summer etc...
That's why I like the alcantara interior in my Jap import 530i touring
Plus; hell of a lot easier to keep clean; a good hoovering and it's done; clean
that's exactly it! alcantara is lovely too, my s2000 has been retrimmed in it and its a great material! It's retro-cool; not vinyl or leatherette; warm in the winter/cool in the summer etc...
That's why I like the alcantara interior in my Jap import 530i touring
Plus; hell of a lot easier to keep clean; a good hoovering and it's done; clean
Not much to update on the boat! but she got new shoes.
These are 19's rather than 18s.
Work Zeast ST1
19x9 et32 front
19x9.5 et25 rear
I'm liking it! think 19s fill the arches much better than 18s.
I still have my SSR's sitting tucked away as I do genuinely love the wheels.
not sure whats next for it, maybe a pod filter to hear the 1jz more?!
still need to get the tints done and exhaust chopped off to tidy it up a little as I don't like the big backbox hanging on the rear. She's due a service too, have done 10k KM in her since purchase.
These are 19's rather than 18s.
Work Zeast ST1
19x9 et32 front
19x9.5 et25 rear
I'm liking it!
think 19s fill the arches much better than 18s.I still have my SSR's sitting tucked away as I do genuinely love the wheels.
not sure whats next for it, maybe a pod filter to hear the 1jz more?!
still need to get the tints done and exhaust chopped off to tidy it up a little as I don't like the big backbox hanging on the rear. She's due a service too, have done 10k KM in her since purchase.
TommoAE86 said:
Loving those wheels, looks so so good. I've orders some RAY's from Japan for my S180 - looking forward to getting them on the car
thank you! Finding decent wheels here is not easy! unless you go buy new and new as you can imagine 19s in custom sizes etc are crazy to buy, think these are near 4k with tyres! Post some pictures once you get yours.d_a_n1979 said:
Looks stunning as always pal; a real credit to you 
thank you!Hugo Stiglitz said:
Apart from oil changes what needs to be done on these?
Commutable? There's a decent one on AT currently but expensive at 8k?
mine is a daily.Commutable? There's a decent one on AT currently but expensive at 8k?
as said it had a refurbished turbo a couple of years back but other than that just been the regular services and brakes/other consumables.
There are a few things that can basically write it off.. like windscreen or radiator where they seem to be expensive and very hard to source, so going custom is the way.
21st Century Man said:
Another lovely set of wheels Grudas. I'm not so sure about the stretched tyres, but that's just me
I could have more meat both front and rear but they came with the wheels that I got used(300m on them) so they're fine for now! I rarely keep wheels long enough to need new tyres so they'll probably be gone sooner or later.AW111 said:
We're using an old crown as a dyno test hack at the moment.
It's done 80+ full-throttle runs in the last two weeks - about half of them with a mapped-in misfire to try and upset the control system.
It looks like a heap, but with the current boost level it's around 350 kW, and totally consistent at that power level.
Typical Toyota! takes all the abuse It's done 80+ full-throttle runs in the last two weeks - about half of them with a mapped-in misfire to try and upset the control system.
It looks like a heap, but with the current boost level it's around 350 kW, and totally consistent at that power level.
d_a_n1979 said:
Haha 
I'll give you £12.50 and a bag of Pickled Onion Monster Munch
In all seriousness it's a stunning car pal; every credit to you
Wheels suit it to a tee; although I'd be paranoid about catching them with such thin tyres!
That's a deal I can't pass I'll give you £12.50 and a bag of Pickled Onion Monster Munch
In all seriousness it's a stunning car pal; every credit to you
Wheels suit it to a tee; although I'd be paranoid about catching them with such thin tyres!
Thank you!
Yeah the tyres are scary.. no rim protector at all. I have hit some potholes and had to double check it was okay after.
Has been okay overall tho, can still get away with it!
I would like more meat in the future but since these came with the wheels I'll run them down.
d_a_n1979 said:
Lovely motor
Like you I've been asked a number of times lately re my touring; more so after it appeared in the BMEW Car magazine
Haha all these magazines and posts online are making people aware of these cool JDM boats! Good for us current owners, will be easy to sell when we get to that.Like you I've been asked a number of times lately re my touring; more so after it appeared in the BMEW Car magazine
d_a_n1979 said:
I'd hope so pal
Already have a list of 4 very genuine/serious buyers and I've turned down a few offers from them already...
Said to the wife that when one bid comes in at the right price; I'll sell... Until then, it stays with me
This for e.g was sold in 2017 for just under 7k as fresh import, I don't think I'd have any issues selling it for 8-9k right now. Already have a list of 4 very genuine/serious buyers and I've turned down a few offers from them already...
Said to the wife that when one bid comes in at the right price; I'll sell... Until then, it stays with me
I recall your wagon was around the same just last year? What are they fetching now?
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