Toyota Crown JZS171 - JDM Barge

[grudas]

LordGrover said:

Photos forthcoming?

Yup just added

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Gary29 said:

Awesome! JDMtastic

thanks! it's an interesting car.. sourcing parts is fun to say the least

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tvrfan007 said:

A good jdm choice and I’m sure it’s much the better car just after some tlc by the sounds of it.

Thumbs up for the car but I don’t like ‘scene’ tat, stickers including the word stance as an example. I hope a Hawaiian wreath is not to be added looking at the gear selector!

A well modified car should stand out by itself to those in the know imo.

funny you mention, I am not usually a fan of "scene" stickers but the "VStanced" is a brand/webpage I have been running for over 10 years that focuses on modified cars and so on, need to represent my own brand in this case.

haha, the gear knob is a very marmite addition, I replaced a very chewed up stock gearknob with this, this is an old school JDM style gearknob, coming from 1950s or so jdm truckers and now has spilled into cars.

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designforlife said:

Go straight to toyota UK for standard parts, I do that for my JDM toyota bB and have been able to get most things within 2 weeks.

I usually go https://toyota.epc-data.com/ -> part number -> ebay

most of the suspension etc seems to be is200/altezza/gs300 etc

things like radiators etc would be hard to source and would probably be custom/japan import or toyota uk.

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TommoAE86 said:

Such a great menacing looking car!! Didn't realise you had one of those dildo gearstick's, very 'scene'

Did yours have sports suspension at all? Pondering to change mine but quite like the changes the button gives.

Only recently installed! the old knob was worn to plastic, white plastic was sticking out with sharp edges etc.. think the previous owner must've liked picking on leather as the steering wheel has got finger nail marks too

no, it was on stock shocks and springs.. but they were worn so I'm not sure how it handled from the factory.

it is boaty and has a lot of body roll for sure. Not a car I drive hard or expect to corner well

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lewis87 said:

Love it, great looking thing.

swampy442 said:

Aaah, good choice, Iv'e had a couple of these, estate and saloon. Both mine were white but they look really classy in black.

thanks! they're interesting cars for sure, gets a lot of attention.. might be the drug-dealer/yakuza hitman image

TommoAE86 said:

That's frustrating that parts of it was so worn... maybe the previous owner was a wheelman with anxiety?

Thanks for the suspension info, got to make a decision on mine - I like the comfort but it doesn't half ride high. Once the sport button is pressed mine can be hustled, but agree with you - it's not for fully attacking roads!

Going to any shows in 2020?

haha! you never know

mine could go much lower but I am alright with where it sits right now, set to very soft and handles bumps! I am planning to possibly go up to 19" wider wheels and some wider tyres but not yet.

I usually go to quite a few, not in my daily but my s2000.

will take the crown down to some for sure! japfest probably the first one.

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CousinDupree said:

I love it! What a rare car over hear with that lovely motor.

Any possibility of cramming a V12 from the Century in there?

probably! the bay is quite big as 1JZ is i6 and quite long.

then again, you can get these engines to silly power without forging etc.. 550bhp+ with bigger turbo/cooling etc.. main bottleneck in my case would be the autobox.

whytheory said:

That's really cool, are those some sort of illuminated parking guide on the wings?

thanks, essentially they're side-markers! look like jewels on the wings light up green when sidelights/fogs etc are on

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swampy442 said:

Auto boxes are fine up to 500 mate, have ran Aristo big turbo auto's with no issues, you just need decent cooling

Was told 350 max, maybe different box on 1j? Aristo is 2j isn't it?

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swampy442 said:

It is, but its the same basic A340 gearbox

interesting ! mixed info online then, guess it literally needs a good cooling and that should do it.

no plans yet for anything like that yet.

I usually swap cars yearly

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Countdown said:

Apologies if stoopid question but that's basically a Lexus LS400, isn't it?

No this is a different car.

The Lexus ls400 base is a Toyota celsior

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tvrfan007 said:

grudas said:

funny you mention, I am not usually a fan of "scene" stickers but the "VStanced" is a brand/webpage I have been running for over 10 years that focuses on modified cars and so on, need to represent my own brand in this case.

haha, the gear knob is a very marmite addition, I replaced a very chewed up stock gearknob with this, this is an old school JDM style gearknob, coming from 1950s or so jdm truckers and now has spilled into cars.

I’ll get back in my box then!

I do like the more unusual jdm stuff. The name reminds me of hong kong taxis.

Funny you say that! "Crown" is actually very popular in Japan.. similar to that BMW 5 series or e class is in UK.

They're used by police, taxi etc. Not the 1jz sporty versions but the more basic spec 6 cyl etc.

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BrabusMog said:

Love these big JDM cars, it's a shame my missus would refuse to ever drive one otherwise I'd have one in a heartbeat (or however long the boat trip takes after buying one lol).

Haha! Funny thing is my missus used to drive my previous car when she needed to anywhere.. (Lexus is250) she refuses to drive this.. too big apparently and no parking sensors, cameras etc

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TommoAE86 said:

Happy to be corrected but I'd say a fair bit of it is shared, uses the Toyota N platform like a ton of others, same gearbox, then the engine from the Chaser/MarkII/Cresta etc.

Be interested on what settings a standard one has to use, when doing my 12th Gen Crown I basically ask for it to match the GS350/450h (S190)

It's usually is200/gs300/altezza/aristo parts underneath for me! Mostly is200.

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TommoAE86 said:

Exactly! makes it easier for sure, I don't mind the shared parts at all.. especially when is200/gs300 etc were sold here in uk!

swampy442 said:

That's the problem with the internet But for reference, fluid swap (Toyota type 4) big cooler, that's all you need, maybe a fan if youre really kicking the crap out if it

next on my list is to change the ATF! any reason not to go for type 4 even if it's stock trans/power?

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designforlife said:

Always go with toyota brand ATF for Toyota auto boxes, stick to the manufacturers recommendation... toyota auto boxes don't generally like non-Toyota ATF, i've heard of more than a few issues.

It's worth getting the fluid condition tested before shelling out on fluid and spending the time, and if its shifting fine then leave well alone, Toyota ATF is spec'd to last the life of the car.

Agreed! I dont think it has ever been changed, it's shifting fine otherwise I'd be looking into it.. but always good to put fresh fluids as I've got very little japanese history and what I have is all in japanese

Cookeh said:

Glad you've started a thread on this, grudas. Much better suited to here than on OCUK. Really love the look of these cars, so much presence.

Agreed, I'd get a battering on ocuk! thanks tho, I'm enjoying it.

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TommoAE86 said:

Sorry for the thread highjack, just wondered on this as mine is smooth and quick shifter with no signs of issue but is coming upto 100,000km's - should I be looking to refresh? I am not sure I trust the "sealed for life" stuff but my experience is on inferior cars

the sealed for life is a bit of a weird one, most manufacturers care about cars until warranty expires

so my crown being a 2003 and probably on original fluid I'd say it'd be good to change.. it is still bright red.

usually if it's turning brown or smells of "burn" it signals old fluid..

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swampy442 said:

See, I'll 100% disagree with that. Toytota boxes are just like any other auto, and Type IV is just like any other oil spec, anything with that spec of oil will be fine, I've used Comma and Carlube fluids with no issue. And it's not foe life, if its shifting fine then great, carry on, if you have cold shift hesitation, slurred shifts then change it. Also when you check the fluid level, if its nice and red, cool, if its brown and smells burnt, change it.

All experience from a guy who's had probably 20 auto JZ powered Toyotas, and serviced many more

20! impressive!

they're all blowing up in value which is frustrating, I still want a chaser and an aristo in the future! but aristos are touching 8-10k mark now chasers are 14-16k for a good one

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TommoAE86 said:

Everything is I feel, I'd really like an A70 Supra after my R33 Skyline, but that ship might've sailed and I'm not sure I could accept one without the 1JZ But I'm not giving up so maybe I can do a reader's thread with a collection of JDM Toyota's

yeah! 171 crown is probably one of the cheapest turbo 1jz cars you can buy right now! I didn't buy it as investment etc but I always wanted one so it was now or never

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swampy442 said:

I know, depressing isn't it, I graduated onto Supra's, you don't know ownersip tax until you try and buy second hand Supra bits

Had a load of Soarers, load of Aristo's (Mk1 and Mk2) and a few Supra's now so if you need any advice Theresa lovely red Aristo on ebay at the moment I'd love to own.

Re your Crown, best thing I did to mine was decent coil overs. First time I drove it at speed round Lincolnshire's roads, I thought I was going straight to the scene of a big accident such was the lack of body control lol

it's a shame! scene tax.. skylines, silvias etc are the same! my s2000 is expensive to mod too but not as bad as 1jz cars.

Edited by grudas on Thursday 11th November 09:34

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TommoAE86 said:

Are the JZS171's VVTi engines? Mine makes a very slight tick on start up until warm - apparently it's the VVTi doing something and can be cured but nothing to bother about.

The Crown is the first car I've had with a very short list of "common faults/they all do that" so I'm still well happy

Yeah it's vvti I'm not too fussed about the tick as most cars will make funny sounds until it's warm haha!