Restoration:

Restoration Phase Complete

06-18-02 - Gave it a quick wash

06-xx-02 - Vacuumed out engine compartment, and cowl.

06-xx-02 - Cleaned up wheels and wheel wells.

06-xx-02 - Car will run for about 10 seconds then quits. Removed carb and bowl was empty. Also a few little things like accelerator pump seal is missing. Looks like someone did a knife edge job on the secondary butterfly. I cleaned up the secondary knife edge work and ordered a carb kit.

06-xx-02 - While I was waiting for carb parts I tracked down dragging brakes to frozen guide pins. I Gently persuasion with a sledge hammer and then reassembled with antiseize.

06-xx-02 - Rebuild the carb with carb kit. No help with short run time problem.

07-xx-02 - Tracked short running time down to fuel delivery outside the carb. I used the rigid line and pointed it upwards and attached a funnel and used it as a gravity feed fuel tank. The fuel pump looks new but I'll isolate and check it. I suspect a bad line to the tank.

07-xx-02 - Brakes still dragging so I ordered new guide pins from Toyota.

07-06-02 - Cleaned up rust on passenger door.

07-18-02

- Stripped everything out from front seats back and started cleaning. I also fixed the rust trapped under the front tow hooks. Looks like they fill with dirt and moisture and cause the hooks themselves and the frame to rust.

-Tracked down fuel supply problem to tank. Decided not to drop the tank and just filled pickup tube with carb cleaner (I figured it was varnished like the rest of the fuel system) and then blew 80 psi into the tank supply line with the fuel cap off. Either the cleaner cleaned it or I blew the fuel sock off. Either way she's getting steady fuel for now and running longer than 10 seconds.

- I installed the new guide pins but I need to bleed the brakes. She'll be drivable after that.

- Since it runs longer than 10 seconds I warmed it up and changed the oil and filter.

07-23-02 - After bleeding the brakes I discovered the front left caliper is still dragging. Time for a new caliper. I also gave her a good wash, scrubbed the door frames, hatch channels, cowl and engine compartment. Rinsed it off and then a thunder storm hit and I called it a day.

07-31-02

- Replaced caliper with new. Brakes check ok. Removed all the carpeting and began cleaning the floor.

- In addition I installed some new NGK extended electrode spark plugs.

- The rest of the ignition system checks ok. Now the bad news. I cannot get it to idle bellow 1500 rpm. I checked for vacuum leaks and discovered that the factory hard lines are leaking from the brazing joints and from rubbing together. I guess that's why changing most of rubber vacuum hoses didn't make a difference. As a long shot, I called my local Toyota dealership and they are checking to see if they can get the part. If I can't or it's too expensive I guess I'll be making it or running rubber vacuum lines the entire way. More bad news. My rear bumper is rusted completely through on the bottom. I guess I'll be looking for a similar one in the junk yard or fabricate one.

08-04-02

- The vacuum manifold was discontinued by Toyota in 1988 so I bought some vacuum line to run the length instead. After replacing everything I checked for leaks. There was one at just about every connection. Apparently 5/32"or 4mm vacuum hose isn't good enough. It's supposed to be 3.5 mm. I went and got some new tight fitting vacuum hose and installed it. No more leaks at the hoses but it only helped a little bit. There is one vacuum leak left that I discovered. It's at the front side of the throttle shaft. I'll have to take a closer look to see if there is anything I can do other than getting a machine shop to install a bushing.

- With all the interior removed I washed the inside of the car. I started fixing little rust spots and only found 2 significant problems. One is were you would put you right foot on the passenger side and two is the right rear directly behind the wheel. The front is covered by the plastic wheel well shield on the outside and insulation on the inside so that can be done quick and sloppy (the kind of body work I'm good at). The rear is going to need more attention. To note, both areas had a build of of dirt and debris on them witch caused a build up of moisture and in turn rust.

08-22-02

- Mounted and balanced the new Yokohama tires on freshly painted stock wheels.

- I also installed new black carpet and the rest of the interior, mismatched free seat covers and all. I also installed my favorite shift knob, a cue ball. Here's a picture of the front interior.

- I also got new corner parking lights since the originals tuned to dust. Toyota part number 81730-19306 for the right and 81740-19286 for left. Aftermarket replacments from Autolights Inc.

09-28-02 - Installed remanufactured carb and it solved the idle problems. Runs great. Adjusting the timing and maybe a little carb tuning is the only other motor work left for now. During a test drive around the block I noticed a noise in the right rear during left turns, possibly a bad wheel bearing. The body work is almost finished and the only other things left for inspection are finding a drivers seat belt and a rear bumper. I'm at the beginning of a 2 week vacation and hope to get on a role with this project. It seams the finish line for the restoration phases of this project is in sight.

10-03-02 - How to feel like an idiot. Step one: Install a brake shoe incorrectly. Step two: don't test drive the brake work. Step tree: A week later spend an entire day trouble shooting a funny scrapping noise at one wheel. SO. There is no bad bearing in the rear end and I feel like and idiot.

10-04-02

- After finishing removing the side bump molding I decided to clean the paint up. I used Meguiars paint cleaner. I looked at a tool I got for gripping sandpaper and figured it could use it to hold the polishing cloth. The black handle grips a foam covered plate with the assistance of a lever. I works quite well. No need for a deathgrip on the polishing cloth. The down side would be it coming lose and scratching up your paint. So be careful. Bellow is a half way picture of the hood. Cleans up pretty well.

- Blocked all the holes in the doors from speakers.

10-06-02 - I visited the junkyard and obtained a seat belt from an early 80's corolla. The reel assembly was very similar but I decided to rewind the starlets spool with the corollas belt. As a note there are left and right seat belts. I believe it has to do a little weight hanging below the spool witch acts on the racket to lock it in an accident. Disassembly of the seat belt spool is not recommended by anyone and frankly not by me. Since it is safety equipment mistakes can be deadly. But here's how anyway. Disassembly starts with removing a cover labeled "DO NOT REMOVE". If you are going to attempt this please wear safety glasses because there is a coiled up spring ready to be sprung under the cover. When removing this cover you must hold it against the spool assembly (there is a guide pin so you'll need to slightly raise the cap but not to far) and slowly turn it to unwind the spring (counting the turns would be a good idea so you can get the rewind tension correct for installation later). With all the spring tension relived slowly remove the cover and try not to let the spring come out of the cover or you'll have a mess. With this cover off, the spool's axle is exposed and a sharp tap with a hammer drives it out. The belt loops around this axle and then wraps around the spool. It's pretty straight forward from here just remember witch way the belt loops through and how all the belt buckles and brackets are threaded on. Here is the starlet seat belt spool apart with the belt ready for installation. The main reason I attempted this repair was to save money. After inspection the stock seat belts will go unused in favor of a 5 point race harness.

10-08-02 - Continued the body work. Only a few little dots here and there to take care of. The next hurdle for inspection is the rusted out back bumper. I'll try cutting out all the rust form the old one and see what I have left. I wouldn't mind a bumper form an overseas starlet but I think I may have to stick with the US models diving platform. Maybe I'll look for one from different kind of car. Like a bumper form an old civic or corolla or something the right width. This step of the project may finally push me to buy my own welder.

10-20-02 - Started fabricating the rear bumper. My welding access is not at my house so there has and will be some back and forth. I welded some box steel together and beveled the edges. I cut the bumper brackets off the original bumper and temporarily sheet metal screwed them on the box steel. Everything fits well and final welding will be done tomorrow. I think with a little work I may be able to get the bumper closer to the body and make it look less like a diving platform.

10-20-02 - The rear bumper is all welded together. During the process of drilling some lightening holes the holes saw wore out. So I'll need to buy another hole saw and try again tomorrow. I'm figuring the new bumper metal should be about 20 lbs. I'm not sure how much the stock bumper weighed since there isn't allot left to weigh. I still think the new bumper is heavier than stock so I might make more lightening holes later during the weight loss phase of the project.

10-24-02 - The bumper is finished. I made about 16 lightening holes on the bracket side in between the brackets. The new bumper without the padding and cover weight 26 pounds. I have room for more lightening holes in between the ones I made and on the outboard of the brackets but that's for a later date. I shaved the padding down so the rubber cover mounts right next to the body. I'll shave it down a little more when I lighten the bumper later. Here's a stock bumper to compared it with. I'd say my new bumper is about 1 inch closer to the body.

11-23-02 - The restoration phase of this project has come to a close. The car passed the safety inspection with flying colors. It's is now titled, tagged, insured, and legally on the road. I'm sure an emissions check notice will arrive in the mail soon. The car is running well and is bone stock so it should pass.

Brakes first power later : Brake Upgrade

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