how to piss the #$% out of a supra fan: (UPDATED)

oh, look at this - the '82 doesn't start. you have to push start it. that's fine, but then i read on good ol CS.com that starter failures (where it works 1/500 times or so) is a common thing to happen. funny story, that's EXACTLY my problem.

what's this? I have an 84 p-type with a seized engine and a WORKING starter? I know it works, because i turn the key and hear it try and turn the engine, to no avail.

well, i'm a genius. i'll pull the broken one out of the 82, and slap in the 84. no problem. hour tops.

then i read that changing starters is slightly harder than reliably running 20 pounds of boost on a stock 5m. hmm. okay, so maybe 2 hours.

So off i trot to my workshop, break out my tools, and get to work on the 84. it takes a while to get it off the first time, but i don't get angry. i expected this.

then i jack up the 82, and pull it's starter. i inspect them... they look the exact same, no biggy.

so i fiddle around and get the 84 starter into the 82. a job well done i might say. with mom watching, i turn the key:

nothing. same damn problem. hmph, i say. that's no good. so i start to think to myself - "let's get rid of some variables here". I plug the 82 starter into the 84. nothing. okay, so that would mean that the 82 starter is in fact fucked.

then i pull out the 84 starter out of the 82, and slap it back in the 84.




Nothing.

WTF??!?!?!?!? it worked a few hours ago.

so now i'm pissed, because i can't get either to work in the 84, and i discovered that the rubber seal on the transmission for the clutch-arm-release thing is screwed up and torn on the 82, and that it's been leaking tranny oil everywhere, it seems.

So in the end, I put the 84 starter back in the 82, push-started it, gave it a few minutes to warm up, and tore about a mile down the street and back.

#1. wiring scares the shit out of me, but does anyone have any other clues as to what can solve my problem? i pretty much damn well refuse to take it to a mechanic - for now. I don't believe in spending grotesque amounts of money on something that in can do myself given enough time (and time is something i have a lot of, sort of).

#2. the car doesn't really start to pull hard until 3500rpms... are they all like this, or could this be indicative of some aftermarket cams? i mean at 3500 the cars goes from docile sports coupe to angry-loud-growling-speed-machine. i like it a lot.

#3. i'm getting pissed off at it. do any vancouver members feel like spending some time with me trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with it? please? i'll supply the beer?