There's pretty much zero availability for anything new, short of some mechanical/maintenance parts. Used interior bits and exterior bits are pretty much found here on the forum or occasionally on eBay/Craigslist/FB. Most of those parts are expensive as well. There are some trim pieces starting to get reproduced by members here, but again, $$$. If you're just looking for a running, driveable car, you're probably okay. If you're looking for something pretty, it's recommended to spend the most you can for something with a good body/interior as the money spent to get a project car up to looking good will be a lot more than just buying a nicer car to start with, even if you're doing the labor yourself. The radio at least is really easy as its a standard double-DIN head unit, but the stock speakers are small and poorly located for the most part. If you're looking for great sound, you'll have to get creative.
Looking into getting an 82 celica supra project
As the title says, I've got the opportunity to get a p-type 82 celica supra. This car is a big project, and I would be trading my project 86 mr2 for it, and I wanted to know first from you guys if this would even be remotely a good idea. I have really wanted one of these for a while, but the state that the car is in, it's truly a project. It has rod knock, the interior's all torn apart but the guy has it all still, the paint is smoked, rust on the hatch, it has the electric windows which from my experience with that on my mr2 does not sound fun to deal with, especially on a car with lower parts availability. No radio, and I have no clue what the aftermarket is like for these guys in terms of radios and the like. The overall chassis is not rusted to hell, and has good bones. The diff and transmission are also reportedly good. It seems like most things are there, but if I ever wanted to try to piece things back together, how difficult would that be, considering parts availability? And also, are parts very expensive for these? Sorry if a lot of these are questions that get asked frequently, I just want to know for sure what I'm getting into, as I've already had troubles with mk1A mr2 parts, and want to know how bad it is.
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Agree with @Speedrye , your biggest issue will be finding parts that you are missing or no longer work. The engine parts are also starting to disappear and N.O.S. is getting incredibly hard to find. The trans, assuming its the W58 manual, shouldn't be much of an issue, nor would the A43 auto, since many other vehicles used variations of these transmissions. The rear diff can be an issue, as it wasn't used in any other vehicle, but there are alternatives for the gear sets from a few older trucks, and I believe the stock ring and pinion is still available.
Biggest problem you'll find are the body parts, especially if you're restoring this vehicle, it will be near impossible to find all of it, and even harder if you want them in perfect condition!
As Speedrye said, if you're just looking for a running vehicle, the 5MGE engines are easy to rebuild and partial/complete engines come up every now and then online, its the electronics for them (ecu/ignitors etc.) are becoming non-existent, just look at the posts on this forum for parts wanted, that will give you a good idea on what parts are hard to find.
Post up some photos of the car and I'm sure you'll get a lot better info on what you should be looking closely at before you do the trade.
Biggest problem you'll find are the body parts, especially if you're restoring this vehicle, it will be near impossible to find all of it, and even harder if you want them in perfect condition!
As Speedrye said, if you're just looking for a running vehicle, the 5MGE engines are easy to rebuild and partial/complete engines come up every now and then online, its the electronics for them (ecu/ignitors etc.) are becoming non-existent, just look at the posts on this forum for parts wanted, that will give you a good idea on what parts are hard to find.
Post up some photos of the car and I'm sure you'll get a lot better info on what you should be looking closely at before you do the trade.
It seems that folks who are a lot more talented than me are now making some repro parts such as the side and rocker panel trim, headlight wiskers, etc. that are NLA from Toyota. And the hood, sunroof, and hatch are available in carbon. They seem to be pricey, but I would wager they would cost even more if still available from Toyota. Anything can be done, it just depends on how good you are at scrounging, how much time you can devote to it, and how deep your pockets are. Prices of good cars have been rising in the past few years, so it is getting a little more to be financially worthwhile to do a restoration, but you still could end up shelling out more than the car is worth. For me, I purchased my car in 1987, and it has sentimental value that offsets the money I put into it. That may not be the case for others either.
Post some photos for us.
BTW, all Supras came with electric windows. They were top of the line luxury for Toyota in the '80's. For instance, they were the first model imported by Toyota that had power door locks standard. They all have the early automatic climate control. The original radio had every feature available at that time, dolby, equalizer, etc. As was said, a modern aftermarket receiver is the easiest part, and most like having all the modern conveniences such as Sirius/XM, hands free Bluetooth for the phone, and built in GPS. I know I do. There are numerous threads on installing a new receiver.
Bob
Post some photos for us.
BTW, all Supras came with electric windows. They were top of the line luxury for Toyota in the '80's. For instance, they were the first model imported by Toyota that had power door locks standard. They all have the early automatic climate control. The original radio had every feature available at that time, dolby, equalizer, etc. As was said, a modern aftermarket receiver is the easiest part, and most like having all the modern conveniences such as Sirius/XM, hands free Bluetooth for the phone, and built in GPS. I know I do. There are numerous threads on installing a new receiver.
Bob
I think you would still have similar problem finding parts. This site is very good, but lost some attendance to other medias.
As stated above, one thing for sure, it is much cheaper in the long run to buy a nice complete car, than trying to restore a neglected one.
Unless you like to work on this kind of project, you would just be changing a dollar for 4 quarters...
As stated above, one thing for sure, it is much cheaper in the long run to buy a nice complete car, than trying to restore a neglected one.
Unless you like to work on this kind of project, you would just be changing a dollar for 4 quarters...
Here's the photos, it's pretty rough and my pockets aren't that deep. I'm just an 18 year old kid trying to learn so that I can have good prior knowledge before I head off to trade school for Toyota this fall. As you can see it's pretty roughed up, hatch is rusted, interior's pulled apart, guy says he has all of the interior bits but I don't know the condition, I would assume they're rough too. It sounds like mechanically, besides the knocking engine, it has good bones, it just needs a LOT of TLC.It seems that folks who are a lot more talented than me are now making some repro parts such as the side and rocker panel trim, headlight wiskers, etc. that are NLA from Toyota. And the hood, sunroof, and hatch are available in carbon. They seem to be pricey, but I would wager they would cost even more if still available from Toyota. Anything can be done, it just depends on how good you are at scrounging, how much time you can devote to it, and how deep your pockets are. Prices of good cars have been rising in the past few years, so it is getting a little more to be financially worthwhile to do a restoration, but you still could end up shelling out more than the car is worth. For me, I purchased my car in 1987, and it has sentimental value that offsets the money I put into it. That may not be the case for others either.
Post some photos for us.
BTW, all Supras came with electric windows. They were top of the line luxury for Toyota in the '80's. For instance, they were the first model imported by Toyota that had power door locks standard. They all have the early automatic climate control. The original radio had every feature available at that time, dolby, equalizer, etc. As was said, a modern aftermarket receiver is the easiest part, and most like having all the modern conveniences such as Sirius/XM, hands free Bluetooth for the phone, and built in GPS. I know I do. There are numerous threads on installing a new receiver.
Bob
Sorry to say, but the best that will ever be is a daily beater. From what I can see, you'll be 10 grand deep into that just to make it look decent and run properly, unless you don't really care about the interior at all and you just patch up the rust a bit to keep it from leaking like a sieve. And, by "look decent", I mean shoot what's there down with primer so its one color kinda decent. On top of all that, you will never find another dash that's not cracked for sale, and if by chance you ever do, it will most likely be 2 or 3 grand!
Not trying to crush your dream here, but I really would hate for an 18 year old that's just starting off in life get stuck with a car that becomes a money pit. Keep your MR2, get through your tech school training, land that job at Toyota and once you're financially comfortable, look for a really solid mkii and enjoy not having to work on it constantly. Solid cars are going for 20-25 grand right now, and you'd be about 40 grand into this one (at least!) to get it to that showroom quality.
I would estimate that vehicle in the shape its in right now to be worth maybe 2-3 grand, and that's only if the interior is still there and in somewhat usable condition. I think you'd be able to get that back if you break it down and sell it for parts, this is important to know because if you dig into the vehicle and find something that's not repairable, like really bad rust, you'll want to at least recover most of your money somehow.
Of course, maybe I'm wrong and others will correct me on it, so take my post with a grain of salt and see what others might say! Either way you go, I do wish you luck and suggest using this forum for as much knowledge and spare parts as you can!
Not trying to crush your dream here, but I really would hate for an 18 year old that's just starting off in life get stuck with a car that becomes a money pit. Keep your MR2, get through your tech school training, land that job at Toyota and once you're financially comfortable, look for a really solid mkii and enjoy not having to work on it constantly. Solid cars are going for 20-25 grand right now, and you'd be about 40 grand into this one (at least!) to get it to that showroom quality.
I would estimate that vehicle in the shape its in right now to be worth maybe 2-3 grand, and that's only if the interior is still there and in somewhat usable condition. I think you'd be able to get that back if you break it down and sell it for parts, this is important to know because if you dig into the vehicle and find something that's not repairable, like really bad rust, you'll want to at least recover most of your money somehow.
Of course, maybe I'm wrong and others will correct me on it, so take my post with a grain of salt and see what others might say! Either way you go, I do wish you luck and suggest using this forum for as much knowledge and spare parts as you can!
I have to agree with Flyin'.
I am an incurable romantic and feel that all MK II Supras should be rescued no matter how much time, effort, and money it takes. I spent the best part of $8,000 for rust repair and a bare metal respray, and that was after I performed all the labor to disassemble the car and remove the interior. But I've owned the car since 1987, and plan to keep it until they take my driver's license away, so it was worth it to me.
It makes me very sad to see a car left outside in the weather in this condition. Rust has most likely formed underneath all that Bondo. Any car can be restored, but unfortunately this one would have to be a labor of love, and a long labor at that, done by someone experienced in body work, as well as someone with a lot of spare time and financial resources. It is not something you are going to accomplish in one summer before going off to school. I can tell you from personal experience that when the fender flares are removed, there is going to be lots more rust as they trap dirt and moisture between the flares and the steel body. Since there is no source of replacement panels as with a Mustang, Camaro, or MGB, new sheet metal is going to have to be made by hand. And all the corrosion has to be completely eliminated, or it will just return. You can't just cover it with Bondo and repaint it. It can be done, but takes a person experienced in body work with all the proper tools and an enclosed, heated space to work in. If you scrounge, replacement parts can be sourced, but they maybe far away from you, and therefore costly to ship.
An upholstery guy/gal can help restore the interior panels, and seats, for big $$$. There is even a service that can make a new dash cover, also for big $$$, but it will not have the original grain or fake stitching. You also said there is a mechanical issue with the engine that would require attention.
As much as it pains me to think of this car sitting there rusting into a pile of dust, my advice would be to stay away, unless you wish to keep it for a long time and have a dry space to store it while you are away at school. Sorry to discourage you in this, but that is the reality of it.
Bob
I am an incurable romantic and feel that all MK II Supras should be rescued no matter how much time, effort, and money it takes. I spent the best part of $8,000 for rust repair and a bare metal respray, and that was after I performed all the labor to disassemble the car and remove the interior. But I've owned the car since 1987, and plan to keep it until they take my driver's license away, so it was worth it to me.
It makes me very sad to see a car left outside in the weather in this condition. Rust has most likely formed underneath all that Bondo. Any car can be restored, but unfortunately this one would have to be a labor of love, and a long labor at that, done by someone experienced in body work, as well as someone with a lot of spare time and financial resources. It is not something you are going to accomplish in one summer before going off to school. I can tell you from personal experience that when the fender flares are removed, there is going to be lots more rust as they trap dirt and moisture between the flares and the steel body. Since there is no source of replacement panels as with a Mustang, Camaro, or MGB, new sheet metal is going to have to be made by hand. And all the corrosion has to be completely eliminated, or it will just return. You can't just cover it with Bondo and repaint it. It can be done, but takes a person experienced in body work with all the proper tools and an enclosed, heated space to work in. If you scrounge, replacement parts can be sourced, but they maybe far away from you, and therefore costly to ship.
An upholstery guy/gal can help restore the interior panels, and seats, for big $$$. There is even a service that can make a new dash cover, also for big $$$, but it will not have the original grain or fake stitching. You also said there is a mechanical issue with the engine that would require attention.
As much as it pains me to think of this car sitting there rusting into a pile of dust, my advice would be to stay away, unless you wish to keep it for a long time and have a dry space to store it while you are away at school. Sorry to discourage you in this, but that is the reality of it.
Bob
Yeah, I would have to agree that I hate to see it sit there rusting away. That's one of the reasons why I have two AW11 MR2's, I couldn't let them rust away and they deserve to be driven. They're in far better condition than that supra, and I'll probably be getting my first one running and driving in a couple of weeks at the rate I'm going. It just sucks since before I got those, I almost had my hands on a blue 1982 P-Type, that was in fairly good condition for 2500, but somebody got to it before I could. My dad also used to have one back in the 80's and I've just kinda always wanted one. Sucks to hear that it's that expensive to get it looking good again, but for now my pockets just aren't that deep for a big restoration like that. Good luck with your cars guys, I hope to join the owner's club sometime in the future.
Yeah, I wouldn't touch that one with a 10 foot deep-socket. Looks like not only are all of the "holy grail" parts missing or toast, but somebody has already been at it doing really bad amateur body work and leaving raw filler exposed to the weather. No telling what horrors are lurking under all that filler.
Don't know what condition your trade is, but don't give the seller anything of value for this Supra. Maybe if you've got space to store it and keep for parts, offer to haul it away for free, but keep looking. In your situation and at your age, don't buy a Supra that is a basketcase like this one. Deep pockets can do a basketcase Ford Mustang or VW Beetle because China reproduces nearly every part, but not for a Supra unfortunately.
Don't know what condition your trade is, but don't give the seller anything of value for this Supra. Maybe if you've got space to store it and keep for parts, offer to haul it away for free, but keep looking. In your situation and at your age, don't buy a Supra that is a basketcase like this one. Deep pockets can do a basketcase Ford Mustang or VW Beetle because China reproduces nearly every part, but not for a Supra unfortunately.
I'm with Dupler on this one. As sad as it is to see what's happening to the MkII, I bet the seller would LOVE to get his hands on one or both of your MR2s. Those things are also as rare as hen's teeth, and (though I don't mean to sound condescending) I suspect the seller is trying to pull a fast one on you. My feeling is that he thinks you don't know what you have...
Get one of those MR2s running and driving, which should take a lot less time and money than that Supra "project".
Get one of those MR2s running and driving, which should take a lot less time and money than that Supra "project".
How about an 84 with 143,000 miles. Everything works, paint is good but the clearcoat is peeling. I am the original owner, never driven in snow. I drive it about once a year as my wife is terrified it sits so low to the ground. If your interested call me 3309874760. It has been dealer maintained by the same Toyota mechanic since it was new.As the title says, I've got the opportunity to get a p-type 82 celica supra. This car is a big project, and I would be trading my project 86 mr2 for it, and I wanted to know first from you guys if this would even be remotely a good idea. I have really wanted one of these for a while, but the state that the car is in, it's truly a project. It has rod knock, the interior's all torn apart but the guy has it all still, the paint is smoked, rust on the hatch, it has the electric windows which from my experience with that on my mr2 does not sound fun to deal with, especially on a car with lower parts availability. No radio, and I have no clue what the aftermarket is like for these guys in terms of radios and the like. The overall chassis is not rusted to hell, and has good bones. The diff and transmission are also reportedly good. It seems like most things are there, but if I ever wanted to try to piece things back together, how difficult would that be, considering parts availability? And also, are parts very expensive for these? Sorry if a lot of these are questions that get asked frequently, I just want to know for sure what I'm getting into, as I've already had troubles with mk1A mr2 parts, and want to know how bad it is.
I would be interested, but that area code is Ohio and I'm all the way out in Washington State. Quite a ways out, although maybe sometime later on I'd be willing to drive that far. Thanks for the offer though!How about an 84 with 143,000 miles. Everything works, paint is good but the clearcoat is peeling. I am the original owner, never driven in snow. I drive it about once a year as my wife is terrified it sits so low to the ground. If your interested call me 3309874760. It has been dealer maintained by the same Toyota mechanic since it was new.
That's why I hate all these online classic car auctions. If you are a seller, they're great because your car gets top price in a short time and you don't have to mess with tire kickers, joyriders or no-shows, at least not if you don't want to. But as a buyer, I can never drop what I'm doing, cancel two days worth of meetings, beg to postpone deadlines, etc., all to fly across country at a moment's notice to inspect a car within the seven days.I would be interested, but that area code is Ohio and I'm all the way out in Washington State. Quite a ways out, although maybe sometime later on I'd be willing to drive that far. Thanks for the offer though!
I know nine out of ten bidders are taking their chances sight-unseen, but I worked too hard for my money. I've won one online auction, but it was a local car that I got to spend about two hours inspecting it. Usually I find a whole lot wrong that's not obvious in the photos and videos and not disclosed in the description.
But Supras don't exactly grow on trees. You need to be prepared to travel. If you are interested, you can get 80% sure online, then the old fashioned way was to offer a deposit to hold it till you could get there to inspect it in person. I bought a car last year and about a month passed between when I saw it listed at a consignment dealer and when I finally took off to go look at it. I just reasoned that it would still be there in a month because they were asking too much. It was.
I would look at a different Supra for sure. This 82 is too far gone. Besides, if you can get a newer MK2, then you are better off. I have an '82 and it is a different beast than an '84 or '85 for sure. Toyota learned things while they made these and implemented changes each year. Not to mention the fact that the engines got stronger each year.
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