Let me start off with–the leak is fixed! It took us (Dad and I) four days what Toyota said would take 5-6 hours, but we have our reasons. We ran into a couple snags… The passenger side motor mount had a bolt that would just spin–we couldn’t take it out. This caused access issues down the line because everything in this 2ZZ-GE motor is jam packed in the engine bay. My Dad managed.. Read More
I am finding free time to be a rarity these days as work demands increase. That being said I had planned to publish an update on newly named Project CELICA as replacement parts begin to trickle in. I may rename the car at some point but as of now, Project CELICA. I can’t wait until I can at least wash it and detail it as the previous owner’s dog hair is layered throughout.. Read More
One week ago, after much research and deliberation, I made a decision to buy a “project car” and here it is: 2003 Toyota Celica GT-S. I’m going to go into rather obnoxious detail into this experience both for fun and for introspective purposes. This seed was implanted by my Dad. I don’t even know if he anticipated that his offhand remark of looking at project cars would initiate such a snowball effect like.. Read More
On 1/31/2021, I attended my second event at the FIRM Starke racetrack referred to as “Winter Track Attack 2021” hosted by Honda Meet. Last time I sat shotgun as a couple of colleagues of mine made their rounds on the ~1.5 mile track. This time I was able to confirm track access and in turn proceeded to burn through my brake pads and tires with a huge grin on my face. My friend/coworker.. Read More
The Nissan GT-R is a worldwide icon as it pertains not only to Japanese sportscars, but sportscars in general. The Nissan GT-R evolved from the Nissan Skyline GT-R which was produced and sold exclusively in Japan since 1969. My experience with the model began with the R32 and R33 Skyline GT-R as it was an optional vehicle in Gran Turismo (1998) for the original Playstation video game console. The cars were all-wheel drive.. Read More
So I’m going to do something a little different today. I’m going way outside of my comfort zone and treating this blog like a high school report. I am going to write about something that I am substantially unfamiliar with but find interest in: individual throttle bodies on a standard combustion engine. I preface this–I am by no means an expert when it comes to the innerworkings of exactly how the combustion engine.. Read More
My Dad always mentioned how he drove his 1982 Toyota Cressida to the junkyard when he deemed it was “time.” It makes me sad sometimes as if he had waited, I would have had an opportunity of keeping it as a project car with significant sentiment attached to it. That being said, it was in some “fender benders” and the engine was nearing 15-20 years in age, so I can’t blame him. I.. Read More
As I have alluded to in other blog posts, I have had a growing interest in sportscars since my youth. My first real “dream car” was the 5th generation Honda Prelude. I was primarily interested in the aesthetics of this car more than its performance, but at the time, it was definitely no slouch with its 200 HP 2.2L I4 motor. My research also finds that its H22A4 motor leverages Honda VTEC (variable.. Read More
Yamaha, established in 1887 as Nippon Gakki Co. Ltd, is a company that is very broad in scope but most well known for contributions in home audio and musical instruments. In 1955, the company launched a motor engineering offshoot (aptly named Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd) due to success in its foray into motorcycle engineering. You will find that Yamaha produces motorcycles even today. Hereon, any reference to Yamaha will primarily reference their motor.. Read More
This “Porsche, there is no substitute” quote is a common sentiment from Porsche owners and enthusiasts alike, taken from the 1983 film Risky Business starring Tom Cruise. Although I have not yet seen this movie, I still agree with the quote! Back in my formative years I was essentially indoctrinated into the church of Japanese motors. My father, a retired (auto)mechanic by profession, instilled a sense of reliability and trust when it came.. Read More