Arctic Celica found!
Posted: November 5th, 2015, 2:22 pm
Hey folks,
First day in the forum. Looks like a good community and a wealth of information! Excited to have this resource for my first project car.
I'm up in Yellowknife NWT Canada, and while driving around the industrial area found this little gem, in amongst other rusty mine equipment, in some guys front yard. Banged on his door and asked if it was for sale. "everything's for sale". Got it for a good deal, although the engine is a bit of a basket case. Turns out the previous owner, before the guy I bought it from, did a mild restoration, and modified the old American 18RC to a dual-cam 18RG, with weber side draft carbs. Body is in great shape and very little rust in the usual rusty spots. It's been up here for a long time and they don't use salt on the roads, so no rotting cars! The engine is 100% dismantled but seems to be all there and in great shape, although the iron block had some rust from being stored outside for a few years. It's currently getting refinished at Best Engines in Edmonton. Sounds like it needs a bore and surface. He's looking for oversized pistons, but it looks like I may have to dial it to the 92mm 2.2L mod.
The more research I do on this old girl the more I itch to get at it, especially the JDM-ish 18RG rarity powerplant. I won't be able to do much with it until the wife and I buy a house next spring with a garage, but learning as much as I can before I start. This winter it will have to live outside in the back 40. So it's filled with dryer sheets to keep the critters out.
host image
posted image
image hosting services
First day in the forum. Looks like a good community and a wealth of information! Excited to have this resource for my first project car.
I'm up in Yellowknife NWT Canada, and while driving around the industrial area found this little gem, in amongst other rusty mine equipment, in some guys front yard. Banged on his door and asked if it was for sale. "everything's for sale". Got it for a good deal, although the engine is a bit of a basket case. Turns out the previous owner, before the guy I bought it from, did a mild restoration, and modified the old American 18RC to a dual-cam 18RG, with weber side draft carbs. Body is in great shape and very little rust in the usual rusty spots. It's been up here for a long time and they don't use salt on the roads, so no rotting cars! The engine is 100% dismantled but seems to be all there and in great shape, although the iron block had some rust from being stored outside for a few years. It's currently getting refinished at Best Engines in Edmonton. Sounds like it needs a bore and surface. He's looking for oversized pistons, but it looks like I may have to dial it to the 92mm 2.2L mod.
The more research I do on this old girl the more I itch to get at it, especially the JDM-ish 18RG rarity powerplant. I won't be able to do much with it until the wife and I buy a house next spring with a garage, but learning as much as I can before I start. This winter it will have to live outside in the back 40. So it's filled with dryer sheets to keep the critters out.
host image
posted image
image hosting services