fastbob72
Full member
Hello folks, my name is Bob.I live up in the wilds of Scotland, drive an HGV for a living and have been modifying cars since 1990 and my first car, a signal yellow mk1 Fiesta 1.1L which quickly gained a warmed up 1300 with a 950 gearbox, XR2 suspension and brakes all round and made up to look like 1300S with RS 4 spokes.
Since then I've had Cortinas, Capris, XR3is,XR2s,XR4x4s,Sapphires,Escorts, GTEs, SRis, SRi16vs,GSis,a Nissan 2.0eGT,200SX,Legacy 2.5Turbo to name a few but the cream would be highly modified 4 door mk3 Cavy with a redtop I built running twin 45s,a mk2 Cavalier Caliber, Escort RS1600i and a 320bhp RWD RS Sapphire Cosworth.
So what ground pounding, fire breathing race inspired motor do I drive now.
Well,prepare yourself for this one... ready??
2002 Toyota Avensis 1.8 vvti........a T22 mind you, not just any but a Vermont aswell. lol.
I got a while back as I had bought a W reg Avensis 1.8GS for £200 when i needed a car there and then, it was incredibly reliable,I boiled the engine dry which took 3 hours to cool down enough to touch.I repaired it with a homemade coolant gasket from a bit of rotten old lino that lay on the garage floor for 10 years or so and it ran perfectly like nothing had happened.
So when the mot was up I spotted my present car for sale in excellent condition,years mot, 2 previous elderly owners for just over a grand and bought it as a daily driver. Went through the last mot with an advisory of a front tyre.
The modifying bug though dies hard and despite planning to look for an old Ford or Vauxhall as a project car to build my mind kept turning to my Avensis.
It's grown on me more and more since I've had it and the bad press the 1ZZ-FE engine gets because of it's reputation as a real oil burner along with the Avensis being every mini cab drivers favourite in the early 2000s I began to see it as a challenge.I kept thinking plus it's been said once or twice aswell. Who would modify an old Toyota Avensis?? Best answer I have is - 'Exactly. Who would modify one.'. So,this is what I'm determined to do.
First things first.It isn't pretty,smart, stylish or even that conventional looking. It lacks an overall coherent design or feel to it. Somehow awkward and disjointed.To add to it's rather uncomfortable look it has a nose down, tail high look that emphasises it's overall lack of style not to mention compromises it's handling and road holding at speed.
So how do you make a silk purse from this sow's ear??
Modified bumpers, grille, lights etc really don't seem like they'll do a great deal to help and spoilers or bodykits won't do a great deal either in my opinion.No,after much pondering and staring at it the best thing that would make the single biggest improvement was to get her to sit level, get that tail down till it sits level with the nose. Then drop it an inch or so because I've yet to see a car that doesn't look better lowered a bit.... except an already lowered car obviously.
The thing is though there isn't the quantity or scale of after market mods available for an old Avensis.....seems they weren't the most popular motors to the Max Power/FastCar crowd back in the day (that in itself is a huge bonus haha.Sorry,I remember when FastCar was a real enthusiasts magazine featuring content by David Vizard n the like rather than a low rent porno/lifestyle mag more concerned with the lastest fashionable bodykits).
There's plenty of lowering springs on line from 25-40mm ranging from just over £100 and up to £300 but you can only buy 4 not 2 at a time.I wanted to drop the rear a good bit further than the front but without knowing exactly what poundage lowered springs were rated at I wasn't too keen on buying say a set of 25mm and a set of 40mm springs because I may end up with ultra hard springs at the front and a lot softer rears for example.Information is king but not always forthcoming when buyig online so it seemed inevitably there was but one real solution.Adjustable coilovers.I toyed with the idea of modifying some stock struts to make a set of adjustable platform coilovers but went for fully height/damping adjustable FB coilovers with camber adj front top mounts.Despite never hearing of them before the write ups and reviews seemed favourable and even woth the shipping costs they were £100 cheaper than any I could buy in the UK.
***word of advice, if you buy from outside the EU be prepared to pay import duties, something I never bargained on till the tax man dropped me a friendly line and a bill for over a ton. lol***
They are an easy fit,beats faffing around with coil spring compressors or holding the top of the shocker while you undo the topnut holding it all together.lol.Buying a new set of droplinks though cos they never undo cleanly once they've been on a while. For about £30 the pair it's easier just grinding the old ones off and fitting brand new ones.Once fitted, they've settled in and you've found the ride height and how hard you want them set they are altogether a superior system than lowered springs. If it's cornering performance you want then new bushes, ball joints, stiffer anti roll bars are better than springs but coilovers, bushes,anti roll bars, a strut brace and the wheel alignment set up right... which may not be stock if you change the suspension to a significant degree though.
It has transformed the way the car looks like I had imagined (thankfully,considering how much it all cost ultimately lol).Even on her stock 15" Vermont alloys she looks significantly better. I stripped down the calipers and rebuilt them for the last mot so took the chance to paint them yellow but aa it stands thats all the mods I've done to the looks so far. The rear wheel camber significantly more negative since the drop but is non adjustable so I'm going to have to modify the rear struts where the hub carrier bolts in place. Widening the top bolt holes to allow them to pivot on the lower ones, pull them out till they are set more effectively.A bit of cutting, welding, accurate measurements and a little maths should do the trick nicely.lol.
I have also bought new pistons, rings, bearings, headkit, a 2nd hand head which I've modified,smoothed, flowed and ported. It just needs skimmed and some new inlet guides plus several replacement valves. Possibly a full set of exhaust valves too.
The vvti engine has an inherent weakness because of it's low oil capacity or 3.7 litres with the oil filter,small drain holes in the pistons and too few plus low tension/low friction rings which all together leave it susceptible to oil glazing, carbon build up and gummed up rings.
A new bottom end, new pistons with modified drain holes, deeper sump, better rings and all oilways and galleries cleaned through and opened up in a number of strategic places to promote a much more effective lubrication system will make a much more solid base to build on.
I've already modified the airbox adding a freer flowing panel filter along with direct twin cold air feed.I stripped out the A/C aswell, the weight reduction can't hurt but the point was to lose the condenser that was placed directly infront the radiator which stifled the cold air getting to my coolant radiator and completely blocked any flowing into the engine bay. The engine coolant temperature is 2-4°C lower when sitting at 60 mph and the inlet air temp is typically about 2°C more than outside air temp now when not in traffic or start/stop driving. A piece of hard rubber attatched to the front crossmember to act as an airdam and about 2 inches deep is intended to lower the air pressure behind it and emcourage hot air to be drawn out from under the engine bay. Some basic before/after tests with a differential pressure gauge certainly seem to bare this out along with several 100 miles of data logged live data on a number of different parameters, particularly temperature. Also 0-60 times have been improved by a little over a second from around 10.5 to 9 measued with several different GPS, accelerometer and OBD apps used to get an average overall reading rather than simply one method.
Anyway, at present (i'll try to post some photos when I can) it's all a work in progress.I've been thinking of modifying the cam phaser to allow a greater degree of variability as I stripped one i got when i bought the head and believe I can see a potential way of doing that now Couldn't at first as there seemed to be no room to allow it but I have a possible cunning plan now afterall.
I've no definite, exact plan on how much I can or will do to the engine although replacing the twin cat manifold for something much freer flowing with either a modified cat or a decat straight through system if I can be confident in doing it without freaking out the rear o2 sensor that is lol.
Ultimately I'm in two minds whether
something like fitting a TRD supercharger plus standalone ECU etc or fitting a 190 vvt-l dual variable timing and lift motor from a Celica and starting again with that is the way to go. Right now though further refining my wheel alignment, handling and locating and sorting a rather distressing final drive bearing sound, fabricating a strut brace and redoing the rustproofing underneath are my next jobs before starying on the bottom end and swapping the head.
If you have read this far
, without dozing off or going sod this then thank you for your persistence. I hope if nothing else I inspire someone with a completely uncool car to take a second look at it and think again, afterall who needs another modded Corsa or Focus when you tackle something a little unique and left field. lol.
Bob
Since then I've had Cortinas, Capris, XR3is,XR2s,XR4x4s,Sapphires,Escorts, GTEs, SRis, SRi16vs,GSis,a Nissan 2.0eGT,200SX,Legacy 2.5Turbo to name a few but the cream would be highly modified 4 door mk3 Cavy with a redtop I built running twin 45s,a mk2 Cavalier Caliber, Escort RS1600i and a 320bhp RWD RS Sapphire Cosworth.
So what ground pounding, fire breathing race inspired motor do I drive now.
Well,prepare yourself for this one... ready??
2002 Toyota Avensis 1.8 vvti........a T22 mind you, not just any but a Vermont aswell. lol.
I got a while back as I had bought a W reg Avensis 1.8GS for £200 when i needed a car there and then, it was incredibly reliable,I boiled the engine dry which took 3 hours to cool down enough to touch.I repaired it with a homemade coolant gasket from a bit of rotten old lino that lay on the garage floor for 10 years or so and it ran perfectly like nothing had happened.
So when the mot was up I spotted my present car for sale in excellent condition,years mot, 2 previous elderly owners for just over a grand and bought it as a daily driver. Went through the last mot with an advisory of a front tyre.
The modifying bug though dies hard and despite planning to look for an old Ford or Vauxhall as a project car to build my mind kept turning to my Avensis.
It's grown on me more and more since I've had it and the bad press the 1ZZ-FE engine gets because of it's reputation as a real oil burner along with the Avensis being every mini cab drivers favourite in the early 2000s I began to see it as a challenge.I kept thinking plus it's been said once or twice aswell. Who would modify an old Toyota Avensis?? Best answer I have is - 'Exactly. Who would modify one.'. So,this is what I'm determined to do.
First things first.It isn't pretty,smart, stylish or even that conventional looking. It lacks an overall coherent design or feel to it. Somehow awkward and disjointed.To add to it's rather uncomfortable look it has a nose down, tail high look that emphasises it's overall lack of style not to mention compromises it's handling and road holding at speed.
So how do you make a silk purse from this sow's ear??
Modified bumpers, grille, lights etc really don't seem like they'll do a great deal to help and spoilers or bodykits won't do a great deal either in my opinion.No,after much pondering and staring at it the best thing that would make the single biggest improvement was to get her to sit level, get that tail down till it sits level with the nose. Then drop it an inch or so because I've yet to see a car that doesn't look better lowered a bit.... except an already lowered car obviously.
The thing is though there isn't the quantity or scale of after market mods available for an old Avensis.....seems they weren't the most popular motors to the Max Power/FastCar crowd back in the day (that in itself is a huge bonus haha.Sorry,I remember when FastCar was a real enthusiasts magazine featuring content by David Vizard n the like rather than a low rent porno/lifestyle mag more concerned with the lastest fashionable bodykits).
There's plenty of lowering springs on line from 25-40mm ranging from just over £100 and up to £300 but you can only buy 4 not 2 at a time.I wanted to drop the rear a good bit further than the front but without knowing exactly what poundage lowered springs were rated at I wasn't too keen on buying say a set of 25mm and a set of 40mm springs because I may end up with ultra hard springs at the front and a lot softer rears for example.Information is king but not always forthcoming when buyig online so it seemed inevitably there was but one real solution.Adjustable coilovers.I toyed with the idea of modifying some stock struts to make a set of adjustable platform coilovers but went for fully height/damping adjustable FB coilovers with camber adj front top mounts.Despite never hearing of them before the write ups and reviews seemed favourable and even woth the shipping costs they were £100 cheaper than any I could buy in the UK.
***word of advice, if you buy from outside the EU be prepared to pay import duties, something I never bargained on till the tax man dropped me a friendly line and a bill for over a ton. lol***
They are an easy fit,beats faffing around with coil spring compressors or holding the top of the shocker while you undo the topnut holding it all together.lol.Buying a new set of droplinks though cos they never undo cleanly once they've been on a while. For about £30 the pair it's easier just grinding the old ones off and fitting brand new ones.Once fitted, they've settled in and you've found the ride height and how hard you want them set they are altogether a superior system than lowered springs. If it's cornering performance you want then new bushes, ball joints, stiffer anti roll bars are better than springs but coilovers, bushes,anti roll bars, a strut brace and the wheel alignment set up right... which may not be stock if you change the suspension to a significant degree though.
It has transformed the way the car looks like I had imagined (thankfully,considering how much it all cost ultimately lol).Even on her stock 15" Vermont alloys she looks significantly better. I stripped down the calipers and rebuilt them for the last mot so took the chance to paint them yellow but aa it stands thats all the mods I've done to the looks so far. The rear wheel camber significantly more negative since the drop but is non adjustable so I'm going to have to modify the rear struts where the hub carrier bolts in place. Widening the top bolt holes to allow them to pivot on the lower ones, pull them out till they are set more effectively.A bit of cutting, welding, accurate measurements and a little maths should do the trick nicely.lol.
I have also bought new pistons, rings, bearings, headkit, a 2nd hand head which I've modified,smoothed, flowed and ported. It just needs skimmed and some new inlet guides plus several replacement valves. Possibly a full set of exhaust valves too.
The vvti engine has an inherent weakness because of it's low oil capacity or 3.7 litres with the oil filter,small drain holes in the pistons and too few plus low tension/low friction rings which all together leave it susceptible to oil glazing, carbon build up and gummed up rings.
A new bottom end, new pistons with modified drain holes, deeper sump, better rings and all oilways and galleries cleaned through and opened up in a number of strategic places to promote a much more effective lubrication system will make a much more solid base to build on.
I've already modified the airbox adding a freer flowing panel filter along with direct twin cold air feed.I stripped out the A/C aswell, the weight reduction can't hurt but the point was to lose the condenser that was placed directly infront the radiator which stifled the cold air getting to my coolant radiator and completely blocked any flowing into the engine bay. The engine coolant temperature is 2-4°C lower when sitting at 60 mph and the inlet air temp is typically about 2°C more than outside air temp now when not in traffic or start/stop driving. A piece of hard rubber attatched to the front crossmember to act as an airdam and about 2 inches deep is intended to lower the air pressure behind it and emcourage hot air to be drawn out from under the engine bay. Some basic before/after tests with a differential pressure gauge certainly seem to bare this out along with several 100 miles of data logged live data on a number of different parameters, particularly temperature. Also 0-60 times have been improved by a little over a second from around 10.5 to 9 measued with several different GPS, accelerometer and OBD apps used to get an average overall reading rather than simply one method.
Anyway, at present (i'll try to post some photos when I can) it's all a work in progress.I've been thinking of modifying the cam phaser to allow a greater degree of variability as I stripped one i got when i bought the head and believe I can see a potential way of doing that now Couldn't at first as there seemed to be no room to allow it but I have a possible cunning plan now afterall.
I've no definite, exact plan on how much I can or will do to the engine although replacing the twin cat manifold for something much freer flowing with either a modified cat or a decat straight through system if I can be confident in doing it without freaking out the rear o2 sensor that is lol.
Ultimately I'm in two minds whether
something like fitting a TRD supercharger plus standalone ECU etc or fitting a 190 vvt-l dual variable timing and lift motor from a Celica and starting again with that is the way to go. Right now though further refining my wheel alignment, handling and locating and sorting a rather distressing final drive bearing sound, fabricating a strut brace and redoing the rustproofing underneath are my next jobs before starying on the bottom end and swapping the head.
If you have read this far
, without dozing off or going sod this then thank you for your persistence. I hope if nothing else I inspire someone with a completely uncool car to take a second look at it and think again, afterall who needs another modded Corsa or Focus when you tackle something a little unique and left field. lol.
Bob
