geraintthomas

We've already figured out that they're from a McLaren but we've said it could be replicas. The roof's a bad cut out agreed, but that's not to say the wheels are photoshopped on. If it is it's a very good photoshop.

Try and get those done in the same time space instead of spreading them out into weeks and weeks, then you'll get a better sense of progress You keeping it?

Man I really, really know the feeling. Click back a dozen or so pages on my thread, or ask anyone in the Gen 7 section, and you'll find that I threatened to sell mine a few times. It's the fact that you have an image of what the car should be like, and you're working towards it. Then you get a bump in the road with something going wrong, and you fix it. Then you're fixing something else, then something else, and before you know it the plans you wanted to do to the car end up going up in flames thanks to many small issues. I bought £1,000 worth of performance parts last year, and they're still in my room gathering dust. Wilwood 4-pot Superlite calipers, 325mm discs, braided hoses, whiteline front ARB, rear adjustable camber arms, and an engine poly mount. Not one of those things have been fitted. And here's why - I was literally about to call the mechanic to book it in to get everything fitted, when the car started handling really, REALLY weird. Tramlining all over the place. Bushes were fine, wishbones were fine, everything was fine. I spent hundreds on new shocks, didn't fix it. Then when I'm starting to sort that, I get a knocking at the back of the car. Then, I get a rattle on idling. Then, I get a vibration around 3,000rpm. Then, the paint on my rocker cover starts bubbling. Then, my new HID ballasts start playing up. Then, I get an engine management light. If you knew anything about me, you'd know that I try to make my car as mint as possible. But after that list, I ended up with the car that rattled when standing still, vibrated when accelerating, knocking over bumps, swerving all over the road, with a headlight out and an EML lit up on the dash. And that's the point where I thought "F**k it. I'm done with it, I'll sell it". ...but sell it for what? If I wanted to buy another car, I'd want to get a car that's reliable, good looking, fast, cheap to work on and sounds great. And after a month of looking on AutoTrader, I realised I already have a car that was reliable, good looking, fast, etc. It just has a few bits wrong with it. So I could either sell up, put a few grand towards a car that would just be a similar nature to one I already have, or fix the issues that won't cost the fraction of the price of a new car to repair. Plus, better the devil you know than the devil you don't. So the handling issue was just alignment, rattles were heat shields, knocking was a drop link, EML was an air pump, ballast was under guarantee, and I resprayed the rocker cover. And now the car is once again turning heads. I really get how you're feeling dude, and it's only because we both love our cars. But honestly, don't sell up just yet because you're sick of your car because you'll end up buying another car which is just going to be the same nature as the one you already have. Walk around the car, write down on a pad what's wrong with the car, spend a weekend fixing it and thank me later Hope you'll change your mind.

Nah that's no photoshop by the look of it - you can get rear brake conversions! And it is america, they piss money away on their cars

Hang on. The ones in the photo look like 18" alloys. McLarens wouldn't be that small. Must be some sort of replicas? Lol you must have posted that the exact same time as I posted this. I'm thinking the same thing, can't find them anywhere though. Ah well!

Oh my word, that's what they are. McLaren MP4-12C alloys. Who the hell puts them on a Celica?!

A little bit. Still can't find what these are Forgestar CF10's are the closest match i can find, but that bend in the spokes isn't as aggressive as the photo.

Spotted this photo Does anyone know what alloys these are?

Same here, 60 front, 50 back. Glad to know yours are similar

Might be worth grabbing a cheap laser thermometer gun from Ebay to check the brakes now and again. I have one and they're great, I can easily check if one wheel is braking more or less than the other. Might be useful to check if your brakes are nice and free on long runs. Just a suggestion! Other than that, inspect radiator pipes (unless they were new too), and enjoy the ride

If it stalls, that means the clutch is engaging fine and a new clutch is not needed. It's alright bud I know how to test a slipping clutch but like I said, I can't get it to slip what so ever after that one initial launch, where it slipped in first and second (weirdly). One thing I did remember though guys - it was damp. Could have been wheel spin, but I felt no wheel hop and the TCS light didn't come on, which ruled out wheelspin for me. Plus the clutch stank.

I've driven it a few times since and it's still absolutely fine. Pedal travel is the same, no slip, feels good. Even if I start crawling and then give it full throttle in first (not launching), I still can't get it to slip, so I don't think it'll need changing for a while yet Was only the second time I ever did it as I'm aware it's not great - not planning on doing it again anytime soon!

Nice one Ian Thing is, I've only done a standing launch like that twice, maybe three times since having the car. It's not something I plan to do, so I'm not sure if I'd benefit from the expense of a clutch like that!

Ahh great stuff. Well not great, but at least I know what the issue is. Like I said though I can't get it to slip at all, even if I floor it in 1st it doesn't slip - only if I launch it. I'll just refrain from doing that until I get it sorted eventually Many thanks!

Yesterday on the way home I was at a set of traffic lights on a straight 60mph road, with no one around. Thought this might be a nice change to stretch its legs a little from a standing start. Kept the revs at 4,000rpm, then lifted the clutch off and gave it full throttle. With the clutch now fully engaged and the throttle to the floor, the revs stayed at about 5,000rpm with no wheel spin, before the clutch slipped up to 8,000rpm. I put it in second to see if it did the same, and it did. Foot flat to the floor and it slipped up to 7,000rpm but went back down to 3,000rpm when I took my foot off. Instant thoughts, my clutch was on its way out. After a 20 minute motorway journey, the clutch still stank. But, I can't get it to slip since at all. No matter what gear I put it in - 6th, 5th, 4th, foot flat to the floor, it doesn't slip at all. It'll only do it if I launch the car as stated. To me, it's a sign that the clutch isn't in great condition, but won't slip unless I put too much stress onto it. But I wanted to check in case this was somehow normal? I'm guessing not though. Ta muchly!

Surely that doesn't ensure that it won't crack if flexed mate? Unless it's like a sort of vinyl spray?

Oh yeah, forgot about that question. You know when people mask up their plastics blwhen polishing a car? To stop it going onto it and turning white? Well what you've done is essentially polished plastics directly. So never a good idea! As Daytona said though, soapy water and it should come off.

I went out and did the engine bay plastics earlier with AutoGlym Bumper Care to show you what it's like: Gives the plastics a deep black satin finish, and masks any imperfections. Just apply with a pad or cloth and leave as is

Ger?! I didn't say anything! But all of the above is correct. I just scrubbed mine initially with a sponge, then kept on top of it with a chamois. If you want more black, use AutoGlym's bumper care or something similar. But any of the above posts are fine.

LOL!!!

So I gave it a try today. Very pleased!

Fantastic! Which fuse is it again to reset the ECU?

Still haven't tried it yet guys, will be next week sometime as it's arriving today but I'm not home until Tuesday. Quite looking forward to seeing how it'll come out in all honesty. In the video with the sharpie, the colour was a lot darker. And that was on white stitching! So on grey stitching I've got a feeling it'll be a fair bit darker, which could be bad.

Haha, well hopefully when I test it on the gear gaiter it'll look alright! If it doesn't, I can just grab another. No stress. J03, I'd whole heartedly hands down trade my T-Sport seats for GT's any day - they're gorgeous. Unfortunately if I had to spend £300 on the car, it would go straight on a front GT splitter and rear TRD valance, painted and delivered, for £300. After that there's a whole bunch of things that need sorting before I could buy GT seats

True! But £300 vs £3. That's what the question is!