My formal intro

[rtrdpenguin]

I've just gotten my car running at last, so I decided it's about time to formally introduce myself. I've been lurking around SM for a while now and a few of you have sold me some parts (thanks!). I wanted to introduce myself when I felt I was a true supra owner meaning I had a running, working one that I had actually driven at least once before =) I'm 17 and live in North Carolina, so I guess I'm one of a new generation of MKIII owners.

I have a 1989 Toyota Supra that I bought with a blown head gasket and N/A engine for $400 from some dude in Atlanta. It made the drive home pretty well and I actually drove it around for a while with no problems, which makes me wonder how bad that BHG actually was. Oh well, I swapped that engine out anyway for a 7M-GTE turbo one =D

This is my first car, and I've had it for about 6 months now but still haven't driven it on the roads. I've took it for a spin or two around the neighborhood for "testing" purposes though =) It may seem like a strange choice, buying a BHG'd car from the 80's as a first car, but I have my reasons, which fellow supra owners probably understand. Plus, I learned a lot and I'm pretty sure this little project helped me get into college.

An abbreviated picture story of my experiences with my car:

Right after the drive home:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/suprafirstday001.jpg

Cleaned up a bit:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/supraparkinglotbig013.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/supraparkinglotbig016.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/supraparkinglotbig004.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/supraparkinglotbig002.jpg

Ahh what did you do to it?!?!?!:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/disassembly017.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/disassembly001.jpg

Pulling the engine:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/engine012.jpg

Oh no! Where did it go?!:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/engine019.jpg

It's ok! I found a new one!:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/disassembly012.jpg

Opening it up:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/enginehg023.jpg

And putting it back together:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/enginenew013.jpg

It's all colorful now!:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/newengine009.jpg

All hooked up and ready to go:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/running003.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/running005.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/running004.jpg

And a shot of the interior:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/disassembly006.jpg

As it stands now:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/fronton001.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/fronton008.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/rtrdpenguin/supra/fronton004.jpg


Bodywork and paint is definetely in the future but right now I'm just glad it runs and drives. Seems to run flawlessly, though I haven't driven very far with it yet. I just have to sort out a really strange taillight/brake light issue and get a cat put on (ordered one way back in December and still haven't gotten it!!!) and then it's off to the DMV to get it registered.

I've only been here a short time, and have made maybe 5 posts, but already many members have helped me, and I would like to thank them. A few that come to mind are jetjock for helping yet another confused newbie, suprahero for looking out for a member he never even met before, aaron from driftmotion for all the intercooler stuff, and everyone who sold me stuff to get my car up and running. I've honestly never been part of a forum as friendly and full of information as SupraMania and hope to be able to contribute some in the future instead of just looking up stuff and asking questions =)

[supraman7mgte]

nice engine bay,looks sweet

[suprahero]

Welcome to Supramania Mr. Penguin. You really should post a warning with those pictures. I know of at least two of us on here that suffer from rojophobia, and those pictures of your engine bay are going to put me in therapy for at least two weeks...........;)

Nice looking car. Good luck with the body work. How does a nice blue metallic sound to you?...........:evil2:

[rtrdpenguin]

I'll be sure to put up a warning next time =) I actually hate red cars, but I'm not too big a fan of blue either. I'm going to be going with a black paintjob and red accents look nice with that (and since red is such a popular color there are wire looms, hoses, etc available) so I suppose I'm on the opposing team =D

[suprahero]

I'm not too big a fan of blue either.

If I lived closer to you, I'd wash your mouth out with soap............:3d_frown:

Black cars are beautiful............:love:

[LilMissMkIII]

Wow mate, you've done a great job there! Glad to see you have the dedication! :)

I must say, I would fly over there and hit you if you went gay blue... Black is definitely the best colour for a MkIII ;)

Also, you should have posted an intro earlier... Hvaing a Supra that doesn't run, and that you haven't driven is no excuse for some people around here...

(you will get one of my infamous happy dances, if you can name one particular member that SupraHero and I like to hassle, who hasn't got a running MkIII, yet has one of the most epic build threads ever ;))

[ERA]

Great introduction thread aha.
Looks like you got a fun project on your hands.

[rtrdpenguin]

Thanks everyone, and I've seen quite a few non-running build threads but the most epic has to be buckshotglass's. Is IJ's supra running? I always see him post and he has a pretty big build thread but I still don't know if it runs or not. I gather at some point in time it did run since he seems to be quite knowledgable, but it's hard to tell without going through his mahoosive thread =)

I thought about posting an intro earlier on but wanted to be able to have something significant to put up first, and this little project doesn't really have enough substance yet to have a build thread, so I decided to put a mini-build thread in my intro =D

[LilMissMkIII]

You sir, are correct about Buckshotglass!

Happy dance for you and your Supey: :boobies: :boobies: :boobies: :boobies: :boobies: :boobies:

Nothing wrong with having a non-build build thread... I have one actually... I just post random updates there and tease everyone with no hints about what's actually going to happen in the coming months ;)

[suprahero]

Thanks dude for getting it correct. I love me some boobies. I will call and thank Dave later for his contribution in this game........lol

[joel903]

This is great! Another supra lover from sweet home NC!!!

[rtrdpenguin]

Wow another MKIII and a MKIV in NC? That's pretty rare around Charlotte. No clue where Conover is but there are only about 5 N/A beat up MKIIIs around here and one in a neighbor's yard. It's been covered with a car cover all its life but I know it's a MKIII =) Oh and a MKIV owned by some dude who doesn't know how to change spark plugs...

[Guyana00]

Welcome man, the supra looks awesome. you definitely got it right, body work is last :P I dont really like the red accent in the interior though but at least it matches with the engine bay.