2002 Celica Modification (Grill Block)

[Sam Powell]

How are the screens fastened in? I would be inclined to remove those and use them as templates for sheet material of some kind, and then put the solid pieces back in with the the same mounting system used for the screen. I would fill the upper one and the two side ones completely, and then block of the sides of the lower center one.

I use a hand held jig saw to cut panels for my fabrications. If you are using aluminum, then put a hack saw blade in. If using plastic use a very course cut blade.

Good luck on this project. I love that model Celica. It is unabashedly Japanese, and does not try to be German or American. For this reason I think it is a true expression of the designers artistic nature. At least in the East Coast it does not get the attention I think it deserves.

Sam

[aardvarcus]

Thanks Aerohead, all that is left now is to find some spare time to actually build it. (Too many projects....)

Originally Posted by Sam Powell

How are the screens fastened in? I would be inclined to remove those and use them as templates for sheet material of some kind, and then put the solid pieces back in with the the same mounting system used for the screen. I would fill the upper one and the two side ones completely, and then block of the sides of the lower center one.

I use a hand held jig saw to cut panels for my fabrications. If you are using aluminum, then put a hack saw blade in. If using plastic use a very course cut blade.

Good luck on this project. I love that model Celica. It is unabashedly Japanese, and does not try to be German or American. For this reason I think it is a true expression of the designers artistic nature. At least in the East Coast it does not get the attention I think it deserves.

Sam

Thanks for your ideas, I actually did that. I had clear lexan plastic hidden behind the top and side screens, with only the bottom middle screen actually open. It worked good, but I didn't get enough air flow from the main screen, thus version two.

[aardvarcus]

Ok, it’s been way too long since I updated this thread. I have made some progress on my car, highlights as follows.

Note I already mentioned this in this thread, but the pictures show my 10% oversized tires I removed and the 4% tires I previously installed. This made the lowering and reinstallation of the wheel well liners possible.

Did a legal factory HID swap (housing and all from a wrecked car) on my headlights, building a new relay harness myself, utilizing all factory style connectors.

Removed a malfunctioning aftermarket alarm system and fixed the remainder of the electrical issues I inherited from the previous owner.

Completely rebuilt the suspension, new shocks, struts, sway bars, end links, bushings, etcetera.

Installed new springs, lowering approximately 1” all around.

Removed all suspension parts and sub frames, removed rust, primed, and painted.

Reassembled, replacing all rusty or worn bolts. Had the car aligned after all this work was done.

Built and installed the forced air intake I had previously posted out of coroplast.

Built and installed new coroplast grill blocks to go behind my aluminum grill screens. Painted these flat black. Note- everywhere you see the aluminum grill mesh is a 100% block, car intakes its air from the 2.5” gap at the bottom of the center grill opening.

Replaced my factory plastic wheel well liners.

Reinstalled my front aluminum belly pan covering the area before the radiator.

So after doing all of this work, the car gets better MPG than it has before, considering the temperature outside. I have set some personal bests, including a 43.4 MPG trip home yesterday with the temperature in the 60s.

The fuel log is not quite that good, as most of my trips are far less than ideal, but even so getting 38 MPG consistently lets me know my goal of 40+ consistently isn’t too far off.

[Sam Powell]

The car looks beautiful. Job well done. I know how much work that represents! I have always liked that model.

Sam

[gilsont]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I was wondering if there are any new updates?