MajorSloMo

iTrader: (1)

Ok so I posted my introductory stuff in the noob section already so this is basically to track the progress of my car. So, what I have is a 1992 SC300 auto with 157k on the clock. I'm the third owner of the car, and likely the owner that loves it the most. There wasn't much maintenance done on the car short of oil changes. It has a few tiny dents in it that I have to get fixed and a few scrapes and scratches. The car's been re-sprayed before, but God only knows that story. Anyway, I scored the car for $1,200, and with registration and parts I've got another $1,800 into it and I'm not even remotely close to being done. Cool bit of history though, I'm told the original owner of this car was Robert Kraft. If any of you guys are football fans (US football), Robert Kraft owns the New England Patriots, and the Revolution, the soccer team. Another cool bit of history but the second owner handed me a Lexus SC brochure from 92 that he likely got from Robert Kraft! It means nothing really, but it was cool to me.

So when I picked the car up it had a number of lights out, but everything worked, seats, heater controls, radio (but the antenna was seized), sunroof all that jazz. The needles were what they were, and a few bulbs in the cluster and shifter housing. Livable fairly inexpensive fix.

The car wasn't (and still isn't) without its problems. I bought it with a valve cover leak. A really bad valve cover leak. It smoked out of the engine bay like it was nobody's business. No big thang! I figure how hard could it be? Damn hard for the first time ever being done. I figured while I was in there I might as well do the timing belt, water pump, and hydraulic tensioner. They should have been replaced twice over and the tensioner was shot. The belt , however, looked brand new! Stuff it, replaced it anyway. I also replaced the radiator which had a huge hole in it. In all honesty, I have no idea how the car was even running. The radiator was blown out, the valve cover gasket was completely destroyed, the timing belt was stock as was everything else on the car. Completely dumbfounded.

So whats been done so far? Spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor, valve cover gaskets, radiator, HPS radiator hoses, 6K HID low beams,Top Speed Pro1 axle-back exhaust, K&N air filter, various lights and several car washes and waxes.

I fell in love with the SC before I even knew that Takahiro Ueno's car was a Toyota Soarer. At the time I thought they were the same, and I loved his cars. i originally came from years of driving a Subaru Impreza that i built. I also had a MkIII Supra turbo and a 240sx.

My plans for this car are simple. A Vertex kit, likely not widebody, a nice set of 18" wheels, some tint, fresh paint a solid over all nice looking car. I'm not looking to really make it fast, or faster than it is. I had my fill of fast cars when I worked for Aston Martin/Jaguar of Tampa. Anyway here's some pics. Let the flaming begin! kidding.

I'll start with the bad first.



I don't know how it kept the car cool. I really don't.





Its only oil, totally fine right?









Eevery time I look at my headlights and my passenger side tail light, I think "KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!"





















First official gas up. I don't think I slept that night after I brought her home. I would have slept in the car if I could.





Thats all for now.

MajorSloMo

iTrader: (1)

Also forgot this tid bit. Happened at work. I parked pretty far away from everyone in the morning, only to find that my car had friends. One particular friend was a close talker.

Tabaka

iTrader: (8)

You'll find that cars parking close to the SC is a big problem with our large doors lol. Congrats on the new vehicle. It looks like you've already picked up a set of axle back mufflers.

1JZPWRD

iTrader: (59)

Nice pick up. I think you did ok on the price too. The things you mentioned are very minor and easy to fix. It still amazes me that so many people go from MKIII and 240's to our club, the famous SC.

Welcome to the club.

MajorSloMo

iTrader: (1)

You aren't kidding. Now I park three parking lots away and I walk!! The exhaust is a Top Speed Pro1 axle back. Its not too loud and not too quiet. I was going to get a header and mid pipe for it, but its a good thing I didn't. I spent some time today researching the OBX ebay one and everyone said don't do it, and I also looked at the MVP one and there were issues of the o2 sensor on that one as well. Then there were the NA-T it. If I were going to go turbo on this car I would just do a swap and be done with it. Anyway, thanks for the positive feedback

MajorSloMo

iTrader: (1)

To be honest, I wasn't really looking for the MKIII it literally fell into my lap. I wanted an SC before the 240SX , but they were way outside my range. I picked up my 240SX for around 500 and it was a nightmare and I'll never go Nissan again. The Supra was literally given to me. It was my friend's car and he ended up buying a truck. The car sat for a while and then I towed it away to where I was living at the time and got it going again. It was a good car but the Impreza was far more reliable.

FAT HEAD

iTrader: (1)

Nice car and welcome to the forum. You definitely did well on the price. My valve covers were leaking when I got mine too... Kind of a headache.

MajorSloMo

iTrader: (1)

Thanks! The valve cover gaskets were a complete nightmare, but at least its not smoking now. It was leaking so much that there was a steady bead of oil coming down the lower radiator hose and pretty much just washing everything under the car in oil. I thought maybe that the oil pan had a leak as well, but it turns out, after some research on here that that never happens. The car is still leaking though. The rear diff cover is black, and dripping. I've searched and searched on here and I can't seem to find anything close to my issue and I don't know how to go about fixing it.

I won't have access to the shop this weekend, so I think I'll reseal my headlights and hopefully I'll have another success. I'll be following O.L.T's instructions based on the thread he put up a while back.

CatManD3W

iTrader: (18)

Are those the mufflers that are a replica of the Tanabe mufflers....i.e are they ebay mufflers....if so how do you like them....I considered em for $250....

MajorSloMo

iTrader: (1)

I like them a lot actually. I shot a little video tonight after work but its kind of crap quality, but if you have head phones or ear buds or something it may be ok.



Hopefully those links work. Again nothing fancy.

MajorSloMo

iTrader: (1)

And in other news! I'm still battling oil issues. I was down a quart since I did the valve cover gaskets. I don't see any other indication that its leaking since there's no drips or drops. The oil pan however has oil on it, but i think that was from it leaking down from the valve covers because, again, its not dripping. I could just be paranoid since it smells like oil burn off.

Anyway, this weekend's plan is to reseal the headlights and possibly buy a new battery.

MajorSloMo

iTrader: (1)

Two short questions for anyone who knows and anyone who's been tuning in on this, but do any of you guys know if I'd be better off with Supra springs on my car? I know the struts will lower the car quite a bit but I was just curious what the springs will do. Then again when I searched it seemed like Tanabe was the way to go. Next question is the battery. I searched a but and it seems like an Optima Red Top isn't the way to go since they don't hold their charge very long. I have three places local to me to pick up a battery but it seems like they're all low cold cranking amps and I was under the impression that our cars require something like 800. Can anyone elaborate?

MajorSloMo

iTrader: (1)

Ok, so I picked up some extra sandpaper, 1500 and 2000 grit, some extra pads for my orbital and the 100% black silicone for tomorrow's project. Can't wait to get those lights squared away

MajorSloMo

iTrader: (1)

Well it looks like I'm not doing my headlights at all this weekend. Its going to be a deluge until sometime Tuesday. Just my luck. I can't seem to win with this car at all. Someone keyed it the other day too. And to really kick me in the nuts . . .

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/per...ml#post8117530

SMDH

lilSCsteve

iTrader: (71)

Welcome to CL, great pick up...take your time with your build bro. There's a lot of knowledge here-keep us posted.