Restomod Racing

I stand corrected.  I had mentioned earlier that the ABS Actuator was not releasing on the 89 Supra.  I stated

that there was a recall on the Supra’s because of the brake problem.  As it turns out, the recall is for a later model Supra.  This means no discount!  The 89 Supra’s front passenger (front right) brake will not release.  In order to release the pressure,  I had to open the brake line and let out some of the fluid.  Well, Shane kept driving it until there was no brake pad and hardly any rotor left.  So we decided to by pass the ABS Actuator  and go to a non abs setup.  We left everything intact so that we could easily bolt everything back.  I fabricated some brake lines and bent them in such a way that everything lined up with the stock ABS Actuator input and output.

I used (3) 3/16″ inch metal brake lines.  Two measured 8″ and one was 12″.  We used (2) 3/16″ Tees and (3) 3/16″ couplings.  In order to get the 3/16″ Tees and couplings to work with the metric lines, we tapped them with a 10mm x 1.0 tap.

It would be advisable and much easier to use a metric line, coupling and Tees, but we couldn’t find them locally and Shane wanted to drive his car now.

Shane said he really likes how the brakes feel now.  It is much better than the ABS and he said he feels like the brakes respond to him.  It is obvious that ABS is a better way to go but he could not afford the $1800.00 price tag for a new ABS Actuator from Toyota or $800.00 for a rebuilt unit from a local parts store.  The main thing is we set it up so we can easily go back to ABS when he can afford to replace the ABS Actuator.

I have been fighting an uphill battle with the Autometer NV series tach that I installed in Project 351C.

Apparently some of the MSD “Ready to Run” distributors have issues with erratic behavior with tachs. I was sent a kit from MSD with 3 different items in it that was specifically designed to correct the erratic behavior of the Ready to Run distributor.  It came with a diode, transistor and a capacitor.  Unfortuantely none of the items worked.  The transistor helped a little.  I am now waiting for a kit from Autometer.  Hopefully that will do the trick and fix the tach problem.

I had run into a number of glitches on omy way to completing the engine.  First I realized that I had received

the wrong size connecting rod bearings, I need a .010″ undersize but received a standard size.  Then I found that the connecting rods were mounted backwards on the piston.  These pistons only install one way, so the rods must be installed accordingly.  Once I got those things fixed the rebuild progress smoothly.

Once the short block was assembled I installed it into the car.  I chose to install it as a short block rather than a completed engine because it is easier to line up the trans, install the trans bolts etc.  I was also able to remove and install the short block without removing the hood.  This is important when you are single handedly doing the rebuild.