BodyKit or performance?

[91celicaFB]

Hey, i have a 90 celica gt with intake and custom exhaust. I think im giving up on performance because of the lack of parts. So do yall think i should spend 1500 on looks... ex bodykit and stuff? or find parts for performance?
If anyone knows any sites for performance parts for the 5th gens. (5sfe) Please let me know.
Thanks for the help in this frustrating struggle to do sumthin with my celica.

[Celica Kid]

the only way you would get performance out of the celica would be to turbo it they make kits available for them they are exspensive and you dont get much out of it...but its much easier to make them look and sound nice with around 1500 if you are willing to spend it.

[91 Celica St]

all depends on what you really want to do.... are you going to end up doing performance either way, but not right now becuase of lack offunds or are you just planning on [putting in 1500 and your done? either way id go for looks and later on do performance...rims and body kits are nice

[R K e 1 C A]

http://www.kingstonduo.com/turbo/

[00 Blk Celica GT-S]

body kits and rims, then do turbo, since you got it sounding nice, make it look nice too

[91celicaFB]

Hey,,, Thanks for the suggestions. Well, first off i have 1500 for right now. I will spend more as tiime goes on. I was wondering and researching the possibilities of huge HP gains, I hear that the 1990 gt automatic tranny is rated at 130 HP. So does this mean any more from Nitrous or turbo would mess it up?
Performance-wise should i get a turbo kit or a swap with a all-trac turbo engine? the compression of a 3s is made for turbo. My 5sfe isnt?
What to do performance-wise..? How far could i go if i did?
thanks

[~~SnYpE~~]

um from what i hear you can turbo it... but it was made as a economy car... i think if u turbo it with 5-psi you will gain like 45 h/p and i think the kits adjustable to 7psi... so im guessin 55 - 65 h/p if u choose that route ... but u will probably have to replace your headgasket....

[91 Celica St]

thetres kits for the 5sfe for like mr2's and celicas, actually not much in big HP gains can be accomplished with 1500, mabe a low grade turbo kit but if you get one find the best one possible off the bat, dont buy one then sell it then buy another, i actaully dont thing its worht the 5K or so to do the swap but most people think it is, id just stay with ur 5sfe because ur not lookin to put like $20k into this are you?

[Celica Kid]

if you want big and great hp then of course you are going to have to swap your engine for a 3sge engine or the 3sgte. you can buy front clips for these engines with all the parts you need for about 3000. you will prolly end up getting a frist gen. usdm with 200 hp and if you dont do it youself you are looking at least another 1500 for mechanic help. if you want under 200 hp then just turbo charge it your self at low psi and you will be fine if you are brave you can buy all the parts to turbo charge it yourself and get a custom manifold and spend about 1500-2000 or you can buy an already made kit for 2500 or up depending on which one you get.

[91 Celica St]

Equipment: Engine, LHD wiring harness (extremely rare...RHD Celicas have the wiring enter on the other side of the firewall) and ECU
approximate cost: $2000.00US

Labor: Expect around 20 hours minimum for the mechanical part of the swap. 20 hours at an hourly rate of say $50.00/hour...
approximate cost: $1000

Custom parts/equipment: stock exhaust wont bolt up to the 3S engine, so you will need a custom exhaust which accomadates the new engine ($500-1000). You will need a clutch which can handle the extra power. 3SGTE plate with a 5SFE disc ($500).
approximate cost: $1000-1500

Transmission/Motor mounts: simplifying for this estimate we will assume for now that the transmission used is from a 5S-FE (no cost). The engine mounts to the same mounts as the 5SFE...so again assuming no cost. Not of course that using a V6 Camry or MR2 tranny opens up a whole new set of costs.
approximate cost: $0-up

Misc. Parts:You're going to need to get a hold of a Celica 4wd Turbo sensor pack (If it didn't come with the motor). Turbo Pressure sensor, AFM, fuel pump resistor packs, ick, more sensors than I can possibly name. This is where things get sticky, you're going to need to source a LOT of spare parts, and depending on where you get them from I think a reasonable margin for error, and price in maybe $500 of electrical parts? Including wiring, connectors, sensors, ect. ect. ect.. You will also want to replace the water pump and timing belt (est. $150 with labor?)while the engine is out of the car.
approximately: $650

Thus we come to a grand total of $4650.00.

Note that this isnt taking in to account any problems, tax, broken parts, installer incompetance, intercooler placement or anything that might pop up. Nor does it take into account upgrades that you may wish to do if you plan to later modify the 3S-GTE. You may also expect to pay a bit extra to insure register and drive your car after the swap.

[91 Celica St]

intercooler wont work if you dont have the gt4/all trac hood....withc can be another $500

[Celica Kid]

which brings me to my point, if you are going to swap by the entire front clip of an altrac and you will be pretty much set. the only thing you would have to do would be exhaust...which isnt really that much..maybe 500 if you get a bad deal on custom piping.

[91 Celica St]

witch brings me to my point, id wouldnt advise the swap, he has 1500...not $5000... plus his auto tranny wont work the the all-trac, witch would cost him at least anothe $500 just for a new tranny and then to convert his car to manual is about anotehr 1k.... so all total hes gunna spend about $7500 on this project witch i dont think he has, do you?

[Celica Kid]

he can get a swap with a transmission so he would spend about 3500 at the most and he had mentioned the thought about doing it in his post so i was just given him a little info. if he does it right it wont cost near 5000 and he will have a better base engine to get more power out of.

[91 Celica St]

how do u figure it wouldnt cost him $5k...... 35000 yeah itll cost 3500 if you do all the work and dont have any complications and no the all trac tranny dosent work on a normal celica the transmission is for an all wheel drive he needs coemthign like a camry V6 tranny, he can use a new 5sfe one but he'll only get like 5 years at most outta it because it cant handle the power