angle grinder, rear strut conversion (now junkyard reviews)
- Thread starter lumbercis
- Start date
Honestly, I've never seen anything like that anywhere near DC. But if a local knows of someplace I'd love to know about it! I need all sorts of little odds and ends I could get from a regular ST18x celica. 
88gt4DE
Active member
Google searched and came up with this one ... not sure how close for you http://www.crazyraysautoparts.com/ Willie or Eric may know some places too , being they are from down that way .... 8)
So I just got back from Crazy Rays in Jessup. Unfortunately, not as many celicas as I had hoped, but I was able to score the parts I was looking for so I'll call it a win!
I only ran across a few celicas. A black 5th gen GTS (pics below) where I scored the front struts and a working master cylinder reservoir cap with working sensor (you wouldn't believe how much this is from Toyota. Major score! Plus I no longer have my brake dash light on. :smokes: ). The cap was like a dollar and the struts were $17.50 each.
It's also got two pretty good quarter panels that I'd love to cut out as patch pieces, but since there's no electrical power out there, I don't know how I'd get them off. Think I could do it with a hack saw without wanting to die? :doh:
Anyway, there was also a pretty stripped ST162 (one photo below), a 5th gen GT and a 6th gen (sorry didn't get photos of those as time was running out)
On the bright side, if you were just looking for donor struts, there were several Camrys and ES300s that still had the struts.
As far as random other sporty cars, they had an unusually high number of Porsche 944s. And also a weirdly high number of Z31 300zx's. Almost made me want to build one since it think I could assemble an entire running car out of what they had in that junkyard. Several integras, 2 or 3 240sxs, a dodge steath and a mitsu 3000gt, and an eclipse or two.
Surprisingly, I noticed a few cars that still had aftermarket/dealer option wheels on them. But usually not a whole set as there was always one or two that were damaged.
The best set was some enkei's I saw on a Mazda mx-6 (pictured below). They would need to be refurbished but all 4 were there and the worst one had some gouges but still appeared to be round (last pic below). Not 100% sure of bolt pattern but they look to be dual so there is a good chance it will fit 5x100. I saw a couple other instances where I thought the wheels might be 5x100s based on the car they were on but there were only like two undamaged ones. Saw that also for some non-5x100 wheels.
I'll probably check out the Mt.Airy location soon (maybe next weekend) and see if they have a better selection of celicas and report back. Let me know if there's any minor stuff I can pick up for you or if you want major stuff PM me and I'll meet you.
The only bad thing about this place is that the cars are packed so tightly together in some places you can barely walk between them. Also, there's car parts strewn everywhere. VERY dangerous. Be sure you wear some decent boots and watch where you are walking.
But all in all, thumbs up for Crazy Rays! :smokes:
I only ran across a few celicas. A black 5th gen GTS (pics below) where I scored the front struts and a working master cylinder reservoir cap with working sensor (you wouldn't believe how much this is from Toyota. Major score! Plus I no longer have my brake dash light on. :smokes: ). The cap was like a dollar and the struts were $17.50 each.
It's also got two pretty good quarter panels that I'd love to cut out as patch pieces, but since there's no electrical power out there, I don't know how I'd get them off. Think I could do it with a hack saw without wanting to die? :doh:
Anyway, there was also a pretty stripped ST162 (one photo below), a 5th gen GT and a 6th gen (sorry didn't get photos of those as time was running out)
On the bright side, if you were just looking for donor struts, there were several Camrys and ES300s that still had the struts.
As far as random other sporty cars, they had an unusually high number of Porsche 944s. And also a weirdly high number of Z31 300zx's. Almost made me want to build one since it think I could assemble an entire running car out of what they had in that junkyard. Several integras, 2 or 3 240sxs, a dodge steath and a mitsu 3000gt, and an eclipse or two.
Surprisingly, I noticed a few cars that still had aftermarket/dealer option wheels on them. But usually not a whole set as there was always one or two that were damaged.
The best set was some enkei's I saw on a Mazda mx-6 (pictured below). They would need to be refurbished but all 4 were there and the worst one had some gouges but still appeared to be round (last pic below). Not 100% sure of bolt pattern but they look to be dual so there is a good chance it will fit 5x100. I saw a couple other instances where I thought the wheels might be 5x100s based on the car they were on but there were only like two undamaged ones. Saw that also for some non-5x100 wheels.
I'll probably check out the Mt.Airy location soon (maybe next weekend) and see if they have a better selection of celicas and report back. Let me know if there's any minor stuff I can pick up for you or if you want major stuff PM me and I'll meet you.
The only bad thing about this place is that the cars are packed so tightly together in some places you can barely walk between them. Also, there's car parts strewn everywhere. VERY dangerous. Be sure you wear some decent boots and watch where you are walking.
But all in all, thumbs up for Crazy Rays! :smokes:
seriously, is there any good way to cut body panels without access to electrical power?
They do make cordless angle grinders but from the reviews I read they have a very short battery life. Is there a hand tool appropriate to cutting body panels or do you just use a plain old hacksaw?
I really want those panels!!!
J.
They do make cordless angle grinders but from the reviews I read they have a very short battery life. Is there a hand tool appropriate to cutting body panels or do you just use a plain old hacksaw?
I really want those panels!!!
J.
Called the junkyard and asked (don't know why I didn't think of that before :crazy: ) and they said they only allow cordless reciprocating sawzalls (no angle grinders due to sparks). They won't cut panels for you and they don't have portable power, so I guess I need to get a cordless sawzall unless anyone has one they can loan me.
I hope those things cut panels like butter since all the reviews I've read say the batteries don't last more than 10 minutes at a time...
J.
I hope those things cut panels like butter since all the reviews I've read say the batteries don't last more than 10 minutes at a time...
J.
BoostedBlueToyotas
New member
Maybe rent a small generator to take with you ???
Bought one of these (it was cheaper when I got it) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001LQLDS
Worked like a champ. Cut through both rear quarters, even through some of the thick hatch floorpan, without much sign of losing power.
I'm looking forward to trying out the Impact driver next!
J.
Worked like a champ. Cut through both rear quarters, even through some of the thick hatch floorpan, without much sign of losing power.
I'm looking forward to trying out the Impact driver next!
J.
Avi,
YGPM!
Still looking for a space and some help doing the rear strut conversion. I have all the pieces now... new struts and springs and donor struts...
If I can't get this done in the next week I'll probably just install the replacement struts in the front and leave the stock struts in the rear with the new springs until I can get the conversion done.
J.
YGPM!
Still looking for a space and some help doing the rear strut conversion. I have all the pieces now... new struts and springs and donor struts...
If I can't get this done in the next week I'll probably just install the replacement struts in the front and leave the stock struts in the rear with the new springs until I can get the conversion done.
J.