2000 Celica GTS

Well, I have a chance to buy a Celica GTS for $600 - broken timing chain, 100k miles. It seems like a "no-brainer" at first blush. Anything to be careful of? Interior is dirty, body seems good.

Thoughts? This could scratch that more "fun than a TDI but still efficient commuter" itch.

Source a new engine first. The GTS is a desirable little motor but low mileage examples could be rare and a little pricey.
Of course, maybe it does not need a engine. Is this an interference type engine?

I would imagine it would be more fun than a TDI. I was considering a 2000 GT since one of those won GS at SCCA nationals this year and I fugured it would be the cheapest nationally competitive decent daily driver. I would imagine a GTS would be more fun to drive.

Interference motor.

I'd be wondering what made the timing chain snap. I'm guessing a money shift.

Start pricing a new motor.

But yes, they're tons of fun!

For $600, i'd buy it pretty much no matter what as long as the body was even remotely decent.

+1 on Celica's comment. We can give you a few good companies that have JDM options to make it even more fun.

i like that engine

The engine is an underrated little monster. Wakes up HARD with a couple bolt ons.

Also holds boost pretty well.

Yeah, I was sad when Toyota dropped the ZZ motors in favor of the 2.4L tC engine. I'd much rather have the 2ZZ.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The engine is an underrated little monster. Wakes up HARD with a couple bolt ons. Also holds boost pretty well.

...If it still has the throttle cable. Later models were drive-by-wire and require conversion to the older throttle cable setup, so I've heard. A friend of mine had one years ago.

Sky_Render wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The engine is an underrated little monster. Wakes up HARD with a couple bolt ons. Also holds boost pretty well.

...If it still has the throttle cable. Later models were drive-by-wire and require conversion to the older throttle cable setup, so I've heard. A friend of mine had one years ago.

2000-2002 should all have cables, and i think some if not all the 2003s.

The 04-05 is drive by wire. I don't think the conversion is anything real hard.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The engine is an underrated little monster. Wakes up HARD with a couple bolt ons. Also holds boost pretty well.

Its been my experience that most 2.0 engines ranging from the 80's to current are underrated, woken with power adders, and capable of talking much torture such as high boost, being 4 or 6 cylinders. (Thats why all my cars are 2L.) Big ole' run-on sentence for ya's.

N Sperlo wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The engine is an underrated little monster. Wakes up HARD with a couple bolt ons. Also holds boost pretty well.

Its been my experience that most 2.0 engines ranging from the 80's to current are underrated, woken with power adders, and capable of talking much torture such as high boost, being 4 or 6 cylinders. (Thats why all my cars are 2L.) Big ole' run-on sentence for ya's.

Weird.... because this is a 1.8.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

N Sperlo wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The engine is an underrated little monster. Wakes up HARD with a couple bolt ons. Also holds boost pretty well.

Its been my experience that most 2.0 engines ranging from the 80's to current are underrated, woken with power adders, and capable of talking much torture such as high boost, being 4 or 6 cylinders. (Thats why all my cars are 2L.) Big ole' run-on sentence for ya's.

Weird.... because this is a 1.8.

ZING!

lol.
You should do what my friend Dustin did during high school: tacoma v6 swap with st185 or st205 (don't remember which) awd trans. nasssssty car. this was in a earlly 00's gt

I was looking around the engine bay of one of these just yesterday and it wasnt making me particularly happy (not recoiling from it either), so id be interested to see what it looks like with a v6 in it..

Cool cars if you're into that wrong wheel drive stuff, and can get past the boy racer look. I had a friend who worked at the dealer when those were new, they seemed to come regularly with money shift problems. Toyota would pay to fix them under warranty too, lol.

Vigo wrote: I was looking around the engine bay of one of these just yesterday and it wasnt making me particularly happy (not recoiling from it either), so id be interested to see what it looks like with a v6 in it..

Hang on i'm working on it.

I've seen a couple of these, actually.

[edit]

And of course, i can't find any of them now. I KNOW there's a 2gr 00-05 Celica running around.

I dont really think the celica has a boy-racer look (you mean a low-end sporty car that young people could afford?) unless you're talking about the old ACTION PACKAGE.

IM USING ALL CAPS BECAUSE IM YELLING, JUST LIKE THE ACTION PACKAGE DOES!!!!

I like the Action Package... save for the side skirts.

The Action Package front bumper is pretty awesome.

The side skirts are hideous.

I would ditch the MX6 for a nice 00-01 GTS in a heartbeat and laugh the entire time.

Every time i've driven one i've been left with a deep longing.

I have an 02' GT-S. If you're looking for a Celica go GT-S not GT. Also, if you're looking for a GT-S/Transmission, go 2003+.

EdenPrime wrote: I have an 02' GT-S. If you're looking for a Celica go GT-S not GT. Also, if you're looking for a GT-S/Transmission, go 2003+.

'02+

thirded and fourthed for going for a gts instead of a gt.
they are totally different animals, and that 2zz is pretty serious business.
the 1zz WILL hold some boost though. friend with a corolla s 1zz ran 14psi for a year straight on an entirely stock engine with absolutely no problems. made close to 250 to the wheels also. that said, the 2zz would still eat it alive with barely any boost at all. one of the best yota engines ever made, imo.

and this thread makes me want a Vibe

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

Vigo wrote: I was looking around the engine bay of one of these just yesterday and it wasnt making me particularly happy (not recoiling from it either), so id be interested to see what it looks like with a v6 in it..

Hang on i'm working on it. I've seen a couple of these, actually. [edit] And of course, i can't find any of them now. I KNOW there's a 2gr 00-05 Celica running around.

Here is one not seen too often... rwd, powered by a Loynings 4AGE

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The engine is an underrated little monster. Wakes up HARD with a couple bolt ons. Also holds boost pretty well.

I remember riding in a friends years ago.

I was astonished how that little car moved......sounded good too.

oldeskewltoy wrote:

OK, threadjack... What is the purpose of that tube that seems to carry hot air from above the headers into the cockpit in front of the driver? I usually prefer cool air in my cabin...