jason_l

Look what i found............. Sparky badges 2500 Yen, roughly £15.50 through JM imports. If you contact Jurgen @ jm imports and tell him what you want he can buy them through Yahoo auctions and ship them from Japan. He will add a little commission but im sure it won't be much. no excuses now, you have to get them...........they don't look too bad actually Jason

Now all you need to do is get hold of some 'Sparky' badges to put on your GT better than the devil ones

I don't know what you guys are talking about, That car is pure SEX!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . with a big fat ugly woman!!!!!!

I know the Yaris was sort of the replacement for the starlet/glanza but it almost seems to me like they went backwards. They never really had a sporty model. I know there is the T sport version but it never really had the power of a 4efte. Im sure you already know but make sure that you concentrate your Final Major Project on a area you want to work in. There is no point doing something that is completely different to what you want to do. At the same time however make sure you pick something that you enjoy doing. A final major is a big project and will eat up alot of your time. Another point i found is that while your at uni you have the chance to do what YOU want to do, the second you are in industry you are doing what someone else wants. I finished my modelmaking degree a few years ago and since then i have been building stuff that other people are designing. I get a little creative input which is very rare in this industry but while at uni i did some truely amazing stuff that i designed etc. I spent the six months of my Final major making a 1:6 scale custom chopper and ended up graduating with a first. I was highly motivated as it was something that interested me! Lots of work though, six months at 12+ hours a day, 7 days a week! End product was so good that even Orange County Choppers almost bought it from me! I Don't mean to hijack your thread dx/dy and i hope this helps mate. Jason

What about looking at the history of the starlet/glanza and the future if they had kept it in production? I know they stopped making them but you could look into what a starlet may look like if they where still in production. Several car company's have small little sporty hatchbacks and im sure the starlet/glanza would be a main contender if still in production.

Thanks Sam, Will keep that in mind. Sort of glad i didn't book that track day up as its turned out that its needed alot more work than i thought. Although im dying to go to Cadwell so may try my hardest to get it done in time, only problem i can see is funds stopping me!

May bring it over now and then and stick it on the end of the uksc stand, if you guys don't mind???? its not really a starlet/glanza so understand if you guys don't want it on your stand??? Will be on the ToyotaGT stand most of the time, or over visiting the Lexus Owners Club stand Jason

Won't be done by then im afraid! im rushing just to get it done for JAE mate.

Will get lots of air! Its getting mounted at the side and then im making up some large air scoops that will duct the air directly onto it! Then after IVA im going to get a HUGE intercooler that sits near the top of the frame, at head level

*** Small Update *** Went up to TGT today and had a little look at state of play on the buggy. Coming along nicely and now has the extra 12 Inch's added to the rear that will house the fuel cell, intercooler and radiator. Im going to be pretty broke for the next few months while i pay for all this extra work but will be up at TGT doing a few bits where and when i can. Here are a few pics of the extension work. I currently owe them for 3 days work and will be a couple of more days on top to get the thing back to a rolling chassis with maybe engine in TGT are on holiday for 2 weeks from 19th of this month and the car will be remaining there during as not much point moving it about. Going to spend the next few weeks doing as little here and there and reading through the 280 pages of the IVA manual what people think? Jason

Try your local Halfrauds! I know Halfrauds are crap, don't get me wrong. My local halfrauds is having a huge clearout and they have loads of filters/suspension etc going cheap. I bought a K&N 57i induction kit for a vauxhall corsa 1.2 for £15!!!!! I only need the filter part as im making a custom one for the 'Demon' and will be changed for an Apexi one later, £15 though can't go wrong for that me says!!!!! Jason

That cars so Evil that it doesn't need spokes on the wheels!

They have cut the rear subframe in half and they are adding the 12 inch's to the middle and then rewelding it together. They thought about making a new subframe from scratch but decided this way would be easier. I forgot to mention that they are going to continue with the work and i am going to pay them in installments. I can only afford £400-500 a month. They are going to get the thing up and running and keep me informed with costs. James knows he can trust me so think he is ok with this setup. Im going to be up there every second i have spare to try and keep on top of costs. There is no point getting them to do work that im capable of so im going to be doing bits where i can and then leaving them to do the specialist engineering bits and engine work. TGT are the reason im building this car with the 4EFTE, i don't trust anyone else to do the work and i have told them this plenty of times. Jason

Went up to ToyotaGT today and spoke to James. Things are going well with the buggy and its all prep'd waiting the steel i ordered last week to extend the frame. I got mixed up the other day and when i thought the frame was going to get extended by 6 inch's i was wrong, its getting extended 6 inch's either side, so its going to be 12 inch's wider!!!! going to be slightly longer than 12 inch's as well. Front's not getting extended yet as James thinks the handling will be ok, but if needed will get extended later! will still be converting the front to coilovers though Going to look well mean now! here are a few little pics i took. the rear is all ready waiting for the steel so it can get PHAT!!!!! Im going up there next weekend to work on the front brakes and a few other bits. Money's going to be tight the next few months with paying for this extra work but its so worth it!!!! Jason

I will be going to this also, guess i should go seeing as i have some free tickets will be there supporting a mate who is in the EDC, James Russell, DCY skyline Jason :harhar:

Think i will have to get some better pctures of it then cause the one you have used doesn't show much

Well its definately my money pit, Since i bought my mate out i have had several offers from friends family to buy a 50% share in the car but have turned them all down. At the end of the day i want it done right (my way ) so turned them all down. Off Topic: Im liking the use of the buggy picture for the 'members other rides' section :harhar:

LOL i will take you for a blitz in the demon at JAE if its done, widening and lengthening the car has set me back a little. Time scale is still fine but money might be tight to finish before then............... we will see

think its the same green, its this green............. Sort of 'Toxic Demon'

*** Another Update *** Can't believe this but i have just got an email from ToyotaGT. They have just informed me that they have reached the previously agreed money that i am willing to spend this month. Although this sounds bad, its not! and im over the moon! They have completely exceeded my expectations and have done what would have taken me 6 months to do in only 3 days!!!!! They have cut the rear of the frame off and removed the rear subframe, this has been cut in half and rebuilt another 6 inch's wider and painted. They have done some welding that i asked them to do at the front of the buggy and have prep'd the frame ready for the extension. They are now waiting on the steel i ordered a few days ago to continue the build and are keen to get it back to a rolling chassis within the next week or so! Im going up there on Saturday to pay what i owe so far and will take a few snaps while im there, can't wait for the weekend. Also going to talk with them about how i want the rear made up, i have a good idea that will incorporate some HUGE side intakes to vent air to the radiator/intercooler. Jason

I like the candy red but not that much :harhar: Still uncertain of final colour but thinking of something 'off the shelf' so if it gets scratched etc its easy enough to touch it up. Mazda bright green is what im thinking at the moment but this may change. On another note i have found out the weight the buggy would have been if kept the same size........ 520KG With my buggy getting extended im aiming for a final weight of 600KG. Then will be spending several years replacing parts for lighter materials. Going for about 170 BHP so works out about roughly 283 BHP per Ton! Should do i guess Jason

Great work Geo. Any chnace the 'Demon' Could be added to the list as well when its built? I can supply the weight and BHP when its built Jason :harhar:

Looking at that table has just made it hit home about the power to weight ratio of my project Everyone keeps telling me its going to be insane, and its looking more and more like it will. Jason

Well i dropped the 'Demon' off with TGT on saturday and this morning they called me back with some news. The starlet engine doesn't fit in the mini subframe by a long way! Subframe needs to be another 6 inch's wider otherwise the engine will be sitting up far to high. I have given them the go ahead to widen the rear of the buggy by 6 inch's and becasue of the extra width im lengthening the thing by 12 inch's or so. This should mean that the handling should be better also and help with space to mount the petrol tank. Also this means while i am changing this i will be shanging the suspension over to coilovers, rather than the rubbish mini rubber doughnut suspensoin. I phoned them back at 11:30 this morning to see what they needed in terms of extra steel. Much to my surprise they told me that they have already cut the subframe in half, cut the rear off the buggy and they are now waiting on the me to order the steel. I know they work pretty quick at TGT but this is crazy, they have only had the car a few days, and this is the first day back from the weekend. The car wasn't even officially booked in so i didn't think they would be doing any work until they have a chance to make some time. If they continue at this rate the car will be on the road by the end of the week Jason

Car looks great as always, love this car sooooooooo much! I know exactly what you mean with putting the 4EFTE engine in! I have sold the 998cc mini engine from my project and seeing that go was a bit weird. I have a real soft spot for the mini and now there is not many mini parts left on my project, a project that is solely based on the mini! I keep thinking 'am i doing the right thing' but every time i see that 4EFTE just sitting there i think i probably am. And the fact that this has never been done before also helps. You will really appreciate it more, at the end of the day it will be something YOU built and its not like you have just gone out and bought a 4EFTE to start with. I admire the N/A guys that do decide to go for the engine swap as it takes alot of guts but im sure it will be worth it! and the fact that you will have something even more unique. Keep up the good work and keep the updates coming Jason