Bought it for $700, 97000km, Manual and third owner.
So currently on jack stands due to a wheel bearing issue as it had a really bad thudding noise on the passenger side as I drove it. I first thought it was CVs and after changing both of them, the noise didn’t go away. I did check the wheel bearing play before changing CVs and they never moved, but after taking of the axel nut on the passenger side there was a large amount of play + after putting the car on jack stands and putting it in multiple gears, the noise was more apparent. So right now waiting on wheel bearings to come in the mail next week
Future Plans for this car:
Change Timing Belt and water pump
Lowering car
Full Detail
Watanabe Wheels
Gino Kit (Already have it from previous L700)
Wheel Flares??
Respray in colour yet to be determined
ENGINE SWAP + TURBO???
The Engine swap/turbo will be a long term goal and currently researching options but will defiantly not turbo the current engine as I believe that I would not be able to push the engine to where I want it to be in relation to this car as I want this car to be something I want to be proud of and surprising.
The ‘possible’ end goal:
150-200kw
Turbo
Haltech Elite
E85
12 Second pass at the drags?
Will everything go to plan? Probs not.
But my philosophy for this car mirror’s Moog’s Mini, chasing big power for experience but maintaing the spirit of this car. A Small car you can have fun in and I’m open to putting an engine that isn’t from daihatsu
kw or hp? Perhaps from a K3-VE but even that will be an expensive proposition. If from a EJ-DE well I’d like to hear all about that! “Open to…engine…n’t…Dai…” then we might see some something like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJB8rP_bwrs
So update… found the noise… and it was very simple.
There where several flat spots on the rear tyres, both of them and that explained why after doing so much on the suspension it never changed.
Goes to show that it could be the simplest thing.
I was so fixated on the front end, I didn’t check the rear. Oh well, New-ish CVs, brand new bearings and I learned how to pull apart a front suspension.
big thank you to @applegeek897 for lending me his wheels to diagnose this issue.
only drama you might have is getting it modplated if you go to a different motor, 150-200kw is fairly achievable with a turboed K3-VE2 but will need better internals. as to the starlet, like most cars you don’t get max power til high up in the rev range probably wouldn’t be much better than standard til the boost builds up
Got a pair of brand new toyo tyres to replace those flat spot tyres making that bang bang bang noise. So glad to finally drive the car!
Next noise: Pinging.
So I didn’t know you shouldn’t use 91 Unleaded on Daihatsus. I’ve used 91 before with no issues but then it started pinging really loud. After asking the brain trust (Facebook), I’ve chucked in some octane booster for this tank and did an oil change with flush for good measure. The pinging is minisucle now, will probs go away with the next tank with 98.
So I’ve let the rego run out in october 2017 and surrendered the plates, finishing up my nursing degree and being in hospital for a week plus my placements really left me strapped for cash.
Talked with my wife, considering that we love the car so much, seeing that it’s not a practical car to have with a baby and the fact that my new H6 Liberty is able to tow a car that weighs as much as a Daihatsu… It will be our dedicated race car!
I was able to do the gino conversion and atm its sitting in my parking spot in my apartment.
My first aim is to get it on a track and run it through its paces. Need a baseline time and ‘vitals’ check so I can make a plan on modifications.
Turbocharging the stock ejde is on the mind but this will be a budget racecar. Just want to have as much fun in it as possible without breaking the bank
If anyone has any advice towards modifications and racing, don’t hesitate to add
Jono is onto version 2 of his ejde. Pics on some Dai Facebook groups Have not seen it in person. His work is a level beyond most of use when it comes to plumbing and welding fab.
probably wouldn’t be much better than standard til the boost builds up
