So, I was given this. 1979 Celica, 20R motor, Tokico shocks, TRD springs, tranny, and header, MSD ignition, dual Mikuni carbs, K&N filters, Gutted completely, Full roll cage, Auto-Meter Oil temp, pressure, coolant temp, and voltage gauges, each tilted so that normal operating temp, the needle is facing directly up on all of them, an oil pressure warning light, unknown make of racing seat and 5 point harness, and a smaller steering wheel with a quick release hub. Battery was moved to the trunk, and the pcv has been removed. It was parked for 6 years. Ran, but did not move. I replaced the clutch master and slave cylinders, and she moved. Ran as great as it could on 3/4 tank of gas that had also, sat for 6 years. He put fuel stabilizer in before parking it, but I don't know how much that actually did. All the sudden around 3200 rpm's in 2-5th gears, it cuts out, and sorta jerks as if I were hitting the gas and pulling off completely, rapidly. I looked and realized that the vacuum advance line had a leak, so I replaced the line, but it didn't fix it. I figured maybe a fuel problem. I painfully ran the tank empty, put a bottle of carb cleaner in the tank and filled it half way with 93. Ran it for a few miles, nothing. I today replaced the inline fuel filter, and the external fuel pump, and while they were disconnected I blew the lines out with air. I cleaned all the grounds that I'm aware of, by grinding the contact points of the chassis to bare metal with an angle grinder, replaced the bolts with new ones, and cut all the grounds and put new connecting ends on them, just to ensure a ground issue anywhere isn't my problem. There is a summit fuel pressure gauge inline between the dual carbs, that is reading 1 out of 15, which I verified with the original owner who built the car, that it should be reading 1. I'm at this point, clueless as what else it could be. My next step will probably be to clean the carbs out, I'm just not positive which direction exactly to go in being that this is my first real experience with carbs. I've been talking to a guy at work a little about what I could do with the car. Originally, it was built with intentions of putting a 350 in it, and raced. It handles better than anything I've ever driven, literally turns on a dime, and with the cage and suspension work, there is almost zero body roll. It just needed the power, which has been done before. He's built multiple carbed 350's, he still has 3 on stands, one of which we intend to drop in mated to a Powerglide 2-speed automatic transmission. He's done a lot of custom mounts to swap motors, so he's going to help me test fit, and fabricate the brackets. But even this has him unsure. I guess I'll see how it runs with the new plugs and wires, and go from there. Like I said, this is my first time with carbs, so any input is valued.
My plan aside from the motor, it's scheduled to get body work in December by the guy who stripped my civic wheels, who does flawless metal work, and then re painted. I'm unsure whether to go with the oem red that it is now, or a candy red. Realistically I'd like to have the interior done as well, but that would happen when I figure out how to get the dash out around the cage, if it's even possible in which case I would leave the interior as it is.