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Location:
MELBOURNE
Registered:
March 2005
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 New Member - Cressida & Crown lover with Questions !!
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Thu, 24 March 2005 14:41
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Hi there,
I live in Melbourne and I'm a fulltime student here. I'm really interested in cars and these cars of the early 90s and late 80s have really fascinated me. (I became a member on this forum just a few mins back) I studied and grew up in Singapore from 1980-92 and I have seen family friends having and using Cressidas and Crowns, and I used to dream of owning one of them someday, since they were too expensive then and my dad didn't want to put so much money on a car then.
Looks like I would have an opportunity now to buy and use one !
I recently drove 2 Cressidas - a 1981 model (MX-62) which was pretty smooth (I couldn't believe the smoothness at first) and then a 1987 model (MX-73) which was far smoother !! And this 1987 car had many features which even some cars of today don't have .... what a shame.
I have not yet driven the last of the range, the MX-83 Cressida which I keep hearing and reading so much about.
I am really shocked and bewildered to know the Lexus LS 400 / Soarer / SC 400's 4 litre V8 has been fitted in a Cressida !!!
(I saw that on the website http://www.reanimotion.com/toymods/)
Well ... I am hoping to buy a 1992 Cressida Grande, but most of the examples I see for sale here in Melbourne have wear on the leather seats, steering wheel, gear selector lever etc. I would like to know how I can get these done to make them new again. Prices for these 1992 Grande models range between $6000 and $12000, though most of the models I have seen average around $8-9000 with slightly more than 110 or 120,000 kms.
I had a look at the transmissions section on the above-mentioned website - it says the Cressida uses an A340E automatic (4-speed) gearbox, while there is also an updated A350E (5-speed automatic) gearbox available. I would like to know whether this 5-speed automatic can be fitted in the Cressida with the same 3 litre inline six cylinder engine. Or, if the 5-speed automatic gearbox would not suit the 7M-GE engine, which engine would it suit, which can be fitted in the Cressida ? I am not crazy about getting the highest power output from a turbo engine etc. The standard 3-litre engine is fine and I am quite happy to have that.
Another thing is since many of the Cressidas have high kilometres on the clock, is it ok to have the engine reconditioned (say around 220,000 kms) ? There were a few cars that I found for sale around $5-6,000 but they had more than 210,000 kms on the clock. What about the gearbox ? Should I have that reconditioned too ? And for all this work, should I go to a Toyota specialist, or can I have it done at a garage nearby which is a VicRoads licenced vehicle tester and VACC authorised place ? This garage does all kinds of work - servicing, engine reconditioning, brakes, suspension, auto electrical work, airconditioning etc.
As for the 5-speed automatic gearbox installation (A350E), I would like to know where to look for it, roughly how much it would cost, which engine it would suit (if it does not suit the 7M-GE engine) and how much that engine would cost.
Please also tell me any other good places online (preferably relating to Melbourne) where I can find good 1992 Cressidas. I am interested only in 1992 models as they were the last of the generation.
Car sources outside Melbourne would also be ok, but inspecting, buying, transporting etc would become a problem. I would not mind having a look at car sources outside Melbourne though.
Another thing I'd like to ask is that if the 5-speed automatic gearbox (A350E) is installed in the Cressida with the existing or a new engine, would the existing gear indicator on the instrument panel (which shows D, N, R, 1, 2, etc) work with it ? Or would the instrument panel have to be upgraded ?
Yet another thing is that, I found the Japanese market Toyota Chaser / Cresta / Mark II models came with a totally digital dashboard ..... is it possible to get that digital dashboard fixed in a 1992 Cressida ?
Sorry for asking so many questions ..... Till now, I have not been able to find a person or place to answer all my questions .... so I hope to hear from any of you Cressida owners / experts soon in detail !
Warm regards,
Venkat
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
September 2004
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Re: New Member - Cressida & Crown lover with Questions !!
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Thu, 24 March 2005 14:57
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I can only answer a few of your questions mate, being a former MX83 owner my self.
1) Yes you can fit the digital dash if you want, It wouldn't be much of a hassle outside sourcing one. Allthough personally I'd advise against it, cause I'm not a fan of digi-dashes.
2) Check out www.carsales.com.au for Cressidas, and see what comes up.
Also, check out http://thermactor.com/forum/
It's a forum dedicated to Cressidas.
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