93 Tercel DX

You should be able to have the valve guide seals replaced for under $1,000, if that is the cause of the smoking. If you are going to have it done, do it sooner rather than later so that the catalyst is not contaminated.

You will not get acceptable results with cans of spray paint.

You will need a decent air compressor with a capacity of at least 90 cubic feet per minute (CFM) at 90 pounds per square inch (PSI) pressure. This capacity should be sufficient to operate pneumatic sanders. Invest in a dual action (DA) sander. Figure somewhere between $200 and $800 for a compressor, hose, and fittings.

You will also need at least a water separator/filter, preferably an air drier to condition the air coming out of the compressor. The water separator/filter can be had for around $50, a drier is going to be over $400.

You will also need a pneumatic paint gun.

When buying paint, go to an auto body supply shop and let them know that the paint will be air-dried (as opposed to baked)

When prepping the bodywork, keep in mind that every imperfection in the surface will show up after painting. The DA sander comes in handy for body prep.

After sanding the paint, you will need to wipe the metal with solvents made for this purpose to prepare for priming. You have to prime within hours of applying the solvent or rust may begin to form on the bare metal.

Apply primer with strokes that are parralel with the body surface so that the paint is evenly applied. If you paint with a sweeping motion, the paint will be thicker in the middle of the sweep and thinner at the ends of the sweep. Apply thin coats that barely cover to prevent drips.

After each coat dries, wet-sand with find sandpaper to get a smooth finish. You will get a surface that looks like an orange peel if you skip this step.

Or, if you are not mechaniclly inclined and will never use the compressor and tools again, you can probably rent this stuff.

Keep in mind that the cost to rent or buy the materials you need will be well under the cost of a quality paint job but more than a cheap paint job from a place like Earl Scheib or Maaco. If you are not too concerned about the quality or durability of the paint job, go with the cheapo place.

These engines were notorious for Soft rings. Chances are the rings have worn and need replacing. The good part is that you and a buddy can remove the engine from the car; it weighs

What color is it now? Bear in mind that black will be HOT!!!, and also bear in mind black and dark blues are the WORST color to paint a car, because no matter how good a job you do, any dents, dings, ripples or other blemishes will stand out like a Sore Thumb. The best colors are Red, but it's expensive, light blues, 'pastel' colors and white is the best. It's cool in the summer and hides blemishes very well.

Spray cans suck. You can get a DeVilbis type cup sprayer for $29.99 everywhere, and Gravity feed guns for like sharing. The car came with the stock stereo and speaker, which just

I had to do this with my '95, but I used plastic spacers from the local BLING! store. $3.00 each...

I also hung some from the rear deck, UNDER the rear deck, and cut the chipboard in a way that left the felt intact, so you didn't even know there WERE rear speakers...until I cranked the 400W amp... ;)

Alloy wheels (the 5 or 6 spoke ones) from a '92-94 Escort MIGHT fit this, they will fit the bolt pattern, but might not clear the calipers. They cleared on an '88, but not on my '95...

These wheels can be had NEW from Ford for $75 each, or from a YunkJard for around $25. Try one first!!!!