I've put countless hours of time, blood and sweat at the expense of others, but I am glad on how it came to be.
In 2013, I picked up this corolla from a local owner:
![Image](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5801/22393161692_37c3b40131_c.jpg)
![Image](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/715/21783034184_853b02ce11_c.jpg)
I was told the frame was generally straight. Not knowing much into the car, I bought the car without knowing all the history behind it. It appealed to me because of the price point and the fact that it already had a ford 8.8 rear end installed already.
Later down the line I found out the car's frame was slightly bent on the front causing set backs for me, but I found my way around the issues.
I started to tear down the car to reenforce the chassis as I knew that I would not be going the 4AGE route.
![Image](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/774/22217785970_545de58e50_c.jpg)
One of the previous owners of the car cut this enormous hole in the firewall, because they thought that they would have an easier time fitting a 20V into the car with the hole there (which did work but it was a stupid idea). I had to work with what I got.
![Image](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5667/21784671073_81afd52876_c.jpg)
I decided on a power plant and chose the 1UZ engine as my engine of choice. I had my choice of 4AGZE, 20V Black top 4AG, 20V Blacktop 7AG, F22/20C, SR20, BEAMS, or the 1UZ. After much debate, I chose the 1UZ. I know the initial cost is expensive and is not that much cheaper than other solutions, but the final cost in the long run, the 1UZ will be the cheapest.
I picked up a 1UZ from the Junkyard:
![Image](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5710/22218930879_af84aa5d81_c.jpg)
And I tore it down to clean it. It had pretty low milage, but the previous owner didn't seem keep the change the oil too often. The journals looked good though so it probably would be ok.
![Image](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/760/22416596131_b715de0138_c.jpg)
![Image](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5759/22405746775_1e9107359c_c.jpg)
![Image](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5670/22218051528_fdee7dfa24_c.jpg)
![Image](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/672/22392596882_eda732e8a6_c.jpg)
I tried to use a pressurized system to hold the valves up properly when i was changing the valve stem seals out but it wasn't enough to hold it up. I ended up trying to do the rope trick to change out the valve stem seals and was successful until the last cylinder where i ended up snapping the rope when i attempted to pull it from the cylinder. I had no choice but to pull the heads. In the end, I sent the heads to get cleaned up, hot tanked, decked, and valve seals changed out by a machine shop. After about a week, I got the heads back, ready to be dropped.
While waiting for the engine heads, I put together the transmission with the 1uzfeswapkit.com's transmission adapter kit.
![Image](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/610/21783027334_3a614d1794_c.jpg)
I think there's a new version out there now, but the old version (mine) required this to be cut:
![Image](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/638/22405744325_557091bf35_c.jpg)
The bottom of the 1UZ bell housing also needed to be notched:
![Image](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/655/22218048998_6a4e4b927f_c.jpg)