This is what the Celica looked like before Eibach installed their Sportline springs. The fenderwell gap was so big that even Jonny could stick his head through it.
If you don't know by now, let us break you the news: Toyota has decided to axe the Celica and MR2 line. After lackluster sales, it was inevitable. Factor in the burgeoning success of the Scion TC, and it makes sense in terms of dollars and sense. The TC has given Toyota the extra nudge to go ahead and just pull the plug. Sad as it may be, Celica and MR2 owners will still have the same enthusiasm for years to come. Car nuts will always build up older cars. The aftermarket ensures this. One such owner saw the departure of the Celica as motivation to keep her own, a 2001 Celica GT-S. Michelle Guevarra, an accountant by trade and car lover by passion initially thought about purchasing a newer luxury car. But who wants to be stuck with car payments for the next six years? Being an accountant helps in situations like this. Her reasoning was simple: sinking more money into a newer car would not open more doors for her or appreciate in value. It would just suck up more money, and actually depreciate in value each year. Think about it: dropping $50K on a car won't give you much room to buy parts, either. Besides, you're young. You have plenty of years ahead of you to swoop up a luxury car. But if you're pushing 40's door down, now's a good time to plunk down that hefty down payment on that SL55 you've always wanted.
So after the decision was made to keep the Celica, the next question arose: leave it stock or fix it up? Easier than picking your nose with your pinky. Like every enthusiast, Michelle decided that since she was keeping the car, she wanted to hook it up. Nothing too drastic. No extreme body kit, fart can exhaust or blue neon for this car. She wanted to basically get the car out of its nose bleed high status and improve the cornering attitude, so a set of lowering springs was a must. The springs had to be firm, but not to stiff. How many times have you seen lowered cars bouncing up and down? Ok, more specifically, while the car was moving? Not only does it look like you're trying to hit switches, it's flat out dangerous. When the car bounces, its contact patch gets inconsistent, increasing the chances of the tire losing complete grip--not good. If the tire were to skip off the pavement for a split second while going into a turn, you could lose control of your car and wreck it.
For this reason, we wanted to stick with one of the most reputable suspension brands under the sun: Eibach. Eibach has been manufacturing springs since 1951 (that's 54 years!) and they make performance springs for almost every car out there. Two kits are offered for the Celica GT-S: Pro-Kit and Sportline. Pro-Kits would have lowered the car a little more than an inch. Since the owner has planned on going with larger 17-inch wheels, Eibach recommended that we go with Sportlines, which lower the car 1.8 inches up front and 2.4 inches out back. Note that when using the Sportline kit, it's highly suggested that Eibach's alignment kit is installed to bring the camber specs back into spec. Follow along as Eibach rejuvenates Michelle's Celica.
Start off by removing the rear interior panels. Be patient. Since we lack patience, we had Eibach's top R&D guy and numba one stunna Josh handle the install. Josh is patient. | 
These annoying removeable rivets are a PITA. Not just on the Celica, but almost all cars. Remember, finesse, not force. |
Having the proper tool helps. You can find tools such as these at pretty much any auto parts store. We saw a tool similar to this at Pep Boys for $8.99. Worth it when you consider each plastic rivet costs $5 from Toyota. | 
After the panels are out, remove the bolts holding the strut/spring to the strut tower. No, you don't need the fancy air tools to remove them. If we were doing the install, we'd be using our Craftsman 3/8" ratchet. |
Same goes for the front assembly. Be sure to put the bolts in some sort of container so they don't get lost. Unless you want to pay for more bolts. | 
Since we plan on taking this car out to Buttonwillow, we decided that 10 degrees of negative camber in the rear would really help. |
Remove the lower bolts that hold the lower control arms to the upper links. Don't try and push the LCA down to facilitate room for the removal of the strut/spring assembly. | 
Moving to the front of the car, Josh uses a strap to hold the axle in the tranny. When removing the strut, gravity pulls the suspension out to full droop, and can potentially yank the axle out. You can pick this strap up at your local hardware store or auto parts store. We found one for $6.99 at Autozone. Be sure it has the "S" hook to latch on to the studs. |
Pull out the strut/spring assembly. Grab a beer and/or sandwich to celebrate your achievment. Edd Hernandez decided that sandwiches weren't appropriate. So we grabbed a mushroom and jalapeno Stromboli each from a local pizza place that hit the spot just fine. | 
Since Eibach insists on only the best, Josh was afforded the luxury of having this outta control spring compressor. If you're doing this install in your driveway and don't have Eibach's budget, you can rent spring clamps at Kragen, Pep Boys, Autozone, or other auto parts store. Be sure to use extreme caution when removing the spring. Better yet, take them to an alignment shop to have them removed. We don't want to see any of our readers with 3-inch circles branded on their foreheads. |
Mark each strut to be sure you don't mix them up. Trust us, we've done it too many times. White out markers only cost $1.99. | 
Measure the bump stop and trim off the appropriate amount. Eibach includes instructions on how much should be trimmed. Each car is different, so don't just lop off 1/2 of the bumpstop on your 2005 Scion TC. |
The bumpstop after Josh sawed the appropriate amount off. The reason the bumpstop is shortened is to give you additional suspension travel. Since the car will obviously sit lower, you'll lose a bit of travel if you leave the bumpstops at their stock length. DO NOT REMOVE THE BUMPSTOPS. | 
Put the washers and remaining hardware back on the strut paying close attention to the order. If you don't, you'll find that the strut shaft will poke out of your hood. It's happened to us before. |
The top of the strut shaft has a flat portion that you need to pay attention to. A lot of times, users will just smash the upper mount and be happy with a force fit. Don't do it Chip! | 
Install the OEM rubber dust boot and upper mount. This is the front assembly, but the same thing goes for the rear. |
Sexy, isn't it? Something about red... | 
Before you tighten down all the bolts, be sure to align the spring seat properly. Josh says that a lot of people complain about uneven ride heights. Well, the reason is due to poor installation. Be sure that the spring ends DO NOT butt up against the "end" of the lower strut seat. This is the exact way the spring seat should look once it's installed. |
Somebody's happy back there. We reacted the same once we drove the Celica after the Sportlines were installed. | 
After. Ahhh, no more fenderwell gap. The look was added icing on the cake. We just wanted the car to handle better, and that it does. |
The car not only sits closer to the ground now, the handling difference was apparent from the first turn we took. The car's turn in is crisp, but the ride was only a bit more firm than stock. Amazing. But wait, there's more! Michelle also has her eye on a set of bigger and blingier wheels and tires to complement the Sportlines. Tune in next week for part 2 as Eibach installs their Anti-Roll Bar Kit and Pro Alignment Kit. For more information on Eibach Sportline springs, or to see if they make performance springs for your car, go to www.eibach.com and check out their online catalog.