Removing the ABS system...'97 LE

[bcp477]

I have been looking for ways to improve my 97 LE, now that I have decided to keep the car and refurbish it. It is a good car and since I detest the idea of car payments and I am not enamoured of all the bells and whistles that seem to be added to every new model that is produced ("keep it simple, stupid" - one of the most brilliant concepts ever developed) - I have decided to turn my car into a long-term project. Mind you, I am not a kid, so turboing the car, etc. etc, doesn't interest me. Instead, I am interested in common sense improvements which will make the car more reliable, less complicated to work on, more efficient and a better driver.

One item that definitely will go is the crappy ABS system, which is well known to malfunction (and cause brake drag and premature pad wear) on the 97 and 98 cars. As well, I will definitely enjoy dumping the excess weight associated with it (as well as the underhood clutter). Anyone else here get rid of their ABS ? If so, I'd be keenly interested in your experiences with this. I have researched what needs to be done and I have been doing my own wrenching for almost 30 years, including some racing, so the technical aspects are not a mystery, nor are they daunting to me.

Another major item I am considering is dumping the auto trans and switching to a 5-speed. I have been reading the write-ups on this (on this and other sites), so I am not asking about this - I have a good handle on what is needed for this process. I simply have to decide whether it is worth the investment to me.

I would dearly love to get rid of as much of the underhood clutter as possible, including jettisoning the charcoal cannister/ evap system....but the car wouldn't pass muster, if I did.

Anyway, I consider the Camry to be an excellent basic platform - what it needs are some common-sense tweaks, especially mods that will decrease weight. Less weight is the key, with ANY car, to improving efficiency, without having to re-invent the wheel, so to speak.

[toyomoho]

If removing the ABS suggest finding a donor non-ABS car and swapping brake parts. You can disable the system by pulling the ABS fuse.

[bcp477]

I've already disabled the ABS by disconnecting the power (connector) at the ABS pump/ solenoid/ accumulator unit, anyway - so that is not the point. The point is, getting rid of this crappy system, as I refurbish the car, to lesson weight (slightly) and to eliminate some of the underhood clutter. As for a "donor car", this an inefficient idea, to say the least. Thanks for your efforts in answering my post, though. Sorry, I don't mean to be argumentative, but, what, you are suggesting that I BUY another car, just to swap brake parts ? I am well aware of the technical aspects of the conversion. Other than removing the ABS "assembly" and refilling and bleeding the brake system after the work is completed, the ONLY difficult aspect of the job is to replace/ re-route the metal brake lines. This is only a matter of mapping out the run of each new line, then bending and installing each (new) one. Certainly time consuming, but the only specialized tool needed is a hand-held brake-line bender - about $20. As for determining the length and shape of each new brake line, this can be done using long pieces of stiff wire - simply bend them as needed, to achieve the necessary shape, while under the car. Once this is done, the new lines can be fabricated to match the wire "templates". It is likely than a few hangers or brackets for the new brake lines would have to be fabricated, as well. But, these can be made up as needed, from simple angle iron.

What I was really getting at, by my first post, was that I was wondering if anyone else had undertaken such a conversion....and how things went. Perhaps not. I would imagine that most people consider the ABS system to be an enhancement - I might as well, if the bloody system worked correctly. As it is, it is dead weight. Well, thanks for your efforts, anyway.