Frequently asked questions at Classic-Celica at Yahoo Groups. Prepared by Wayne "Stepho" Stephenson, February 2007. 1. How can I make it faster without spending much money? 2. What other engine can I put in it? 3. What size wheels can I put on it? 4. What brakes can I put on it? 5. Diff options. 6. Can I get a stronger gearbox? 7. Can I get new panels/doors/glass/trim? 8. Front suspension upgrades. 9. Rear suspension upgrades. 10. Rear sway bars. 1. How can I make it faster without spending much money? 2" exhaust. 2T engines had dual downdraft carbies as an option - hard to find the manifold. Replace the carbie with downdraft Webers (32/36). Lumpier cam (can be expensive). Lighten the fly wheel by machining. Fresh oil, spark plugs, air cleaner, fuel filter, points. Tune up. 2. What other engine can I put in it? Depends very much on which model you have and which country you are in. 2a. TA20/22/27 and RA20/21/22/25 can interchange engine cross members. - allows swapping 2T with 18R-G. - gearbox and drive shaft must also be changed. - Carina from same years also shares same cross members. - American RA22 has slightly lower cross member to allow taller engine. 2b. TA23/24/28/29/35 and RA23/24/28/29/35 can interchange engine cross members. - allows swapping 2T with 18R-G. - gearbox and drive shaft must also be changed. - Carinas from same years also share Celica cross members. 2c. Any 2T engine can be replaced by the 1800cc 3T. - uses the same inlet and exhaust manifolds. - the 3T crank, rods and pistons fit inside the 2T block with slight deburring. 2d. Any 2T engine can be replaced by the 1600cc twincam 2T-G. - 2T-G hard to find in America. - uses same exhaust manifolds. 2e. Any 2T engine can be replaced by the 1800cc twincam turbo 3T-GTE - requires wiring of EFI and some knowledge of turbos but not very hard. - T50 gearbox still fits but not strong enough. - W55 gearbox is better but rare with correct bellhousing. - 1G bellhousing fits but clutch cylinder is on other side. - auto from 2T engine still works and has enough strength. - hard to find outside of Asia or Australia. 2f. 8R, 18R, 20R, 22R engine are interchangeable. - use same cross member and gearbox as old engine. - 20R and 22R are taller, RA20/21 require American RA22 cross member or hood (different hinges). 2g. Any R series engine can be replaced by the 2000c twincam 18R-G. - hard to find outside Asia, Australia. - uses same cross member and gearbox as old engine. 2h. American owners have good results with 2400cc 22R block using 20R head. - produces good low down torque. - 18R-G is still better at top end but much harder to find in America. 2i. Australian owners like the 2000cc 6 cylinder twincam turbo 1G-GTE. - tight fit but not much heavier than R series engines. - turbo power but requires intercooler. - doesn't easily fit pre Oct 1975 cars. - requires cross member from T series engine of similar year. - use with Mazda 323 radiator in front of radiator support panel. - Supercharged 1G-GZE very similar. 2j. M series engines. - heavy and long which upsets handling badly. - doesn't easily fit pre Oct 1975 cars. - very tight fit for post Oct 1975 cars (major surgery required ?). - lots of torque but other engines produce similar power. - 7M-GTE only real performance engine. - reputation for blowing head gaskets. - 2800cc 5M-GE or 3000cc 6M-GE Both can have 7M-GTE turbo and ECU bolted on. - use with Mazda 323 radiator in front of radiator support panel. 2k. 2000cc 3S-GTE - most 3S engines are mounted east/west and do not fit easily. - can use some parts from north/south 2S and also its gearbox (from Corona ST140/141). - Distributor will hit the firewall. Replace distributor with crank angle sensor and aftermarket ECU. 2l. 1600cc turbo 4A-GTE, 1600cc supercharged 4A-GZE - most A series engines are mounted east/west and do not fit easily. - can use some mounts from north/south 4A (eg AE70 Corolla) and also its gearbox. - sporting north/south A engines are hard to find (from AE86 Trueno/Sprinter only). - supercharged 4A-GZE east/west only . No strong north/south gearbox available. Use late model T50 and pray. - 4WD from Tercel/Corolla/Carribean can be adapted but not very strong (150HP?). - 20 valve 4A-GE distributor will hit the firewall. Replace distributor with crank angle sensor and aftermarket ECU. 2m. Mazda rotaries. - no harder than any other rotary conversion. 2n. Lexus V8 - has been done to TA22, RA28 and TA45. - very tight fit. - front sump (Soarer) requires cross member from T series engine of similar year. - mid sump (SC400) requires cross member from R series engine of similar year. - only auto gearbox available for the factory. - Castlemain Rod Shop and Dellow have 5 speed conversion kits. 3. What size wheels can I put on it? 215x60x14 or 205x60x14 at the front fit most models. 225x60x14 at the rear fits most models. 13x6, 14x6, 15x6 rims are an easy fit on all models. The body was widened in early 1972 but the chassis rails were still narrow so 7" rims are good for mid 1972 to mid 1975. Harder to fit 7" rims on earlier (pre mid '72, narrow body) and later (post mid '75, wide chassis) models. Almost any 4 stud rims from Toyota (1970-1985), Datsun and Mitsubishi fit. The 1984 14x7 Celica GT-S and 1984 15x6 Supra GT-S rims look particularly nice. Mazda, Ford, GM-Holden and Isuzu rims generally do not fit. Toyota 13" rims do not fit over brakes designed for 14" wheels. - most aftermarket 13" rims do fit. PCD is 114.3mm 4. What brakes can I put on it? 20/21/22 Celica quite different to 23/24/28/29/35 Celica - early models have shorter struts than later models. All master cylinders held by 2 bolts interchange (typically T series engines). All master cylinders held by 4 bolts interchange (typically R series engines). Bigger size gives firmer pedal. Smaller size gives softer pedal - too small may run out of travel before max force is given. Bigger (or multiple) slave cylinders require bigger master cylinder. Master cylinder sizes are 13/16", 3/4", 15/16", 1" (rare). The stock brakes are not too bad. The 9" rear drums are almost the largest found on passenger cars of the era - same as on Crowns and Cressidas, Hilux has 10". When replacing rear drums with discs you should also replace the rear bias valve. Rear discs can come from the replacing the axle from: - AE86 (only the weak T series diff) - MA4# Supra (T series or stronger F series diff but wider track) All axle replacements require modifiying suspension mounts. Most models had either 2 or 4 bolts holding master cylinder to the booster. Replacement must have the same number of bolts. Both bolt patterns are common to other Japanese brands. Mitsubishi Starion 2 bolt is good replacement in TA22 (short barrel). Crown 4 bolt is good replacement for 4 bolt MC. Hilux 2# rear axle has strong G series diff with 10" drum brakes. 4a. 4 spot callipers with vented discs on RA23/24/28/29/35/4#/5# RT132 Corona (1978-1981) strut and hub. Peugot vented rotor with radius machined down 5mm. Celica rotor hat (require rotor holes to be redrilled). LN106 Hilux 4 spot callipers. Use bigger master cylinder. Everything else Celica. 4b. RA60 vented discs on RA23/24/28/29/35/4#/5# #1 Celica strut. RA60 vented disc and hat. RA60 single pot calliper. Require custom adapter plate to match calliper holes to strut mount. Everything else Celica. 4c. RA60 vented discs on RA23/24/28/29/35/4#/5# #2 RA60 strut. RA60 vented disc and hat. RA60 single pot calliper. ST140 Corona steering knuckle (between ball joint and strut) - use left knuckle on right side, right knuckle on left side. Requires steering rods to be extended. Increases track by 20mm and increases camber. Everything else Celica. 4d. 2 spot, non sliding callipers on RA23/24/28/29/35/4#/5# RT132 Corona (1978-1981) strut, rotor, calliper. Use bigger master cylinder. Everything else Celica. RT132 rotor is larger than Celica rotor. 5. Can I get an LSD? The ring and pinion gears can be replaced from any other diff from the same series (eg D, T, F, G). Doesn't matter if mixing from solid axle, unitary axle, or IRS. LSD centre (with or without gears) can replace centre from diff in same series. Changing ratio will affect the speedometre (change geabox speedo drive gear). 5a. TRD sold LSD for T series diffs. T series diff fits into D series housing. Some Sprinters/Truenos had T series diffs with LSD but very rare. UK Celica GT always had T series LSD 5b. Models with 18R-G and some Supras had F series diffs - some with LSD but very rare. TRD sold LSD for F series diffs (some Supras and models with 18R-G). Can get other ratios and LSD from some Hilux models (front diff). 5c. Hilux 2# rear axle has strong G series diff with 10" drum brakes. Can get other ratios and LSD from landcruiser and late Hilux models. Can get other ratios and LSD from some Cressida models (eg MX83 Grande). 6. The W50 (5 speed manual) gearbox can hold up to 250HP. Bellhousing to fit the T series engines can only be found on the *extremely* rare Japanese market GX51 Cressida (1G-EU + W50). W50 can be swapped for the W55 (saves 10kg) but need to modifiy W55 or A40/A40D crossmember. Bellhousing to fit the T series engines can be found on cars with the 3T-GTE or 1G engines (except GX51). All autos up to about 1990 interchange and can hold 250HP. 7. panels and trim. Nearly impossible to find. www.toyheadauto.com has limited original stock. To be continued...