71' Celica ST Restoration

[JimiRain]

Originally Posted by shonuff

if you stuff anything with that much power into that car you better stiffen the chasis, or just send it to the crusher now.

I plan on strengthening the chasis. There is alot of rust damage to the chasis and floor pan , so I'd have to anyway.

Originally Posted by mandiees

I think this sounds like a great project - where did you find this prime Celica anyway?

My dad purchased the Celica a little over 20 years ago planing to turn it into a dune buggy. Due to getting married, he never got around to it. So now I have it and thought I'd fix it up instead.

[73GTV]

Jim, Please repost your original pictures of your 71 Celica from the three shots in the garage please. I just want to make sure that the last guy to post didn't confuse that Corona wagon with Your 1971 Celica.

[Cgarman]

I am with everybody else, having owned a number of Ma Mopars finest metal, leave the 440 out of the celica. Try going for a 4A-GE from a MK1 MR2. They are usually easy to find and easy to build. Suspension upgrades are only limited by your wallet and fabrication ability. Most 1st gen owners get suspenion pieces from the AE86 Corollas. There is plenty of aftermarket help for those. The main problem you are going to face with putting in your 440 is fabrication and plenty of it. For starters, motor mounts and tranny mounts. You will need to notch the firewall for better weight distribution. Of course by moving the motor back you will then need to re do the floorpan and the tranny tunnel. After that, how are you gonna cool the the thing? Next comes the interior. Since we have moved the firewall back, now we most likely will have to move both the dash and the front seat back. Okay, now how do we get that power to the ground. Stock 3rd member will not handle torque of that magnitude. So you will either need to buy a custom made third member or fabricate your own. Next, how are you going to mount the 3rd member?
See, it is not just as easy as dropping the motor in and driving off. Definitely, look for a Duster or Dart to drop that 440 in. A 440 in a Dart is way fun!!!!
Stick with a 4 cylinder engine and you will be way ahead. There are plenty out there to build and they can put out very respectable numbers. A 4A-GTE will plant your butt in the seat hard in a celica. You can also use an engine out of a turbo Eclipse if they are more available. Those motors have plenty of power to spare for your celica.
Lastly, if you are just dead set on dropping one of Ma Mopar's beasts into your celica, go with the
360. They fit much better. Plenty of people have dropped Ford 302s and SBCs into celicas and lived to talk about it.

[73GTV]

Jim, I have moved to L.A. and today on a sunday, I went to a pick and pull import lot, walked around for ten minutes and found a cross member for a 20R, as well as the engine and transmission. Things are still available around here and Old cars are still being sought after.

[stepho]

GTV, which car did you get the 20R crossmember from?
Only the '75 RA22 crossmember will suit a '71-74 RA20/21.

- Stepho

[73GTV]

Sorry that I took so long on answering which model, The cross member was from a 1979 Toyota Corona. I want to see if you are correct about the width and the mounting points. Why, well sometime in my past, I remember taking a cross member from a RA24 1976 Toyota Celica and to this day I'm not sure if that was the one that I used for a similar project.

I just remember that when placed next to a cross member from a 1976 Toyota Corolla, that the bolt spacing and length where the same. I later used that Corolla cross member to remount my original 2T-G back into my Toyota Celica Coupe. That engine is still in the car and I have since misplaced the original 1973 18R-C cross member which I'm attempting to recover. If all else fails, I will take the Cross Member from the 1971 Toyota Corona which just hit the scrap yard.

[73GTV]

Jim Read this article about this proud Celica owner and see if his efforts match your vision of your 440. Get back and let me know.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2653598

[stepho]

GTV,

Just got back from camping in the bush.
My lowered Cressida didn't particularly like bush tracks but nothing fell off

Anyway, back to the question at hand...
Can you take some measurements on your Corona crossmember and compare them to these:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~stepho/...m#Crossmembers

To the best of my knowledge, Celica and Carina crossmembers from Dec 1970 to Oct 1975 will all interchange (typically TA22/27, RA20/21/22/25/27)
Likewise, Celica and Carina crossmembers from Oct 1975 to July 1981 will all interchange (typically TA23/28/40 and RA23/24/28/29/40/42/43).
But I'm always willing to hear about any more that fit without major modifications.

- Stepho

[stepho]

Found a link that might help you.
This guy put a Chrysler 318 into a 1985 Celica.
The '85 has a bigger engine bay than your '71 but much of the conversion will be similar.
The main difference will be your need to recess the firewall.
http://toyoland.com/cars/celica-v8.html

- Stepho