:rockon:

 

Awesome! What year BEAMS and where did you get it from?

 

Its a '98 Celica Red Top BEAMS from a JDM SS-III Celica. Its actually hard to find one with everything necessary (midpipe, MAF, unbroken timing cover, uncut wiring, etc.). I'll post pictures when it arrives (expect at least a week, probably more like two).

-Charlie

 

You are like a Camry savior! Are you sure you didn't pick up that clean 91 V6 on ebay too?:chug:

 

I've actually been able to find a few clean ones, but they are few and far between. Which pipe are you referring to with the midpipe?

I would greatly appreciate it if you could get pictures of all of the wiring splices, as I will be doing this swap in the future. Any notes regarding quirks in the wiring would also be greatly appreciated.

Other than that... Lots of pics!

 

Where did you source the engine? What transmission are you using?

 

I actually got the motor off eBay. You have to make sure everything important is there when you get it though. Most have broken parts or are missing the following: Upper timing cover, Midpipe (second half of the header with the 2-1 section), VVTi solenoid, MAF w/ airbox housing, fuse box, cut wiring (at fuse box or interior). The best ones generally still have the front subframe still attached to protect the back of the motor. You generally also get the axles, front suspension and brakes at the same time. A whole front clip would be ideal, but those are near impossible to find these days. Oh, and avoid any motor that has signs of modifications (extra wires, headers, aftermarket intake, etc.) - you know the car was driven harder when its modified.

I'll be using the stock transmission with a lightweight flywheel and stock-ish (for a 3s-gte) clutch. No need to go crazy with only 200hp. Hopefully the stock trans is still in good shape.

-Charlie

 

Got in a couple more hours yesterday...

Cleaned out the fender junk gathering spot. Not nearly as much as I was expecting. Also, no rust, luckily:

Wire harness, shift cables, fuel lines and other stuff disconnected:

All the lower suspension parts off:

Still have the power steering pump/lines and axles to do and then I'm pretty much ready to drop it.

-Charlie

 

It's a shame I'm not local. I'm cheap labor and can drop an All-Trac engine/trans in under 3 hours in decent conditions. :clap::rofl2:

I'll be in L.A. next weekend, maybe we can catch up and you can give me your boost addiction.:thumbsup:

 

LOL... I'm not going for speed. Remember, I already have two fully running cars. Or three if you count the wife's ride. :lol: That said, i was slowed down a bit by my air gun not working very well. :disappoin

Next weekend is pretty open for me, hopefully we can work something out!

-Charlie

 

I've read of V6-swapped All-Tracs before, if memory serves they had to use a transfer case from a Rav4. They run more clearance or some such... Never was able to get a solid answer on why those ones are used.

LOL... I'm not going for speed. Remember, I already have two fully running cars. Or three if you count the wife's ride. That said, i was slowed down a bit by my air gun not working very well.

Next weekend is pretty open for me, hopefully we can work something out!

-Charlie

Apparently we're going to Valencia... I'll try to convince my ride that we should totally swing down through the City of Angels. Maybe we can meet in the middle? She doesn't care for the city much.

I'm aware you're not going for speed, but we all want to see this done! So far as I know, this is going to be the only BEAMS-swapped 'Trac there is. :thumbsup:

 

i've always wondered how hard it'd be to shoehorn a 1mzfe into a gen2 - esp an alltrac. my 98 camry v6 5spd uses the same e153 trans as the mr2 turbo, and i even have an mr2 clutch and lsd in it. so i have to wonder what would be involved in swapping a 1mz instead of another 4cyl. esp since the 1mz is stupid easy to find since it was used in so many different vehicles. not to mention the existence of the trd supercharger for it... i miss my sc...

 

Gibson! Its been a long time since I have seen any of your posts. Mostly because I don't leave the gen2 sub-forum. :lol:

You can't do any of the V6's with the stock Camry Alltrac or Celica Alltrac Transmission. You can use the Rav4 4WD gearbox as it has a cast iron transfer case that is smaller and clears the block. There was a guy on the Alltrac forums that did a 3vzfe Alltrac, and the 1MZ should have the same or similar clearance on the back of the block. Exhuast then becomes and issue, but there is just enough room back there for it, or you can do the reverse of the 2vzfe crossover pipe setup...

Another option would be to do a Highlander V6 Auto swap. At that point, axles and driveshaft parts may be difficult. The Alltrac Camry auto is a A540H, probably the same type as the Highlander Auto - but you'd have to check.

1MZ FWD should be easy - You'd only have to do the one custom mount (if that, depending on if the VZ mount works on an MZ block). All the other parts have bolt-in or near bolt-in compatibility. I ran an E153 with KAAZ LSD on my FWD 3s-gte swap...

-Charlie

 

unfortunately i think the rear bank design on the block would hit too much on the transfer case to do it properly/ do it at all. Even a 5sfe hits the trans a bit and needs some shaving.

 

ok so what about using a transfer case from a highlander 4wd, which has a 1mzfe already?

 

Shucks. I'm gonna go BEAMS so sourcing a 205 trans for a reasonable price is gonna suck.

 

You should be able to find one for $400+shipping. The problem is shipping for you, I suppose.

-Charlie

 

TEASER!

I'll be unwrapping it after I get it home (sitting at work in the warehouse). There's a motor, trans, front suspension, brakes, front subframe and a bunch of other stuff under there. More pics tomorrow or the next day...

-Charlie

 

Checking out engine suppliers, most of them don't cater toward residential delivery. That is the way to do it, ship it to work so they can unload it at a dock with a forklift. Then load it on a utility trailer and bring it home. At least that's the way I pictured gettin it done.

Charlie, you could tell what you were getting by looking at the for sale picture? Or did you speak to someone to confirm the exact manifest?

Can't wait to see it unwrapped.

 

That's exactly the plan for this one. When I did the clip for the 3s-gte swap, it was MUCH larger but luckily my roommate at the time drove a diesel Dodge truck and had a car trailer to do the work on that one. :lol:

If you are buying over eBay, make sure the pictures in the listing is of EXACTLY what you will be receiving (and that the seller has a history of delivering what they said). The next step is to make sure that what you are getting has all the parts you need for the swap. Each motor/trans has its own things you need to look for. Ideally you want to get a whole front clip to get all the little extra stuff and so you have a reference for how everything will go together (extra bolts, brackets, etc.). Of the 20-30 Red Top BEAMS motors on eBay, this was the only one that had everything I was looking for (MAF, complete airbox, uncut ECU and fuse box wiring, unbroken timing cover, unbroken VVTi solenoid, un-dented intake manifold, front/midpipe of the exhaust, etc.). The list is even longer for a 3s-gte swap, especially an ST205 with all the water hoses for the intercooler and extra wiring that is necessary from the chassis harness.

I'll be picking up the trailer at lunch today and taking the motor home tonight.

-Charlie

 

The trip home last night:

Loaded on to the trailer. It was a bit of a hassle with the fork lift, trying to get it to clear the tailgate. We got it all figured out though. It was pretty front heavy, which made for a rough ride home. Yay stiff suspension keeping things safe-ish.

Plastic off:

Straps off, ready to lift:

Lifted and off the trailer:

Safely in the garage:

I have a pretty much free day tomorrow to get to work on it. I'm hoping to get everything separated out so I can start the wiring and sell the transmission (speaking of which... anyone interested in the best S-series trans you can get (LSD!)? :lol

-Charlie

 

Pure sex! I'd love an LSD trans, too bad that the cost of shipping alone would be a bank breaker.

 

So I met up with Charlie this afternoon. Everything looks totally awesome!

He took me for a ride in the SV205 and I only have one thing to say... hehehe.

That thing is fast as nuts!

Also, Charlie, if you do decide to sell the BEAMS one I'm considering buying it; it'd be nice to have one someone else has already done. Also, I GOTTA get me some of that 205 power! Way to go.

I did some research because I was curious about your comment on whether or not it's the updated (reinforced) block... From what I have gathered, all of the Redtop and Blacktop engines came off the line with a reinforced block.

Quote of my weekend... "Hey, now I know it'll do 110!"

 

Good to see you undertaking another epic build Charlie,

I have ready many of your other thread with great intrest, as I own a 3sge sv21 station wagon. Your info and the detailed manner you reply to noobs asking questions is an example to others.

Keep up the good work!!! :thanks:

 

Weekend update!

Subframe pulled off:

Factory header shot:

Factory velocity stacks:

Under the head cover, coil-on-plug ignition!:

Trans and harness removed, required removal of the intake manifold:

Redtop harness:

Factory Camry harness:

I had a heck of a time removing the passenger (short) axle from the trans. Normally a good 'pop' with a pry-bar and it comes out... not so much this time. Then I found this video:

One quick whack and then it pops out. :thumbsup: I think I'll be keeping an extra clutch fork around for just this purpose. :lol:

-Charlie

 

Progress is looking most excellent! What are your plans for the engine? Just a basic freshening up?

 

It will probably get new timing-related components and maybe a few other things, but that's it. A low mileage unmodified non-turbo motor should be just fine to use without opening up at all.

-Charlie

 

I really liked that video of the clutch fork...you think that would work with the axle mounted in the car?? I wasted three hours wrestling with the drivers side cv last summer....effin thing would not pop out without a battle!!

 

I'm sure it would. The challenge is having an extra clutch fork hanging around. :lol: Just make sure the axle is already out of the hub and otherwise hanging loose.

-Charlie

Wow those are some nice pictures of the header and velocity stacks. I'm sure when you unwrapped it onlookers were like, "What's that smell?" "Thats the smell of performance!".:lol:

Onlookers? I was in the garage by myself. :hi: That's why I take the pictures - otherwise nobody would be seeing these things!

-Charlie

 

Wow those are some nice pictures of the header and velocity stacks. I'm sure when you unwrapped it onlookers were like, "What's that smell?" "Thats the smell of performance!".:lol:

 

I'll admit that I didn't smell it. That engine is pure sex in person, though... As is his other one.


Got more pics for us, Charlie?

 

that is an amazingly clean camry.
Just out of curiousity, what size wheels(tires) are on that.

 

Going over this again... In the first few pics of it, there isn't a roof-mounted luggage rack on it. Was there one when I stopped by or am I going crazy? I've been averaging 4 hours of sleep a night for the last week (work) so I may just be losing it.

that is an amazingly clean camry.

Right?! And he says it's kinda clean at best! The thing is gorgeous.

 

14" factory basket weeves as far as tires I can't help you out there.

 

Bingo. The tires are also oversized... If I remember right, 205/70-14 Michelins - fairly new.

-Charlie

 

I vote blue. Makes it look Euro as... Something.