Crazy Engine Swaps I'd Like To Do...., Who's up for a real crazy swap in their Celica? Options

[Dr_Tweak]

You guys all know that I've been doing swaps in Celicas for a long time, and after doing enough of the 3SGTE, 3SGE, 4AGE swaps, etc, I'm feeling the need for something a little off the wall. I have a feeling that there are some Celica owners out there who are thinking the same thing, they want something a little different. I've got three projects in mind that I'd be interested in doing, and I might even give a discount if someone steps up to the plate to have one done.

1. 1UZFE swap. The 1UZFE is the 4.0 V8 engine from the Lexus LS400. It makes between 265 and 300hp depending on the version. I would like to swap this engine, FRONT-WHEEL DRIVE, into a Celica, using an E153 or E58 transmission (LSD optional). I have personally seen this done sideways in a MK1 MR2, which is no bigger, if not smaller, than the Celica engine bay. We have all the equipment needed at my shop, and besides me, we now have another expert fabricator and tig welder that we just hired.

2. AWD 3SGTE conversion. This one has been done before and there's a number of threads recently on the subject. I've been ready to do one of these for a while, so if there's someone out there serious about having it done, I'm up for it.

3. 1JZGTE or 2JZGTE swap and conversion to REAR WHEEL DRIVE. Not a typo. You know what it is, you know you want it. We can do it.

Updated 7-23-08, prices were removed. Please contact me for current pricing.

Here's some more practical swaps that I'd like to do:

2ZZGE (7th gen Celica GTS 180hp) into '96+ Celica (OBD2 emissions legal)
2AZFE (Scion tC 160hp 160ft/lbs) into '96+ Celica (OBD2 emissions legal)
2GRFE, 2GRFSE, or 3MZFE into Celica (OBD2 emissions legal)

This post has been edited by Dr_Tweak: Jul 23, 2008 - 10:31 AM

[lagos]

the whole point is this... you are asking someone to take a HUGE risk with their car, invest a lot of money, and put a ton of faith in your fabrication skills (jb weld? ). why dont you buy a 6th gen, and swap it with something. im not talking about this 2jz nonsense... but im sure you could pull off some type of swap for next to nothing with all the spare parts you must have around the shop from the cars youve worked on. i always thought it was strange that you work on all these 6th gen swaps, yet you dont have one of your own.

if you really want to do an awd or rwd conversion, it shouldn't be the type of thing that you just weld/bolt on in a few months and hand it over to some kid thats going to do awd launches and 150mph runs on the highway. you would need at least 6months to a year of test driving to make sure that everything holds up over time, so that this doesn't end up killing someone. so, do it to your own car, weed out the bugs and show people that this isn't just talk. once you have something amazing to show, im sure people will start taking out loans and you'll be making even more money.

[Dr_Tweak]

the whole point is this... you are asking someone to take a HUGE risk with their car, invest a lot of money, and put a ton of faith in your fabrication skills (jb weld? ). why dont you buy a 6th gen, and swap it with something. im not talking about this 2jz nonsense... but im sure you could pull off some type of swap for next to nothing with all the spare parts you must have around the shop from the cars youve worked on. i always thought it was strange that you work on all these 6th gen swaps, yet you dont have one of your own.

if you really want to do an awd or rwd conversion, it shouldn't be the type of thing that you just weld/bolt on in a few months and hand it over to some kid thats going to do awd launches and 150mph runs on the highway. you would need at least 6months to a year of test driving to make sure that everything holds up over time, so that this doesn't end up killing someone. so, do it to your own car, weed out the bugs and show people that this isn't just talk. once you have something amazing to show, im sure people will start taking out loans and you'll be making even more money.

What you don't understand is that I work a TON of different cars. Supras, Celicas, MR2s, Corollas, Tercels, Pickups, Echos, etc. I can't go and buy EVERY SINGLE CAR I WORK ON, do a swap in it for myself, so that I can go on each forum and be like, "oh yeah, I did that swap on my own car, check it out...". Let me put this very plainly:

If you live at home with your parents, or are in college, or are in a lot of debt, or don't have a good job, or you don't have much common sense, leave this thread now, this kind of conversion is not for you. On the other hand, if you have some clue about what's going on when I say that I'm going to turn your FWD Celica into a RWD, and you have the ability to pay for (or at least pay off) a large amount of money, and you want to do something crazy with your Celica that hasn't been done before, then we can do it.

I know for certain that while the 6th gen Celica is a first car for many people here, and the only car or second car for a lot of people who don't have a lot of money, or the only car of a college student, there are also some people at least watching who STILL have their Celica from when they were in that situation, but now they've graduated college, they're getting older, getting more money and buying power, have another (new) car or two, and maybe want to do something cool with their Celica.

-Doc