How difficult do you think it would be to get from Fwd to Rwd? Options

[dudeofchaos]

I really love my car and plan on keeping it. I don't wanna sell it, never.
It's not something that I plan on doing soon cause I'm broke, but in a few years I will have my real job and I will probably work as a mecanical engineer and I may also have my mecanic's diploma.

I was wondering how difficult it would be to get from Fwd to Rwd? Could I just take the transmition and rear differencial from an Mr2 (which has the same engine which is good!) and I guess probably the cv axles and probably the suspention/steering-related parts like the tie rod ends and stuff and make them fit together and Voila?

I'm not good enoght right now to know what I shall do to do this conversion, but I will eventually go to school after I get my engineer diploma to learn all about mecanics.

(I plan on having a Rwd Celica and a 4wd Gt-Four later. I don't wanna buy a gt-four and convert it to rwd cause this way I would have to buy 2 gt-fours in the end. I'd rather get my Fwd Gts to rwd and then, later, buy a Gt-Four. So please don't tell me to buy a Gt-Four because ''it would be easier to swap'' )

Do you think it would be this ''simple'' or would I need to do a lot more things to get the rear wheels spinning?
I guess a celica would be easier than other cars to convert since there are a lot of bolt-on parts between the celica-mr2-gt4, am I right?

Well, thanks to those who answer me!

This post has been edited by dudeofchaos: Sep 25, 2010 - 5:53 PM

[blu94gt]

Ehh, don't start planning stuff out that far ahead. Stuff, life, and goals change so quickly... No offense but after a few years of the same car, you'll probably realize there are better ways to spend your money, car related or otherwise.

This.

OP: You're how old? I'm assuming 18 or 19 since you're just going into school. What exactly are you studying, because I'm confused if it's mechanical engineering or auto-mechanic's school. Neither of which will just magically give you the skills to do a swap like this in a few years. I completed a 2 year auto mechanic's program here, which taught some good information but it was basically just enough to start apprenticing at a shop: basically changing tires, brakes, and oil while learning more on the job. Finishing up my engineering degree now, and there is pretty much nothing like that taught at an engineering school unless you go to a specialty school.

I don't know if any colleges in Canada participate in Formula SCE, but it's the only university-based club that actually would teach you some good fabricating and custom skills. It's basically a competition where you make a custom kart as light as you can with a 600cc or less motor. TONS of custom work, there's a good opportunity to learn a lot.

As far as planning, seriously don't plan that far ahead, especially when you don't know what your skillset will be. When I was 19 I had my 94 Celica and swore I would keep it until it had a million miles on it. What do you know after a year of driving that car I realized that it would never do what I wanted it to performance-wise without a ton of money and work, so I sold it for a Subaru WRX. Swore I'd keep that car, but 2 years later got a Lexus and a Miata, etc etc. Now I'm back in a 99 Celica but I KNOW it will never do anything more for me than be a fun and reliable DD, for even the cost of a swap I could purchase a lot of other proper sports cars.

I'm not really trying to discourage you from dreaming big, but for what knowledge you have both of your car and what all you can do to it, right now you are dreaming BIG. Why do you want to go RWD so bad? Do you even have much experience driving RWD cars and know what their true advantages are?

[dudeofchaos]

Ehh, don't start planning stuff out that far ahead. Stuff, life, and goals change so quickly... No offense but after a few years of the same car, you'll probably realize there are better ways to spend your money, car related or otherwise.

This.

OP: You're how old? I'm assuming 18 or 19 since you're just going into school. What exactly are you studying, because I'm confused if it's mechanical engineering or auto-mechanic's school. Neither of which will just magically give you the skills to do a swap like this in a few years. I completed a 2 year auto mechanic's program here, which taught some good information but it was basically just enough to start apprenticing at a shop: basically changing tires, brakes, and oil while learning more on the job. Finishing up my engineering degree now, and there is pretty much nothing like that taught at an engineering school unless you go to a specialty school.

I don't know if any colleges in Canada participate in Formula SCE, but it's the only university-based club that actually would teach you some good fabricating and custom skills. It's basically a competition where you make a custom kart as light as you can with a 600cc or less motor. TONS of custom work, there's a good opportunity to learn a lot.

As far as planning, seriously don't plan that far ahead, especially when you don't know what your skillset will be. When I was 19 I had my 94 Celica and swore I would keep it until it had a million miles on it. What do you know after a year of driving that car I realized that it would never do what I wanted it to performance-wise without a ton of money and work, so I sold it for a Subaru WRX. Swore I'd keep that car, but 2 years later got a Lexus and a Miata, etc etc. Now I'm back in a 99 Celica but I KNOW it will never do anything more for me than be a fun and reliable DD, for even the cost of a swap I could purchase a lot of other proper sports cars.

I'm not really trying to discourage you from dreaming big, but for what knowledge you have both of your car and what all you can do to it, right now you are dreaming BIG. Why do you want to go RWD so bad? Do you even have much experience driving RWD cars and know what their true advantages are?

Yes we have that formula at my school. Was actually planning to get in it this year.
I know, everything you said is true, but it's something I'd like to do some day.