From fwd to awd, is it possible? Options

[goferris]

I have read somewhere that it isn't possible to change a american celica into an awd gtfour type of set up. Is that True? I am new to the forum and not sure if this has allready been touched on earlier but that is one of my dreams to have. living in the states i doubt i will ever have the chance to ever own a real one. Does anyone know for sure?
thanks for the info

[easternpiro1]

yes its possible, but VERY VERY VEEEEEERY expensive. there is someone on here that has done it in the united states...i forgot his name do a search and look up awd conversion or all wheel drive conversion

from the last thread i read about it relating to him, his car pulls to the left when he's on the highway so be careful

there is also currently another thread on converting it to awd, the guy is getting ready to do it, or he's in the process now, just search

cheers rookie! enjoy the site!

[j0e_p3t]

buy celiman05's car.

[Jaws4God]

I wonder what makes it so expensive to do...

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

I wonder what makes it so expensive to do...

I'm not too sure. Seems like all you would need is a st205 front and rear clip. Then just bolt stuff in. There would be some custom fabbing. Might be able to use an st185. That would be all the more work though. I might just look at that, I know a guy with a st185. I'll jack both cars and see how different they are. If it's close, I'll start messuring things. I'll get back to this thread in few days.

[easternpiro1]

i want to be like bigmeanbulldog when i grow up....thats a nice gesture man...

[lagos]

I wonder what makes it so expensive to do...

custom cutting and fabrication of the rear end.
sourcing rear diff, suspension, wheel hubs, brakes...etc..
buying a race fuel cell to replace the gas tank
etc...
etc..
etc..


it all adds up and its far from a bolt on type of thing

I wonder what makes it so expensive to do...

I'm not too sure. Seems like all you would need is a st205 front and rear clip. Then just bolt stuff in. There would be some custom fabbing. Might be able to use an st185. That would be all the more work though. I might just look at that, I know a guy with a st185. I'll jack both cars and see how different they are. If it's close, I'll start messuring things. I'll get back to this thread in few days.

none of it bolts up. thats the problem . its all totally different in the rear end.

[94GT]

There's a guy in Cyprus (I think) on this board who did it the right way. The mega difference is that the fuel tank on our American car is right where the rear diff needs to go. And there's nothing to bolt it onto even if you remove the tank and put a fuel cell in the trunk instead. What he did was had the rear lower pan cut off and welded one from a GT 4 in so that he could use a GT-4 fuel tank and everything would bolt up correctly. If you don't do it this way you've got to do some custom fabricating back there to be able to bolt it up and then scrap your fuel tank and put a cell in the trunk. For all that work you'd probably be better off buying a street legal all-trac...

[goferris]

So if i did do this mod would it not be street legal? if so that would suck.

[lagos]

So if i did do this mod would it not be street legal? if so that would suck.

very illegal, and potentially very dangerous.

[goferris]

very illegal, and potentially very dangerous.

how is it dangerous? because of having to mod the rear? GRR i guess that means no awd celica for me

[lagos]

because you have to totally cut up the rear end of your car and weld/fabricate everything back on so that its perfectly straight and strong enough to last the life of the car. chances are the person who is going to do this for you will not be a mechanical engineer with incredible welding skills.
if anything is done incorrectly, it could mean your life.


then again, there are people out there who do this kind of stuff for a living, and could probably make a fairly safe setup. but that would cost you more then its worth. if you want an awd celica, you can buy a 4th or 5th gen for less the 5grand.

This post has been edited by lagos: Feb 15, 2007 - 7:00 PM

[alltracman78]

The mega difference is that the fuel tank on our American car is right where the rear diff needs to go.

I believe your gas tank is actually where the propeller shaft needs to go....
Which is under the rear seats.

Your trunk bottom is in the way of the diff. This is why STxx5 have a shallower trunk than the FWD Celicas they share generations with.
In the STxx5 the tank is after the rear diff, right in front of the rear bumper.

[hatchy_gt-s]

it is a complex and yet a simple transfer aslong as you have the hole drivetrain, suspension, tran., and then you have to move lines and of course the tank and the cost on this is far from worth it trust me ive done my homework and mymeasurements and found its not worth the money or the time

[lagos]

the funny part is, that these threads pop up all the time. everyone says how they want/plan to do it, or how they would give their first born for a gt4. yet celiman's conversion has been for sale for months now and no one wants to buy it.

[alltracman78]

Talk is cheap......

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

it is a complex and yet a simple transfer aslong as you have the hole drivetrain, suspension, tran., and then you have to move lines and of course the tank and the cost on this is far from worth it trust me ive done my homework and mymeasurements and found its not worth the money or the time

So, if you could get a rear clip, you could just transfer it all over? Seems like there would be an over abundance of st205 rear clips due to everyone wanting the front half. I've heard the floor of the truck is higher because the st205 and Beams Celica's have the full size spare. So, were do the myths stop and the truth start?

[celicast3sgte]

lagos. SHUT UP! say something other than "no" for once!

it can be done, you dont need to me a frickin engineer. and you for DAMN sure don't need to listen to lagos. green mach toy is doing it and writing a buildup, and celiman05 has done the swap and is now selling it.

bottom line, metal is metal, anything can be done.

[lagos]

lagos. SHUT UP! say something other than "no" for once!

it can be done, you dont need to me a frickin engineer. and you for DAMN sure don't need to listen to lagos. green mach toy is doing it and writing a buildup, and celiman05 has done the swap and is now selling it.

bottom line, metal is metal, anything can be done.

ok. ill be a dumb cheerleader. DO IT DO IT DO IT

celiman05's DAD did it . he happens to be a fabricator by trade. only a few months after the project is compete the car goes for sale. kind of makes you wonder why somone would take on a project like that and then not want it unless there was something wrong or the fear of something going wrong.

btw, what hands on experience do you have on this matter? i had the awd diff and drive shaft. jacked up my car, dragged the diff and shaft under it and saw what needed to be done. how about you?

EDIT: one more thing. if anyone has the skills to take on a project like this, they would know what is/isn't possible or safe without having to ask people on a forum that has nothing to do with fabrication. they sure as hell wouldn't pay attention to my opinions on the matter.

This post has been edited by lagos: Feb 16, 2007 - 12:02 AM

[celicast3sgte]

no need to be an ass about it.. i just requested you stop saying no to everyone because YOU didnt justify the cause.

EDIT: WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE WHO IS CAPABLE AND WHO ISNT?!

This post has been edited by celicast3sgte: Feb 16, 2007 - 12:08 AM