Celica Project

[Maingear]

My 2002 Celica is going to have an engine upgrade. Everyone is spending thousands of dollars to have a 300+HP FWD car (not to mention ricer body kits)!? My goal is to have a V8 engine in the car while keeping a stock-like appearance.



I am in the process of buying a Celica that has been totaled to use as a mock-up. When I get all of the mounts and harnesses right, Ill swap it over as a kit to my daily driver.



I don't think that there is enough room in the engine bay to fulfill the height requirement for a V8. The engine might fit in the back seat area; I want to go with an independent rear. Definitely fit if there is a tranny that sets aft of the output shafts.



The only dimensions that I have available to me are the ones I retrieve off of my LX470. I found the sticky with the deminsions. Very Nice!! I know that there must be shorter intakes and tranny’s and shallower oil pans to choose from.


Any help would be greatly appreciated, I don’t want to go through all of this trouble to settle on a V6.

 

[Peewee]

You want to put a 1UZ in a 2002 Celica, which is E-W FWD (FF) ? ?

Are you going to keep it FF, or make it FR ?

 

[Maingear]

Being so new to this forum, I am battling a learning curve!



I am still crunching the measurements. There is plenty of room in the rear for all the gear, but it will cut the car's capacity to 2 seats. The 7th generation Celica is very nimble in the turns. If I go with FR all the weight will be up front (good steering wheel traction), but for the 400HP I want, the weight may be better suited over the drive wheels for traction.



Target weight is 2200 Lbs.



My preference is to stay away from large components that are difficult/expensive to acquire.



My current issues are:

RR config - FWD tranny, reliability becomes an issue.


FR config - firewall components requires relocating (booster, cabin heater lines, etc)

 

[Zuffen]

Reading between the lines I think we're looking at East West mid engine setup.

Like an MR2.

Could be interesting and major surgery.

 

[Edwin_S]

Why not go with a 3S-GTE for the 400HP? That would be a LOT easyer

 

[Maingear]

My target HP is for natural aspiration. I agree, a I4 or even a V6 (new Lexus 300HP was my first choice) would fit much easer (I have the 2ZZ-GE already). My dream is the 4.7.



My engine bay measurements are too small to allow an induction system on the 1UZ. So it looks like the back seat is getting the boot.



I am going to the salvage yard today to search for a Celica I can cut in half for the mock-up, as well as an engine.




I still have not found a FWD tranny suitable for 600 HP. I want to add turbos at a later date.

 

[Peewee]

Why not do this to an MR2, which already has all the engineering done on it for an RR setup?

And then just graft the Celica nose on to it?

 

[Maingear]

I already have an engineering background; a 7th gen Celica, ( realy like this car). I also enjoy a challange.

also the new aft engine bay should allow more elbow room.

Will a MR2 tranny hold up to the HP?

 

[WDoherty]

you should go to ls1tech.com and look under the swap or coversion section(can't remember the name) and find this college kid that successfully converted a honda predlude to an ls1 with an independent rwd set-up.

 

[Maingear]

Will do !

 

[MaxPower]

Saves searching...
http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1645997&page=1

 

[Maingear]

Very nice link! That guy could have gotten away with thinner gauge steel. I will have to do the same mod to the firewall.

BTW: the u-pull-it (salvage yard) turned up nil. But there was an RX-7 and a 240Z to take the rear suspension from.