I've never done a worklog before because most everything on my car has been pretty much "by the book". Nothing super special, complicated, etc. This is something pretty new so i thought you guys might want to check out my progress.
I'll probably just keep updating this first post with info as i go along.
time to let the cat out of the bag and get all of this info together in one place
the stuff you need to pull this off in a FWD BP powered BG:
OE parts needed:
celica alltrac ST165/185/205 shifter and cables.
some are longer than others, beware. ST165 cables are BARELY long enough, that's what i have. the camry stuff will work but the shifter base is huge.
2000ish Camry/Solara v6 5 speed trans
LSD of your choice, buy for 93-95 MR2 turbo
new bolts, bearings, speedo gear, snap ring for LSD
(note, the camry open diff ring gear bolts are TOO SHORT
also note, these transmissions are much more difficult to take apart than the good old G series.)
91-92 MR2 intermediate shaft/bracket
91-92 MR2 drivers side inner axle stub
(note: these are generally inexpensive and work for the all the aftermarket LSD's. If you want to use the stock viscous LSD from a 93-95 MR2 you will need the two parts above from the 93-95. these will fetch inflated prices.)
Celica Alltrac ST185 front axles (hybrid with MR2 inner axles above)
91-92 MR2 cable drive speedo sender
90-94 protege LX speedo cable (fits toyota sender, will also connect to escort speedo)
('88 RX7 balljoints w/ late style BG spindles) -or- (MX3 LCA's) to widen track slightly
Custom purchased parts needed:
custom clutch disc, 8 7/8" OD with 21 spline toyota center hub.
adapter plate (dur)
bushings for mounts - i used Energy suspension #9.9483
Custom machine work and "machine work":
machine off weight ring on back of flywheel to clear plate
deck flywheel down an extra ~0.10" (or have fun last-minute clearancing the bellhousing like i did)
notch bellhousing for starter nose, drill hole for starter mounting bolt
notch bellhousing for front/top adapter plate to engine bolt head
lots of bolt shortening for "blind holes" in the adapter plate
Sh!t you have to make from scratch:
Plate to cover old shifter hole in floor, to bolt new shifter base to
engine/trans mounts and brackets (all four for FWD)
subframe for front/rear lower mounts (you may be able to modify the stock one to work, i didnt bother)
bracket for intermediate shaft bearing
bracket and line for clutch slave (use camry slave, stock master)
Specific tools/skills:
BFH
Welder / how to weld
Torch
drill press or punch
hydraulic press
grinders, cutters, nippers, band saw, etc etc etc
Materials:
Plate and angle steel in various thicknesses and widths (we ranged from 1/8" to 1/2" thick on this project)
round or square steel tubing for subframe (we used 1" square 1/8" wall)
1.5" ID 1/4" wall DOM for mounts (if you use the p/n above)
1/2" diameter bolts for mounts (again)
lots of M10x1.25 and M12x1.5 bolts in various lengths
a handful of nuts, same sizes
a few oddball fasteners, for example the bolts at the front of the subframe were m12x1.0 IIRC
tips:
the engine and trans need to come bothforward and up roughly 1". its hard to say precisely how much. the main issue with the stock drivetrain location is that the inner cv joints hit the K frame, this is the problem you need to solve. i wanted at least a finger's thickness clearance on everything spinning/moving. the frame rail on the drivers side also tries to occupy the same space as the trans by about 1/2". options are notch and box the frame rail, or hit it with the torch and BFH. we went with the BFH, everything seems to be just fine.
i'll be happy to answer specific questions from anyone attempting to do the swap, however i hope that i covered this pretty well. if you feel i have forgotten something major, please let me know so i can fix it.
i know the guys in NZ were first, but as far as i know this is the first FWD toyota conversion in the continental US. i give credit where credit is due, i ask that you all please do the same
I'll probably just keep updating this first post with info as i go along.
Originally posted by 7/23/09
Right now I'm still in the parts collecting phase, and have been since winter. I'll post 100% details on all of these parts once I've confirmed that everything works properly!
So far I have in my possesion:
Toyota E153 FWD transmission
Quaife LSD for above transmission
Shifter assembly, cables
2 pairs of axles
Intermediate shaft and drivers side axle stub (these axles use bolt-together inner CV joints)
Clutch pressure plate
Things I've figured out, but do not have yet:
Clutch disc
Clutch TOB
Trans adapter plate (should be finished soon!)
Upper trans mount (being made by the same guy who's doing the plate)
Gaskets/seals etc. for the trans
Things I need to figure out/have made once I get everything above:
Front/rear lower mounts and brackets
Custom subframe to bolt the mounts to
Adapter bracket to bolt Toyota intermediate shaft to the BP block
Clutch hydraulic lines, and master/slave volume ratios for correct clutch action
May need to re-do my IC piping to clear the trans
Here are all the pics i have so far:
overlay of a BP bellhousing pattern with the toyota pattern, and a poorly made adapter plate behind both in orange. the plate is being redesigned to not suck 
random picture of intermediate shaft and bracket
stock MR2 LSD vs. stock escort diff. i sold this LSD and bought a quaife instead. note the sheer difference in size, the MR2 diff weighs 30 pounds!
my new front axles vs. a (broken) stock escort axle
my E153 transmission
shifter assembly, shifter cables
bellhousing pattern, with some notes regarding how far off the original adapter plate is
So far I have in my possesion:
Toyota E153 FWD transmission
Quaife LSD for above transmission
Shifter assembly, cables
2 pairs of axles
Intermediate shaft and drivers side axle stub (these axles use bolt-together inner CV joints)
Clutch pressure plate
Things I've figured out, but do not have yet:
Clutch disc
Clutch TOB
Trans adapter plate (should be finished soon!)
Upper trans mount (being made by the same guy who's doing the plate)
Gaskets/seals etc. for the trans
Things I need to figure out/have made once I get everything above:
Front/rear lower mounts and brackets
Custom subframe to bolt the mounts to
Adapter bracket to bolt Toyota intermediate shaft to the BP block
Clutch hydraulic lines, and master/slave volume ratios for correct clutch action
May need to re-do my IC piping to clear the trans
Here are all the pics i have so far:
overlay of a BP bellhousing pattern with the toyota pattern, and a poorly made adapter plate behind both in orange. the plate is being redesigned to not suck 
random picture of intermediate shaft and bracket
stock MR2 LSD vs. stock escort diff. i sold this LSD and bought a quaife instead. note the sheer difference in size, the MR2 diff weighs 30 pounds!
my new front axles vs. a (broken) stock escort axle
my E153 transmission
shifter assembly, shifter cables
bellhousing pattern, with some notes regarding how far off the original adapter plate istime to let the cat out of the bag and get all of this info together in one place
the stuff you need to pull this off in a FWD BP powered BG:
OE parts needed:
celica alltrac ST165/185/205 shifter and cables.
some are longer than others, beware. ST165 cables are BARELY long enough, that's what i have. the camry stuff will work but the shifter base is huge.
2000ish Camry/Solara v6 5 speed trans
LSD of your choice, buy for 93-95 MR2 turbo
new bolts, bearings, speedo gear, snap ring for LSD
(note, the camry open diff ring gear bolts are TOO SHORT
also note, these transmissions are much more difficult to take apart than the good old G series.)
91-92 MR2 intermediate shaft/bracket
91-92 MR2 drivers side inner axle stub
(note: these are generally inexpensive and work for the all the aftermarket LSD's. If you want to use the stock viscous LSD from a 93-95 MR2 you will need the two parts above from the 93-95. these will fetch inflated prices.)
Celica Alltrac ST185 front axles (hybrid with MR2 inner axles above)
91-92 MR2 cable drive speedo sender
90-94 protege LX speedo cable (fits toyota sender, will also connect to escort speedo)
('88 RX7 balljoints w/ late style BG spindles) -or- (MX3 LCA's) to widen track slightly
Custom purchased parts needed:
custom clutch disc, 8 7/8" OD with 21 spline toyota center hub.
adapter plate (dur)
bushings for mounts - i used Energy suspension #9.9483
Custom machine work and "machine work":
machine off weight ring on back of flywheel to clear plate
deck flywheel down an extra ~0.10" (or have fun last-minute clearancing the bellhousing like i did)
notch bellhousing for starter nose, drill hole for starter mounting bolt
notch bellhousing for front/top adapter plate to engine bolt head
lots of bolt shortening for "blind holes" in the adapter plate
Sh!t you have to make from scratch:
Plate to cover old shifter hole in floor, to bolt new shifter base to
engine/trans mounts and brackets (all four for FWD)
subframe for front/rear lower mounts (you may be able to modify the stock one to work, i didnt bother)
bracket for intermediate shaft bearing
bracket and line for clutch slave (use camry slave, stock master)
Specific tools/skills:
BFH
Welder / how to weld
Torch
drill press or punch
hydraulic press
grinders, cutters, nippers, band saw, etc etc etc
Materials:
Plate and angle steel in various thicknesses and widths (we ranged from 1/8" to 1/2" thick on this project)
round or square steel tubing for subframe (we used 1" square 1/8" wall)
1.5" ID 1/4" wall DOM for mounts (if you use the p/n above)
1/2" diameter bolts for mounts (again)
lots of M10x1.25 and M12x1.5 bolts in various lengths
a handful of nuts, same sizes
a few oddball fasteners, for example the bolts at the front of the subframe were m12x1.0 IIRC
tips:
the engine and trans need to come bothforward and up roughly 1". its hard to say precisely how much. the main issue with the stock drivetrain location is that the inner cv joints hit the K frame, this is the problem you need to solve. i wanted at least a finger's thickness clearance on everything spinning/moving. the frame rail on the drivers side also tries to occupy the same space as the trans by about 1/2". options are notch and box the frame rail, or hit it with the torch and BFH. we went with the BFH, everything seems to be just fine.
i'll be happy to answer specific questions from anyone attempting to do the swap, however i hope that i covered this pretty well. if you feel i have forgotten something major, please let me know so i can fix it.
i know the guys in NZ were first, but as far as i know this is the first FWD toyota conversion in the continental US. i give credit where credit is due, i ask that you all please do the same
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