Nick's AWD RHD GT4 Conversion, A thread documenting Me Converting Nick's Celica to AWD and RHD Options

[Tecker184]

Im starting a thread to show how I went about converting Nick's (AKA Mgnt232) Celica into a GT4. This is not my car or a how to thread. Simply a thread im starting to show how i went about the conversion. Feel free to ask questions but im not going to answer to criticism or listen how im doing this or that wrong. This is my garage in my back yard not a pro shop thanks.

You can also follow this on my page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clears-Garage/350273271821080


The clip

The goods





Fuel tank was crushed from the weight

Clip in the shop

Rear floor section

Nick's Car

Getting the old tired 7a out

Out


This post has been edited by Tecker184: Jun 16, 2015 - 9:29 PM

[Tecker184]

On the rotisserie

[njccmd2002]

Interesting approach. Was the donor part a direct fit to the chassis. I imagine it should. Did u just cut or remove the weld spots

[Tecker184]

Cut and removed spotwelds. Its identical from the front seats up to the shock towers. From there back there was some gaps. They where remedyed with a little massaging with a hammer from in the wheel wells. The very rear panel that the tail lights are bolted to is a little different. The frame rails on the gt4 are wider so the opening for the bumper is too. The floor pan also sits up a little higher in the shock tower area. But it's really not that bad.

I went this route apose to making mounts because the package game with the floor complete. Im tryig to make it as much of a gt4 as possible.

[Batman722]

The right way to do it.

Do you plan on doing RHD also or just keeping it LHD ?
That fuel tank looks like it's seen better days, save-able ?

[SwissFerdi]

Awesome. Good luck.

[Tecker184]

Converting it to rhd as well. As for the fuel tank, im going to seal it and hit it with compressed air see if i cant pop it out. Works on soda bottles so we will see if it will work on the tank. If not going to find a new tank.

[Fate]

Really great stuff, congrats Nick.

[luka]

i have a gt4 tank from czwalga that is still in the shipping box...I found out recently that it would be too much work to fit with the GT floor-pan, so I might go with a fuel cell instead.

[Tecker184]

[enderswift]

You make it look easy, we'll done

[FORGMANN]

I have tons of extra JDM toyota ST20# 5pc mats if you need some and also 2 extra JDM doors for parts if you need the wiring.

Great to see someone doing this the right way 100% .

[jordisonjr]

You are a mad man.
I could never bring myself to cut this much out of a car. Look forward to seeing progress.

[mkernz22]

Dont forget the cutout for the air duct under the windshield wiper section.
Also, you have to flip the wiper motor to the *now passenger side as well as move one of the wiper mounts to the *now driver side.

[Tecker184]

Alread done with the exception of moving the wiper motor. I will be extending the harness to accommodate the motor being on the otherside. I clearanced the opening for the blower motor inlet. Brake booster touches but will work. I decided to go this route because in order to relocate the way id want to do it id have to pull the windsheild.

[richee3]

We need more threads like this. Seriously awesome work!

[mkernz22]

Alread done with the exception of moving the wiper motor. I will be extending the harness to accommodate the motor being on the otherside. I clearanced the opening for the blower motor inlet. Brake booster touches but will work. I decided to go this route because in order to relocate the way id want to do it id have to pull the windsheild.

What do you mean? If you swap in all the RHD harnesses, which you would need to, then you shouldn't have to extend anything.
And pulling the windshield isn't that hard. You're doing everything with good quality, why skimp out on one little thing?

This post has been edited by mkernz22: Sep 23, 2015 - 7:16 AM

[Tecker184]

Because to move the wiper motor would require removing the entire wiper cowl. The wiper cowl cannot simply be cut out. It is sandwiched between everything much like the firewall. Its more work than its worth. Ive discussed it with nick and we agreed it was not worth the effort.

Here are some more pics

[mkernz22]

If you knew about old threads, you'd know

Go about halfway down the page, the pictures show it's really not as hard as you think it is to flip it.

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showto...=RHD&st=260

[njccmd2002]

yup looks dooable

[Tecker184]

To do it the way i would want to do it its more work than its worth. If the wiper motor works on the original side whats the point in moving it. If it was me I would have been happy with lhd i dont not understand the whole rhd thing. But to each there own.

[njccmd2002]

rhd is true jdm...

[jordisonjr]

rhd is true jdm...

Not if you're building it lol.
Everyone just wants have street credz in this "mad-tyte-JDM-bro scene"

[Tecker184]

Back to progress pictures

[mkernz22]

To do it the way i would want to do it its more work than its worth. If the wiper motor works on the original side whats the point in moving it. If it was me I would have been happy with lhd i dont not understand the whole rhd thing. But to each there own.

But if you don't do it, you're going to run into the issue of the wiper not clearing enough of the windshield on the right side of the car (about 3/4's of it), which could cause a visibility issue (and it might not pass inspection because of that). That's my whole point about doing it. Even if it's not exactly how you want to do it, it would at least be done almost properly.

[Tecker184]

Thats more of a reason to do so. I will look into it.

[enderswift]

So sick

[empite]

you are damn crazy man !

[Tecker184]

Been too busy to post an update, so here are some pictures.

[njccmd2002]

Wow amazing work...

[Tecker184]

More progress, to do list is very small. Hope to drive it this weekend.

Brake line mount on a st205 so this had to be done









The shop

[enderswift]

That was fast, great work

[Batman722]

Nice Jeep...and Deuce...and big logo on the wall. That thing light up ?

[BonzaiCelica]

Ah now finally understand that hard brake line mounting point on ST205

[delusionz]

The funny thing is, in the US and in Europe everyone wants to have JDM style in there car, but here, 90% of cars onroad are Japanese used imports, so our cars started off JDM and alot of us want the European styling instead lol.... And ofcourse, the classic muscle cars here, having the steering wheel on the Left is a cool thing here lol

[Tecker184]

Its the sign from a local dealer. They did a remodel and I happen to know some people who know people who work there. Of course it lights up lol



No jeeps at my house my friend, that there is my daughter FJ lol. On another note the car is pretty much done. I took it down the road this past weekend. Been too busy to update but here it is.







And last but not least the video of me pulling the car out for the first time



This post has been edited by Tecker184: Nov 16, 2015 - 8:38 PM

[enderswift]

Great work

[mkernz22]

Look amazing!

Is your rear end too far forward?
I only ask because I know Malek's is a true GT4 and it doesn't seem like the wheels are as off center.


This post has been edited by mkernz22: Nov 17, 2015 - 6:11 AM

[Tigawoods]

Look amazing!

Is your rear end too far forward?
I only ask because I know Malek's is a true GT4 and it doesn't seem like the wheels are as off center.

Funny thing, Maleks AWD conversion had that exact same caster issue

[Tecker184]

Yupp, i saw the same issue on a car that was converted. Wheel is not centered in the wheel well. I thought because i ised the floor that it would remedy that problem. Makes me think the shock tower is a little farther back in the st205. I plan on discussing this with Nick and see what he wants to do about it. I may be able to solve the issue by extending the north south arms that center the wheel.

[enderswift]

I don't have first hand experience, but I'm pretty sure there is a difference in length between the usdm GT, and GT4 trailing arms. Either that, or the mounting point for the trailing arms is different between the two frames. A member recently posted their GT4 conversion showing that they had to lengthen the arms to get the wheel in the center, I'll post a link if I find it

This post has been edited by enderswift: Nov 17, 2015 - 1:38 PM

[Domspun]

First, the rear is too high, get it lowered at the right height, it will move the wheel a little back.

[mkernz22]

I don't have first hand experience, but I'm pretty sure there is a difference in length between the usdm GT, and GT4 trailing arms. Either that, or the mounting point for the trailing arms is different between the two frames. A member recently posted their GT4 conversion showing that they had to lengthen the arms to get the wheel in the center, I'll post a link if I find it

Yeah, but they used the whole floor pan whereas Malek's old car just had brackets welded on, I believe?
You would think everything should line up almost perfect by swapping out the rear floor pans, but obviously there is still something else that we're missing since the wheels are being pulled too far forward.

[enderswift]

I don't have first hand experience, but I'm pretty sure there is a difference in length between the usdm GT, and GT4 trailing arms. Either that, or the mounting point for the trailing arms is different between the two frames. A member recently posted their GT4 conversion showing that they had to lengthen the arms to get the wheel in the center, I'll post a link if I find it

Yeah, but they used the whole floor pan whereas Malek's old car just had brackets welded on, I believe?
You would think everything should line up almost perfect by swapping out the rear floor pans, but obviously there is still something else that we're missing since the wheels are being pulled too far forward.

I'm gonna measure the st204 and 205 trailing arms this weekend to be sure

[4-eyed-freek]

I can take measurements as well if need be

[mkernz22]

I'd say start with measuring from the center of the big hole on each strut tower to the latch. Doing that on both sides. It's the most simple thing to measure.

One from a GT4 and one from a swapped one.

[Domspun]

Here is some pics at different height, see how it gets forward when it's higher. The "standard" height you see here is a little higher because of the stripped interior. Anyway, it's just to show my point.

[enderswift]

http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showto...5137&st=140

Domspun you may be right . The ride height would definitely force the wheel to follow the arc created by the trailing arm. I wonder what would cause that difference in height? I dont think the stut towers are different height between the two chassis.... In any case others have worked around this issue by modifying the trailing arms. Scroll down and you'll see that the rear trailing arm was modified to allow for adjustment.

This post has been edited by enderswift: Nov 24, 2015 - 9:51 PM

[mkernz22]

So what you're saying is slam it and the wheel should be perfectly centered

That does make sense though. Since the car is sitting higher, the trailing arm would be angled downward thus pulling the wheel toward the front of the car. As the car is lowered, the trailing arm becomes more level thus pushing the wheel backward and making it more centered in the wheel well.

[Tecker184]

The GT arms are half an inch longer. Im going to put them in the trunk. When Nick puts coil overs in and lowers the car he can decide if he wants to swap them out or use both arms to make one. I can see how the increase in ride hight would cause this issue. I too do not know why it sits up so high. He plans on getting coil overs as soon as its down his way.

[njccmd2002]

Maybe the towers in the gt are too low..

[Tecker184]

So Nick flew in last week and took the car. I suppose this will be the end of this thread. Took it to the local toyota dealer had the car aligned. Toe was spot on all 4 wheels. Caster and camber where off slightly but there is no adjustment from the factory. Had only one small hickupp on the car after completion. When i was driving the car home from the dealership the alternator failed leaving me stranded on the side of the road the day Nick was boarding his flight to come get the car. But after i replaced the alternator everything was great. He drove it from Fort Edward NY to Base in North Carolina with out issue.

Dont forget to check out my facebook page for future projects link in first post. Currently in the garage is my 93 st185. Plan is 2grfe swap, Borg Warner EFR, AEM Infinity 6, sunroof removal with non sunroof skin, and weight reduction. End goal is 500 awhp and 2500# street car and apear to have a full interior.

In between 1uzfe swap in my ae86 and 6speed trans install in my 2zzge aw11.

[njccmd2002]

i want to see that 2gr swap.