Toyota 4age swap

[maganoo82]

Ok, im new to the site and new to Opels, will be buying a 69 GT shortly, my dad is picking it up for me so it will be at the house when i get back from iraq. anyway my question is, i looked around on this site about engine swapping for Toyota 4age and read where danOmyte wrote a while back - "The 4AGZE will be a straight bolt in. Stick an AE86 transmission on it and go. Quick, simple, and it will easily fit in the Opel's engine bay, the engine is absolutely tiny." Can anybody expand on this for me? Is it really a "bolt in" swap? If it really is, is it due to the fact that Toyota and GM shared some bolt patterns back in the day, ie 4age in the mid 80s Novas? I like the fact the 4age can be built pretty stout naturally aspirated (formula atlantic ) and i think a NA late model I4 in a GT would be awsome. Light car + light drivetrain + decent handling = immense fun factor. This GT is not the only project i have going on either. Also waiting for me to get back is a 79 Spitfire thats getting a 13B turbo, a 73 MGB convertible thats getting a SR20DET, and a 69 MGB GT thats getting a VQ35DE and matching 6 speed. Will be using this site alot more than likely, thanks ahead of time for any help i get!

[davegt27]

any swap is not for the faint of heart and they can be huge money pits

why not a 3SGTE?

have any pics of your projects?

Dave

[maganoo82]

Well i picked the 4age cuz of its size, simplicity, price and the fact i can get them fairly easy. Engine swaps for me and my crew are easy, the wiring has always been the biggest pain and we do everything ourselves with the exception of precision machine work of engine internals. As far as pics of the projects... i can post some when i get back from iraq, a year over here has put a dampner on all my toys . I should be back in the states around November so i might be able to get some up then.

[SantaClaw]

Fitting a non standard engine in the GT is simple, if the exhaust comes out on the "right" (that's the left) side of the engine...

If not, the firewall needs modification, along with the heater. to make room for the exhaust...

Space is an issue, even with Opel's own engines..

check out the exhaust manifold...

Looks more like the collector for a turbo engine..

The bolts are a nightmare..

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...gledninger.jpg

http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y19...enrrferdig.jpg

[maganoo82]

The 4age exaust is on that side and ive been told the 4age is the same size if not maybe a little smaller than a GT 1.9 so I'm assuming i could weld up a block hugger style header much like the one in the pic and it should be ok. Also, i took a look at your pics on photobucket thru the link and i like very much! The trick horned ITBs are sick and im curious to know where you got your aero pieces from. Very nice car claw! Looking to do about the same kinda setup with mine.

[lowkey]

I was going to do it last year. Did all the measurements from an 86 corolla, the hot rod one. It would have worked fine, lots of room.

The reason I didn't because a gt stock rear end ratio would have made it a slug, and the car turned out to be worth triple what I paid for it, so I changed my mind against gutting it.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

[maganoo82]

I kinda already figured i would end up using a narrowed AE86 rear. Wheel bolt pattern is the same as a GT and if i narrowed just a little bit extra, i could have more room WMS to WMS for a bit wider tire in the back. Should be fairly straitforward to narrow, its a drop out like a mini 9 inch. Was also advised i should use a W-55 Supra tranny, stouter than the 50 in the AE86. Curious to find some aftermarket ITBs that dont have the Formula Atlantic price tags.

[RallyBob]

I kinda already figured i would end up using a narrowed AE86 rear. Wheel bolt pattern is the same as a GT and if i narrowed just a little bit extra, i could have more room WMS to WMS for a bit wider tire in the back. Should be fairly straitforward to narrow, its a drop out like a mini 9 inch. Was also advised i should use a W-55 Supra tranny, stouter than the 50 in the AE86. Curious to find some aftermarket ITBs that dont have the Formula Atlantic price tags.

The Opel uses 4 x 100 mm. I'm pretty sure the AE86 uses 4 x 114.3 mm.

[lowkey]

That was the thing, I looked at swapping the rear end out from the ae 86, and concluded that it would be more work/difficult than the engine/tranny swap.

[maganoo82]

Bob, you were right, i was told wrong about the AE86, bolt pattern is 4x114.3 so i stand corrected. I will have to either redrill the front hubs or do a complete fabbed suspension cuz im pretty sure the stock GT rear will not hold the power levels i will be looking at out of a 4age, maybe it will i dont know, thats why im doing homework on this before i get home. Might do my own A arms with coilovers in the front that will accept AE86 front end assemblies. Also, one thing im not really good with is wiring. Has anybody had any trouble putting a aftermarket universal fuel injection wiring harness, like a Painless, into a GT?

[SantaClaw]

Iv'e got an Electromotive programmable fuel injection unit, http://www.electromotive-inc.com/


Easy to install use and tune.

+ you can use it to control everything from fans to ac units.



Regarding the Toyota 1600 16v engine, the torque on that engine is actually far less than what's stock in the 1900, so I believe the rear end would handle the power just fine.

The inlet manifold might be a problem though.. from what I see on the pics..

You'd probably have to cut the bodywork a bit.

[maganoo82]

The least i would want to do is change gears, axles ect. Who, if anybody, makes aftermarket gears and shafts for the GT rear? I want to do it right the first time and i want the rest of the drivetrain to be able to handle some abuse, as the car will be raced and the 4age more than likely will not stay mild for long. Im planning for around 225 NA horses, with the possiblity of going turbo later down the road.

[SantaClaw]

Well... My rear diff has old internals, but it's the clearances that kill diffs, so all you really need, is to get the rear diff overhauled, new shims, and perhaps getting the cogs re finished...

[maganoo82]

How many people have done IRS swaps using components from like a RX-7 or a Thunderbird Super Coupe? I know it would take alotta fab work but put a torch, plasma cutter and a welder together and anything can happen. Im just courious if anybody has done it with success.

[jtb]

I have done an IRS swap, but with a BMW unit. Yup, it's quite a bit of work.

Good luck!

jtb