Celica Forums General Discussion Exterior The Subaru Swap

In response to the Thread I had started:
https://celicahobby.com/ubbthreads/thread.f_1862392842_1_collapsed_5__1.html

I went to "Murray's Speed and Custom" just yesterday and the guy who does the swaps there, Marc, Said he'd be able to swap the STI engine into the celica but it'd require that he rebuild the engine and position it completely differently then the way you'd normally mount the engine. He said it'd have to be mounted Sideways or something like that, and I'd have to swap from my Auto Tranny to a manual. which he said would cost a few bucks. heh. turning a front wheel drive celi into a rear wheel drive "celiwrx" would be a nice job and highly commendable. So I'm going to see the schematics that he's drawing for me in about 2 weeks and we shall see how much work will really need to be done and how much it'll cost. and for those of you who are wondering, I came into $80,000 after my grandfather's passing, and since he was a mechanic I want to do something in his memory... this was my best Idea. So I'll let you guys know on the progress of this project and keep you all updated. If the whole engine swap thing falls thru, I'll just completely re-build the stock GT engine, and possibly have some custom body work done. we shall see.

switch the engine sideways? how easy will that be to work on when there is a problem?

still looks like you'll need a load of $$

which he seems to have

more power to you. that kind of swap will land you in mags

good luck

omg seriously good luck
but once its done your gonna have something totally unique (and powerful), so i hope it all works for ya.

yea good luck

but you should just buy an STi

wow, on the other thread i tought that you were just some guy posting some BS about this swap, but now i actually think your seriouse, if you get this swap done, it will prolly get you in a mag, and you will have one of the fastest gen7 celicas in the US, just think, a stock STI has 300HP, and you will get your car to be rearwheel drive, and you will prolly mod the 300HP STI engine, so you will have a 350hp celica with rearwheel drive...damm...thats crazy

mounting an engine transversly (long ways) is not a new thing, they did it in the fiero with the corvette swap (my friends dad is in a fiero club) it was a major overhaul, but you had an advantage over the little guys and could beat the big guys. However when mounting the engine, other then specified locations such as the STI engine in a celica, you could have major problems down the line, once you break something repair maybe more costly for the way you must work on the engine and location of parts when trying to add mods, you must go to STI standard sizes, with custom shapes, such as going from the front side of the engine (orginally the side in a wrx) to the down pipe to the exhaust, it may look funny but you will have major gains over those with the the crate motor in there cars

Damn thats awesome

sti

its probably just as much $$ to put an sti engine in your celica as it is just buy an sti...

but i'd still go for the engine swap. not a fan of the body of the sti and plus if you plan on touring your car this will greatly impress but you are asking for problems if you plan on it being an everyday driver.

if you plan on driving other cars for daily routine..then i say go for it. if this will be your only car..i recommend that you don't. this will most likely tend to get very, very expensive even after the install is complete (replacment parts if something were to go wrong...which is not uncommon because many engine swaps have problems eventually)

if i were you, i'd just build the internals of the celica and turbo, and work on the exterior as well... and have more cash left over.

yea...
if you want an STi engine, buy an STi...

if you want a faster celica...turbo that mofo

For 80K, you can get a Skyline.

yea, i would have to agree with just building up the celica enging, and turboing it, with enought work you will be able to get at leaset 250-270hp, and that wont even be that hard

not to mention much cheaper.

true true ../. but maybe he wants to be different I personally think it would be interesting to see that.

gotta agree. if that does happen...he's going to rack up some major awards if he ever tours that car.

I've been a celica Lover since the early 90's. They've just been my car of choice. I bought the STI engine from the guy yesterday for $2,600. as soon as I get my Digicam back from work I'll get some pictures of it for ya guys.
UPDATE:
the guy at the shop printed out schematics for me, he said the rearwheel conversion would be hard, so what he's going to do is trying to implement the idea that they use in Skylines, and do some electronics and stuff where once I hit 40mph-45mph in the car, it will switch from 4wd to rwd. pretty cool huh? he's done it once before with a wrx already. he said the drivetrain mod would cost around 4-5k and then a new tranny would be around 4k, but I could also try and find a used one with like 10k miles on it and get it for about 2.5k, so we'll just have to see. I've already sent parts of the engine in to get chromed. I'm still debating weather or not to Bore out the engine, or just keep it the way it is. I put $5,000 into a mutual fund/stock market on Thursday, like many of you guys suggested, and i've already increased my 5,000 to 5,327. not bad for one day on the market! The engine mounts are going to be hard to find, but I'm going to buy some Polyurethane mounts instead of using the stock mounts, this way with the engine torque I won't end up w/ it shooting through the hood, all the power will end up getting put straight onto the wheels. according to the mechanic guy, I'll need to purchase a new hood, or have one made, that'll be able to fit about 1.5" of more engine under it, or I'd have to mount the engine lower to the ground... not what i want to do. so I'm trying to see if the new Veilside hood is a bit higher up. anyone know?

My friend heard what I was trying to do and is trying to make me a car badge for the back of the car that will say "Celica STi" or "Celiwrx". if anyone has any other ideas, he might want some.

My dreams are slowly coming true. I'm thinking that once this is done, it'd be great to pull up next to a ricer and have him rev up his engine thinking that i'm a fellow ricer who just slapped on an STI sticker on my car to look cool, and then just comepletely blow him away. I've already gotten 2 sponsors out of my ideas for this swap. My local performance shop, Murray's Speed and Custom, and Edge Racing. Edge Racing wants to hook me up with some of their custom rims and rubbers for my car, so why not! they are free! hehe, so I'll keep you guys all updated on the next steps of the project. Cross your fingers that I'll get the Digital Camera from work on Monday.

thats awesome, whatever you do goodluck, just keep posting updates and pics for the rest of us, and good luck!!!

My basic Idea with this project is to get my car into some mags, get lots of sponsors and hopefully have a well-known car out on the import circuit. on dec. 22nd i'm going to be attending HIN with my car, even though it's pretty much stock, I have some pictures that I took with a regular camera of the engine and stuff on a poster board with the schematics that will show what I plan to do, and hopefully I can gain some sponsors and some support from that also. we shall see how HIN goes and wish me luck!

just go with "celiwrx" sounds better than celica STi
or maybe "celiwrx STi"

ah rwd celica..how nice would it be to see a celica drifting..

you should sell the 2.5 STi motor for a BEAMS 3SGE and do what you need to to put it in a celica to be RWD.

LoL

THE ENGINE IS IN!
Like I said, the engine has been placed, nice snug fit, the only problem is I have to decide on AC or Power Steering. I live in Florida, so we all know the answer to that. The beginnings of the Transmission overhaul is beginning followed by the Drivetrain and the internal modifications to throw in a klutch. I've ordered a Turbonetics turbo to replace the one on the stock engine.
I've already got some magazine offers, noone big yet, just a few no-names, but all cars start somewhere. Maybe you'll see the ride on the cover of Import Tuner one of these days! :crosses fingers:
Anyways I told you guys I'd keep you updated and I'm not going to let you down. So Far So Good! The website with pictures will be up ASAP so keep checking back!

THE ENGINE IS IN!
Like I said, the engine has been placed, nice snug fit, the only problem is I have to decide on AC or Power Steering. I live in Florida, so we all know the answer to that. The beginnings of the Transmission overhaul is beginning followed by the Drivetrain and the internal modifications to throw in a klutch. I've ordered a Turbonetics turbo to replace the one on the stock engine.
I've already got some magazine offers, noone big yet, just a few no-names, but all cars start somewhere. Maybe you'll see the ride on the cover of Import Tuner one of these days! :crosses fingers:
Anyways I told you guys I'd keep you updated and I'm not going to let you down. So Far So Good! The website with pictures will be up ASAP so keep checking back!

nice...
this will be very interesting.
and as for power steering or ac.
get power steering.
i think that's what you're getting

yeah power steering ... putting your windows down is as good as a/c

ok, you have my attention! you have PM. congrats man, thats a great setup!

no pics, no mods.

post some pics!

sweet but i'm with the rest of the guys here...i'd love to see some pics.

post pics, to see is to believe

gotta see some pic dude~

as for the STi engine...i think the 4g63 is better

Yeah, and spend the money you got on mods.

pics pics pics...

holy shhnapz!

PICS!!!!!

try to get on superstreet

After the job, I will have around 15k left, so I'll have enough for mods, don't worry about that. I'm having a problem w/ my scanner atm so I can't get the pics, so I'm going out to get a new scanner tomorrow after work, and I'll try to get them up this weekend. Sorry for the delay on pics, technology hates me.
Keep an eye out.

15k left only?
i thought you had $80k...
how much will this cost you?

Geez...

Kimchiman201's grandfather passes and he has an insane stereo supposedly built...

hkysk8r86's grandfather passes away and he has an STi engine swap.

Neither has any real info in their profile and are new members...

I don't want to call BS because I'd feel like an ass in this situation if I were wrong, but I'm holding out for pictures. If I am wrong, MEGA, MEGA props bro on the install... you know why I'm skeptical about something that awesome.

I gotta see pics to believe this one

both my grandfathers pass away, and i get...what? i'm still waiting.

Still waiting to see some pics, someone around there has to have a digital camera...

hell yeah imagine seein' a f***in' celi pull up at the next d1 comp and smoke drift past all the nissans holy sh*t...
only in my wildest dreams...if only i had the bling
to swap to rwd i would do it straight up

sure skylines are okay...uh...damn did i just say that, but you don't see this kinda thing everyday

nice work

what a bout' "IMPRELICA" for the badge haha