Project FA.ST (part 2)

Welcome back to our latest project. The one that will leave the purists cringing, engineers swooning and everybody else cheering;

Project FA.ST!

Just in case you missed last month’s introductory blog, this project is going to be something a little bit special. Partnering with our friends at Banzai magazine, we’re going to cover a series of tech-heavy modifications to the Celica that will be as impressive underneath as they are subtle on top. Thanks to more years spannering on Toyota’s finest than Peter and Roger care to remember and an impressive stash of saucy parts in our workshops, the Celica will be benefitting from a raft of power-train and chassis upgrades from other models in the Toyota stable. Throughout, the emphasis will be on engineering integrity and factory-esque fit and finish to create something that combines the style of the seventies with the poise and power of the noughties.

First job (of course!) was to remove the old lump from the bay of the Celica.

Thanks to the vehicle’s relatively cosseted life so far, this was to prove to be a fairly straightforward affair, with most nuts spinning easily and releasing their grasp. Those chasing originality may recoil at the sight of the perfectly serviceable, factory fitted engine being sidelined in such a manner, but you may be reassured to learn that the intended conversion won’t touch any of the factory sheet metal or mounts, meaning that should the Celica ST Coupe suddenly become a car of incredible historical interest, we can return it all back to standard in a day or so..

So what’s going to replace the asthmatic 1600 then? Well after weeks of teasing you, it’s time to reveal the upgrade unit. A brand spanking new 2.0 3SGE ‘Black Top’ Beams engine, that’s what! Normally found nestling between the front wings of a JDM Toyota Altezza RS200, these 16 valve lumps offer 200 PS straight out of the wrapper and the ability to stroke and ‘charge to much headier heights with impressive longevity.  We feel that it’s a smart choice, not only due to its compact size, but also thanks to its dual VVTi technology which offers variable cam timing on both inlet and exhaust.

Although the engine’s dimensions looked made for the ST’s bay, there was still a great deal of head scratching in the workshop to create a drivetrain that aped the silhouette of the original.  By using a W series transmission (normally fitted to 2.0 + Toyotas) and a bit of creativity, it all started to come together. The final piece of this ingenious jigsaw came in the form of a bell housing from a Toyota commercial of all things. This however flipped the starter onto the wrong side of the engine, requiring the leftfield solution of a hybridised starter motor, constructed from the components of two others. But, despite this soluble problem it did instead offer the required clearance around the steering rack, and bolted the engine and trans together in a very homogenous looking lump.

The reason for this spec becomes a little more apparent when you stand the old and the new powertrains together. Even to the untrained eye, it’s clear that they are now two dimensionally similar units that will give us some kind of head start when it comes to fitting up.  It’s always much easier to work with a unit that’s reasonably close to factory spec in terms of size and shape. Although we can fit most engines into most cars, a head start by approximating the majority of component locations to their OEM positions makes fabricating engine and gearbox mounts much easier – and makes the engine far easier to work on long term…

The Beams engine also threw up a conundrum. Should the car run with its original ‘Fly by Wire’ throttle or not? The Link ECU that we have chosen to run could easily handle this, but we’ve decided to convert to a traditional cable throttle and use other signals for mapping. This has also meant the removal of the controls for the throttle motor, but we think ultimately this will make for a neater, simpler installation.

So as you leave us this month, the sight of a temptingly empty engine bay and spangly new powerplant will hopefully make you want to stop by in a few weeks and see just how neatly we can make it all fit. Join us next month to find out!

Meanwhile we’ll have a well earned cuppa…..

Here is the scanned article featured in Banzai Feb 2010.
Pictures by adamswords.com