Project FA.ST (part 3)

We’ve been busy as ever this month as we pull off the slightly impressive feat of fitting a brand new Toyota engine into a 31 year old bay.. (missed last months feature? Read it here)

Imagine the scene in 1979…. In a warm and cosy Toyota showroom somewhere in the ‘burbs. A Mr. James Morne, evidently a man of great taste, picked up the keys to this delightful little ST Coupe and drove out into the sunset, in what would become the start of a pretty eventful automotive journey. It’s my bet that neither the unsuspecting salesman or Mr. Morne would have ever guessed what would eventually happen to that little car. Sure, it may look exactly the same now, and its condition is testament to the love bestowed upon it over the years, but as we got back to work this month, there was a gaping chasm between the inner wings that suggested that the future story of PBV 926T might be narrated at a somewhat higher speed….

In our last blog we revealed the ingenious replacement power plant of the Celica, A brand new ‘Blacktop’ BEAMS engine. Normally the preserve of the rapid Altezza RS models, the BEAMS engine was never available in the Lexus’ UK range, due to its inability to make the right noises at the Golf Club. The captain’s loss is our gain however as these feisty four pots produce 197 BHP straight off the crate, with the potential for much, much more.

Mounting it looked less daunting than you might imagine. Thanks to foresight on chief designer Roger’s part, the overall dimensions of the new engine and box were remarkably similar to the originals, meaning that the gaps between the original engine mount positions in the bay and those on the block needing bridging.. and not a great deal else. Several delicate trial fitments were undertaken to check component clearances which revealed a small amount of clearancing was needed where the steering drag link passed under the oil pan. With the Celica still running its slightly archaic steering box and associated paraphernalia, Vs. the Altezza’s steering rack set up, it’s little wonder that there was less room here. With a few mil’ carefully removed, the whole set-up sat there as if the factory had designed it that way.

In fabricating the mounts, Roger decided to use the base of the OEM mounts, incorporating the original rubber to retain the flexibility and movement that is required to let the engine move under load. These were then skilfully grafted onto new upper sections that bolted perfectly onto the block.
He does make it look easy, bless ‘im!

As the powertrain was being fitted, we were keen to maintain the exact angle of the factory driveline. Not only would this ensure that power could be effectively transmitted, but it would also ensure that a minimum of additional noise, vibration and harshness would be felt in the cabin. Like we have said all along, this project is all about creating the car as if the factory had produced it, and there’s no point having oodles of poke if the end result isn’t nice to drive!

Replacing the original 2-piece prop shaft, a stronger one piece was fabricated to mate to the original 6.7” rear diff.. although don’t expect this state of affairs to last for long. This weeny diff is not going to be strong enough for what we have in mind, so ultimately we’ll fit the 7.5” diff set up from the GT version. But at least we can move it around under its own steam in the mean time.

The final piece of the jigsaw at this stage was the fitment of a throttle cable. The ST, being of a certain age, has a cable throttle. The Altezza, being somewhat younger, runs a full ‘Fly by Wire’ set-up. You might be forgiven for thinking that never the twain shall meet, but once again, a little thought soon had an incredibly neat solution. The Altezza actually does have a cable throttle mechanism as part of its emergency backup. If the electronic throttle fails, and the car resorts to ‘limp home’ mode, a rather limited throttle action can be effected using this cable connection. After some subtle bulkhead and routing mods, plus replacement of the cable ends and suddenly we had a fully functioning cable throttle that fitted and worked beautifully in every respect.

As you leave us this month, tinkering away at all the little details that make it look ‘just right’, our little ST was starting to look like a real contender. With modern-day power and refinement safely nestling in the engine, Mr Morne would be very proud indeed.

Join us next month when we gain an exhaust to harness all of that newfound grunt!

more photos here….  http://www.flickr.com/photos/thorracinguk/

Scanned images of the article is Banzai March 2010

Pictures by adamswords.com