My 1977 7M-GTE CELICA! Finished! Test drive vid on page 18!

speedfreak426

New Member
Mar 31, 2008
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Brighton, MI
Over the last 2 days I have gotten some stuff accomplished, Been having some girlfriend issues so I am just going to stay home and work on my car every day, sounds good to me.


-bolted the throttle cable up to the firewall-

-Enlarged the hole that WAS for the complicated celica factory throttle linkage, and then passed the engine wiring harness through that hole into the passenger compartment-

-Installed the flywheel, slave cyl, starter, and alternator-

-Installed the engine into the car for the FINAL time!-

-Removed the stock pussy axle from the car-

I set the new and old axles up next to eachother and found that It is a total of 3 inches wider, so 1.5 inches on each side, I think I will have plenty of room, I already had about an inch between the tires and quarters before, and now I will be using FWD wheels + I will have the other clearence to take up, All is working out in my favor so far.
 

supra1008

Active Member
May 2, 2007
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Philadelphia
WOW!! I like it. I always wanted a celica like that. gorgeous body... I wish I had a garage like that. Hell I wish I had a dad that would help like that!!
 

speedfreak426

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Mar 31, 2008
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Brighton, MI
supra1008;1062418 said:
WOW!! I like it. I always wanted a celica like that. gorgeous body... I wish I had a garage like that. Hell I wish I had a dad that would help like that!!

It is definently a HUGEEEE help having my dads assistance.
 

DeSloth

New Member
Jun 24, 2007
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Australia
I really like these celicas (wanted one for a first car). It is going to be one hell of a car with that engine. Suspension and brake upgrades still to come?

I am loving your work. You and your dad have some impressive skills :)

(P.S. I hate you for your workshop and hoist)
 

speedfreak426

New Member
Mar 31, 2008
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Brighton, MI
DeSloth;1062436 said:
I really like these celicas (wanted one for a first car). It is going to be one hell of a car with that engine. Suspension and brake upgrades still to come?

I am loving your work. You and your dad have some impressive skills :)

(P.S. I hate you for your workshop and hoist)


suspension upgrades..... just the axle and some traction tweaks to avoid wheel hop. soooo basically not too much until next year

Brakes..... ummm... just replacing rotors for now becasue they are warped and also upgrading to bigger back brakes becasue they are on the dodge axle, but they are still drums :nono:

I cant really afford anything besides driveline stuff for now, I am running out of money reallll quick like lol

(P.S. I hate that hoist it just gets in the way!!! We got it for free from my fathers work after we built the garage, thing is the roof isnt very accomodating to a hoist! you can only raist the car up to about chest height and then the car roof is about to get cuztomized by the ceiling lol.)
 

speedfreak426

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Mar 31, 2008
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Brighton, MI
Here is a side by side of the two axles

Wish me luck swapping all those damn brackets over!

I am sure you can guess which axle is which.

p1063444_1.jpg


p1063444_2.jpg
 
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Facime

Leather work expert
Jun 1, 2006
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Corvallis OR
Im still unsure of why you chose such a complicated route on the rear end. There are toyota alternatives that Im fairly confident would have stood up to your power goals. The F series axle from the mk1 supra (MA46) could be had with limited slip and was set up with disk brakes and 4-link. The same F series was used in the hilux/pickup as well so availability should be pretty decent. Granted it is still wider than the celica rear, but I think would have been easy to swap.

I know you had this one laying around, but all the extra work to make it compatible isnt worth it imho.

Im no expert, but I looked into buick v6 swaps into RA chassis' some years ago and this seemed like the best route to me.
 

speedfreak426

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Mar 31, 2008
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Brighton, MI
theWeezL;1063486 said:
Im still unsure of why you chose such a complicated route on the rear end. There are toyota alternatives that Im fairly confident would have stood up to your power goals. The F series axle from the mk1 supra (MA46) could be had with limited slip and was set up with disk brakes and 4-link. The same F series was used in the hilux/pickup as well so availability should be pretty decent. Granted it is still wider than the celica rear, but I think would have been easy to swap.

I know you had this one laying around, but all the extra work to make it compatible isnt worth it imho.

Im no expert, but I looked into buick v6 swaps into RA chassis' some years ago and this seemed like the best route to me.


I know I am making it more difficult than it could be, and I would jump on a supra or truck rear end if I had the chance at a deacent price.

Problem with living in Michigan is that all of the old toyotas have been long since been crushed or have just simply rotted away.

I could have an axle shipped from elsewhere but shipping on an axle would be redicilous let alone finding one that doesnt have a million miles.

I just keep telling myself that this axle will be worth it once I upgrade to more horsepower and bigger tires in the future.

anyone have an axle for me though?? lol
 

Facime

Leather work expert
Jun 1, 2006
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Corvallis OR
yeah thats a drag with the rust up there. Here in the NW rain is an issue, but we dont salt the roads so unless you live on the coast rust really isnt bad (interiors mildew in junkyards though...nasty!). I regularly see old 'yota pickups in the pick a part yards near me. What I really miss is my favorite yard in Albuquerque. I regularly found old celica stuff there back when I had my RA21
 

speedfreak426

New Member
Mar 31, 2008
380
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Brighton, MI
theWeezL;1063525 said:
yeah thats a drag with the rust up there. Here in the NW rain is an issue, but we dont salt the roads so unless you live on the coast rust really isnt bad (interiors mildew in junkyards though...nasty!). I regularly see old 'yota pickups in the pick a part yards near me. What I really miss is my favorite yard in Albuquerque. I regularly found old celica stuff there back when I had my RA21

I wish I could find ANY deacent junkyard here let alone one with old yotas.

There are a few yards around, but it is 99% domestic stuff. There are not nearly as many imports here as compared to other states, so I have seen at least.
 

SilverSupraT

7M '78 Toyota Pickup
Oct 3, 2005
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Eastern WA
www.geocities.com
The car looks great man! I'm going to be doing a similar swap soon (well kind of). 7M into my '78 Toyota pickup, also has the 20r.

Slightly off topic... do you still have the 20r header laying around? I may be interested in it if you do, send me a PM.

Keep up the great work!
 

speedfreak426

New Member
Mar 31, 2008
380
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Brighton, MI
SilverSupraT;1063818 said:
The car looks great man! I'm going to be doing a similar swap soon (well kind of). 7M into my '78 Toyota pickup, also has the 20r.

Slightly off topic... do you still have the 20r header laying around? I may be interested in it if you do, send me a PM.

Keep up the great work!

I gave the header away for free already :(
it would be all yours if I still had it
Good luck on the swap!
 

speedfreak426

New Member
Mar 31, 2008
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Brighton, MI
I origionally planned to use the stock MK3 turbo supra fuel pump..... but I got a pretty good deal on a 255lph walboro pump so I went with that instead.
Last night I mounted up the pump to the hybrid fuel pump hangar that I made and cut off one of the factory fuel lines from the top. I drilled a 3/8ths hole for my new line and clamped it to the new pump then started bending up lines and running them forward (what a &!+(# that was)
I have also already relocated the battery and ran the cables forward.


Anyways, I am one step closer to have it running.
 

speedfreak426

New Member
Mar 31, 2008
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Brighton, MI
My next dilemma will be hooking up the alternator.
I tried to see if the celica alternator would fit but it is a no-go.

My problem is that the celica is the externally regulated type and the supra is internally regulated. I have no idea how to go about this or where to start. I looked at the supras alternator wiring diagram and I got a little better understanding of it, but it just doesnt look right to me for some reason. Other problem is that i dont have, or have access to a wiring diagram for my celica
Is there anyone here that can help me out with this alternator crap?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

speedfreak426

New Member
Mar 31, 2008
380
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Brighton, MI
haha, every time I drive that thing I get "nice mustang" at least once if not more! haha
you should see the reactions I get when I tell them its a Toyota!
every possible reaction from thats cool as hell, to I have never seen one of those, to... oh never mind.... LOL :naughty:
 

topguncam3888

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Jan 13, 2008
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Lancaster, PA
70's celicas are WAY nicer than mid70's mustangs. I love your build keep up the great work! BTW any idea on how much your car will weigh with the 7M in it?