V8 conversion on 73 mark 2

**coronaclassic** · 20-06-2011, 11:58 PM

Hi everyone, new to this site.just putting some ideas out there for my plans. I've got a 73 mark 2 import (MX10), the one with the curved tail light set up, mint car, 3rd owner. It's got the original 2L six cylinder. also has E type diff (unfortunately). I've got plans to swap it out with a 253 blue motor with a trimatic. that engine has been fully rebuilt,worked, with no more than 5 k's on it, show room quality, out of a WB bla,bla,bla, and getting it for next to nothing. this will be my first rebuild, although i've done alot of work on my 77 RT118 corona wagon and between myself, a mate of mine and my old man i'm pretty confident we can make it work. and once it's done, i can always slot a bigger V8 onto that box down the track. but all i'm after atm is a bit more power, that V8 note, and something different, seems like the only info on conversions to MK 2's i can find are 1JZ's,etc.

the way i see it is after i clean out the engine bay, i'm going to 'dummy fit' the 253 and box, the first set of problems i'll prob come across is the clearance between the front cross member and steering arms. the engine has got a mid sump so that might give me a little more play, plus the engine is shorter than the 6 so that'll work in my favor. if i have to cut the front cross member i can always strengthen it up or fabricate a new one up. same deal with the rear cross member, also make up some new engine mounts. next up is the tailshaft and diff, if i can't get hold of a F type diff for now (out of an MX13 or MX23) , i'll keep the E type. i'll have to either use the tailshaft from the corona or the WB, and fabricate whichever so the yoke suits the gearbox, and the tailshaft fits onto the diff. i suppose i could also get a totally fabricated tailshaft if worse comes to worse. also to upgrade are the front disc rotors to later model corona ventilated ones, new front struts and springs, a larger capacity alloy radiator, also get the speedo cable calibrated, get linkages made up from the box to the selector. another problem might be the brake and clutch master cylinder, if that gives me any hassles clearance-wise i'll have to find a substitute. apart from that extractors and exhaust, and the wiring should be a piece of piss. after all thats done a new coat of paint (prob metallic gun metal grey) and some nice rims, and the interior is already mint. the more and more i research the project, the more straight forward it's looking. so any ideas you guys have on the upgrade, especially if anyones heard of anything like it being done before would be appreciated. cheers.

**STATUS** · 21-06-2011, 12:20 AM

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the old 253's cop a bad rap but my old bus ran 12.2 with one and it was porky being a broom.

i reckon the purist will have a heart attack but hey i put one in a mark II cortina just to piss off all my ford mates

variety is the spice of life...

The holden 8's are wide in the v so suck a bit in tight bays. Im doing either a 1GZ or late model Ls7 and am running in to similar issues with packaging into the crown i have.
I ended up on this site after searching rack options for it and i was googling nissan racks in toyotas and there were a few listed in here.

**HIZOKU** · 21-06-2011, 12:43 AM

trent? anyway LS engines are more narrow then UZ engines and you can get a lot more power from a LS motor even i have started looking into it for the mx32

**STATUS** · 21-06-2011, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by HIZOKU

trent? anyway LS engines are more narrow then UZ engines and you can get a lot more power from a LS motor even i have started looking into it for the mx32

yeah the ls engines are fine the old school holden "plastic" motors are wider.

**aristoman** · 21-06-2011, 03:00 PM

*subscribed* if this goes ahead !

**1jzfanatic** · 21-06-2011, 05:02 PM

do it, you wont

**coronaclassic** · 21-06-2011, 06:45 PM

lol, it's gonna happen, i'm pretty stubborn like that. I've also looked into having to change the steering system if i have to. if the steering box and steering arms get in the way of the engine, i'll be looking to convert to a rack and pinion set up, possibly off of a later model toyota corona. still a bit foggy on the details of doing that, but i'm sure i'll figure it out, should just be a matter of modifying the mounts,etc, that one will need some research. i won't be starting this project until september, because that's when the bloke with the 253 gets back to qld. so until then i'll be researching as much as possible, and maybe just look at doing the front struts and springs, front disc's and hopefully finding an F type diff. if anyone hears of someone that has one in good condition, let me know... and i'm assuming that the F type diff should bolt on to my MX10 with no hassles? once the work starts i'll be posting up a thorough write up, with dimensions and costs, also links to heaps of pictures. and i'll be doing as much work as possible myself, or through good mates to make this rebuild as cheap as i can. i've done a rough estimate and i'm loooking at 8 grand all up including the paint.. and hopefully from start to finish it will take 3 months tops.

**coronaclassic** · 21-06-2011, 07:29 PM

http://s858.photobucket.com/albums/a...502975/coronas ...here's my wheels, the RT118 is mechanically A1, just did the headgasket, replaced all belts, hoses, leads, and pretty much any external accessory, ie fuel pump, dizzy, etc. engine bay is spotless and the interior is 100% mint, all she needs is a tiny bit of rust cut out behind both front wheels, and the rear bumper repaired or replaced if i can find one! and a new lick of paint (going the same colour). i'm the 3rd owner with 140,000 on the clock. and the Mk 2 (MX10) i'm the 3rd owner 130000 on the clock, engine bay is mint, interior is 95% mint, with one tiny bit of rust the size of a 20c piece, all she needs is the V8, etc a new lick of paint and the rear bumper repaired or replaced.