IS200 AUTO to Altezza MANUAL conversion info

[mattysshop]

seems as ancient as 20v 4age conversions into AE86's now..

A few questions.
I can't seem to find any real 'parts lists' of what is needed to get it in, running and driving if you don't have a half cut, if i have missed a thread that clearly spells this out i apologise, all i come up with it people wanting to do this conversion, and people saying 'yeh it should all just plug in and bolt up' then the thread dies - did they do the conversion?

1. If i don't have a halfcut, am i after a complete motor with all accessories, Loom, ECU, and dash cluster?

2. if the above is yes, does the cluster simply plug in and work to the dash loom? will all the A/C work as it was intended? (obvious regas), i can make new pwr steer lines no problems..

3. does the 3sge run returnless fuel system?

4. my car being auto - i am sure i read that the tailshafts between auto and manual IS200's are the same - i assume this will be fine?

5. if i don't get a half cut, i will need to make or find clutch pedal/lines master cyl, work out an accelerator cable, run a pod filter or find some sort of airbox that i could use.

6. WHERE HAVE ALL THE BEAMS HALF CUTS AND OR ENGINE/6SPD/ECU/LOOM packages gone?? every importer i have spoken to they are fresh out.. and then they say, we can get one in... for a half cut your looking at about $4k, extra if you want gaurds/bumper/lights/brakes etc...

i'm sure i have missed heaps, but those are my main concerns if i can only find a motor/box/ecu combo..

[Celica RA45]

wasnt ichyban bringing in whole cars at 1 stage and toby did the is to rs change over and he said it was a pain in the arse to do

[BLK_20v]

itchyballs mostly brings in subaru stuff now.

[.T.]

I have done an is200 to rz200 altezza conversion before & it will be much easier to buy a frontcut - the wiring behind the dash is different between the cars - its quite a bit of work, but is not that difficult to do. the tailshafts are different lengths as well.
body wiring diagram is in jap & is quite difficult to understand
I did a bit of a write-up on the conversion on the altezzaclub forum.(did not get much feedback - one make forum snobs) unless you can do the work yourself you are probably better off buying a converted & engineered car.

T

[mattysshop]

more than capable of doing the work, just wanted to know how much of the altezza i needed..

there was a perfectly priced Altezza converted car on here about 8mths ago... but as all things tend to be.. i wasn't ready then, and i am sorta getting to the stage where now the IS200 will be retired from my wifes daily driving, so i can now play with it..

i would agree a whole cut would be the way to go (from the info on here, and what i have dug around and found)

cheers

[.T.]

if you are prepaired to do a lost of stuffing around with just a motor package (I know where one is, but its just the engine, manual gearbox is sold) you can do it - but intergrating the is200 & the rs200 looms would take a long time. (the green car that was for sale here a few months ago for ~$8k was converted that way)

i have an rs200 manual tailshaft here (is200 manual & auto tailshafts are all different lengths) fyi the i200 manual box & the rs200 manual box not only have different bellhousings, the shifter is in a different location as well.
(you wont get a tailshaft with a 1/2 cut)

(i also have a rare update rs200 update instrument cluster - the one with the center tacho & digital speedo)

1/2 cut prices & quality can vary a lot - 3 years ago I could get a manual 1/2 cut for under $3k delivered. now you are lucky to find one for $4500 plus delivery.....mind you there are also 3 different specs of 3sge altezza - if you are really luck you get the correct spec as your donor & all the electrics basically plug in - I only ever saw one 1/2 cut that was the equiv of our "sports lux" (& it had 180k on the clock!) but that one was an easy conversion.

[mattysshop]

maybe i should look at importing an Altezza.........

[.T.]

can't - only way you can bring one in is as a personal import, or buy a personal import, or build one, or buy one that's been converted. that's it

[wagonist]

Agree that there seems to be a lot of stuff about wanting to conversions on these cars, but nothing about how it was actually done...

It's almost getting to the point sometimes to fly to NZ, buy a car, completely strip it, then ship the parts back yourself Particularly when doing an engine swap in the same body. At least then you get the complete wiring, correct accessories, etc.

I still want a 2JZ Gita. I've thought about doing that, stripping the front out, cutting the wagon back off (where I need it to join), then getting a repairable writeoff sedan here.

[.T.]

fyi: http://z4.invisionfree.com/lexusalte...howtopic=11318 (Is200 To Rs200, or how i spent my xmas break)