Building an Australian RA21 (18RG + TA22)

[ace]

Hey everyone, i thought i'd put up this thread to get the info out there and to also help "suss_slide" who asked my opinion about the conversion.

The main thing i was getting at is that 1970-1975 Celicas in the USA have R series engines and W series gearboxes. Therefore they have 18RC's, 18RG's, (+others) which use the W50 gearbox.
Because the 18RG won't fit on a T series crossmember (probably different sump arrangement to a 2T), you have to find a R series crossmember to accomodate the 18RG and also bolt into your TA22.
The RA20 and RA21 of America basically have the same chassis as our TA22, therefore the engine crossmembers and gearbox crossmembers should be interchangeable. You could use the engine crossmember and gearbox crossmember from a RA20/RA21 to bolt a 18RG and W50 (which you could get out of an australian RA23, RA28, RA40) into a TA22.

Does anyone know if the T50 gearbox crossmember will bolt up to a W50? Or would a RA23 gearbox crossmember bolt up to both?

What tailshaft could be used to bolt up to the stock T series diff? RA21? TA22 manual? TA22 auto?

I know a lot of this stuff could be done with custom fabrication but the purpose of this thread is to find parts that can be used and do the conversion cheaply.
I also realise a 2TG would be a cheaper option over the 18RG but the 18RG might be easier for someone who already has one or wants to be original.

Please post your input and clarification and try to keep this thread technical.
Ace

[WDE_BDY]

Auto tailshaft will give you the right spline, however I believe length is different.

Callum

[barned01]

another thought might be to change the sump on the 18r to a front sump.
Found on rt104 corona's which are bountiful at my local wrecker.
If you are lucky you could still keep the ta crossmember then and just work out mounts from the crossmember to the engine.
Gearbox....ummm i don't know. if you want me to measure some points on a t50 gearbox and a w50 gearbox when i get home, let me know what you want me to measure and i will have a look for you.

[WDE_BDY]

I have a front sump 18RGE from an RA63 in my KE70 ute, if you wanted any specific pictures (I understand the crossmember is shaped the same as a TA22) then just let me know. If you go with this option the better base motor to use will be one with the rearward engine mount bosses as it will make engine mounts easier, not sure what year 18RG these began.

Callum

[suss_slide]

ok so does that mean that you CAN use the ra23/28 crossmember to house and 18rg into a ta22, or does the crossmember not bolt in?

[DQIKST]

i have a TA23 originaly 2T with an auto,

recently converted to 18RG using a RA23/RA28 cross member, have a 5 spd now not sure if it is a w50 but i think it is, used the TA23 auto x member, also used the TA23 auto tailshaft (1pce 3'')
but had to change the yoke.

[barned01]

having not visually checked, i would still say no.
The idea i put forward is different.

In a ta22 if like all other t series engined cars (celicas) i can think of has a crossmember that curves backwards.

If you could somehow find a crossmember that curves forward such as the crossmember in a RA21 (according to Ace found in america, not here, so we will struggle to find them here), then you could fit the r series engine.

My thought would be...rather than find the crossmember to suit the engine, find the sump for the engine to suit the crossmember...there are many front sumps here you can find.

From reports on here the ra23/8 crossmember does not fit into a ta22 so that one isn't an option

[ace]

The RA23/RA28 engine crossmember won't work because they'll be too wide to bolt into the TA22 engine bay.
I didn't realise the 18RG came in different sump arrangements so finding a front sump and then making custom engine mounts might workout.

Barned1 can you measure the difference from the front of the gearbox to the crossmember mounting holes on your T50 and W50 to see if they're the same length? I'm guessing they'll be different but i'll measure the length from the front to the mounting holes of my A30 auto which I'm guessing will be the same as the W50.

[barned01]

ok the box itself not including belhousing from edge of box to mounting hole for a t50 is 37cm
with belhousing (to t series engine...so may be different to one for r series engine) is 54cm

w50 appears to be the same (harder to measure because it is under my car)
37 from box edge to mounting hole
54 from belhousing edge to mounting hole.

[Rodger]

We need "Silly Rabbit" to take some shots of his enginebay and ask him about how it all fits in.

How about it "Silly Rabbit"?

Regards

Rodger

[ace]

Oh yeah he's got that green 18RG TA22.... But he didn't do the conversion himself but photos of the engine mounts should show if they're stock or custom

[ace]

Ok what Gearbox does my automatic 1974 TA22 have? I always thought it was a A30 but my transaxle code is 3FC-T292 (T292 is my 4.11 open diff). Auto's don't have bellhousings right?
From the rear of my 2T to the first mounting hole on my auto crossmember is ~53cm and then to the rear mountilg hole is ~56cm.

w50 appears to be the same...
54cm from belhousing edge to mounting hole.

That to the closest bolt hole? Or does your crossmember only have 2 holes (mine has 4 in a square pattern)
Ace

[barned01]

that was like 2 weeks ago dude. as if i can remember if it had 4 or 2
I THINK it was just 2 on the gearbox to crossmember but the normal 4 for the crossmember to floorpan.
although that might explain why not many use auto crossmembers on manual boxes...
i will know for sure in a few weeks as i am about to inherit an auto box behind an 18rc