EG33 into Corolla

[vw1]

I have noticed that someone on the forum has an interest in fitting an EG33 into a Corolla for hillclimbs. My idea is one for the road...

I was thinking about putting a V6 into a 4WD Corolla wagon, say a 1996 or later AE100-series BZ-Touring 6-speed or similar-aged AE115 Carib Touring (earlier Caribs were sold in the US as “Tercel” and “Corolla” 4wd, 1983-1994). The idea was to fit say a Camry 3VZ 3.0 (the 2.0 & 2.5 will be underpowered for my taste), which apparently will bolt to a Corolla trans. I have just found out that someone else in town is planning just this conversion. But the VZ engines are one of Toyota's few failings (the other is the 2.4 turbodiesel 2L-T, which cracks heads); if the coolant isn't kept fresh and with the correct antifreeze the heads corrode, then gaskets leak into the case and the bearings let go. A well-maintained VZ would be fine, but when you’re buying a used engine, how do you know that it isn’t corroded-out and about to start knocking?

I have looked at other V6s, but if you talk to the mechanics, they will admit that Nissans are not reliable, Mitsubishis are reliable (you can rely on them to wear-out prematurely), Mazdas are gutless as well as not too reliable, and I don’t want a cast-iron hunk of pushrod garbage. A new Australian-manufactured Toyota 3.5 Camry Aurion angine would be nice, if of unproven reliability, but I need low cost.

But wait... I have a spare EG33 lying in the back of my 1984 VW van project vehicle. It will fit the Corolla engine-bay easily enough, but then how do I go about a transmission? 4WD Subaru? I am told that Subaru trans, including WRXs, have weakness issues, plus they won't have a diff-ratio to match the rear Toyota diff. Fit a Subaru rear diff too? Or fit a Corona Mk 2 rear diff and have the trans diff-ratio changed to match? This would give suitable gearing for a six. Fit a 4WD Subaru trans and just have RWD? Would that make the trans fail even faster by overloading the rear output shaft?

The only space problem I can imagine is location of the trans output shafts; will they be too far back to allow connection of the front driveshafts?

Why a Corolla? I am a Toyota freak, my wife and I having had numerous diesel Toyota cars over the years, several of which have done over 600,000km. This includes: 1986 Corolla diesel 1.8 sedan CE80, 1989 Corona diesel 2.0 sedan CT170, 1994 Corona diesel 2.0 4WD sedan CT195, 1980 Corolla DX diesel 1.8 van, 1992 & 1998 Estima 2.2 turbodiesel MPV (JDM narrow-bodied first-generation “Previa”), 1997 Sprinter 1.5 sedan and 2004 Camry Altise 2.2, all 5-speeds except the 98 Estima, Sprinter and Camry. 5 of these we still have. The Corolla van has been upgraded with a 94 Camry 2.0 turbodiesel engine, and is fun to drive, even up the steep hills which Dunedin abounds with. Corolla wagons can take large loads, though the van versions (live rear axle with leaf springs) can take more, with a wider floor and 450kg payload than a regular wagon version… but the vans are not a good base for a fast car. Practicality with performance. The Corolla and Carib Touring wagons look good, too, and are available as FWD or RWD, 4-wheel discs and 20-valve 4A-GEs and 6-speed manuals. Handling mods are easily available.

Having messed around with E80s (1983-86), E90s (1987-1991), E100s (92-95) and E110s (1996-200x), I believe that they all share the same basic floorpan. Certainly they all have the same-sized engine-bay. A T150 Corona wagon would also make a nice base, but there wasn’t one… the RWD wagon remained in production, the new FWD car being either sedan or liftback. Later Coronas are larger, so I don’t want one; likewise an E120 Corolla. Light mass with big engine, that’s what I want. Preferable 4WD for traction from a standstill. At 50 I’m no boy-racer; I do, however, like performance.

Comments, suggestions?

Please respond to me at my e-mail address, as I hate using the net with my “dialup” connection:
<goose1047@gmail.com>

[legacyau]

finish the kombi and race that