Hey, I just recently picked up a 1982 Celica Supra L-Type with 4-speed automatic and I'd like to swap in a manual transmission. Do you guys know where I could find one of the original W50 transmissions or any other manual transmissions that would work? Do you guys also know if I'll have the mess with the ECU at all if I do swap to a manual transmission?
dionkosovo312
These transmissions are starting to get scarce. Thing is that they are a very popular upgrade for lots of little 50s -70s British roadsters like Triumphs and Healys that only came with 4-speeds. They would only drive them on the slower B roads or install something like an external Moss overdrive if they wanted to do 70+ on the A roads. Having an overdrive lets them keep up with modern traffic at reasonable rpms. Here in the states, these Toyota transmissions were a cheaper and far superior option.
The hardest part is taking the dash and all the carpet and insulation out to safely weld in the top clutch pedal bracket. Some have reported that the top bracket was already there and hopefully you will be that lucky. But you need to not only get the transmission, but everything that goes with the manual transmission like the 3rd pedal and all of its bracketry, the wiring loom, the hydraulics, drive shaft and even the brake pedal is different. Technically the differential ratio is also not the same (something like 3.9 vs 4.1 my old brain can't remember numbers. Its not a huge difference, but you will need to find a speedometer shop and have your speedo calibrated. They'll have a rolling road for testing and like hundreds of different reduction gears that they attach to the end of the drive cable. Plus the hole in the transmission tunnel is different on the automagic cars - most people just hack that opening up bigger since its not visible but if you want to do it cleanly, you should cut that panel out of the manual donor car where the shifter comes through and weld it into yours. I.e. you don't just need to find the transmission, but rather you need to find a whole donor car. I did one almost 20 years ago and was just talking with a couple of our local members yesterday who will be doing one next weekend so its kinda just refreshed memories.
The hardest part is taking the dash and all the carpet and insulation out to safely weld in the top clutch pedal bracket. Some have reported that the top bracket was already there and hopefully you will be that lucky. But you need to not only get the transmission, but everything that goes with the manual transmission like the 3rd pedal and all of its bracketry, the wiring loom, the hydraulics, drive shaft and even the brake pedal is different. Technically the differential ratio is also not the same (something like 3.9 vs 4.1 my old brain can't remember numbers. Its not a huge difference, but you will need to find a speedometer shop and have your speedo calibrated. They'll have a rolling road for testing and like hundreds of different reduction gears that they attach to the end of the drive cable. Plus the hole in the transmission tunnel is different on the automagic cars - most people just hack that opening up bigger since its not visible but if you want to do it cleanly, you should cut that panel out of the manual donor car where the shifter comes through and weld it into yours. I.e. you don't just need to find the transmission, but rather you need to find a whole donor car. I did one almost 20 years ago and was just talking with a couple of our local members yesterday who will be doing one next weekend so its kinda just refreshed memories.
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