W50 celica

Anyone here know of any rover p6 with a v8 running a celica gearbox? I'm guessing it can be done rather simply just like the LT77 and the gearing should suit the rover v8 but was hopeful someome would have some information if it has been done before
Thanks all
 
Can't comment on Rover, but we had a Celica box fitted to our 1954 Sunbeam Alpine.
Had the box for a few years before biting the bullet due to concerns about originality.
The Celica box made it a totally different car, not just the gear change from a wonky 4 on the tree to 5 on the floor but made the car much more "chuckable" on rallies.

When we sold her after 29 years of fun we supplied the original box and gear lever as well but to return it to original would have been a crime against usability.

Toyota boxes are bulletproof, but wonder whether a Supra box would be more suitable, particularly if you plan to increase power output.
 
Go here
You searched for rover - Dellow Conversions
for Rover v8 adaptors.
Why do you want to avoid an LT77, when its a tried , simple conversion? I now have 1 and a spare.....Start searching, put the word out.
I have seen a w50 gearbox with the v8 bellhouseing already it's not that I want to avoid the LT77 it's that the LT77 that I have seen are vastly more expensive than the w50 with the bell housing flywheel and starter
I was more wondering if the conversion is as straightforward with the w50 as it is with the LT77 and if the gearing are a good match
If not I would just wait for an LT77 of reasonable price
 
the SD1 LT77 ratios (from WSM) are:-
5th 0.792 (post-82)
5th 0.833 (pre-82)
4th 1.000
3rd 1.396
2nd 2.087
1st 3.321
Rev 3.428
Tr8 or other uses may differ.

W50 steel case (Wikipedia - very informative on the variants.)
5th 0.853
4th 1.000
3rd 1.394 <<<<fixed typo!
2nd 2.043
1st 3.287
Rev 4.039

Dont seem far away. Dont know them, check they can take the torque.
 
Last edited:
My P6B has the Dellow ( Australia ) conversion to W57 Toyota 5 speed, it’s a comprehensive kit that includes the bell housing and speedo cable W57 and W58 were used in a variety of Toyotas and are considered virtually indestructible
In New Zealand: www.conversioncomp.co.nz Colin Dray, he’s in Te Awamutu
Here’s what you need, assuming you’re ditching the Automatic;
3500S pedal box with clutch master and slave cylinders, flexible hose
Manual flywheel ( Rover V8 ) clutch and pressure plate ( Toyota )
As the Toyota transmissions use a variety of shifter tops the one you need is 58cm measured from the flat of the gearbox to the center of the shifter, Colin will have it
Fab a crossmember, weld up the driveshaft and balance
Connect the speedo cable and reverse light switch
Bleed the clutch hydraulics and adjust, you may need to drill a hole in your transmission tunnel for checking/adding oil to your new gearbox
You’re done: W55, 57 58 and 59 all work with the Dellow bellhousing
Spendy, but everything else will break long before the transmission does, up to 300 horsepower is the accepted figure without compromising reliability
Hint: the Toyota gearbox “sandwich”/center plate appears aluminum in my picture; if you can, get the steel plate, just under where the figures “58” are. The steel sandwich/divider is easy to spot as these rust brown, and these transmissions are considered stronger than the aluminum spacer ones, with no difference in price
Good luck!

G
62CDCB67-8006-4ABE-97CB-627AE121D17C.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Here is an interesting site with some more information about the Toyota box's. I too have a Supra gearbox, in the R55- R59 range. (One of those put in during the 90s, Chrisw:thumb:) Don't know which one until I take the time to measure the ratios. Bit trickier to do when its in the car and on my own. Happy to take photos and post.
Replaced the two bush's in the gear lever housing the other week as the old one's had disintegrated. Shifted gears like a modern car after that. Love it!

Toyota Gearboxs

Cheers, Peter
 
Last edited:
I put the 5 speed Toyota conversion in from Colin Dray into my Rover 2000 TC. I am very happy with it. Colin is a good bloke to work with. I do not know what the supply of LT77 boxes is like in NZ, but think the W50 would be a stronger box. Growing up in Australia about every second Holden had a Toyota 5 speed box in it. Toyota cars with the 5 speed box were considered high theft risk. Steal them for the box and then abandon the rest!
 
Dellow do to types of Toyota box plus they have a kit for BW T5 (ford 167mm input shaft version) and i think T10 (same as P76 bell housing that used the BW single rail four speeder)
 
Trick is to find one where the post is less than the cost ie. local supplier...JE developments do one in England (though its quite a bit dearer on paper...). Aussie post is comparatively very cheap compared to US and Europe.
 
Back
Top