Hi everybody, sorry for posting these questions in a truck forum, but the only corona forum I found is a ghost town! I picked up a 81 corona that had been sitting for a long time and just finished changing the head on it and doing basic tune up stuff in the process. The only thing left on the car that seems like it really needs help is the automatic transmission. Its an a40d transmission that is barely working in reverse and first gear. Im having no luck what so ever hunting down a used a40d and since rebuilding it would cost me an arm and a leg and automatics are no fun anyways, im seriously considering doing a swap. the best donor car i've found is an 81 celica with a steel w50. the guy at the junk yard is ready to pull everything out that i can use. I need to know if the cross member on the celica can be used to mount the w50 or if i can use the cross member that my AT is already mounted to and if the pedal assembly is the same. Im also thinking im going to need my machinist buddy to change the length of the drive shaft but im sure ill figure that out when i try to put it in. any help on this would be awesome. Also, if someone could give me a list of things to be pulled from the donor celica, along with a list of what i should buy new, i.e. clutch and flywheel that would be great. thanks a lot guys. I know you're truck people, but i was hoping there was a mechanic here that has worked on other old rwd toyotas over the years.
Good luck with the swap. If you were closer I have a great a40d I have been trying to sell cheap. Don't think the drive time and tolls are worth it though to VA.
1977-81 celica w50 is what you need, shifter will line up perfect in the hole. I'm not positive on the cross member but even if it doesn't line up it's usually extremely simple to mod it. Same for the diff, If it was a w40 would have been the same but not sure on auto conversion. Get a diff shop to do the work so the shaft is balanced if need be.
