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What to do?


Pullstater

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Hey guys,

New member and new to Toyotas. My background is old Ford Escorts and modern VWs and Skodas but want to try something different so looking at getting a KE70 .

I'm keen to do a conversion but unsure which way to go, 4age 20V or 3sge beams? From what I've read on your immensely helpful threads the 20V seems like an easier conversion? That extra power from the beams would be nice though. 

Is the extra power from the beams worth the extra effort or would some cams and head work on a 20V be not far off the beams? Thinking of doing hillclimbs so running in the 1600 class as opposed to the 2000 class would also be advantageous.

Also, does anyone on the forum do or know of someone who does conversions? Located in Canberra but working with someone in Sydney is no problem. I simply don't have the equipment (probably not the skill either) to do the conversion myself.

Look forward to hearing from you all, thanks guys.

Cheers

Simon

Edited by Pullstater
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Hi Simon, For me the question will be resolved by assessing your skill, and deciding which is more suited.  Remember just because you build the car with a 20v today from standard parts doesn't mean that you cant swap it out and fit a Beams later.  Reading between the lines, and not being too comfortable yourself swinging spanners, Id say buy a ke70 that already has a 20v conversion installed.  Then just fiddle with that while you build your comfort and experience with the older cars.  Then when you want more ponies, you can drop out the 4a and fit the 3sge engine.  There are mount kits available so If you can get a handle on wiring its not too hard to convert to a beams engine later on, especially if you already have a good efi fuel system installed.

The cost to have a specialist complete the work would be extreme.  Id say steer clear of paying anyone to do the conversion, just buy it done.  Modified cars go for great prices.  Then just get to tinkering and tidying that up.

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Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. I guess the main issue with me doing it myself is I don't have much equipment, I got rid of most of the heavy equipment years back when I gave up on fiddling with Escorts (no pun intended :D). My skill level with the mechanical side of things I guess I'd classify as intermediate but wiring is definitely a mystery to me.

You're suggestion of buying a car with the conversion already done is an excellent one and I will definitely look into that. I'm still tossing up whether to stick with 1600 engines as it will be more competitive in hill climbs that way. There are some absolute monster builds (huge $$) in the 2000 class.

Looks like all I have to do now is save some dollars and wait for the right car.

Thanks again for your help, greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Simon

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We can do it.. You'll need a AE71, a 4AGE, a T50, and a T-series diff.  plus little bits like alloy radiator, electric fan, injection pumps, surge tank, custom driveshaft...

And $5k or so.  We can get it engineered, mine cost less than $1000 for that, or you can get it done in Canberra.

We can also fit coilovers if you like, or celica/corona struts & brakes & LCAs, camber tops, OS Geiken LSD, bilsteins or Konis, sway bars..

How big was that budget?? 

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More reply, I had to dash out before I'd finished..

Check out The Girls KE70, that's the most recent one, a bigport 4AGE.  Steve has a smallport in his KE70, and we have one awaiting for a mate of his, after we finish putting a bigport into the rally KE70.  We haven't done a 20-valve yet, I'd have to do some reading.

What Littleredspirit said is good advice, buying one done saves a lot of time and trouble. Make sure it idles well, cold and hot, and make sure it goes up hills on less than a half-tank of gas.

 

 

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About a month ago on Gumtree there was a KE70 with a 3sg maybe a beams in it all set up and running for 6k. It was on Brisbane southside. So they are out there hiding in barns and backyards waiting for their owners to realise they don't have the time, the money or the motivation to keep them.  

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Man! If you could drive that car out of the barn it would be a steal at $6k!!

Si, I forgot to mention you could forgo the T50 on your 4AGE and go straight to an Altezza J160 sixspeed with an adapter plate.  Now you're into close-ratio boxes.

Of course you could just put the Altezza BEAMs on the front of it, but engineering will get more expensive. An Altezza halfcut is just over $3000.

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