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Toyota Transmissions

danstr6

Senior Member
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I have 2 transmissions from a 1983 Celica GTS and a 1986.5 Supra respectively. I read somewhere a while ago that one or both of these would work in a TR6. They are both 5 speed transmissions and have a W58 stamped on them. Is this true? If they will not work, then out they go.
 
I put a W58 in my TR3. You need the kit from Herman at HVDA to complete the installation. He supplies the bell housing and all of the other goodies needed. It is a VERY COMPLETE kit. You even get to use the original gearshift.

Here's a pic of the installation...
 

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Here's the chart showing the models that Herman recommends for use with his HVDA kit. However Forum member Dane Wilson discovered that by changing out the Shift Lever Housing (Toyota part number 33502-14100) you can use any Supra W58 tranny up to 1992. I have all his data with pictures that I haven't had a chance to post to my site. I'll try and post it in the next day or so.
 
I'm putting an 85 Celica in my TR3 in a week or so.
The 'kit' is made by a local guy in our club, I drove his Saturday and it was really nice. He's put them in about 15 cars so far, all local.
You use the TR3 bell housing with a welded on ally adapter plate (must sacrifice your bell housing as its cut from the tranny at 8 1/4 inches then welded up in a shop) for the Toy tranny, use the stock clutch actuator, the stock flywheel, stock plate with a Toyota clutch disc. He makes a tranny mount that can be rebushed. Stock drive shaft with a coupler made from the old Toyota driveshaft tranny end. MG converted angle drive for the speedo.
The parts look really well done and many in the club have put a lot of miles on.
Much much cheaper route and that's my reason for this route as I'd rather keep my stock tranny but not enough to go without that extra gear, it'd probably just set in the garage anyway.
The only mod is that the gearshift will set back 2 inches from normal (no mod piece for that) so the tunnel will be cut back some).
I'll take pics when we do the work.
This will save over a grand of buying the kit.
 
For ease and professionalism you can’t beat Herman’s conversion. Well except for the prop shaft!
But I wanted to do it all myself. I’m lucky enough to have all kinds of machine shop equipment available to me including CNC machine centers.
I sourced a bell housing out of Australia, cost me 600.00.
I have since been modifying simple things to make it all work. And it does appear to be working. Not yet installed it in the car.
I’m having great fun and its going to cost me a lot less than a grand to complete including buying the W58.
Guys I know who have Herman’s conversion love it.
Depending on your skill level, available equipment and pocket book, id say do the conversion.
And again for those with limited equiptment..Go with Herman
 
My first HVDA kit cost $1200 (a few years ago) and included the hydraulic t/o. My second kit was purchased from a failed project for $800 including the Supra gearbox. The kits are bolt-on (no cutting) and completely reverseable(removeable) if I ever want to go back to the original. And the shifter is in the correct location. Herman's support of his products is worth a LOT, the kind of service you can only rarely find nowadays. Even at the current $1600 price for the kit, I would buy from Herman again in a heartbeat.

My equipment/shop is not limited except access to CNC is 3 hours aways so I have never used it, or needed it. My SouthBend lathe and non-CAD-aided tools work fine for these old cars, just takes longer but then again that's the fun of this art.

Haven't had any propshaft issues on the 3A but will probably have a non-sliding one built for the 4A once it's back together. Just cuz.
 
Frank,
All of the parts for the club kit run $400, I was including the cost of my Toyota trans and what it would cost for labor if done by another.
You could get it done for about 700 complete I believe w/trans and bell housing welding.
 
$1975 now for the HVDA kit and does not include the right angle drive for the speedo. I have talked to the gent in Arizona who sells a kit, he helped me with my rack and pinion conversion. I would have considered his kit but I already bought from Herman. Looks like you could save $1000. or more.
 
Frank,
That's the guy in our club in Phoenix. He does the r&p conversions too. I spent the morning at his place last Saturday...4 triumphs and assorted other cars about (one beautiful Lotus and an original TR4 with 58k on it). He showed me all of the parts/ process and I drove one of his TR3's with the kit in place, really nice and I like the part about keeping the original clutch fork, pressure plate and flywheel. Some of the club members are pushing way more HP thru the system without issue than I will.
Like I said before I'd rather keep my old tranny as stand by but will need to 'sacrifice' the bell housing and that's a solid unit on our 3's (chop chop).
I 'really' need that 5th gear for all of the highway driving I do.
 
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