by wde_bdy » Wed Apr 27, 2005 1:44 pm
To quote me from Club K-
Corolla 5 speed to Starlet
There are 3 different K series 5 speed gearboxes, but we are only interested in 2 of them. Theses are the starlet k50 (hard to find) and the KE70 corolla K50 (easy to find). If you need a five speed for your starlet (or KE30 corolla) this is how you can put in the KE70 one.
To put in the corolla 5 speed you need a cold chisel and a drill. Line up the original starlet crossmember amd the new corolla one using the rubber mount. Mark the new holes and drill them. Then use the cold chisel and a hammer to cut away the bracing on the bottom of the starlet mount so that you can put the bolts through for the rubber corolla mount. This will make sense once you have it in front of you. If you can get a starlet 5 speed you don't have to cut the floor, but the corolla is easier to find. Be careful if you do cut the floor as the brake and fuel lines are right where you have to cut. Inside the car, simply cut the coin tray behind the gear lever out (this is for 1983 on models) and your gear lever will still fit in the centre console. You just need to cover the original hole. The original driveshaft will go straight in.
If you already have a 5 speed starlet box but smashed second gear doing smokies, you can just swap the tailshaft housings over from the starlet box to the corolla box. There are 6 bolts (VERY tight!!) to undo, remove the housing from the starlet box and sit it on the corolla box, and then you have to align the shifter rod with the shifter rails in the gearbox itself (so u can change gears). The will will then bolt straight back into the car.
Diff wise, the Corolla centre can be used in the Starlet casing IF you can get axles from a later 83-84 Starlet with the U code centre (you MAY be able to cut down the wagon axles). Driveshaft will also need shortening. If you can find the whole housing and driveshaft from the 83-84 Starlet it will be easier, and you can still slot in the low ratio wagon diff head.
Callum