Kit car from MR2 donor?

[JohnL]

Any bright ideas for a kit car I could build starting with my MR2 mk1 as a donor (mechanically good, bodywork rubbish)? Preferably Lotus 7 ish but any other ideas too?

A web search isn't very forthcoming. Sylva has been suggested, is an option.

[meerkat]

How long can you wait?
Mine will be available as a kit when the prototype is complete and tested.

www.desicodesign.com/meerkat/

[Mark B]

John, one thing you could do is build a Sylva Striker. Visit Raw Engineerings website, you will need to source a Sierra as a donor for suspension etc, but the engine apparently is great in the Striker. Can produce huge power easily and make a light weight Sylva go really well.

Raw Engineering are huge fans of the Toyaota engine, maybe worth a chat??

Cheers,
Mark

[sparks]

Mark B said: John, one thing you could do is build a Sylva Striker. Visit Raw Engineerings website, you will need to source a Sierra as a donor for suspension etc, but the engine apparently is great in the Striker. Can produce huge power easily and make a light weight Sylva go really well.

Raw Engineering are huge fans of the Toyaota engine, maybe worth a chat??

Cheers,
Mark

Sylva/SSC Stylus is the same chassis, with a 'pretty' body. Fisher Fury is very similar.

See also the cross post www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=23&h=&t=32656

Sparks

[JohnL]

Meerkat, I saw your website the other day. Looks interesting. How long are you talking about for a wait? I could strip the car and store the parts and scrap the rusting shell, to make some space in the garage, in the meantime. That may actually be a good option as time's at a premium just now having recently moved house and being pressured by my wife into doing house-things!

Any idea what sort of budget cost you'll be talking about for the kit, given that I have a decent donor car already ?

Have to admit to knowing essentially zero about kit cars. I took the wing off my dying MR2 with a view to putting it on another MR2 that needs a wing. Looking at the exposed wheel and suspension I thought, hmm, that looks quite good in a Seven-ish way ... I wonder if I could build one with this car as a donor ...

Sorry for the cross-post, I reposted here as it's obviously a more suitable place for this.

[JohnL]

Meerkat I see you're in the US, will the kit be made in the UK as well?

[meerkat]

Hi again John,

I'll answer as best as I can at this stage.

I would expect kits to be available later in the year, towards the end of the year more likely.
I'm aiming to sell the the MR2 based kit for about 5,000 pounds/8,000 dollars kind of price range, then follow up with alternate donor versions as and when they are developed.
I have a distributor lined up for the UK, who may or may not manufacture some parts locally, but will be handling UK specific issues like SVA for instance.

The US version will be developed first followed by the RHD version for the UK.

Sorry if this is a little vague, but it should all become clearer in the coming months as the prototype reaches completion, and as interest increases.

HTH,

Alan B