Toyota MR2 Mk1 Modifying

[RobM77]

Does anyone know anything about modifying these? Any companies that do it, etc. Any reccomendations?

I've owned lots of cars, and the Mk1 MR2 that I had is the car that I missed the most (fits my criteria of traditional controls, rear wheel drive and small size perfectly). I'm currently considering spending £21k on an Elise, but I had a sudden thought that I could buy a Mk1 MR2 and upgrade the suspension and engine to give me a good, fun car for very little money (relatively).

I'm after 90% road use with two or three track days a year.

[Shirkin]

Rob,

Have you seen this?

www.pistonheads.com/sales/58869.htm

[RobM77]

Thanks, but it is a Mk2... Rubbish handling (on the early ones, before I get flamed!) and too big It was the mk1 that I loved so much. thanks though! It would have been perfect otherwise!

[_VTEC_]

These people know a thing or two about Toyota tuning.

[gofasterrosssco]

In my experience, fensport arn't 'amazing' when it comes to tuning, pretty decent mail order company thou....

Anyway back to your question. I wont beat arond the bush with exhaust/filter rubbish, check this site out and find the way forward www.twobrutal.co.uk/

I plan to get a mk1 again at some point and fancy striping it out and adding a slightly tuned V6......

I reckon if you spent say 10K or less (alot I know) you would end up with a seriously fast and excellent handling car.... me 2p

[RobM77]

Thank you.

I'm just about to check this site out, though I've yet to come across a website that mentions the weight of any engine transplanted into a Mk1... I've heard stories that the factory supercharged car didn't handle quite as well as the NA version because of weight. If the MR2 is that sensitive to weight, I wonder what dropping (or rather lifting..) a massive engine into the MR2 would do? It seems like a transplant is the only way to get a reliable and driveable 200bhp...

[jap-car]

A bit like yourself, the MR2 Mk1 was a car I regretted selling so I have recently bought another (now dismantled in my garage). I don't think there is much you can do to the engine to gain significant power. It's either buy a supercharged version or fit a different engine (which seems a LOT of work) and personally I would never have the time.

There are plenty of suspension kits etc to improve handling and in my experience, 15" wheels are better than the standard 14".

Let us know if you get one.

[Munter]

I used to have one. The owners club website is:

www.mr2mk1club.com/

You'll notice a few links on there to Paul Woods projects. Theres a guy who knows a thing or two about tuning MK1 MR2's. He'll even drop in the MK2 turbo engine, or a V6 if you want...

www.mr2mk1club.com/turbo.html
www.mr2mk1club.com/V6MR2.html

[gofasterrosssco]

RobM77 said:

Thank you. I'm just about to check this site out, though I've yet to come across a website that mentions the weight of any engine transplanted into a Mk1... I've heard stories that the factory supercharged car didn't handle quite as well as the NA version because of weight. If the MR2 is that sensitive to weight, I wonder what dropping (or rather lifting..) a massive engine into the MR2 would do? It seems like a transplant is the only way to get a reliable and driveable 200bhp...

Rob,

The superchargers do not handle as well (supposedly, Ive never driven one) because they weight a fair bit more. The mk1a is the first version and came in about 950kg. The mk1b has a few revised bits and a bit of a bodykit so weight went up to around 980kg, if I remember correctly. This is just for the coupe though, which is really what you want if your thinking of alot more power; t-bar chassis not as stiff and add an extra 30kg odd for the t-bar.

Then the supercharger is a fair bit more. Somebody actually took their mk1b supercharged t-bar to a weigh-bridge and it came in at 1200Kg (extra chassis bracing for both the superharger and t-bar)..!!! My mk2 rev5 is only aroung 1220kg - 1250kg....

Engine wise, the 4A-GE is an excellent engine considering its age (IMHO) and is surprisingly tunable. Weight of engine/g'box is around 160kg, which aint too bad a an iron block effort. The 4A-GZE, supercharged version is around 185kg (I stand to be corrected thou) due additional bits. FWIH, the 3L V6 out of a toyota/ lexus somethingorother has an aluminium block and is not much heavier than the 4A-GZE....

So get your self a NA mk1 coupe and aluminium V6

[turbo-tastic]

I also regret selling my MK1 MR2 aswell (although its currently on ebay, with an extra 20k on the clock, but over a grand cheaper than I sold it for.)

I always wanted to put in a 20v, but after reading Lauren Blightons page about her track MR2, she was advised not to use the 20v due to limited power band, and that the Supercharger was the best route to take for an instant power increase.

I have also heard nothing but good news about Paul Woods, and his number is on the MR2 MK1 Club so perhaps he would be the best man to call regarding what spec to build.

If (or when) I get another, I think I'd just go for slightly increased power from the stock motor (cams, intake, exhaust etc.) and a decent suspension setup with new brakes (Paul Woods has fitted Celica GT4 brakes to one of his) as mine was the most fun car I have ever owned, and it was a standard T Bar.

[Dakkon]

I havent heard any bad things about the supercharged MkI, only that any MkI these days you have to be really careful about rust. The supercharger route is only good for a max 200bhp, if you want to go beyond that you must look at other power sources, I am aware of a few people who have transplanted the 2L turbo from the MkII into one with quite good results and some others have transplanted V6's in, I believe from a Camry.

As for thr weight, its mid engined so you a heavier engine will not affect the dynamics too much.

You could always get an early Elise they are around 10k these days, and you can put Honda civic Vtec engines in them

[RobM77]

Well, yes, my other choice is an Elise. I want a car that is useable everyday, and although many people (including a close friend of mine) do use them everyday, it is a little too much for me. The S2 111S is the one I'm after...

I don't like the thought of getting a car to do something that it wasn't designed to do, so I must admit I'm leaning towards the Elise route now... Lotus even recalibrated the suspension on the Esprit if you added air conditioning!! The thought of changing the entire engine on a car without spending months developing the suspension worries me somewhat. I am after refined and well judged handling and balance...

[turbo-tastic]

If you stick to fettling the suspension, brakes and mild tuning, you wont upset the feel of the car at all. With the correct choice of parts, you will have a car that will out-corner an elise, and you'd be more than £5k better off (at least). Not to mention the reliability side of things. Toyota Vs Lotus?? Could there be more of a contrast??

The elise is much better looking, but if you're buying a car for feel I would go for the MK1 MR2.

At the end of the day, you have to be happy with what you've bought, and I'm alwasy happy when I've got something a bit different from everyone else.

HTH

Ed.

[gofasterrosssco]

If you dig deep into the 'net', you will discover many rumours that the mk1 mr2 was part developed by Lotus anyway. Toyota did own a big chunk of Lotus back when the mk1 was first being designed.

Personally I think it has a lotus tuned chassis at the very minimum, as it has many of the handling characteristics of 'Loti', and ofcourse a part-yamaha designed engine.

So you are really getting a Lotus but with all the benfits of a Toyota.... and as Turbo said, its different. If you want, I have quite a few websites you can peruse that I could post up.

[RobM77]

turbo-tastic said:

The elise is much better looking, but if you're buying a car for feel I would go for the MK1 MR2.

Crikey! I'm not sure I agree with you there!!! Have you driven a good Elise? (they're very sensitive to tracking and tyre pressure changes). A good friend of mine ran an Elise for three years whilst I ran a Mk1 MR2. Both cars were kept in tip top condition. We compared many times and both of us loved both cars. The MR2 had the same basic mid engined balance as the Elise in corners, but the Elise was in a different league for steering feel and ride and handling - both were far better. I'm not in the slightest bit bothered about what a car looks like, but I do think that the Elise's £18k over the price of an MR2 is worth it for that steering feel and chassis composure. The MR2 is a jolly good car though, and I loved mine to bits.

[Digital]

gofasterrosssco said:

If you dig deep into the 'net', you will discover many rumours that the mk1 mr2 was part developed by Lotus anyway. Toyota did own a big chunk of Lotus back when the mk1 was first being designed. Personally I think it has a lotus tuned chassis at the very minimum, as it has many of the handling characteristics of 'Loti', and ofcourse a part-yamaha designed engine. So you are really getting a Lotus but with all the benfits of a Toyota.... and as Turbo said, its different. If you want, I have quite a few websites you can peruse that I could post up.

According to this site the Lotus connection doesn't go any deeper than a collaboration on the project

I was in a similar position recently in that I wanted an MR car for occasional track use, but I also need something practical for use during the week. One option was to chop my Integra in for an earlyish Elise and buy a runabout, the alternative which I went for is to keep the ITR and buy a cheap Mk1 MR2.

Seems a good solid little car (if that's not the wrong word to use considering its reputation for rust!) and fun to drive. Still intend upgrading to an Elise/VX at some point in the future though!

[RobM77]

They are great - yes. I ran a Mk1 MR2 for three years and loved it to bits. It is the sensible road car that I miss most (that description rules out the Caterham you see!). The Elise is amazing My friend had one for everyday, and he was fine; but for me the S1 Elise is just a little too raw for everyday.

[turbo-tastic]

RobM77 said:

turbo-tastic said: The elise is much better looking, but if you're buying a car for feel I would go for the MK1 MR2. Crikey! I'm not sure I agree with you there!!! Have you driven a good Elise? (they're very sensitive to tracking and tyre pressure changes). A good friend of mine ran an Elise for three years whilst I ran a Mk1 MR2. Both cars were kept in tip top condition. We compared many times and both of us loved both cars. The MR2 had the same basic mid engined balance as the Elise in corners, but the Elise was in a different league for steering feel and ride and handling - both were far better. I'm not in the slightest bit bothered about what a car looks like, but I do think that the Elise's £18k over the price of an MR2 is worth it for that steering feel and chassis composure. The MR2 is a jolly good car though, and I loved mine to bits.

Whoops, I wasn't saying the MR2 was a better handling car than the Elise (although it did read like that)
The way it sounded in my head when I wrote that was £ for £ the MR2 is a better handling car, and with the right mods it could hold its own against an Elise.

If it were me, I would go for the MR2 with mods, as I always wanted to make mine better. And for my inexperienced driving style, the difference between the Lotus and the MR2 would probably not be noticable (both would probably end up arse first in a hedge anyway )

[RobM77]

Sorry, understood now

Yes, the Mk1 MR2 is a bargain pound for pound. My Elise driving friend said that after a couple of corners in mine.

I must say though, that although an MR2 can be modified to provide Elise *performance* (my racing Metro is faster than an Elise after all!), the Elise traits that most buyers buy into are steering feel and chassis feel. The MR2 just doesn't have those things, and I'm not sure that you can modify a car to improve those things very easily!!

Also, what bothers me is that to get proper performance out of the MR2 requires some serious modifications. It isn't just like a 200SX or Impreza, where you turn up the wick on the turbo and bolt a few bits on, you've got to transplant an engine!! However, it does seem like almost 200bhp is possible with the original engine. It must put it under a lot of stress though - I'm not sure if 10,000 miles a year would be possible year after year!

[ae111sr]

The best place for MR2 info that I've found is www.mr2oc.com.