The build and development of this MR2 over the last two years achieving pretty positive results.
Weight reduction
The goal was for 1100kg dry, but this was goal was smashed when the car was weighed at World Time Attack at Eastern Creek, Australia, with a weight of 1030kg.
The cost to see this weight was minimal at close to $10 per kg. The new goal of under 1000kg is quite achievable with 15kg already found since WTAC at a cost of close to
$100 per kg. 950kg is the ultimate weight but will require
$100+ per kg to see this figure. Handing:
EVO and a few others helped a lot regarding the set up for the car which I took on board and added to the car.
This included roll centre adjustment plates with camber off set, lowering the rear toe adjustment links then fitting AE86 toe links,lowering the steering tie rods, the caster links have also been lowered. Rear camber adjustment has also been adapted. All links are urethane or rose jointed. Coil overs are Tein with 8kg(Tein) rear and 7.5kg (Eibach) up front. Sway bars are 22mm front and rear.The standard electric power steering rack has been kept but all the power assist has been removed.
The standard steering column has been removed with a Toyota Echo column fitted for improved weight reduction, steering offset improved. So all the parts are there but the car now needs to be
'set' correctly (roll centre, corner weight, camber,caster etc.) to take advantage of the improvements or it will simply be uncompetitive. The Chassis:
Seam welded front and rear strut towers, all front and rear inner guards, windscreen frame, door frames, rear window,
and other bits and pieces.Installed a 10 point bonded CDS roll cage which starts at the the front strut tower and finished at the rear strut tower.
Additional brace from roll hoop to the engine mounts. Custom front strut brace.
Custom rear strut brace. Chassis rails filled with high density
'two pac' foam.Brakes:
The car was built for running in a 300km endurance race which is held every November 180km south of Sydney.
So when it came to brakes, I did some research and came up with the option of picking up some high quality second hand calipers, new rotors, then designing rotor hats and brackets to suit. Competition Race Components, Western Australia provided me with the calipers, rotors and much needed advise and formula's to fitting the 'right'braking set up for the car. The front uses 330x35 rotors with Alcon
'C' spec calipers, the rear use 300x35wilwood rotors with 4 piston Wilwood Superlite calipers. To make the most of this set up, a full race spec pedal system was the only way to go.
A full Tilton set up was sourced starting with Series 600 triple floor mounted pedal box, new separate brake master cylinders for braking, master cylinder for clutch, all with remote reservoirs. Tilton cable operated adjustable brake bias has also been installed. Brake fluid is ELF racing at $50 per 500ml. Ducting is in the pipe line.
I have to say it was one of the most difficult aspects of the project due the location of the car at the time as well as a hot summer.
how can I forget the fitting of the pedal box. Not easy AT ALL, but I wouldn't change it for all the tea in china. As expected all new braided lines throughout.
Engine:
The engine is unopened and will remain that way for a little while yet.
The car did come from Japan with a few mods including a K1 turbo, trust Intercooler and a chipped ECU. I have since changed a few aspects of the engine bay package mainly for reliability and improved cooling:
Relocated the Intercooler and air intake to take advantage of air scoop situated on engine cover.
Remote oil cooler fitted where inter cooler is traditionally found.
Luggage trunk now used for air flow with the rear fire wall drilled out to provide needed air flow which now exits via holes in the rear of the luggage trunk.
A Tomei fuel regulator
Boost control duties are now provided by a Apexi AVCR
The exhaust is now port/gasket matched from the cylinder head to the exhaust tip including the turbo.
Urethane engine mounts.
Tomei Pod filter
Transaxle
As of the 3/Oct/2010
Gen 2 gearbox rebuilt by Prepped Motorsport.
Kazz 1.5 way, 80% preload.
New Kazz gear oil
Rebuilt axle cages.
I have a new set of TSC Motorsport Chrome Moly axle cages which recently arrived but are yet to be fitted.Brass gear shift bushings
Clutch is custom
ÄP 5.5inch full carbon from F3000 with lightened Automatic flywheel. Total weight of clutch and flywheel: 4.5kg. Paint:
The colour scheme
was based on a F430 that runs in ALMS. The color was made up with a photo I provided to the paint supplier. The painting took 8 hrs one Sunday. Most of the sanding prep was done the day before. The car was taken to a local spray booth who was good enough to provide the booth for $250 for the day. It was a long day but came out with the result you see in the photo's. Needless to say, I was totally stunned at the results when the car was removed from the booth. It went from an everyday track car to what it is now. I still have to pinch myself at what I came up with. Very pleased every time I open the garage or look over old pictures at the results.Misc:
Improved radiator air flow with aluminium radiator ducting exiting via front lid.
Internal door handle is now stainless steel wire cable pull system
Rear wing mounted on steel frame through to the chassis rails
In car camera for rear view
Relocated lights to the front bar
Pumped guards
There is more but most can be found in the pictures provided or at http://s707.photobucket.com/home/b24nsw
as well as incar footage on my youtube site http://www.youtube.com/user/SKR1967The future:
More developments and more time driving and enjoying the car.
Bit more power, less weight, replace the engine cover with something more appropriate.
Cheers
