The Ramblings and Diary of a Japanese Car Enthusiast

[Madabout]

Been quiet on the MR2 front over winter. My yellow rev4 turbo and white rev3 turbo both nestled away. Since getting back into MR2 ownership and joining IMOC start of last year I had been intoxicated by the sound of the V6. I saw my first V6 MR2 around 10 years at a local JDM tuning garage with a car Woodsport had built and loved the sound and idea of a V6 MR2. I looked at the car I now own July last year but never reached a deal. February 2018 and I finally bought it. It’s originally a SMG Rev3 turbo, lots of different work done along the way but now with a 1MZ V6 fitted.

This car was owned by a fellow enthusiast (Dom) who got Woodsport to do the conversion on a white UK rev4 he had. After the conversion was done in 2014 Dom noticed his white car had rust issues and rather then sorting as looked pretty terminal found a rust free rev3 turbo shell and rebuilt the car into this SMG car I now own. The SMG car was quite special in its own right as when it was first imported from Japan had lots of JDM goodies, probably explains the condition of the shell but did minimal mileage and was built into a 500bhp 2.2 stroker engine monster before it was broke for parts. On being reborn as a V6 the car still has a decent bit of work done including.

Carbon-fibre rev5 combat spoiler
White Lenso D1R alloys with Uniroyal Rainsport 3s fitted
Rev1 turbo struts (purchased almost new) fitted with Spax lowering springs
Front top mounts replaced in past year
Ball joints, droplinks etc at reshell
Full Prothane chassis polybush kit fitted
Refurbed and rebuilt brake calipers with grooved discs all round
Braided hoses
Hilux master cylinder
TRD antiroll bars front and rear
TRD Front Strut Brace
OEM mudguards all round
Raybrig headlamps with Osram Nightbreaker bulbs
1MZ V6 originally prepped and installed by Woodsport
NA gearbox with extended 5th gear
Apexi Power Intake
Mongoose NA backbox and decat
Clifford G5 alarm and immobiliser
Black leather interior
Black tbar headlining
Rev1 (thicker) carpets and door cards
Man in Dandism floor mats
Genuine Blitz gauges (vacuum, oil temp and oil pressure)
Ortiz Custom Triple POD MR2 Centre console
Pioneer headunit
Active sound system retrofitted
Kenwood active subwoofer
Silver painted dash
Red and white interior illumination including heater controls and window switches
Custom modified lit passenger door window switch
Lexus LS400 chrome interior door handles upgrades
Mk3 MR2 steering wheel with custom 'teq' centre badge
TRD ball gear knob
Real carbon inserts in dash and clocks
LED interior lights

[Caleb-mr2]

Car looks great!

Can I ask when you said it’s a carbon fibre rev 5 spoiler, did the complete spoiler come from carben fibre creations by any chance?

I’m thinking about getting one and was looking opinions from someone who had one

[Madabout]

Car looks great!

Can I ask when you said it’s a carbon fibre rev 5 spoiler, did the complete spoiler come from carben fibre creations by any chance?

I’m thinking about getting one and was looking opinions from someone who had one

Thanks. I had been on/off thinking of buying this car for quite a while.

I have just had a look on the Carbenfibre Creations website and it does look identical. This came on the car and was from another car before it went on this.

I have the genuine rev5 version too and fitment wise one on the grey car seems fine.

[androo007]

look forward to hearing this one

[Madabout]

look forward to hearing this one

It does sound nice. Very quiet on idle but when you press the throttle you can hear the tune of the V6 behind you and induction roar.

I like the sound of the turbo and the screamer pipe on my white car creates quite an occasion WOT but I think Toyota missed a trick doing the MK2 from factory with a V6.

[Madabout]

Got a thing for period JDM wheels which is pretty obvious with the MX5s and MR2s I own. Always think the right period Japanese wheels work so well on Japanese car. On the SMG V6 I have been out in the snow today fitting new wheels. I like the Lenso wheels but wasn't sure on the colour against the SMG paintwork. A scout around and I came across staggered fitment Blitz 01 17x8 et35 fronts and 17x9 et38 rears. Cold outside but happy with the results.

[Draven]

I've always loved those wheels.

[Madabout]

I've always loved those wheels.

Yeah I like decent JDM wheels. If I had the funds I think I would be the type to have a garage full of cars with a garage full of different wheels to choose from. Decent wheels make a car.

Pretty pleased how these have turned out so far. The rims were quite dulled when I got them but elbow grease, odds and ends from Tool Station and I have got a decent finish back to them.

[Madabout]

As the weather cleared got some better photos of the grey V6 and more elbow grease on the wheels this weekend.




Likewise some photos of the car in its previous life when it was a high-powered turbo.

[Madabout]

Today I got my yellow rev4 turbo out of winter storage given what I hope is the start of the some spring sunshine. Given I had not used the yellow one since start of November last year I was surprised how quick it was. It felt like warp-speed as turbo came on line.

Also got to use my grey rev3 V6 today so got a good comparison. The V6 sounds lovely WOT and is almost effortless in the way it comes up to power. Today coming off a couple of roundabouts it sounds lovely with the V6 behind you and showed good legs.

Ultimately the turbo is quicker but it is a rev4 jdm turbo with basic breathing mods (uprated intercooler, exhaust, decat, induction kit) but can understand why Woodsport and V6 owners say speed is fairly comparable with an earlier stock turbo.

[Madabout]

Today doing work on the SMG V6. Been getting wheel wobble since fitting the Blitz wheels above 60/70mph. I fitted some spigot rings today but surprisingly that didn’t cure it as thought that be the issue. Instead got the front wheels balanced and now OK. Lastly think I may have a sticky caliper or scored disc a slight vibration when braking from speed through steering wheel.

[Madabout]

Yesterday did quite a bit car wise in between doing the garden, getting a new suit for an upcoming wedding, washing and detailing the daily.

All in the grey v6 had a good run out. I am still intoxicated by the sound the V6 behind the back seat and that bigger engine feel with torque, etc.

They yellow rev4 finally had the interior cleaned having not been done since it came back from the garage last November while the white rev3 came out of the garage and winter hibernation since last October. Having left it for so long I had to readjust as forgotten how to start it.

Yellow one got a drive while the white one just warmed up to temperature and some summer sun.










At the moment I am pretty busy with any spare money going elsewhere but there is a couple of jobs I need to do on them and if I can save enough wouldn't mind getting some paint down on the grey v6.

[Madabout]

Got the 'MR2 Turbo beater' out of the garage for the first time in ages yesterday. Think this has legs unless the MR2 Turbo is seriously modified as it is making around 250bhp and has a small turbo so spools up quickly. On top end the MR2 probably has more gearing and power to weight any MR2 over around 340bhp will be ahead. Still it is a fun car and very much a go-kart feel compared to the MR2.





Likewise got my 'R-Limited' Roadster out. This was a Japanese market only limited edition with BBS forged wheels, LSD as standard, light weight flywheel, uprated shocks in a limited edition dark blue (Mica Satellite blue) with red leather. I restored it a few years so got it out of the garage for a wash, polish, airing in the sun today.

[craig]

Cars all looking top mate

[Madabout]

Cars all looking top mate

Thanks Craig. Hope you are keeping well mate and enjoyed the Bank Holiday weekend. It was a shame it had to end as the weather was great and allowed me to get on and get the cars out.

[Madabout]

Few jobs done today.

The yellow Mr2 had an oil change and new filter as not been done since I got it. The white mr2 had a refurbished power steering rack fitted as had failed. Since I got the car it had whined but I'd ignored it but was leaking from the same side where the wheel and shock had got damaged so maybe linked.

[Madabout]

Got the V6 out of the garage and fitted some Recaro SR type seats originally from a Evo IV but mounted using Corbeau runners so sit you low. The grey bolsters work well as the car is SMG. Fit with also as I've factory Recaro SR seats in my other 2 MR2 Turbos so a seat I like!

[Draven]

Ugh i love those wheels

[Madabout]

Ugh i love those wheels

They work well on a MR2. I am happy with them. Still yet to sort the slight wheel vibration (through steering wheel) when braking from 50+mph. Other jobs have come up so far.

[Madabout]

Not posted much recently as been busy with work and got some jobs done on the cars in between but time seems to by flying by.

Few updates - white rev3 turbo had the power steering rack fitted, new MOT, sorted a few other bits like radio, speakers working correctly.




Yellow rev4 turbo now has a weighted rev5 type gearknob from MR2Heaven. With the short shift kit already fitted this seems really nice. All fitted with some new gaiters with yellow stitching too.



The Rev5 refurbished gearknob is now in the V6 again with matching stitched new gaiters. This had a small TRD gearknob fitted before.



Finally since I bought the grey v6 the car has been fifty shades of grey. Solid which was more important but the paint was poor. As such dropped it off 2 days ago for a full respray in original SMG code 187.