MR2 Roadster Owners Club

The Workshop => Performance Related => Topic started by: scipio on October 14, 2012, 20:41

Title: '2's good enough...
Post by: scipio on October 14, 2012, 20:41
After reading about 1zz's, 2zz's, turbos, 6 cylinder motors and anything in between I have come to the conclusion that the motor is best left as it is (bar de-catting, of course).
Today was a case in point. Driving with the top down ... very nippy, very enjoyable, very responsive.
Where she wins is with acceleration, handling and braking....here she is better than 99% of other cars on the road.
Okay, she is not the fastest thing out there but mine has done 210km's/hr....which is fast enough for me.
Nothing more is really required - if you want more its going to cost and its going to require maintenance and its going to be a ball ache.
I'm happy with my '2 as she is.

I am sure there are some who have the time and money and the urge to tinker and experiment but as a daily drive I cannot afford this luxury.  s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:  
I am also sure there are a lot of you who think I'm a $%^^## to make such a post but I thought I'd just put it out there.  s:D :D s:D  

(http://leonscheepers.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/P1130912-700x525.jpg)
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: dj2k21 on October 14, 2012, 20:50
Just improve handling and brakes and enjoy. Makes a huge difference to be honest. Had my engine not blown I would not have turbod it and got the power I did. But I'm glad I did now. Never fails to make me smile  s:) :) s:)

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Title: '2's good enough...
Post by: simers on October 14, 2012, 21:13
210kmh??? I can only get 195  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  I am only goin to lower mine put wider wheels on it and just change the look of it and maybe an engine transplant at some stage to turbo if money allows... I'm thinking 3sgte power but as is the car is fine for the minute... Enjoy it
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: scipio on October 14, 2012, 21:38
Got 210k's on a straight piece of highway....late afternoon, no traffic between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Haven't done it again. This is going to sound insane....she would have done more...I backed off.
Title: '2's good enough...
Post by: simers on October 14, 2012, 22:15
Quote from: "scipio"Got 210k's on a straight piece of highway....late afternoon, no traffic between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Haven't done it again. This is going to sound insane....she would have done more...I backed off.
Must have been on a hill mate  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  any mods done???
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: onion86 on October 15, 2012, 10:44
I think they should go 210 maxed out so there would be a little more pulling at 210 but only because of the speedo being slightly out  s:) :) s:)
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: dcod on October 15, 2012, 10:58
For me, the only 'must' mod to a standard 2 is a nice sounding exhaust. Driving experience is improved greatly.
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: Die$eL on October 15, 2012, 11:02
lol Scipio, your garage looks Very similar to mine....

(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c344/Diesel111/IMG-20121006-00340_zps8198d65b.jpg)

Stock 2 does have sufficient power, i agree!
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: scipio on October 15, 2012, 11:19
Hey Die$eL!....it sure does. Two of the best Toyota's ever built .... I am a Toyota fan and would buy nothing else.  
With more than 50% of bakkies (Utility vehicles for Europeans) sold in SA being Toyota's....it says it all for me.
Pity we don't have such an active MR2 club here...and our country is a bit bigger....it would be difficult for members to get together.
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: chris3boro on October 15, 2012, 21:40
Lovely! More pics needed though!
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: scipio on October 16, 2012, 04:54
Quote from: "onion86"I think they should go 210 maxed out so there would be a little more pulling at 210 but only because of the speedo being slightly out  s:) :) s:)
I have to agree...the speedo can be out by 15km/h at that speed.

Couple of years ago (before I got the MR2) I drove a friends A3 and was amazed at how quickly she got to 200...that was the fastest I had ever driven before.
That's why I wanted to push the '2, to see how she fared...at that speed there is very little left, as you say. The speedo had creeped up to 210 and would have creeped a bit further, but I had concluded the experiment and gathered the data I needed   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

What I have found is that the front can do with more down-force. I wanted to fit a ducktail on the back but I think that would make the problem worse - Any opinions? In terms of handling   s:?: :?: s:?:
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: chris3boro on October 16, 2012, 07:57
Quote from: "scipio"
Quote from: "onion86"I think they should go 210 maxed out so there would be a little more pulling at 210 but only because of the speedo being slightly out  s:) :) s:)
I have to agree...the speedo can be out by 15km/h at that speed.

Couple of years ago (before I got the MR2) I drove a friends A3 and was amazed at how quickly she got to 200...that was the fastest I had ever driven before.
That's why I wanted to push the '2, to see how she fared...at that speed there is very little left, as you say. The speedo had creeped up to 210 and would have creeped a bit further, but I had concluded the experiment and gathered the data I needed   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

What I have found is that the front can do with more down-force. I wanted to fit a ducktail on the back but I think that would make the problem worse - Any opinions? In terms of handling   s:?: :?: s:?:

These really aren't designed for high speed runs so it's going to feel a bit unstable/light at the front etc, I would have thought a rear wing would just make this more pronounced. Personally I'd focus on handling at 'real world' speeds-look at lowering springs, strut braces/braces under the car etc  s:) :) s:)
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: OldMan on October 17, 2012, 17:21
Quote from: "scipio"What I have found is that the front can do with more down-force. I wanted to fit a ducktail on the back but I think that would make the problem worse - Any opinions? In terms of handling   s:?: :?: s:?:
Sometime in 2001 Toyota began fitting an air dam to the underside of the front bumper cover.  Without the air dam, the car wanders at highway speeds.  Check to see if your car has one.  If not, intsall one.  They can be attached with large (3/8" shaft) plastic push-pin rivits available at many hardware stores. The air dam part part number is 76851-17070.

More about the air dam here:
http://www.mr2roc.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=19650&p=242667
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: scipio on October 17, 2012, 18:21
Thanks very much for that info, OldMan!
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: scipio on October 17, 2012, 18:33
@ dcod....mentioning a good exhaust sound and  @ Chris3boro, who wants to see more   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

(http://leonscheepers.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/P1120766-700x525.jpg)
Title: '2's good enough...
Post by: simers on October 17, 2012, 22:19
That's a sexy car mate
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: dcod on October 18, 2012, 08:30
Quote from: "scipio"@ dcod....mentioning a good exhaust sound and  @ Chris3boro, who wants to see more   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

Looks great. Prefer the sound of my Che though. Sound, of course, is in the ear of the beholder   s:D :D s:D  

I can see that you really look after her. Kudos to you.
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: scipio on October 18, 2012, 16:30
Thanks guys...yes, I try to look after her...she does not look 11 years old - she's in mint condition and I want to keep her that way.
If I had my way, I'll keep her forever   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
Title: Re: '2's good enough...
Post by: Die$eL on November 20, 2012, 14:39
Quote from: "scipio"Hey Die$eL!....it sure does. Two of the best Toyota's ever built .... I am a Toyota fan and would buy nothing else.  
With more than 50% of bakkies (Utility vehicles for Europeans) sold in SA being Toyota's....it says it all for me.
Pity we don't have such an active MR2 club here...and our country is a bit bigger....it would be difficult for members to get together.

yip, i agree about the active club here in SA. The problem is that there were only a few hundred MR2 sold in the country. I cant remember if the figure was 200 or 500. either way, its not a lot.

However the Hilux, now thats a different story!!! At work i counted and out of the 80 or so parking bays in our office building, there are 9 hilux (all vigo shape)