Martin - The Daily Grand Tourer

Started by Felix, August 2, 2022, 13:28

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bobbe

Quote from: Gaz mr-s on September 21, 2022, 18:07The mechanism that the column rises in can be modified. The bottom of the wheel 20mm higher or so.

Interesting - is there any information online about this?

Gaz mr-s

Quote from: bobbe on September 22, 2022, 12:35Interesting - is there any information online about this?

Nope, I don't know of anyone else having done it. You need a drill & bits & a round file.
Take off the under dash plastics & view how the column is controlled. Open the slot out of the guide at the top.  A little achieves quite a lot.

bobbe

Quote from: Gaz mr-s on September 22, 2022, 15:48Nope, I don't know of anyone else having done it. You need a drill & bits & a round file.
Take off the under dash plastics & view how the column is controlled. Open the slot out of the guide at the top.  A little achieves quite a lot.

Okay, thanks!

Felix

After 2 months of waiting, I finally have one of these:



So I booked my car into Powerflow in Mitcham for a full custom system. They had a slot 5 days away which I took, then realised there was a bit of work to do because I want a bumper-exit system.

So I borrowed my mother's garage for an evening:



took the bumper off:



Then realised it was a Sunday evening, and I hadn't brought a deep enough 15mm socket to remove the crash-bar. But I had a hacksaw and an adjustable wrench (and am planning on running crash-bar-less) so I made it work:



But on to the bumper: The plan was to have no rear grille, and to clean up the bumper a bit so it looks like it was like that from the factory. So here it is with the grille removed:



Then with the little clips cut off:



Then with the longer trims also cut off:



Then I stuck the plate back on and drove it home like this:



But wasn't happy with the plate positioning. It didn't really work with the "that could be OEM" look I want to go for.

So I went to my workshop, grabbed a hammer, and turned this 3mm stainless wire..



..into this:



Which goes on like this:





Then finally drove it to Powerflow last night, picked it up today, and it currently looks like this:









Thanks for reading!
My photo-heavy daily grand-tourer build:
https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=73097.25

Hammond

Quote from: Fefelarue on September 27, 2022, 20:10After 2 months of waiting, I finally have one of these:



So I booked my car into Powerflow in Mitcham for a full custom system. They had a slot 5 days away which I took, then realised there was a bit of work to do because I want a bumper-exit system.

So I borrowed my mother's garage for an evening:



took the bumper off:



Then realised it was a Sunday evening, and I hadn't brought a deep enough 15mm socket to remove the crash-bar. But I had a hacksaw and an adjustable wrench (and am planning on running crash-bar-less) so I made it work:



But on to the bumper: The plan was to have no rear grille, and to clean up the bumper a bit so it looks like it was like that from the factory. So here it is with the grille removed:



Then with the little clips cut off:



Then with the longer trims also cut off:



Then I stuck the plate back on and drove it home like this:



But wasn't happy with the plate positioning. It didn't really work with the "that could be OEM" look I want to go for.

So I went to my workshop, grabbed a hammer, and turned this 3mm stainless wire..



..into this:



Which goes on like this:





Then finally drove it to Powerflow last night, picked it up today, and it currently looks like this:









Thanks for reading!

Looking good so far! Is it sounding as you hoped?
05' silver

Ardent

Well played.

Just my personal preference, I would look to lose some of the excess yellow of the plate.

Topdownman

Impressive work. That hacksaw got a good workout! I thought you had some plastic grille to go in at first but in later photos I realised that was the floor mat!

Any chance of making up a smaller crash bar that wouldnt be visible but would add a bit of strength/ protection back?
"Racing" tax disc holder (binned), Poundland air freshener, (ran out), Annoying cylinder deficiency,  (sorted),
Winner of the Numb bum award 2017
Readers Ride

06 not V6 readers ride

Felix

Quote from: Hammond on September 27, 2022, 22:39Looking good so far! Is it sounding as you hoped?

Thank you! Honestly it's louder than I wanted, i'm taking it back today to ask for an additional resonator or silencer to be plumbed in.

Quote from: Ardent on September 27, 2022, 23:36Well played.

Just my personal preference, I would look to lose some of the excess yellow of the plate.


I hear you, but I honestly prefer it with the full plate, as it looks less 'modified'. I want the car to look like Toyota could have made it that way.

Quote from: Topdownman on September 28, 2022, 09:14Impressive work. That hacksaw got a good workout! I thought you had some plastic grille to go in at first but in later photos I realised that was the floor mat!

Any chance of making up a smaller crash bar that wouldnt be visible but would add a bit of strength/ protection back?

Thanks! It's something I'm trying to decide on at the moment. I'm less fussed about protection and more about trying to hide the ugly crash-bar mounting points. Maybe just a coat of matte black paint is in order.
My photo-heavy daily grand-tourer build:
https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=73097.25

Felix

So a couple of small updates. Firstly I got myself a spacer for the steering wheel so I can actually use it without hitting the indicator stalks all the time:



Secondly, the exhaust was far too loud with the single box, so I took it back to powerflow, and they re-made the whole thing with a Y pipe, each side then going through it's own silencer. And I love it even more than the last one:













Yes I know the plate is wonky  ;D
My photo-heavy daily grand-tourer build:
https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=73097.25

puma2

 :)) wonky may be still nice job  8)  8)
looking good keep up with the good work :)  :)

Hammond

Coming together nicely now! Keep it up pal.
05' silver

Felix

After scouring the internet for months for an original navpod, I eventually came to the conclusion that I'd never find one for any amount of money, so I made my own.

I started off with the original storage bin lid, and a double din cage:



Then I chopped it up:



Then cut some MDF to size:



And epoxied it all together:



I used a hammer to curve some ally, and attached it all for added strength during the next stages:



Next up was to put a box in to act as a dummy stereo while adding the expanding foam:





Luckily my partner is a professional prop-maker, so she carved it down into a nice smooth shape for me:



I then stretched some old fabric over it:



Then saturated it with polyester resin to make a hard outer shell:





Then I upholstered it. (Having done similar jobs before which eventually peeled off, i decided to be extra safe and use all the staples in the world):





Next up was the front panel, cut from 2mm aluminium sheet using a jigsaw, then smoothed with various files and lots of sandpaper:







It looks good, but I needed a sun visor too, so I cut up this plastic bin which was vaguely navpod-shaped:



And after lots of measuring and fettling, I had this:



Which goes on like this:





And would you believe it, the whole thing fits flawlessly:







Now to take the entire car to pieces to fit a good sound-system...
My photo-heavy daily grand-tourer build:
https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=73097.25

Topdownman

Top work as ever.

Any other plans for it?
"Racing" tax disc holder (binned), Poundland air freshener, (ran out), Annoying cylinder deficiency,  (sorted),
Winner of the Numb bum award 2017
Readers Ride

06 not V6 readers ride

puma2

 :) love the picture and detail you put into this :)  :)
keep up the good work 8)

Felix

In my last post I installed the navpod and head unit, but it didnt have any power to it, so I had to get on and do what i'd been dreading - wiring, wiring, and wiring.

So here we go. Interior out:



Power cables in (I ran two 8 gauge cables which is far easier to manipulate than one thicker cable):



And this is what an entire day of speaker wiring looks like. I also extended all the head unit wires to reach the top of the dash, and pre-wired for the sub install.



Then onto the audio; i'll be running a 400w RMS 6.5" sub under the dash, and 2 100w RMS 5.25" component speakers, so I went with a 4 channel in phase 9704D 800w RMS amp, which will power everything nicely, and for the power it puts out, it's tiny. Installation-wise, I cut a piece of MDF:



Painted it black:



Drilled and screwed it from behind into the driver's side rear compartment:



Then put (stuffed with a lot of force and swearing) it back in:



Then after spending far too long cutting the wires to the exact right length that they were almost invisible, I finished what I would call my neatest ever amp install:





Onto the speakers. I cut this rather janky-looking hole in the original door card:



Then bought these pre-cut MDF speaker rings:



Upholstered two of them (not super happy with this job, will probably re-do in future):



And sandwiched the door-card with them:



Then I modelled up and ordered these laser-cut speaker rings:



Which I countersunk, smoothed, and polished:



And ended up with this:



Then after putting the car back together, I'm pretty happy with the result (though considering changing the red mats, as the red and yellow is a bit much):











Thanks for reading!



Quote from: Topdownman on February  4, 2023, 14:30Top work as ever.

Any other plans for it?

Thanks! Loads, I can't not tinker with a car, so i'll keep doing stuff like this until me or the car dies  ;D
My photo-heavy daily grand-tourer build:
https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=73097.25

puma2

 :) for some who hate wiring that is some top job there by the looks of it 8)
you time and effort will be rewarded on every drive out now 8)  8)
when are you going to install mine now :))  :))

Felix

So on my last post I left a convenient sub-woofer shaped hole under the dash with the wiring poking out, and it was time to fill it. I pickup up this adorable little 6.5" DS18 subwoofer which will apparently put out 400W RMS. I also got a box made to the right size and shape:



I raided my aluminium stash and found these:



It's times like this I wish I could weld, but I cant, so I spent 3-4 hours measuring, cutting, filing, drilling and tapping them into this:



Which assembles in the car like this:



I gave them a polish:



And attached to the box:



Then wired the sub into the box:



And here it is installed:

(I think I will try to brace it to the underside of the dash too in future. It's solid but it could be solider.)





Quote from: puma2 on February  8, 2023, 07:22:) for some who hate wiring that is some top job there by the looks of it 8)
you time and effort will be rewarded on every drive out now 8)  8)
when are you going to install mine now :))  :))

Thank you!

Never ever again for any amount of money  ;D
My photo-heavy daily grand-tourer build:
https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=73097.25

puma2

 :) never say never now how much do you want ££££

I do like the work you did and the placement  8)  8)

Felix

Quote from: puma2 on February 25, 2023, 14:45:) never say never now how much do you want ££££

I do like the work you did and the placement  8)  8)

Thanks! To wire in your amp and speakers? Probably about what you'd pay for a road-legal MR2 ;D
My photo-heavy daily grand-tourer build:
https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=73097.25

puma2

Quote from: Fefelarue on February 28, 2023, 17:42Thanks! To wire in your amp and speakers? Probably about what you'd pay for a road-legal MR2 ;D
fair to cheap for me :))  :))

glad to see how you did plus the satisfaction you get when done 8)  8)

now get out there and enjoy all the work you put into your 2

McMr2

This is such a cool thread with a unique take on things. Keep it up.
2004 Silver. Stock(ish).

cptspaulding

Quote from: Fefelarue on February 25, 2023, 14:18I also got a box made to the right size and shape:

Such a disappointment  :-\

Although top marks for everything else. Envious of your skills & dedication.
Former owner 2003, 2zz conversion.

Felix

Quote from: cptspaulding on March  1, 2023, 10:55Such a disappointment  :-\

Although top marks for everything else. Envious of your skills & dedication.

Thanks!

Haha, if it makes you feel better I designed it myself in CAD first:
My photo-heavy daily grand-tourer build:
https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=73097.25

Felix

The interior was starting to look to my liking, but i can never have too many shiny bits, so i accumulated another pile of parts:



And basically fitted all of them. So here's the old hvac panel:



And the new:



And some new knobs fresh from aliexpress:





Speedo surround, before:



And after:



Then this laser cut bit:



Which I spent a bit of time countersinking, sanding, and polishing:



And here's the cockpit now:







I'm starting to run out of things to do in here, so i'll probably have to start on the exterior soon  ;D

Thanks for reading!
My photo-heavy daily grand-tourer build:
https://www.mr2roc.org/index.php?topic=73097.25

Topdownman

You could always just quickly rustle up a new centre console before you finish inside.

Should only take you a few minutes.....
"Racing" tax disc holder (binned), Poundland air freshener, (ran out), Annoying cylinder deficiency,  (sorted),
Winner of the Numb bum award 2017
Readers Ride

06 not V6 readers ride

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