My Race Car Build

[Rowland]

Hi all,

As many of you may know I'll be racing a mk3 Roadster in the MR2 Championship this year.
Within this thread I will be keeping a regular update on how progression goes with the transformation from road to race car.
I will be doing some of the work, Rogue Motorsport in Coventry will be doing the majority though.

So,

Having won a bargain of an eBay auction early December I travelled up to Middlesborough to pick up a silver 2004 MR2 Roadster with some n/s accident damage with 30,000 miles on the clock.
It was a bit of a gamble buying blind but at £2,150.00 I felt pretty good about it.


eBay pics:













So, on a cold December morning I took a trundle up the M1 to Middlesborough trailer in tow to go and bring back what I'd committed to buy.
The company was a one man band salvage yard, who in fairness was surprisingly helpful and took an interest in what was to be the cars fate - Racing!
The car was loaded on to the trailer and at a brief glance looked flippin good, far better than I'd expected.
A quick cup of tea and a bacon roll and I was off back to the midlands. Next stop Rogue.

What feels like hours later I arrive back and had a chance to inspect what I'd purchased.











It was tidy, VERY tidy.
Clearly a lady owner, the inside was mint, the roof looked like new and all the plastics well they were mint too!
Body work, with the exception of the n/s front damage was excellent.
A turn of the key and the engine sprang to life, all sounded spot on. It was too good to believe.
Hello, what's this? Hardtop fitting kit already on the car - This just gets better and better!

An inspection of the damage revealed one bent over chassis rail, it would have to be cut off and a new chassis rail welded in place.
Some new inner wing parts would need to be bought, as well as bumper, wing and bonnet cross member etc ect
To subside this however I took a look over the 'pimpables'.

Mint seats and door cards
Set of wheels with good tyres
New looking roof
Some interior trim parts

At worst there was £600 worth or parts to sell on!
Feeling pleased with myself I left the car with Patrick at Rogue.


For the repair work I decided to use Glossy Car Coats of Kenilworth.  m http://www.glossycarcoats.co.uk/ m

A. It was local and handy to Rogue
B. They would collect and return the car
C. They had experience in repairing MR2's
D. They undertook insurance work also so carried the necessary credentials for doing a good job.

The car was collected and the work was priced up.
As this wasn't to be a road car there were many items not required as part of the repair work.
Air bags, seat belts, air-con rad for instance.
More luck came my way later that week as I managed to pick up a *2005* spec silver bumper, n/s bumper, bonnet and headlight for £200 from Birmingham - This was working out superbly!
This in-turn cut the bill down dramatically.
The only thing I hadn't factored in was that I'd need a new windscreen. Since the car wasn't insured or had MOT I forked out £250 for a replacement.

So, having ordered the necessary parts from Toyota and commissioned Glossy Car Coats to carry out the work I left it with them.



Work was completed Tuesday the 6th of Jan and the car was delivered to Rogue. GCC had kindly refitted the rad, replaced the coolant to allow the vehicle to drive.
The bill.
I paid GCC £800 for carrying out the work and Toyota £500 for parts. And of course a windscreen replacement too.
I was happy with that.
As a man of detail I looked over the car with an air of cynicism but was pleasantly surprised. The work looked very good indeed!

Then came the call to say that Rogue were short of a mk3 for Autosport at the NEC due to a delay by the company producing the mk3 roll cages.
They needed my car to 'look' like a race car by Wednesday night and represent the mk3 MR2's.
A tall order indeed as it looked every bit as ordinary as a mundane road going Roadster!
As you can see:












Right, the plan.
I had a TRD kitted black MR-S (minus front lip) with cream crackered 1ZZ, we'd whip the sides and rear valance and fit it and go with the two-tone effect.
Fit some Tein lowering springs as it looked like a scared 4x4
Add some 15" wheels sprayed matt black with Toyo R888's
Strip out the interior hardcore style
Give it race numbers and one or two graphics to bring it to life
After a matter of hours things were really happening.



















And then to add a little more life graphics were added when the car was positioned on the stand at the NEC.








Add obligatory dolly bird...

  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  






With the NEC over the car returned to Rogue and at my request pre cats were removed and also a Kakimoto exhaust was taken from my black MR-S and swapped over.
The car has now come home and I plan to replace the brake discs and pads in the next week or so.
Really I'm waiting on a roll cage. Once that's in, the rest of the safety items can be fitted.

Todays pics, my favourites so far:




















I'm off to collect a hardtop I won on eBay tomorrow night so that'll go straight on.
Really feeling the silver/black thing right now.
More update posts to follow but that's where I am as of today.

Rowland

  s:D s:D

[Peter Wright]

Hope you will be at Snetterton in March, will make the effort to come and see you race
Pete

[Kool PT]

you were fairly lucky with the price but hats off to you for getting everything sorted out yourself. car looks great, what's next once the hard top's fitted?

[ex-member]

Wow mate, what a bargain! granted some work involed, but still! Good work!

[Rowland]

Hope you will be at Snetterton in March, will make the effort to come and see you race
Pete

Will defo be there Pete, wild horses wouldn't stop me!

  s:D s:D  

you were fairly lucky with the price but hats off to you for getting everything sorted out yourself. car looks great, what's next once the hard top's fitted?

Well the hard top isn't my first choice in colour as it's pre face lift silver.
I'll fit it for the meantime and bide my time until a black one comes up OR get it resprayed.

Next I'd like to get the car road legal, which means insurance, MOT, V5 as it's a cat c and road tax.
Need to sort out a seat belt as the pyrotechnic things had gone off in mine so they were fit for then bin.
Gonna see if I can make a mk2 seat belt fit as it's only for the MOT.
So once it's road legal I'll actually be able to drive it!

I also need to replace the lambder sensor as it's not in the best shape.
Best sort that soon really.
Then the plan is to fit new discs and Carbotech Pads which I'll do, then install my race seat.
By then the cages will be ready and it'll be off to Rogue again.

  s:D s:D

[Kool PT]

does the class permit mods? if so, any planned?

[Ilogik]

looked great when I seen it, infact almost to clean to use as a race car.  

Why didn't you get the dolly bird by the car when I was talking to you, doubt the gf would of been ti impressed. Hats off wish I could do something like this.

[Rowland]

does the class permit mods? if so, any planned?

The Ethos of the series is 'affordable motorsport'
To enable the focus to be more about driver ability rather than who has the biggest wallet, modifications are very limited.
Off the top of my head

Suspension - Yes but non adjustable
Wheels - Stock sizes only
Tyres - Control item, stock size R888's
Exhaust - Free
Cat - No but pre cats can go
LSD - OEM only
Bodykit - Only if fitted by Toyota i.e TRD stage 1 kit
Spoilers - As above
Brakes - OEM discs but Pads are free
Strut Braces - OEM only
Chassis Bracing - As above
Air Filter - Free
Engine mods including Chipping etc - NO
ARB's - Yes (I think)

  s:D s:D

[Innocent]

Appreciate you're trying to save weight but either the small trd spoiler or tte lip spoiler in black would look awesome on that!

[Rowland]

Appreciate you're trying to save weight but either the small trd spoiler or tte lip spoiler in black would look awesome on that!

Most definitely,

I tried to remove the rear spoiler from my black MR-S to fit on the race car but after realising it would leave several unsightly holes behind AND that it was fastened with the worlds strongest adhesive, I gave up.

This one:




TRD?

[Kool PT]

that's the tte I think...TRD is like a little wing. if you ever fancy selling that on gimme a shout   s:D s:D

[Innocent]

Can't see the pick at work but the TTE lip is modeled on the white car in Mark Thorpes project thread, the TRD is on Roger & FGRobs cars amongst others. You can get good copies of the TRD from the states i think...

[roger]

All looking good. Hope to see one or two of the races if I can (Silverstone is very close!), might pop in to say hello if I can get access.

About TRD spoiler, you can only buy knock-offs now, so not sure if that's allowed, but I am not sure if it isn't just cosmetic rather than performance enhancing.

[Kool PT]

Wouldn't mind ripping out her interior...

[alancdavis]

Nice car,,,,shame about the Blonde   s:D s:D

[steveybmr2-173]

Looking good Rowland, a good find for race car use! a few people I know that went to Autosports mentioned seeing your car, I'm looking forward to watching Roadsters race in the championship, I'm hoping we can get a bit about the mk3s in MR2 Only Magazine this issue... Good luck this season mate, will be at a few meets watching and cheering you on!

[Liz]

Snetterton is only up the road for me - will probably pop along.  Interesting thread.

[Rowland]

Looking good Rowland, a good find for race car use! a few people I know that went to Autosports mentioned seeing your car, I'm looking forward to watching Roadsters race in the championship, I'm hoping we can get a bit about the mk3s in MR2 Only Magazine this issue... Good luck this season mate, will be at a few meets watching and cheering you on!

Cheers Steve,  if I can help out in anyway with the magazine drop me an email.
Quite surprised to see the car featured in Autosport magazine this week on page 86
  s:D s:D  
And also a nice big-up here of the mk3 too:

 m http://www.race.tv/ m

Select the non-edited version or 'high quality' on the right (Standard quality is MR2-less!)
Approximately five and a half minutes in.

  s8) s8)  




  s:D s:D

[Peter Wright]

Hope you will be at Snetterton in March, will make the effort to come and see you race
Pete

Will defo be there Pete, wild horses wouldn't stop me!
  s:D s:D  

Are you still on for Snetterton this Sunday

[Rowland]

Hope you will be at Snetterton in March, will make the effort to come and see you race
Pete

Will defo be there Pete, wild horses wouldn't stop me!
  s:D s:D  

Are you still on for Snetterton this Sunday

Hi Pete - Sorry I've been meaning to update this thread for a few weeks now but life right now is beyond manic.

To answer your question YES I will be racing at Snetterton this Sunday.
I'll be one of two mk3's that'll be racing.
The car is very near completetion and looking damn fine. Handover from Rogue is due this evening all being well.

You coming along? - I have one spare ticket left if you want it?
Regards,
Rowland

  s:D s:D

[philster_d]

Yeah i saw the car wednesday. Good luck on sunday.

Philster.

[northernalex]

Just came across this, nice work there.. will be interesting to see how you do in the races, good luck!

Alex

[Peter Wright]

Had to work on Sunday so, just popped over in my dinner hour, unfortunately missed both your races
How did you get on ?
I noticed Patrick had a garland in his footwell ! did he win one of his races ?
Your car had about 10 mechanics around it trying to figure out why the brake lights were not working ! did you get them fixed ?
Pete

[Rowland]

Well, despite best intentions I've struggled to update the thread so I'll continue on albeit slightly later than anticipated.


So after Autosport in January I set about making the car road legal so I could generally get a feel for the car on the road before whisking it off to Rogue to be prepped for the race season.
After hitting a problem with obtaining and marrying up an OEM seatbelt with corresponding anchors the car eventually sailed through it's MOT and was taxed the same day.
No time in the drivers seat whatsoever as the clock was ticking and Rogue needed the car asap and it HAD to be ready for early March.
I picked up a few goodies in the meantime though.

A Hardtop was bought in silver from eBay for £275.00

A 2006 front bumper in primer with the desirable extension pieces on eBay, £45 buy it now - Bargain central!





The bumper was set aside as a spare whilst I had the lower extension pieces sprayed by my local friendly bodyshop for just £30
A really good job they did too!
Their website  m http://www.body-wrx.co.uk/ m

A New 6-point Race Harness from Demon Tweeks was purchased along with a LED rain light too.






A set of the dogs dangly bits Carbotech XP8 brake pads at £160+ per axel (Yep that isn't a typo either!)
Some new brake discs were later bought too.




Whilst changing over the exhaust it seemed that one of the Lambder sensors was slightly duff so a new one was bought from Toyota.



Markiii sold my a set of stock wheels so with a little TLC and some Satin Black spray paint they came up a treat!




I was now simply waiting for the Roll Cages to be supplied and to come into stock at Rogue, time continued to tick and knowing Rogue had three mk3's to prep including mine I started to get a bit of a sweat on.
Eventually the cages came in (March 1st?) and what a great piece of design and engineering.
They really are the business and offer maximum protection without compromise.
The cage went in and prep continued with all the safety stuff including ignition cut-offs, extinguisher and piping, fluids changed throughout, aluminium custom hardtop brackets, seat rails the list just goes on and on.
Whilst the car was at Rogue they discovered the car wasn't a UK Roadster, it was infact a JDM model clever disguised/badged.
On the upside it was VERY clean underneath, and nice for the guys to work on.
On the down side no UK style LSD...

And then, on Saturday the 14th....it was READY.
24 hours to go until it's debut race and I took it home for a short but spirited drive home before dashing to attend a wedding in Hemel Hempstead.



First impression was good.
Plenty of mid range, nice and nimble that short steering rack felt the business after the long rack of the mk2.
Ride isn't too hard but holy mother of god these brakes are simply astounding!! 60mph to standstill in what....a second and a half...? Maybe not even that!
R888's are grippy not even chirping when cornering briskly.
Those brakes though...jeeez.... I want to marry you Mr Carbotech!!!

lol

The car was prepped to a very high standard, but I'd of expected no less from Rogue.
The attention to detail and level of workmanship far surpassed my expectations.

So on to race day, Sunday the 15th.
Venue Snetterton, number of mk3's, two.
Sadly Patrick didn't have his ready to go in time having prioritised the other two build so it was just me and Alric in his nearly identical looking mk3. Patrick joined us however in a matt black mk1, so all was not lost.
So with no time in the race seat it was all a little unknown to be honest.
Yes I'd raced at Snetteron but in a mk2 and neither myself or Alric had driven or track tested the mk3 either.
Scruitenering first, it sailed through without a single issue.
Whilst I'm there I popped the car on the weighing scales I needed to be above 1000kgs including my 90kg weight once kitted out in helmet, suit boots gloves etc.
1049kg with a third of a tank of fuel, bit on the heavy side. 30kgs to lose at least.

Qualifying started with mk1's mk2's and the two mk3's all out at the same time.
My personal best was a 1.27.15 last season in a mk2 but Snet has the biggest straight in the UK and is considered to be a power circuit. Surely the mk2's would own us down the straight with their extra grunt?
Turn one is a long right hander and the car is really wallowing over, I'm regretting not fitting uprated ARB's already.
Braking for turn two a sharp right hander before the huge straight. I'm loving these brakes but know already the suspension setup isn't as it should be.
On to the straight 3rd 4th and into 5th I slip stream a mk2 and whip by - I'm holding my own here, I'm surprised.
Late braking into a left then right, no LSD on this JDM version so I grimace as I hear a wheel spin up.
A few twists and turns with camber and a chicane just after, it really seems just replacing the springs with Tein S-Techs isn't giving the suspension it's much needed solid feel. I should be flat in these corners and I'm feathering the throttle gently as the body roll is massive.
On to the start finish straight and my lap timer reads 1.30.55

A few more laps and I'm into low 1.29's.
More time out on the circuit and that would have come down.
Alric was into the 1.27's helped by his own admission by his LSD and anti roll bars. Two areas I'd highlighted after the first lap.
Race 1 was mk1's and mk3's.
Me, I was still taking time to find my feet with the car and move away from trying to drive a mk3 as I would a mk2.
Alric obliterated the field and won convincingly, with me 4th but with confidence in the car growing bit by bit.

Race 2 was mk1's mk2's and mk3's.
Sadly after a superb launch the car in front but one to me selected 3rd rather than 1st from the off so I lost ~9 places to avoid needing that primered front bumper from earlier!
Chasing through the pack I made up all my places I'd lost and lap time were consistently falling to 1.28.1
Alric sadly retired after his throttle cable detached somehow from the peddle. This was later refitted back in the paddock.

So in all a lot was learned.
A LSD box was worth maybe a second or possibly more a lap and that uprated ARB's were a must as are uprated dampers.
The mk2 boys at the very top were setting new records as times fell to an astounding 1.24.55!
My guess is the mk3 chassis is still the best, add coilovers (with a regulation tweek for mk3's) ARB's and an LSD, reduce weight to 1010-1020kgs and we're there.
Snetterton is one circuit that I'd personally highlighted as one that wouldn't really favour the mk3 over the mk2.
A technical circuit such as Cadwell and things could be very different indeed.

I only took a few pics although I'm expecting some action shots via email very soon so I'll add these to the thread very soon.
Thanks for reading!

Rowland

  s:) s:)

[Rowland]

Had to work on Sunday so, just popped over in my dinner hour, unfortunately missed both your races
How did you get on ?
I noticed Patrick had a garland in his footwell ! did he win one of his races ?
Your car had about 10 mechanics around it trying to figure out why the brake lights were not working ! did you get them fixed ?
Pete

Hi Peter - Sorry I missed you on Sunday.

Patrick finished behind me in both races in a mk1, maybe you misstook the other mk3 that came first in the mk1 and mk3 race?
The brake lights worked fine in the morning and then during the race apparantly ceased to work.
The guys checked all the fuses carried out tests, it had to be something obvious didn't it?
Eventually we discovered in the drivers footwell there were numberous wires and connector blocks, one of those wasn't propperly connected.
With a click back together it was all sorted.

  s:) s:)