My Blue 2002 MR2 - Meeerrk's Track car build (LOCKED)

[Anonymous]

Hey everyone, been a viewer/member for a while but haven't posted much. Thought I'd start a build thread...
 
We've owned our MR2 roadster for about 4 years now. Its a 2002 blue pre face lift, It's been my girlfriends daily driver and she does a lot of miles! We've enjoyed two trips to France in it and it's been an absolutely fantastic car, loved by us both.

But unfortunately we have ended up with a Roadster which is pretty much immaculate and meticulously cared for, but pretty much worthless with 140k miles on the clock.....Given the choice of selling it for pittance or keeping it in the garage and playing with it, she said we could keep it and track it!  s:D s:D  

How it currently looks :



What it's been replaced with;



The two together!



It's handy having a girlfriend who likes her cars as much as I do, although it's a bit odd to be the one with a sensible car in the relationship (a BMW 118d!!)

This was supposed to be a cheap hobby but as you can tell, it already isn't!

So the starting plans for the MR2 are as follows;

Interior;
- Strip out non required interior trim, rear buckets etc
- Sparco Steering Wheel & Boss (on order)
- Track dedicated drivers seat, remove passengers when not required
- Harness

Chassis;  
- Tein Springs (to start with!) (on order)
- Front upper strut brace (on order)
 - MattPerformance under brace ... Need to order this

Wheels;
- 16" Rota (waiting to pick up)

Brakes;
- Hawk performance front pads  (on order)
- EBC Yellowstuff rear pads  (on order)
- Braided hoses front & back (on order)

Engine;
- mkiii intake pipe (got to fit)
- k&n filter (on order)
- decat manifold (Che from eBay) (got to fit)


That's it for now, as you can see I've got some work to do over the next month or so...along with an ongoing house renovation so I hope I get time!

I'll take pics along the way and keep this thread updated with pics, track day videos, the highs and lows!

Future plans include coil overs, front and rear anti roll bars, and hopefully 2zz engine ... Albeit longer term (18month?)  

Thanks for reading!

[Stifler]

The 2 looks great.  Totally your choice but I never understand why people strip it.  If you kept the interior you could still enjoy on the road too!

Your call and glad to see you still love it  s:) s:)  

Looking forward to the thread, oh and with the exception of stripping your spec is pretty much the same as my car which is still a joy on the roads  s;) s;)

[Anonymous]

It's a good point, just for power to weight really. I guess it all adds up to quite a lot of weight.

[Stifler]

Yeah, you have a point - every little helps!

Enjoy the build  s:D s:D

[AndyM]

Interesting little project, I'd love a track '2 if I could justify it.  s:) s:)

Are you getting a hard top?

Might be worth considering as it stiffens everything up (and gives you a bit of debris protection should anyone/thing get a little bit sketchy).

Andy

[Anonymous]

It been on my mind & have considered it, but not short term at least.

[pistol pete]

I have started with a completly standard car as it sits now.. then each bit will be done slowly to see what difference it makes.
I notice i wanted a little more poke on the straights
first i did tyres before first track day
next will be strip all weight not needed (interior) see what difference it makes and go from there, rather then big spends out, makes it a lot cheaper hobby then  s:) s:)
I don't need to drive it daily as i have my ST focus, which is epic road car so i don't mind loosing the interior of mine

I'll still use it on the road but don't expect it to be comfortable...
But i do wand to remove the soft top and fit hard top and rollcage, but all in the future

great thread will be watching with interest and see you on track soon   s:P s:P

[Anonymous]

I did the same as you but got impatient  s:D s:D  

I don't mind comfort ( or lack off) - this is a third car and will be rarely used on the roads.

Yours too, hopefully join you soon

[pistol pete]

yeah this is the 3rd/4th car depending where you put the mk1
so comfort is not paramount, i just have to be able to take my little girl out...

only worried about takeing carpet etc out will affect it gettign damp inside?

[steve b]

I pulled the floor carpet and it was soaking underneath so binned it, my car looks like it always leaked from somewhere under the windscreen, my fix was drilling a drain hole on the path the water ran, problem solved  :-) :-) :-) . I kept the rear fire wall carpet as it was silly noisy with it removed.

[Anonymous]

I think I will be stripping out the carpets, every little helps  s:) s:)  thanks for the heads up on the rear carpet though. I've emailed the guy about the rear harness bar, he said he'll check the price and get back to me. Thanks for the info on that.

[Anonymous]

Right, well, first night working on the car tonight, but things didn't really go to plan  s:( s:(  Plan was...

1) Fit Manifold - spent about an hour trying to get heat shield bolts out  heads totally shot. Finally managed but then thought if I've had that much trouble with the shield, what chance to I stand with the head studs! That'll have to be one for Matt to tackle, because if it goes pear shaped I don't have the equipment to sort it out!

2) Fit mkiii pipe - DONE!

3) Fit k&n filter - DONE!

4) Offer up tow strap to rear - Couldn't really find a good point to mount the tow strap, with access to tighten a bolt so will have to stick with the OEM tow eye

5) remove all frunk plastics etc and offer up battery relocate - All seems straight forward, but I think I'll get a proper battery tray and bolt it down, to ensure its secure.  

As you can see i really didn't get much done, but I had fun messing about in the garage on the car, so I'm not really bothered because I am under no time restraints!  


Now to speak to Matt regarding that under brace and fitting my manifold  s:) s:)

[pistol pete]

Right, well, first night working on the car tonight, but things didn't really go to plan  s:( s:(  Plan was...

1) Fit Manifold - spent about an hour trying to get heat shield bolts out  heads totally shot. Finally managed but then thought if I've had that much trouble with the shield, what chance to I stand with the head studs! That'll have to be one for Matt to tackle, because if it goes pear shaped I don't have the equipment to sort it out!

2) Fit mkiii pipe - DONE!

3) Fit k&n filter - DONE!

4) Offer up tow strap to rear - Couldn't really find a good point to mount the tow strap, with access to tighten a bolt so will have to stick with the OEM tow eye

5) remove all frunk plastics etc and offer up battery relocate - All seems straight forward, but I think I'll get a proper battery tray and bolt it down, to ensure its secure.  

As you can see i really didn't get much done, but I had fun messing about in the garage on the car, so I'm not really bothered because I am under no time restraints!  


Now to speak to Matt regarding that under brace and fitting my manifold  s:) s:)

1) i had trouble and ground off my heatshield bolts..
used some penetrating spray on manifold bolts, came out easy, it was the bit i was worried about too

2) whats mkiii pipes?

3) top job does it sound good? panel filter or induction, surely induction will just give noise that why i am going panel

4) yeah i had same problem, make sure you put towing eye at front thats where they prefer it..

5) i thought if you remove the plastics you end up with big hole for air to come in from underneath and lift the front (i.e. didn't think it had a floor?)

keep up the updates  s:) s:)

[chris3boro]

Not a bad pair of cars on the drive  s:) s:)

[Anonymous]

Not a bad pair of cars on the drive  s:) s:)

thanks...but both are actually my girlfriends  s:) s:)  I've got relatively  boring (although very smooth and Efficient) BMW 118d

[Anonymous]

Plus I get to thrash the MR2 as a track toy  s:D s:D  (when I get it sorted!)

[chris3boro]

118d isn't a bad car either- you have it made   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[Anonymous]

No massive updates unfortunately, been busy, but making slow progress.

Exhaust system off the car now, awaiting new manifold studs and nuts from CTP to refit manifold and a new decat pipe.





I'm waiting for delivery of the hawk ceramic pads, and my braided hoses...the hoses are made but pads coming from USA via Clark Motorsport. Once they arrive I will fit the new rear calipers (one is seized), new hoses and pads all round. Will also fit the tein springs at the same time. Should be a long day!

Picked up the Rota wheels from Nathan, very nice they are too! Shod in Ad08s so I'm thinking I need a baffled sump now too  s:( s:(

Had to do some work on my 118d this week too, discovered I had a swimming pool In the back so had to strip everything out to dry it all. I've found the source of the leak so can get that sorted, Also need to replace the thermostat as it's sticking and I'm only getting about 42mpg because of it!

Also got a long weekend to do DIY, it's the GFs dressing room this time around (yes she has THAT MUCH STUFF)... So the MR2 is playing 3rd fiddle at the moment   s:( s:(  

My mate is taking his R33 Skyline GTR to Bedford on 17th March, would love to get it ready to join him...Need to sack off the DIY and pull my finger out  s:D s:D

[pistol pete]

keep up the good work, the manifold looks nice there matey

don't forget if you get bored sat pop over to beford

[steve b]

Have you got the harness bar in yet or going to paint it up 1st?  My comment above about the noise when stripping out bins etc behind you see where I'm coming from after a ride in mine?  :-) :-) :-)

[Anonymous]

Chance would be a fine thing....Smoothing and sanding walls all afternoon!

I may paint it actually, that's a good Idea, just satin black or something.

Update on the car, yesterday I ended up removing the whole exhaust system and have refitted the lot with a decat pipe.

My next job is to strip the interior, fit my new seats and harnesses, along with the nice new harness bar.

I did like the way you have kept the lower shelf part of the rear bins, I think I'll try that first and see how I get on.

To be honest if mine sounded as good as yours I'd want to hear it all though  s:D s:D

[pistol pete]

I have castle combe booked for end of april is ya fancy it..
few of us from imoc going
 m http://www.javelintrackdays.co.uk/track ... 1&Itemid=1 m

[Anonymous]

Thanks Pete that's a little more achievable to aim for. I need to mount the seats too so need to get some brackets made up. Currently looking for a local fabrication shop as I have no metal work equipment at home

[Anonymous]

Fed up of seeing the car in the garage looking unloved so I've taken the day off tomorrow and aim to do the following
1) fit new Rear brake calipers
2) fit new rear pads (yellow stuff)
3) fit new braided hoses all round
4) fit new front pads (hawk performance carbon composite)
5) fit tein springs
6) finish stripping interior in preparation for my rouge Motorsport seat mounts
7) fit Matt performance under brace
 s8) s8)  fit front upper strut brace
9) oil filter and oil change
10) spark plug change
11) remove soft top assembly ready for hard top (if I get time...doubt it)

Lots of pics on their way tomorrow  s:D s:D

[Anonymous]

Not the most productive day, bit frustrating, here's some of the bits I wanted to get fitted


I tackled the rear calipers first, the drivers side was sticking so it needed replacing but I bought a pair to be sure everything was ok.

First problem, handbrake pin was well and truly seized. Tried all the tricks I could find on this site which resulted in this;



So out came the old faithful



New pins please!  s:( s:(



Next problem, the sticky caliper was well and truly stuck, I can't separated the top slider from the caliper carrier. After hours of soaking, up & down wiggling I gave up and moved on, I will try and separate it at work tomorrow.

Passenger side was a lot easier, so fitted new caliper, EBC pads and braided lines, then dropped the shocker and fitted the tein spring.



Went back and tried the drivers caliper again for another hour, gave up and fitted the tein spring.

Next I fitted the front Hawk pads  braided lines and top strut brace. No issues here, all went fine. Took about 1hr 30 mins to do the front;






Went back and tried the drivers caliper again, gave up and took it off.

Next finished stripping the interior, fitted my harness bar ( thanks to Steveb) and my OMP braces





Put the wheels back on and lowered her onto the floor, have to fit the rear caliper another day then bleed the system,




Now tucked back in the garage ready for another full days work. Waiting for some seat mounts from rouge to fit my seats and also need to fit my Matt performance underbrace.