all electric MR-S conversion

[MrT]

Pics of roof on the car:
[attachment=1:g3b1bgzz] ia1 Black_Hard-top_front_quarter.jpg ia1 [/attachment:g3b1bgzz]

[attachment=0:g3b1bgzz] ia0 Black_Hard-top_rear_quarter.jpg ia0 [/attachment:g3b1bgzz]

I think the black looks really good on the yellow.

[Ardent]

Black on yellow works for me.
Couldn't help noticing an unusal exhaust pipe.

[MrT]

Hello all

Well today I set about removing my soft top frame from the cross-bar & Base plates but with the ability to refit it later. Turns out to be quite easy and a bit disappointing that Mr Toyota didn't do it this way before. Note, this may take some time so bare with me...

There are 2 different fixings either side that are mirrored both sides. These are fasteners that had to be assembled in the factory before they were welded, so if you 'unweld' the fixings they can be unfixed to disassemble the frame from the base plates. Simples... See below:

[attachment=0:1l6y1hzg] ia0 Soft-top_removal1.jpg ia0 [/attachment:1l6y1hzg]

[attachment=1:1l6y1hzg] ia1 Soft-top_removal2.jpg ia1 [/attachment:1l6y1hzg]

[attachment=2:1l6y1hzg] ia2 Soft-top_removal3.jpg ia2 [/attachment:1l6y1hzg]

TBC...

[MrT]

Continued, due to 3 attachments per post. More pics:

[attachment=0:3u2rx9io] ia0 Soft-top_removal4.jpg ia0 [/attachment:3u2rx9io]

[attachment=1:3u2rx9io] ia1 Soft-top_removal5.jpg ia1 [/attachment:3u2rx9io]

[attachment=2:3u2rx9io] ia2 Soft-top_removal6.jpg ia2 [/attachment:3u2rx9io]

TBC...

[MrT]

Continued; So the next steps are simple in concept, separate the base metal of the fasteners from their welds. On this lower mount it is easier, the threads poke through and are welded, and the head has an Allen socket to undo it. You can trim the weld back as I did o minimise metal loss or trim/grind it flat to speed the process. I tried to use finesse and Dremel the weld down.

[attachment=1:33t5bc1x] ia1 Soft-top_removal13.jpg ia1 [/attachment:33t5bc1x]

[attachment=2:33t5bc1x] ia2 Soft-top_removal14.jpg ia2 [/attachment:33t5bc1x]

[attachment=0:33t5bc1x] ia0 Soft-top_removal10.jpg ia0 [/attachment:33t5bc1x]

[MrT]

Continued; Next is the larger pivot tube through which the base plate is bolted to the chassis. It is annoyingly welded beneath a plate that is welded on over it but considerately Mr Toyota left a nice access hole for fitting/removing the pivot tube. So the trick is to chain drill along the weld edge on the shoulder of the pin. Plenty meat there just be sure not to drill too deep and right the way through the plate. You should see the split line in the bottom of the drilled hole when you pass through the pivot into the plate. Pics tell a thousand words (I hope):

[attachment=0:18xw0mlt] ia0 Soft-top_removal15.jpg ia0 [/attachment:18xw0mlt]

[attachment=1:18xw0mlt] ia1 Soft-top_removal17.jpg ia1 [/attachment:18xw0mlt]

[attachment=2:18xw0mlt] ia2 Soft-top_removal19.jpg ia2 [/attachment:18xw0mlt]

TBC

[MrT]

Continued; The drilling is tricky, I used a 3mm drill but quality counts so buy a good one, possibly 2 or 3. I broke 2 drills, or rather the drill twice, and re-sharpened it. As soon as it is free the pivot tube breaks loose easily, a tab with a punch or chisel may help. It is ready for reuse (it must be used to mount the base plates and cross-bar without the soft-top mechanism so don't store it yet...):

[attachment=0:2pxklevu] ia0 Soft-top_removal20.jpg ia0 [/attachment:2pxklevu]

[attachment=1:2pxklevu] ia1 Soft-top_removal21.jpg ia1 [/attachment:2pxklevu]

[attachment=2:2pxklevu] ia2 Soft-top_removal22.jpg ia2 [/attachment:2pxklevu]

TBC

[MrT]

Continued; Here is what happens to the drill bit and how I fixed it...

[attachment=0:3r77ofrq] ia0 Soft-top_removal24.jpg ia0 [/attachment:3r77ofrq]

[attachment=1:3r77ofrq] ia1 Soft-top_removal25.jpg ia1 [/attachment:3r77ofrq]

[attachment=2:3r77ofrq] ia2 Soft-top_removal27.jpg ia2 [/attachment:3r77ofrq]

TBC

[MrT]

Continued; It must be noted that there are bushings in the pivot mounts that must be removed from the frame or they will drop out... Also, to remove the top you must remove riveted securing plates on the frame, there are 2 mirrored each side with elasticated fabric that I believe tensions the top... Remove and keep these plates also, if you are replacing the soft top. But fi you are simply removing the frame you needn't worry about this step, apologies for confusing matters.

[attachment=0:3h5t9vkv] ia0 Soft-top_removal28.jpg ia0 [/attachment:3h5t9vkv]

[attachment=1:3h5t9vkv] ia1 Soft-top_removal31.jpg ia1 [/attachment:3h5t9vkv]

[attachment=2:3h5t9vkv] ia2 Soft-top_removal32.jpg ia2 [/attachment:3h5t9vkv]

TBC

[MrT]

Continued; Now, your pivot tubes are not in a state to reuse, so I dressed the sharp edges off and cleaned them up (need a lick of paint also) to refit the cross bar and base plates, as shown:

[attachment=1:3rrr8uz8] ia1 Soft-top_removal34.jpg ia1 [/attachment:3rrr8uz8]

[attachment=2:3rrr8uz8] ia2 Soft-top_removal35.jpg ia2 [/attachment:3rrr8uz8]

[attachment=0:3rrr8uz8] ia0 Soft-top_removal33.jpg ia0 [/attachment:3rrr8uz8]

TBC

[MrT]

Continued; And finally, fit the base plates as removed, using the pivot tubes as they were before but without the soft top frame in place:

[attachment=0:1btr46i2] ia0 Soft-top_removal36.jpg ia0 [/attachment:1btr46i2]

[attachment=1:1btr46i2] ia1 Soft-top_removal37.jpg ia1 [/attachment:1btr46i2]

[attachment=2:1btr46i2] ia2 Soft-top_removal38.jpg ia2 [/attachment:1btr46i2]

End. Any questions, I'm happy to help. I will probably fab up replacement fasteners for the rear mount points using a shoulder bolt and bronze type bushing but won't be doing that any time soon.

[MrT]

Black on yellow works for me.
Couldn't help noticing an unusal exhaust pipe.

Hi Ardent
Yes, it is a custom exhaust back box, hideous tip but it was on the car when I got it. I'm tempted to chop it off completely and either hide the tip back behind the bumper or cut it right behind the tip so still visible. But that isn't high on my priority as this build is about removing all that stuff, so I'll probably leave it for the time being.

[MrT]

Well, spent a bunch of hours setting up Torque app for JDM cars, reading what I needed, fishing out old android phone to run the app etc, plug into the car and no codes...

Twit, I left the battery disconnected for a fortnight to stop the alarm draining it. So the memory was clear... No chance SWMBO will let me go driving round trying to find fault codes... Another day then. Hopefully close to finding out why the thing keeps misfiring.

[MrT]

So, my electric conversion is turning into an ICE restoration... Since I figured out the running issues and got the car running well enough I'm going to switch tact of this thread to the body conversion first and plan and start the electric conversion in the background. More to follow.

[MrT]

Onwards. I did a bunch of work fabricating / modifying the 'custom' link pipe of my old system to adapt to a stock silencer on the bank holiday. All done and going great, except that fabricating a flange with materials available = 3mm steel plate that does not remain perfectly flat once welded. The flange joint to the silencer is blowing a little bit and I couldn't find my exhaust gasket paste. Got some more and will seal it up on the weekend for a proper drive. I was also able to remove the redundant o2 sensor bung and rewire the primary sensor like the PPE set-up to use 1 sensor for both inputs. Simply wired in parallel. Works a treat.

I'll let the pictures tell the story:

Original/custom setup I got with the car. I wasn't pleased with the pipework or resonator design. The link pipe is a bodged copy of a PPE setup but is functional at least, might be hampering performance a bit.

[attachment=2:2ikcoyi2] ia2 MR-S_original_custom_resonator.jpg ia2 [/attachment:2ikcoyi2]

[attachment=1:2ikcoyi2] ia1 MR-S_original_link_pipe.jpg ia1 [/attachment:2ikcoyi2]

AEM filter in place also, absolutely filthy (yes, I cleaned it also)
[attachment=0:2ikcoyi2] ia0 MR-S_original_exhaust-intake_setup.jpg ia0 [/attachment:2ikcoyi2]

[MrT]

Replacement setup, OE silencer to mate to the existing link pipe arrangement & PPE Header.

[attachment=2:33xm9091] ia2 MR2_stock_silencer.jpg ia2 [/attachment:33xm9091]

[attachment=1:33xm9091] ia1 MR-S_PPE-stock_silencer_conversion_layout.jpg ia1 [/attachment:33xm9091]

[attachment=0:33xm9091] ia0 MR-S_Link_pipe_fabrication.jpg ia0 [/attachment:33xm9091]

[MrT]

Is there a 3 image limit per post? I cannot seem to upload more than that. Anyway...

Fabricating the flange.

[attachment=2:2mnvv0hw] ia2 MR-S_welding_link_pipe_flange.jpg ia2 [/attachment:2mnvv0hw]

The blanked hole, not pretty but air tight...

[attachment=1:2mnvv0hw] ia1 MR-S_CAT_Link_pipe_blank.jpg ia1 [/attachment:2mnvv0hw]

The finished flange, no it isn't painted but I will at some point if I don't replace it with electrons...

[attachment=0:2mnvv0hw] ia0 MR-S_PPE-stock_silencer_flange.jpg ia0 [/attachment:2mnvv0hw]

[MrT]

The finished setup. With bumper on it looks stock except the crooked replica PPE CAT pipe hangs low, really low...

[attachment=0:1c1198l1] ia0 MR-S_PPE-stock_silencer.jpg ia0 [/attachment:1c1198l1]

Next I want to move the intake filter to up against the side vent rather than besides the exhaust! Hopefully I can get away with that before the boss ends the fun and in time for Ding Day. Oh and I will wrap the header and link pipe to reduce some heat and resonance from the exhaust.