JB21's 2ZZ track project

[JB21]

Hi all,

Thought I'd say hi and share my new track toy. Its a previous members car and built to a very high spec.

https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=63765.0

I'm new to RWD on track and only driven one other RWD car on the road and that was my old BMW i3 so nothing sporty.

Done plenty of track days in FWD in the likes of my old Clio 182, Celica 190 and current road car Octavia VRS but It was time for something RWD and this came up so snapped it up.

I've not done much since buying the car apart from fitting a drivers bucket seat, changing the gear oil to Redline MT90 and flushing the clutch fluid. Oh and cleaned the lift screen as I'd lost lift on track.

Few pics below and a video from my first track day in the MR2 at Blyton Park, lots to learn!

[litr0m]

Hey Mate...what a nice MR2. Wich seat is this and wich seatbrackets where used? Did you gain some space (did you sit now lower)

Regards Thomas

[JB21]

Hey Mate...what a nice MR2. Wich seat is this and wich seatbrackets where used? Did you gain some space (did you sit now lower)

Regards Thomas

Hi Thomas. Seat is an OMP ARS fibreglass. Seat brackets are Rogues own race series units (no runners) at £120 each delivered and yes they did lower around an inch or so. I'm 6" 1 and still have about 5" of headroom.

[Chilli Girl]

Hi all,

Thought I'd say hi and share my new track toy. Its a previous members car and built to a very high spec.

https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=63765.0

I'm new to RWD on track and only driven one other RWD car on the road and that was my old BMW i3 so nothing sporty.

Done plenty of track days in FWD in the likes of my old Clio 182, Celica 190 and current road car Octavia VRS but It was time for something RWD and this came up so snapped it up.

I've not done much since buying the car apart from fitting a drivers bucket seat, changing the gear oil to Redline MT90 and flushing the clutch fluid. Oh and cleaned the lift screen as I'd lost lift on track.

Few pics below and a video from my first track day in the MR2 at Blyton Park, lots to learn!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCek_FvPZPceC7-4ZQETsyEg

Enjoyed watching that, took my mind off other things. Great piece of driving. 

[JB21]

Hi all,

Thought I'd say hi and share my new track toy. Its a previous members car and built to a very high spec.

https://www.mr2roc.org/forum/index.php?topic=63765.0

I'm new to RWD on track and only driven one other RWD car on the road and that was my old BMW i3 so nothing sporty.

Done plenty of track days in FWD in the likes of my old Clio 182, Celica 190 and current road car Octavia VRS but It was time for something RWD and this came up so snapped it up.

I've not done much since buying the car apart from fitting a drivers bucket seat, changing the gear oil to Redline MT90 and flushing the clutch fluid. Oh and cleaned the lift screen as I'd lost lift on track.

Few pics below and a video from my first track day in the MR2 at Blyton Park, lots to learn!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCek_FvPZPceC7-4ZQETsyEg

Enjoyed watching that, took my mind off other things. Great piece of driving. 

Thank you 

[JB21]

Thought I'd share the spec of the car without the need to trawl the previous owners build thread.

ENGINE & GEARBOX:

2ZZ engine (Celica ECU 8.2k rpm)
C60 gearbox with MR2 LSD (Redline MT90 gear oil)
CC light weight flywheel (4.5kg)
2ZZ 4-1 manifold and downpipe
200 cell sports cat
Cobra quad tip silencer
BMC carbon induction kit with cold air feed from side vent
Lotus Elise EP baffled sump
Varley red top race battery
Speed source brass shifter bushes
Solid shifter base bushes

COOLING:

Mishimoto 3 core radiator
Motul coolant

SUSPENSION & CHASSIS:

Meister R zeta CRD coilovers
Whiteline front and rear ARB's
DD racing rear engine X brace
Ultra racing rear strut brace
Matt performance chassis brace
Poly GT4 wishbones
Poly rear arm bushes
Adjustable rear drop links
Innovative engine & gearbox mounts
Hard race rear rods and arms
Powerflex rear camber bolts
Door bushes

INTERIOR:

OMP ARS fibreglass FIA race seat
Rogue seat rails
OMP Targa 330mm suede steering wheel
MOMO boss
TRD gear knob
Hardtop conversion
Megillian motorsport roll cage (to be fitted)

WHEELS & BRAKES:

15" OZ Ultraleggera with Nankang AR1 tyres (195 front/225 rear)
FL wheels with Nankang NS2R 180 tyres (195 front/225 rear)
Lightweight wheel nuts
Goodridge braided brake lines
MTEC c-hook discs front and rear
EBC bluestuff front pads
EBC yellowstuff rear pads
Motul RBF 660 race fluid

[litr0m]

Thank you for the Details and your reply

[JB21]

When will the rain end...

[Chilli Girl]

Next week apparently!  It will be worth the wait.

[JB21]

Re-fitted the OE gear shifter and also fitted a gear lever extension and TRD gear knob. The short shifter and nylon knob was to a bit to short in height and throw not leaving much room for error on downshifts.

Feels a little strange as its a bit like driving a truck compared to the low shaft short shifter but it just feels safer when heel and toeing at high rev downshifts.

[Gaz2405]

Ex Clio sport member?

[JB21]

Ex Clio sport member?

Ex cliosport owner, still cliosport member.

[Gaz2405]

Ahh thought so just from the way the thread is put together, always enjoyed reading through the cliosport build threads back in the day!

Keep it up, nice work!

[JB21]

Cliosport festival @ Blyton Park this weekend, cant wait to put it through its paces again.

Videos and pictures to follow!

[JB21]

Really pushing the NS2R 180's here trying to keep pace with a Clio race car. Would have had him on my AR1's.

[KRAMSNEHPETS]

good stuff!

[Alex Knight]

Really pushing the NS2R 180's here trying to keep pace with a Clio race car. Would have had him on my AR1's.

Nicely driven - enjoyed that.

[JB21]

Not updated this for a while as the car has been in storage since Blyton in July.

I am now booked in for a 6 point roll cage this Friday. I'm having a 4 point rear with additional door bars to keep the car compliant on the road. I've also got a 4 point harness to fit along with a few subtle aero mods such as a front bumper rubber lip, rear boot lid lip and vortex generators all to reduce lift, turbulence and drag.

This will all be done in time my first trip to my home track of Oulton Park on Saturday 21st September for the Piston heads track day event, cant wait!

[JNikas7]

This will all be done in time my first trip to my home track of Oulton Park on Saturday 21st September for the Piston heads track day event, cant wait!

Are you doing the full track day?
I was thinking to do the tasters as I am afraid engine won't last much of track daying without baffled pan and Oil temp/pressure gauges

[JB21]

This will all be done in time my first trip to my home track of Oulton Park on Saturday 21st September for the Piston heads track day event, cant wait!

Are you doing the full track day?
I was thinking to do the tasters as I am afraid engine won't last much of track daying without baffled pan and Oil temp/pressure gauges

Hi, yes full day in the intermediate group. I have an oil pick up extender plate from a Celica VVTLI you can have if It'll fit the MR2. I used this on my Celica with 1ZZ oil pan and it was fine on track.

What tyres and suspension are you running as I think you'd be fine on track with the oil topped up if just running standard suspension and road tyres.

If you do book use BEMZMSVT for 10% off

[1979scotte]

This will all be done in time my first trip to my home track of Oulton Park on Saturday 21st September for the Piston heads track day event, cant wait!

Are you doing the full track day?
I was thinking to do the tasters as I am afraid engine won't last much of track daying without baffled pan and Oil temp/pressure gauges

Hi, yes full day in the intermediate group. I have an oil pick up extender plate from a Celica VVTLI you can have if It'll fit the MR2. I used this on my Celica with 1ZZ oil pan and it was fine on track.

What tyres and suspension are you running as I think you'd be fine on track with the oil topped up if just running standard suspension and road tyres.

If you do book use BEMZMSVT for 10% off

I agree with oil topped up on a non track tyre would think you'd be fine.

[inside]

Re-fitted the OE gear shifter and also fitted a gear lever extension and TRD gear knob. The short shifter and nylon knob was to a bit to short in height and throw not leaving much room for error on downshifts.

Feels a little strange as its a bit like driving a truck compared to the low shaft short shifter but it just feels safer when heel and toeing at high rev downshifts.

Before



After

These images don't open up for me... could you please share the details on the gear lever extension? I like it!

[JB21]

Not updated this in a while, a lot has gone on with the car since my last post which was about attending Oulton Park in September 2019. Unfortunately the bottom end gave up due to low oil. It was an incorrectly spaced dipstick from Rogue Motorsport that caused it, proper school boy error from them and I would have picked up on it if I'd have serviced the car when I purchased it, oh well...



Only 3.5L of oil came out 



Bottom end shards



So sourced a used bare engine and attempted to pull it apart and rebuild it. This was my first time fitting an engine and first time opening one up to service/replace parts.

Getting my boy involved in the swap

Head of the used engine looked a bit minty. Looks like its been ran on non-synthetic all its life.



All cleaned up and head parts from the blown low mileage engine transferred over. Cams, cam caps, rockers, rocker shafts etc..



Prepping the engine for a chain service.



Billet oil gears were toast from the old engine.



New (used) engine all back together.



Where 5L of oil came up to on the Rogue spaced dipstick, my thumbnail 



Moment of truth, first start after the rebuild/service. Dropped a teaspoon of oil down each cylinder to help lubricate them for start up as I didn't know how long the engine had been stood.

Corbra box shat itself on start up 



New engine has now done 4 track days and 1500 miles, most of those miles at 8k rpm and its not missed a beat with very little oil usage, couldn't be happier for my first attempt.

[AdamR28]

Great work - very satisfying doing stuff like this yourself! Also means you know the car inside and out in case of any issues at a track day.

I have always said that a meticulous enthusiast will do a better job than a professional for most jobs - you are just another proof of that mate!

[JB21]

Great work - very satisfying doing stuff like this yourself! Also means you know the car inside and out in case of any issues at a track day.

I have always said that a meticulous enthusiast will do a better job than a professional for most jobs - you are just another proof of that mate!

Cheers Adam.

The amount of time I took to check, re-check and do it all over again on every thing I done was crazy. Really enjoyed it though and as you say I now know the car inside out...literally, lol.

I reckon I could now drop and re-fit the engine in a weekend on my own.