Front Bracing-Pre Facelift

[Pierce]

I recently acquired a 2000 pfl with bills for the following mods:-Tein S Tech springs 29/33mm;Kayaba shocks;Corky Breastplate; set facelift 15/16" wheels with Potenzas. I know there are a number of posts on the front bracing of facelift being superior to prefacelift.Is it possible to retrofit whatever is different (bracing panels?)? I don't really want to go for strut braces which may well make the front end 'crashy'.

[dori dori]

Andy N20 will explain better than me but I think the FL cars up to around 04/05 had the front bracing which is direct fit for PFL cars but the last yr or two they went further with the front bracing which will require brackets fabricating on the front so the brace panels have somewhere to bolt to. Rear bracing is his and miss as the rear subframe requires extra holes that the pfl does not have.

[Pierce]

I think I'll go for the 04/05 direct fit brace (are these H-braces?) anybody out there got one going spare?

[FGrob]

This is the bracing on an 04 car, the PRFL models don't have the front mounting points fitted under the radiator hence it will not fit - or you could buy the mounting points and have then welded in - they are available - at a price. Not sure about the mounting for the cross members either you may not have them on the earlier car.

[onion86]

You can retrofit the 03 bracing but like Rob says you can't fit the 04+

Here is the 03 replacement that I put on my '00 (basically 2 cross beams added, made a big difference), mounting points are identical:

03 Brace


00-02 Brace

[FGrob]

Just to complete the picture - here's how the 04 brace / chassis legs fit also the TTE cross brace that Matt sells - good bit of kit that.

[Pierce]

Thanks for the info.I contacted the guy who runs MR2 Roadster Recycling to see if he had a an H-brace and he told me that a friend of his fabricates them and sells on e-bay.Don't currently know his name or anything about quality.

[AmeR]

If you want a stock FL one, I'd suggest posting up on here in the wanted section and see what the members have available. Mine was provided free of charge from a generous guy on here.

We have a wealth of members here. Would be a shame not to use the community that has been built up.

[onion86]

If you want a stock FL one, I'd suggest posting up on here in the wanted section and see what the members have available. Mine was provided free of charge from a generous guy on here.

Mine was £20 from Mark then I sold it on for £20 when I sold the car, come up sometimes  s:) s:)

FYI in my photo above the car has the Corky Breastplate on which I see you've mentioned in your mod list. I've got Matt's X Brace now (as per Rob's pics) which is now ridiculously cheap so much more worth it over the Corky.

Here's a comparison of
Stock --> Corky BP --> Matt's X-brace (which fits on with stock)
http://www.azekiel.co.uk/mr2/images/mods/brace_comparison.jpg
http://www.azekiel.co.uk/mr2/images/mods/brace_comparison2.jpg