AW11 SC Track Hack

[ptayler56]

I've picked up my first MR2 this weekend so time to start a build thread...

I rescued this from a garage where it was sitting unused as the owner didn't have time for it (and needed the garage space). It's already a track hack, the plan is to make it a road legal track car, focusing on making it as light as I can (for a reasonable budget) and making it handle. Engine mods will be limited (no point doing big developments on the 4AGZE - might as well just junk it for a 3SGTE for bigger HP - which might come much later).

Plans might change, but come back regularly for a look at how it's going!

I just can't help myself - within an hour of leaving the trailer it looked like this...

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Will post up more pics as I get to working on it.

[Swampy]

Nice what kind of seats/harnesses will be used?

[mknz]

But the nice SC whine and little boost LED in the dash

[ptayler56]

Nice what kind of seats/harnesses will be used?

Hi Swampy, it already has seats and belts...

But will need to find out what they weigh as some aftermarket seats are very heavy. I'm going for light weight so might have to replace them at some point.

Also currently has lexan rear window (because rollcage)

Lightweight gel battery in the trunk

And semi-stripped interior

Still plenty of opportunity for more drastic weight loss - watch this space

[Ash Kelly Barr]

I look forward too seeing more on this

[ptayler56]

It's been a busy August and not as much car time as I had hoped, but I have been able to give the car a good check over and service over the last few weeks.

Given it's 30 years old and been thrashed on the track for the last couple of years I thought it wise to go over it before using it in anger to make sure it was safe. It's mostly good but I did find rust in the front under the spare wheel

Someone had overdone it with the cable ties on the steering rack boot (easy fix)

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The lap belt for the drivers side wasn't actually attached to the mounting eye (it was just wedged in by the seat) - so full harness belt would have been useless in a crash

And loose bolts on two of the McPherson Struts (Yikes - glad I found them)

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With these fixed (welding still to do) I got on to servicing.

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Given the way the rest of the car looks I wasn't expecting much, and wasn't surprised!
Not sure when it last saw a set of spark plugs...

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The coil was arcing out causing misfire (can see a diagonal crack through the end on the photo)

The oil was pretty black

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And the rotor arm was moving about inside the cap as a part had broken off

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I had a lot of trouble getting the right distributor cap (4age S/C) as Supercheap provided one that didn't fit, so tried BNT the following week, also a no go, followed by Partmaster who also provided the wrong one - despite me having the old cap with me (their book/computer said Bosch GD834) in the end they helped me again and the second time supplied the correct GD801 so 3 weeks to get a distibutor cap!

Finally, new oil, filter, coil, distributor cap, rotor arm, plugs, leads, fuel filter, cleaned and oiled pod filter. I also did a compression test, but as the engine was cold (no distributor cap!) the readings were lowish 140psi on 3 cylinders and 145psi on the other. Will try it again with a warm engine over the next couple of weeks and see if that makes a difference (also could be the cheap tool I was using)

Just need to sort out the rust in the front and the sticking back brake (either caliper or handbrake - haven't looked yet) then it can go for it's first WOF in 3 years

[Ash Kelly Barr]

Good work man! Will run sweet one it's back on the road!
Don't forget the fuel filter

[ptayler56]

Weather was crap this weekend, and clutch slave cylinder needed sorting on the daily driver so not much done to the Track Hack. I did manage to sort out the wheels though. It came with a standard set of Toyota rims with brand new Hancook RSS semi-slicks so I decided to tidy them up a bit...

Classic Whitewalls for the A-Dub?

Painted

But too black for my liking, so needed a bit of highlight -

[Mike n Rochelle]

Any idea of the weight with the cage in her?

[Kippeth]

Mine weighed in at 1130kg with driver and unknown amount of fuel. Though i only have a single side impact bar rather than both as Pauls does.

[ptayler56]

I haven't had it on the scales yet, will be on the road in the next few weeks and will get it down to the local weighing station and report back on it - keep an eye on this thread for more info...

[ptayler56]

Today I got onto sorting out some rust in the frunk, on the face of it the rust didn't look too bad...

But once I'd got in there with a screwdriver and hammer this pile was left under the car...

By the time I had cut it all out the hole was a fair bit bigger...

Welded in steel inside and outside, this is the finished product...

Another job done and nearer to being back on the road again

[85AW20v]

About your question in Charlie's rides thread about whether or not you need a surge tank - only if you start running fuel levels below about 1/4 - 1/8th of a tank. If you're on the track and the orange fuel light comes on, you're going to have an issue, probably about a lap after it comes on, although it does depend on your driving style and braking. I got one off TradeMe for $90 and used a fuel pump from a VL Commodore as the pressure pump.

See ya
Simon