My Offroader project

[mr2offroader]

Sooooo, i like offroaders. and when this project came up on trademe i just couldn't resist.

I came on here to get some advice from the experts.

What i've got;
Chopped down MR2 turbo body. No doors, no guards, no bumpers.
3s-gte engine, stock
3 piece rims which have been flipped so the dish on the outside is massive with a couple of mud tyres to go on them.

What i'm hoping to do;
Rollcage - not sure yet whether i'm doing the cage inside or outside the roof. I'm thinking a cage on the outside will give it a mad max look which it what i'm after. Eventually i'd love to cut the roof/windscreen out entirely but i'm a bit worried at the moment about how that might compromise the structure of it considering i want to do jumps with it.
Big suspension - one of the reasons i''m so keen on this project is the independent rear suspension. But i need some pumped shocks and springs.
I'm thinking weight will be the enemy so the lighter i can get it the better. I'll have a heap of parts to get rid of including the dash, headlights and most of the interior plastics, rubbers etc etc but want to make a call on what i'm getting rid of later.

I'll post my issues i'd like advice on the tech page/thread. Any ideas you'd like to throw in i'm all ears.

[flying_wedge]

I have ALWAYS wanted to do this to an AW11 ...
It's a bit like what the Roadkill guys did with a c4 corvette which would be a sweet example to work from.
Most important (and expensive) bit will be the cage, as if you cut it down as much as you can your effectively going to be spaceframing it and just keeping the stock floor, chassis rails and suspension points.

[mickeyduck]

Ha ha excellent! This could become a very hard case thread to watch. I'd suggest though, maybe keep your questions here in this thread so it all says cohesive and easy to follow? That's actually one of the main reasons we have Rides threads anyway, is to capture tech info that we'd otherwise miss out on. Plus you'll find over time more and more folk will get into your mad max mission and watch the build progress... which means this thread will be the best place for you to ask tech questions anyway, as you'll have an interested audience keen to offer advice and see the outcome.

On another note, if it were me I'd do the cage on the inside and keep something of the SW shape with the roof and side vents, cos it'd look nuts when sitting on high suspension and a set of knobblies. Kinda car-toonish.

I'd love to see this thing at a grasskhana one day. Hell, I'd love to see it on the road!

When I was in my teens there were beach buggies everywhere built from VW Beetles. Similar idea - floor pan, cage, engine in the back. Light, fast and a HEAP of FUN. I guess getting it certed would be the hard part these days though. So if yours never sees the road that's pretty understandable.

Can't wait to see it kicking up some dirt.

[ClanFever]

I wanted to also make a dune buggy out of an mr2. Figured just reduce weight (majorly), lock the diff and fit mad tyres and you're away. So cool!

Weight is your enemy for sure. If it's no good for helping you drive (wheels, steering wheel, engine, seat etc) get rid of it! I'd keep the headlights - get HID's, otherwise get a lightbar, good lighting while off roading is super handy. Make sure your drive wheels have nice thick low pressure tyres. 15 inch wheels should be able to net you some good off road tyres. Fronts can be skinnier. Not sure what you'll need to do to the shocks/springs to make it all fit, you may need to get something from an off roader. Remove all your glass. Just make sure you wear a helmet (with visor/goggles) and your seatbelt - if you roll it you don't want to fall out or smack your head. So possibly a harness is a good investment - the cage will be for sure. The beach is technically a road - but cops generally won't bother road worthiness of anything as long as you're not endangering others. Anywhere else off roading generally isn't a road so you'll be able to use it in paddocks and what not. So go hard!

One thing to look out for is if you're gonna be going where it gets dirty, you'll need to protect the engine's intake. So get a snorkel that actually grabs air from higher up (move the intake piping up with it). Last thing you want is compressed air, water and dirt going through the engine. And give it a rinse off if you've been to the beach. It'll rust away before you know it otherwise!

[Mike n Rochelle]

I had seen a AW on a small 4x4 chassis online that looked cool on 31's or somthing close. Should take my surf chassis and cut it down to fit the AW body I got a body spare, 2.8 turbo diesel with ARB lockers front and rear and a winch on an AW would be a head turner for sure not to mention I might not hit as many trees popping glass as I do with the surf body

[Reuban]

ever thught of duel engine 4wd? just saying

[Swampy]

Have you got any idea of what shocks/springs you could use?

Who knows if Subaru Legacy Outback springs could be done. They're used in Impreza WRX off-road builds.