So I picked up this LHD example a while ago now and the idea from the start was to put a Toyota 3sge (2.0 N/A) engine over the back wheels as I had a complete donor car, so seeing as it recently went through its first MOT, seems a good time to show off my complete progress to date... I had taken a few ideas from similar projects so I thought it would be good to share my work with others as well. I'd never taken on something of this size before so a lot got learned along the way, mainly on the bodywork side of things but also fabrication. There would be things I would improve on next time, but that's part of the game. As you're about to see, I didn't exactly choose a perfect base....
Here it is when it came in after an initial strip-down and cutting out the engine bay:
The floor pans, kick panel, scuttle, nearside sill, gutter, front arches etc. were all rotten and had to go... time to get cutting and welding. I replaced with complete new panels where possible.
This was the part that took the longest amount of time, at this point I was wondering if it would have been better to spend a little bit more on a more rust-free example. While this was ongoing I stripped the donor MR2 (with some help!) and selling off bits I wasn't going to need.
The front suspension got completely rebuilt.. sandblasted and painted all the arms, stub axles, steering rack etc., new leaf spring, new bushes and shocks all round. Also fitted a disc brake conversion.
Next step was to build the rollcage and start looking at how the things were going to fit together in the back. Making the cage was an absolute barsteward with only using a cheap bender.
Rather than design the suspension from scratch I decided to shorten the MR2 rear subframe which would allow me to keep all the same MR2 rear end. I shortened the subframe by 125mm which is about all I could get away with before the cam cover gets too close to the strut on one side, and the diff getting too close to the subframe on the other side. After much messing around with the laser tracker and the tape measure I got everything tacked in straight and true, and got the engine in. It needs lowering at the back and also arches made.
Things starting to come together now and looking like a car again, made the fuel tank myself with just 1.2mm mild steel - there was no other sensible place for it and also wanted to have as much in the front as possible. The MR2 loom has been stripped down to bare minimum with only the engine management part left. All there is running to the front is just an ignition live, starter signal and main positive wire. With a bit of encouragement she fired up no problem... the electrics on the engine are quite simple.
A few more things done, fitted some kit car gauge for fuel level, tacho and coolant temp. Made a speedo pod for the MR2 speedo, made a switch panel wired it all in and made a start on fabricating the rear arches.
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Now the fun part... strip the car completely again and start deguttering, sanding, welding, and best of all body fillering.
After a couple of weeks it's ready for etch primer and high build
After loads more flatting back, here is the final coat... decided to go for Daytona yellow:
Now ready for the final assembly and obviously a few finishing bits.. this took around a week solid work to get everything back together and working, including having to order a few bits that got lost, spraying the wheels black etc.
And finally got it MOT'd and on the road! Only 1 advisory for a slightly binding rear caliper, but other than that flew through the test no problems. It drives exactly how I wanted it to... a lot of fun!
It still needs a few things tidying up, for example I want to get chrome bumpers, get the back windows tinted etc. but as I had to move house for a new job I had limited time left in the workshop, the priority was getting the thing on the road.