Toyota MR2 V8 conversion

Post any info regarding parts for conversion and swaps.
and any posts regarding swaps help.

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mike-b
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Toyota MR2 V8 conversion

Post by mike-b »

Hi all readers, Just looking for comments at this stage.
Anyone managed a V8 into Toyota MR2, heard about or seen one?
Just wondering if possible - but then I suppose anything can be made to fit anywhere!!
Constructive answers a blessing, many thanks .... Mike-B


Mike B Drives a 1984 Mk2 Granada ghia V8.

r2d2hp
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Post by r2d2hp »

Hi Mike

There was one being done on here a while back, looks a very nice conversion

http://www.v8forum.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... hlight=mr2

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Post by kiwicar »

Hi
Take note that was done by a company that built specials as a business, it is not a chap at home in a garage! There was someone on here about the same time who wanted to put a V8 into the later version of the toyota. . . Woodsport got involved and got very protective about him, seeing him as a customer with big pockets, not as a guy building their own car in a lock up! I think this is not a trivial undertaking as it involves major chassis work and I am pretty sure the cabin space is seriously compromised, you will need access to a chassis jig of some form because you pretty well have to cut out everything behind the seats and do major work on the main bulkhead. You will have to make a new rear frame to take the rear suspension, you are basically building a tube frame car behind the rear seats. . . You will need to know how to design the rear suspension for the car (do you know how to calculate roll centres) how to feed loads into the front of the car and be a good fabricator. . . or ask woodsport to build you one.
Sorry I am not being encoraging here, but it is not just a case of dropping in a bigger engine! If you think you are up to this then I for one will be very keen to help out with what information I can but If calculating wheel camber as a car rolls into a corner and weight comes off the front of the car scares you then I would surgest a simpler project.
Best regards
Mike
poppet valves rule!

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Post by Rossco »

Looks like a prime candidate for an IVA/SVA

kiwicar
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Post by kiwicar »

You are not going to build one without an IVA SVA. . . points alone, new chassis/major modifications to chassis, new rear axel, new transmission and new engine yup that takes you well over. I am pretty sure it will be on a Q aswell as the engine transmission and rear axel will have one age and the front suspension body and (modified/base chassis) another, ie no major donor vehicle to relate the age of plate to.
Best regards
Mike
poppet valves rule!

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Post by mike-b »

Gentlemen,
many thanks for your posts and advice.

Mike, You have let it be known enough for me to wave goodbye to that completely stupid idea. It seems it isn`t a conversion at all - its a redesign & rebuild from the ground up.
I will stick to what I know and stay with "harry" - my Mk2 Granny V8.
On reflection its stupid ideas like this that started car conversions, the problem is not all conversions are good ideas .... well this one wasn`t anyway!
Mike if we ever meet be sure to remind me .... I owe you a pint.

Thank you both, Mike-B
Mike B Drives a 1984 Mk2 Granada ghia V8.

kiwicar
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Post by kiwicar »

Hi Mike
I don't think your idea was at all stupid, I'm very sorry if I have in any way given that impression, I do however believe in trying to match the size of the task to the resause you have available. . . Various people will vouch for just how bad I am at underestimating the size of any project. The slingshot that I finally believe I may have running in a couple of weeks is now over a year overdue (twice as long as I thought it would take). . I was absolutly convinced last june it would be running for the first of july. . .but here I am the end of Jan and it looks like I may be running for the RWYB in Feb. . It is very easy to bite off far more than you can chew, however if you do not go through the "what if" process you never learn and never find out what you can do.
Anything involving the design of indipendent rear suspension, especially on a mid engined car is a big task . . . Just ask anyone at Nobel cars who have spent the last 35 years trying to design a good set up . . . and failed! However it is something you can do with enough research and a good design head but you have to be able to do the Maths and be able to draw accuratly what is going on (unlike Mr Nobel , Chapman was a genious at it).
I very much hope you will try out more ideas and post them up , I do not want to "shoot you down" in any way they get me thinking about design and that is fun and you are brave and wise enough to ask before you start. After all you could put a transaxel in the back of the granny so as to make room for a big block up front :D .
Best regards and please keep having ideas.
Mike
poppet valves rule!

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Post by mike-b »

Hi Mike,
Firstly a point here I would like to make is .... you didn`t "put me off" by making it seem a stupid idea. Your advice and what would be involved done that. I can honestly state the idea was well over my head and after reading your advice I knew I had gone to far and thus in MY way of thinking a bloody stupid idea. As stated I will stick with the Granny where I feel "at home".
The Granny a RV8 3.9 is no big deal and was never meant to be, in actual fact I wanted a little more guts & grunt and a reliable engine too. The granny an ex 2.8 V6 auto has as you probably know a useless heavy lump up front. The RV8 being a lot lighter by about 42Kg and the T5 w.c. all help with putting the car on a diet. That gives me a better power to-weight ratio and a better mpg figure .... for me that`s a bulls-eye, smack on target.
I have considered a bigger engine c.c. wise then thought about fuel costs though the weight would stay about the same. I looked at the granny project knowing them well and having the genuine Ford workshop manual ( about 1000 pages ) and a solid body it was just a matter of anything mechanical could be - if needed - changed and so it was.
I know you learn new skills when car converting and that can`t be bad. However I do think there is a vast difference between modifying and redesigning / rebuilding one.
The MR5 being such a project as you rightly - and thankfully pointed out.
I did have another idea but that was kicked into touch 5 seconds later - fit a RV8 into my Skoda octavia 2.0 litre petrol car. The problem? its front wheel drive, no sir not me .......... but then ??? The answer is still no - I`ll stick to rear wheel drive they are far easier - well I think so anyway.
So there you have it, many thanks Mike - you done me a good deed and that pint is sill owed and still stands.
Mike-B
Mike B Drives a 1984 Mk2 Granada ghia V8.

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Post by Woodsport »

Hi Mike, had i seen this thread sooner i would have given you the same advice as Kiwi has, it is a major undertaking to say the least. If you decide to have a go i'm more than happy to help you with whatever advice you need to make it happen, but it is important to go into this with your eyes wide open.

Thanks Paul.

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Post by stevieturbo »

Surely someone has hooked up the Lexus LS400 to the normal MR2 gearbox before ?
9.85 @ 144.75mph
202mph standing mile
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgWRCDtiTQ0

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Post by Woodsport »

That needs an adapter plate though, the BH patterns are totally different between the E153 and 1UZ-FE. A guy in Norway did this on a MK1 Mr2, tubeframed out the rear and mounted it transversely, but the car gets chopped beyond all recognition.

Going inline mounted is by far the "easier" route.

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