Pocket Rocket - AW11 MR2 V6

Well two downpipes feeding into a 1.5 inch outlet to the converter/muffler is more than a little backpressure. This has to free up some HP in the upper end, we will see soon enough. Took the morning off work to go hit the junkyard for some parts I need and to answer a few questions on the brake vacuum  lines, MAF and air filter. i ended pulling a full 1MZ-FE air box and hoses that will be useful in building my intake.

Welded on the bung for the O2 sensor, 45 degrees so it is now parallel to the frame rail  and test fit it with the sensor in place. Would really have appreciated if someone had mentioned this needed to be done as most of the build sites act like it is a tight fit but no mention of making this change. A guy on the Facebook V6 MR2 site just did one, and when I asked him about it, he said yeah he forgot he had to make that change :-)

Good to go now, so can get it installed and do the passenger side of the suspension and axles. 

dherr (Forum Supporter) said:

Well two downpipes feeding into a 1.5 inch outlet to the converter/muffler is more than a little backpressure. 

Yeah it boggles the mind why they thought that was a good idea.  Even for a vanilla use-case you wonder why they'd leave that much on the table.

Been slowly working on the details to get the MR2 ready to fire. Front and Rear suspension and brakes are installed, torqued and ready to bleed the brakes. Interior is sorted, seats installed and fuel lines and pressure regulator are now in place. Battery is installed so next steps are really to add the oil, gear lube and coolant, bleed the brakes and clutch and install the MAF and filter. Exhaust is almost done as well, I am adding a few flex couplers to the y-pipe and need to make up a section from the Y to the muffler, but that will be pretty easy. 

Got a paint quote to paint the car the factory metallic black, so will be sending this off the paint shop once it is running. Good chance this will be at Import Carlisle in August.

In reply to dherr (Forum Supporter) :

I thought you had the struts on the car back in May.  Anyway, they're looking good.

Rest of the brakes and everything torqued down now. Was missing the correct bolts for the 87 struts and camber bolt eccentric. Wheels on today and moved to the other side of the garage so I can make room for the Mazdaspeed. I am 99% sure that I am going to fill the holes in the rear deck and go spoilerless. I like the look more than with that exaggerated 80's spoiler that most of them came with back in the day. Perhaps I should do a "with spoiler"  and "without" picture and get everyone's thoughts?

Engine about to be fired up, just need to fill the radiator and do some final checks but everything is hooked up and ready to go. Bleeding the clutch and brakes has been a bear, anyone have any good advice? There seems to be air trapped somewhere and not sure where. Using a pressure bleeder so this should be a piece of cake but it has not been so far.

Perhaps I should do a "with spoiler"  and "without" picture and get everyone's thoughts?

Just do what you like better.

solfly said:

Perhaps I should do a "with spoiler"  and "without" picture and get everyone's thoughts?

Just do what you like better.

Solfly is right, do what you want.  If it was my car, I'd have the spoiler.  It's not my car though.

Is there ever going to be an update on the TR4A ?

Good points, I have a little time to figure it out as it is a few weeks from heading to the paint shop. 

Got distracted yesterday as this little guy joined the stable.

I think it looks good without the spoiler, but you should probably do what works best in your own eyes. That is a nice addition to the stable.

You picked up a MSM?  What are the plans?  Please start a build thread if you haven't already.

If you don't like an exaggerated wing, you may also dislike the Plumley Mod.

Been a little distracted with the MSM and other projects but did sell the Rota's so I could get some lighter wheels. I liked the look of the bronze with the black, but these were 16x9 and tire sizes are pretty limited. The wheels and tires were also extremely heavy at almost 39 pounds per wheel! After much research and debate, ended up with Advanti Storm S1 in 15x7 and Continental ExtremeContact Sport tires in 205/50/15 for a total weight of about 28 pounds per wheel. Will have pictures on the car next week. 

Car just needs the exhaust finished and then some minor finishing and should be ready for the first start video. Body work will be after I get it running, but picked up some new front fenders to swap out the current set as there is some bondo in the current set, so not as nice as they looked at first glance. Still debating going wingless.

Are you running that 205 on both fronts and rears?

Yes, all my research pretty much said that it messes up the nimble handling of an AW11 with a staggered setup. So went conservative for the street wheels and tires. I'll probablly look for a used set of wheels to use for some wider rubber for autocross.

Paint shop called and they have an opening this weekend, so the black V6 MR2 will be the first to get painted. I'll get it running after it returns from the shop. I am evaluating this shop to see if they can do the TR4A and other projects, so I need to get a car to them and they now have availability. So stripping everything off so it can get properly painted before Saturday. I have a Buddy Club front spoiler to give the car the same look in the front as an 87 and later as I like the look but you have to replace everything forward of the radiator including the bumper cover to swap to the later spoiler, so this is easier to get a similar look.

Picked up the car last night from the paint shop. Pretty happy with how it turned out, will be putting it back together over the weekend.

Man it looks so clean and now I'm all jealous.  Wheel choice works great too.  I assume those are +35 offset, but it looks lower than that especially in the front.

Thanks, pretty happy with how it has turned out. Got the rest of the body parts on it, picking up the spoiler, front valance and side scoop and I'll finish getting it assembled. Yes, the wheels are +35 offset with 205's front and rear. Since this is an 86, I also had a Buddy Club spoiler painted body color, so will fit that once the valance is on the car. From what I understand it will need some minor tweeks, but unfortunately it arrived while the car was being painted before I could test fit it.

How dumb is it to bump this thread at this point?

Not dumb, it is going into my new shop, hopefully I'll have some time to work on finishing it, it is behind a few projects at the moment. I'll post  a few pictures soon.

[thumbs up]

dherr (Forum Supporter) said:

Not dumb, it is going into my new shop, hopefully I'll have some time to work on finishing it, it is behind a few projects at the moment. I'll post  a few pictures soon.

Glad to hear it. It's just such a sick build. I've always been fascinated with the MR2, and the OEM V6 swap in a Mk1 is the perfect formula, IMO.

Hi, just bought a 1985 MR2, wanting to do the same swap as you. Curious about what you recommend starting first. Also could you post a link of some of the items you had to buy to do a successful swap, like which radiator did you use? Did you keep the master cylinder and brake booster OEM? Thanks!