Hi - at last!

[John]

I thought after being a quiet member for a while it was high time to come in here and say hello.

I've got a scruffy red Tbar with big plans - the idea in fact is to fit a 1.8 VVTL-i from a current Celica/Corolla - 190 bhp standard, so without the cat, shorter exhaust and K&N air filter it should be good for upwards of 200. Then connect that to a 6-speed gearbox from a Mk3 MR2. Should make for an interestign car. And, given that I do 15-20,000 miles a year, it should be less thirsty than a 3SGTE. As to when - hopefully get it moving next year.

As well as sorting out the general scruffiness - a respray is definitely called for. Leather seats from a Mk3 are in it already, look great, comfy too.

Meantime, a couple of MOT failing issues to deal with then I can get it on the road again and get out of the (yawn) VW.

Another idea is to create a kit car using a mechanically sound but rusty Mk1 as a donor (might be one or two of those around :-) ).
While on that subject, can anyone tell me - when designing an engine bay, how much bigger would it need to be than the standard Mk1 bay to allow comfortable future fitment of a 3SGTE?

[nik]

hello john..
that sounds like a very interesting project indeed, but im curious as to why you wouldnt just fit a 3s to start with..?

as for the engine bay..no size mods need to be done, the 3s will go in without fouling but to be safe the normal practice is to hit the front firewall very hard with the BFH tool and some have also cut a panel from the rear wall to allow future access to the rear of the engine..but this doenst give any more room..

[superchargedsam]

nice project fella and liking the sound of that. How easy do the MK3 seats fit in as I have some leccy supra seats for the project car but fancy some MK3 ones for my daily drive and they come up on ebay a big for reasonable money so wondered how easy they were to fit as the supra ones aint that straighforward. I take it your from leeds and not another secret south wales MR2 woner then !

[John]

Mk3 seats - depend how straight you want them to be!
The first part is easy:
1. Grind off the mounting brackets from the mk3 seats and detach the seat belt buckles, and (more carefully!) remove the brackets from an old pair of mk1 seats. Make sure that on both the mk1 front brackets and the mk3 seat rails the hole where the big rivet goes through is cleared.
2. Then fit the rear mk1 brackets into place in the car, and bolt the front mk1 brackets to the front of the mk3 seat rails with a short (10-15mm) M6 bolt through the rivet holes.
3. Bolt the Mk1 front brackets, complete with Mk3 seat attached, into the car where they usually go - it's a perfect fit! The rail width is identical.

Now's where the lack of straightness comes in: the drivers seat will be offset to the right by an inch or two; the Mk1 seat is offset a little to the left on its rails, the Mk3 is not. I didn't like it, but if you can put up with it then simply fix the back of the Mk3 seat rails to the Mk1 rear mounts by either welding or drilling and bolting (or however you like). Unfortunatly the rear holes don't line up, the Mk3 rails are longer. Job done.

But to shift the seat to the left: the stage I've got to now is I have cut slots in the front mk1 brackets where the bolt holes go to fit them to the car. These slots let the seat slide to the left by about 25mm. To move it a bit further over still, I have cut the flange off the left hand side of the left hand bracket, which lets the bracket get closer to the central tunnel. The rear of the left hand rail then fouls the seat belt mount, so I've cut off the back 50mm or so of the left hand rail. This doesn't remove the rail travel stop, so the seat still can't slide off the back of the rail. Then I removed the plastic sleeve covering the Mk1 seatbelt buckle to allow the seat to get closer to the side - it's a tight fit (now that I think about it, if I'd removed the plastic sleeve first I would probably not have had to cut the back of the rail. Live and learn!). Having done all that, I'm happy with the seat position. Still fractionally offset but not really noticeable.

So I now have to fix the rear down properly. The rails and mounts no longer line up nicely. I'm probably going to put a bracket straight across between the Mk1 body mounts, and forget the Mk1 rear seat mounts (although cutting slots like at the front may be an option, or welding on flanges). This should give a spot more headroom too - although you gain about 25mm headroom just in the different seat. Next I'll have to consider reinforcing the front left bracket, as removing the flange will have weakened it.

[superchargedsam]

nice a very deatiled explanation there which is always very very useful so thanks for that ! Will keep my eyes out for some now then !

[John]

hello john..
that sounds like a very interesting project indeed, but im curious as to why you wouldnt just fit a 3s to start with..?

as for the engine bay..no size mods need to be done, the 3s will go in without fouling but to be safe the normal practice is to hit the front firewall very hard with the BFH tool and some have also cut a panel from the rear wall to allow future access to the rear of the engine..but this doenst give any more room..

Hi Nik
I have two separate projects in mind here:
1. Mk1 with a 2zzfe (1.8 190bhp from celica) engine plus 6-speed gearbox. Performance, reliability, reasonable running costs, for a good daily driver.
2. Kit car type, completely new chassis to my own design, track-ish focus (but road legal), lightweight, hopelessly impractical but fun. Using standard Mk1 running gear to start with. Initially for my own use and entertainment but with the idea in the back of my mind of possibly producing it commercially. I would want to allow for the option of fitting a 3sgte, but at a (guessed) 600kg it wouldn't hang about with a 4age.

[John]

Oh yeah and I'm from Scotland - near Edinburgh. But I go to Leeds for work from time to time.

[Shugsta]

Welcome aboard John. I like the Mk3 seats mod. Where you from exactly? I'm in Winchburgh 10 miles or so from city centre.

[John]

I'm the other way, in North Berwick, East Lothian.

[Paul Woods]

hi john,welcome to TB! its about time someone grabbed the 2zz + 6 speed conversion by the horns,id love to see this swap,i reckon it would be brilliant,not as animalistic as the 3s-gte but definately stonking.

[adamh]

welcome john, some keen plans you have, another toyota engine destined for the mk1..

[Paul Woods]

welcome john, some keen plans you have

I bet you watched star wars last night mate,that sounded just like yoda!!! :ha:

[David Sleith]

Another Scotsman in the fold. We need to get a few more before the capital of the MK1 moves again.