Another 1mz VVti roadster

[Paul Woods]

My second RX300 engined roadster, the first one was a huge success and i have another one to do shortly, seems these engines are becoming very popular and for very good reason.

Here is the roadster in question...

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/148.jpg

After a day of mount making and rear reconstruction it's all seam sealed and just needs cleaning down before painting...

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/149.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/150.jpg

I've made a slight revision to the way i do the rear catch support, reusing the original slam panel but turned 180*, gives it that extra OEMedness...

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/151.jpg

You know the drill, everything looks crap until painted.

The RX300 donor vehicle, i've had to chop the front off to get the engine out, much tighter than a Camry that's for sure...

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/152.jpg

[Justin9621]

Hi Paul.
Thanks for putting some pictures up. It's great to see it finally happening. Can't wait for my first drive in it.

[cdwood2010]

Hi Paul.
Thanks for putting some pictures up. It's great to see it finally happening. Can't wait for my first drive in it.

Well that answers the question!

:)

[hmmmmm]

Good choice! The difference will definitely be noticeable :biggrin:

Do the later 1mz engines still have the ridiculous y bend btw?

[Paul Woods]

Yes there is still the exhaust Y, same as the Camry, but i redo all of that section anyway when i remake the downpipes for the Mk1 and Mk3.

[kalsingh1]

Can you remind us of what performance this engine is capable of compared to a 3VFZE ?

[Paul Woods]

225bhp and 220lbs.ft of torque, with VVti.

[kalsingh1]

Is that in natural form?, if not what power is acheivable with simple mods such as porting etc ?
I think I read somewhere that these engines were sometimes fitted with turbo's, is that correct?

Cheers

[snowtigger]

Never fitted as standard with a turbo but quite a few have been made into a turbo motor but crazy expensive, like supercharging them the trd can cost £1500 and need a rebuild.

[Paul Woods]

Today saw the engine bay cleaned and primed, tomorrow it will be painted.

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/167.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/168.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/169.jpg

The engine in its freshly removed state...

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/170.jpg

[loadswine]

Looking good! :)

[kalsingh1]

Nice pictures Paul, keep them coming

[Paul Woods]

Bay now painted, there is a lot of further detailing work needed, but the basic colour is down. It's a darker yellow than the cars exterior, but true 576 as per the chassis code, so this is the cars original colour, it doesn't match the exterior which is a lot lighter/more pastel, but luckily Justin is having the outside resprayed true 576 later on.

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/179.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/180.jpg

[Justin9621]

Great pictures, thanks Paul. Wow you wasn't joking when you said it was a different yellow earlier. Now I know why I had such a nightmare trying to match the paint for the front spoiler earlier this year! There's another mr-s in Basingstoke that's the same lighter yellow as mine so maybe it is a case of the yellow ones fading rather than a previous respray.

[snowtigger]

Mate of mine has a silver face lift mk3 and Toyota said there was two silvers for that paint code on the car and both have two shades so that makes 4 different silvers colours in Toyota speak,.
But it could just be fade on the yellow like pink/red mk1s .

[Paul Woods]

As far as i can tell there is only one shade of 576 yellow, so the car is either badly faded or has been painted, Justin is having the exterior resprayed anyway, but if he wasn't i would be painting the bay again in a custom made colour to better match the exterior, if i did that now though he would never match his new respray to the bay.

[snowtigger]

I actually like the engine bay colour being brighter can't stand faded colours personally, if your going to have a car in a bold colour it's better to stand out like the Kermit green mk3 .

Your right on the money with changing the bay colour to what he's having the whole car sprayed, imagine how naffed off he would be if the bay was the old colour after the body shop had finished.

I like black engine bays but that's me just being retro, the 1mz is getting more popular, now your having to brake up Lexus finest lets hope the Lexus prices don't go up like the Camry did.

[Torero]

That engine bay looks whoresome, Paul. :thumbsup:

Is it me or is there a lot more fabbing involved in a MK3 swap?

[Paul Woods]

Yep there is a lot of fab work needed indeed.

Got the main engine components painted, sunglasses at the ready.....

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/205.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/206.jpg

The alloy rad is also fitted and Rx300 fuel pump installed....

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/207.jpg

[Torero]

Great work Paul :thumbsup:

Will you be doing the AFM mod?

[Paul Woods]

LOL, the second word is OFF :)

[Justin9621]

The pic's are looking brilliant Paul. I think I'm starting to annoy the hell out of everyone I know by going on about it all the time now, I'm like a kid at christmas.

[Paul Woods]

Well i'm stuck waiting for parts to arrive from the US, not a position i want to be in with a deadline to meet, but i did get the gearbox stripped down, LSD installed and new extended 5th gear set fitted, so at least the gearbox is ready bar a coat of paint.

Todays pics are sponsored by Coca Cola...

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/211.jpg

[Beanyfelix]

Ooh Ooh! Me next please. lol

Really looking forward to the results of this one, the colour looks so close to my Giallo Modena, but of course the bay will have to be satin black on mine.

You'll need to let me know how it drives Justin, as my conversion will just be starting as you are enjoying your first miles, no doubt with a huge grin on your face.

[Paul Woods]

Well after a lengthy wait for the MLS gasket set to arrive i finally got the engine rebuilt, it is just about ready to take off the stand and attach the gearbox to it...

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/263.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/264.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/265.jpg

It should all come together very quickly now.

[Paul Woods]

Just realised i updated the wrong thread with those pics, so they are here as well now.

[cdwood2010]

Must be working too hard Paul!

Isn't that go cart finished yet?

:)

[snowtigger]

And the t sport and the v8 and the v6 so many toys not finished and not enough hours in the day.

At least you will make it to jae this year with some thing finished and converted.

[Paul Woods]

The go kart will see good progress this weekend!

Right i got the gearbox painted, flywheel and clutch installed and bolted them together, then installed the whole lot, i have to say i think this looks pretty smart....

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/272.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/273.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/274.jpg

The relocated dipstick, i make these with a combo of Mk3 and V6 sticks...

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/275.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/276.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/06/277.jpg

Next week will see massive progress, it should be all but running by next weekend.

[Justin9621]

Wow! It's looking great Paul. I can't wait to pick it up now. It looks like it was meant to be there. Why didn't Toyota do the right thing and just fit them right away?

[OlberJ]

So no access panel on this one?

[cdwood2010]

Looking good there mr W!

:)

[Torero]

Spot on Paul :thumbsup:

I must say I'm taking far more of a shine to the MK3 these days.

[Paul Woods]

So no access panel on this one?

Of course there is mate, look at the 4th pic down, you can't build a V6 Mk3 without one.

[bigcw]

I actually like the engine bay colour being brighter can't stand faded colours personally, if your going to have a car in a bold colour it's better to stand out like the Kermit green mk3.

My thoughts exactly!

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/garage_attachment.php?id=184

Build looks great, Paul. I'm not familiar at all with mk3's but it looks like you loose the boot when fitting a V6. Is that the case? (Does a mk3 even have a boot? Perhaps it's all frunk?)

Chris

[snowtigger]

My thoughts exactly!

http://www.woodsport.org/forum/

Build looks great, Paul. I'm not familiar at all with mk3's but it looks like you loose the boot when fitting a V6. Is that the case? (Does a mk3 even have a boot? Perhaps it's all frunk?)

Chris

Boot your having a laugh they have a cubby hole behind the seats and a kidney trey for a toothbrush up front, the worst mr2 for going camping.

[OlberJ]

Of course there is mate, look at the 4th pic down, you can't build a V6 Mk3 without one.

Fairy nuff. Had thought with the squinty dipstick you'd managed a way to do without. Coil and plugs can't go that often!

[Paul Woods]

Yeah but imagine having to drop the engine out to change spark plugs, frig that!

[Beanyfelix]

Yeah, not much luggage space with the mk3 at all.

I am currently working on a cut and shut wheelchair that splits into four pieces using quick release pins, in order to fit it into the roadsters limited cubby holes. This is so I can take my wife away in the car.

Obviously this reduces luggage space so for a solution I'm going to be speaking to www.bootbag.com to see if they can custom make some straps to use one of their products on the rear deck. A bag should nestle nicely between the roof tunnels.

Beany.

[snowtigger]

Just don't obstruct the engine air ducts otherwise it will heat up the bag.

[Beanyfelix]

The bay gets pretty hot with the DNA body already, with the standard engine.

With the v6 going in, I am fitting two 8 inch fans in the lower rear area of the engine bay, one either side, to draw out excess heat.

The bag should also sit nicely between the vented areas either side of the engine glass.

I don't want to hijack this thread any more. Hopefully I'll have a date for my car to go to Woodsports soon and Paul will start up the build thread.

Beany.

[Paul Woods]

Today saw the gear linkage assembly made, and work has started on the sexy twin intake pipe, they take a lot of metal fabricating but boy they do look good.

Pics of that tomorrow.

[Paul Woods]

Gear linkage assembly done, every part of this is custom, there is nothing off the shelf you can buy to convert a Mk3 to V6 it all has to be made in situ. Above the cable assembly i remake the radiator outlet, this is necessary to allow the cables to pass where the original water outlet was routed just infront of the starter motor...

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/07/13.jpg

Doing the shifter assembly this way keeps everything in the cabin stock and the shifting is much nicer.

The twin intake pipe is almost done... again all made from scratch with the pipe formed and beat into shape.

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/07/14.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/07/15.jpg

Should get some paint onto that tomorrow.

The torque mounts are also done, just waiting on the polyurthane inserts for them, so it's hanging on stock rubber for now...

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/07/16.jpg

[Beanyfelix]

Looking real good Paul.

So pleased to see the continuing progress on this build, cos it means mine is getting closer. lol

Beany

[cdwood2010]

Nice progress Paul !

:)

[Beanyfelix]

Bit of exhaust work going on today i see, was having a peak on the webcams.

That is such a great idea, i bet my wife gets well pissed off with the amount i'll watch it when my car is in. lol. Just one quick question.

How often does your dog have to get treated for Arc Eye? lol, he/she must have eyeballs of steel!

Ten days and counting.

See ya soon.

Beany

[Paul Woods]

He wears doggles! :)

[Paul Woods]

Today saw the exhaust finished, i decided to do this one a little different, instead of taking the rear bank under the crossmember i've routed it over the top, i think it looks a slightly better flow path.

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/07/79.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/07/80.jpg

She's just a wire up away from running now.

[Torero]

He wears doggles! :)Awww fuck!!! :slap:

[Beanyfelix]

He wears doggles! :)

'Kin hilarious!

Beany

[Justin9621]

Wow Paul it looks like things are coming along brilliantly since we last spoke. I can't wait to hear what it sounds like and take it for a drive too. The pictures you've put up look great. I can see this car being a lot of fun when it's back. Planning on a couple of track days already and it may well be taking a trip to the Nurburgring in September, I only saw one MR2 there last weekend which was a tasty Mk2.

[cdwood2010]

He wears doggles! :)

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/07/81.jpg

[Beanyfelix]

OMG! Nearly fell off my chair. Lol.

Doggles are hilarious!

But obviously essential where a lot of welding is taking place.

Safety first, safety second!

Beany.

[cdwood2010]

Guys, dogs see in black and white.

I'm not sure they are affected by flashes.

But they can get 'Bark Eye'

Tee hee.

[snowtigger]

that was a very RUFF joke chris perhaps hes LEADing you on a STRAY errand with all these doging jokes, on the other hand its given me some thing to CHEW over while you BARK up the wrong tree.

[Paul Woods]

I had a bit of a nightmare with the twin intake pipe painting, i suffered the worst paint reaction in the history of spray painting, hundreds of little fish eyes all over it! I can only guess i picked up the WD40 to clean it down instead of the panel wipe... doh... anyway it took a full day to rub it back down to the bare metal and get a fresh coat of paint on it...

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/07/131.jpg

Wire up is tomorrow, so start up is imminent.

[Paul Woods]

The bay is now 99% completed, just top cover and a few vac pipes to add.

The wiring takes 2 days on these VVti versions, it's a right pain! Worth all of the effort though, i think you'll agree it looks pretty nice.

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/07/186.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/07/187.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/07/188.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/07/189.jpg

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/images/recovered/2012/07/190.jpg

Oh and a short video of the first fire up, no revving just yet as it isn't bled up properly, also ignore the tractor sounds, the iphone for some unknown reason picks up a load of valvetrain noise that isn't there in real life!


http://youtu.be/alT277_e0F0

[cdwood2010]

Nice work that man!

:)

[Beanyfelix]

Awesome job Paul, maybe I'll get to see her running on Monday?

See you then.

Beany.

[Justin9621]

Hi all. I wish I could have got on here sooner but due to a dead pc I've been unable to.
I just want to say, WOW thank you Paul. The car is amazing now. It goes like a dream it really just doesn't stop pulling and the sound is something else. I'm kinda glad that the subs and amp came out because I had a great soundtrack for the 350 mile journey just behind me, I smile every time I turn the key.
I gave the car a thorough looking over the day after I got it back and everything was fine, no problems at all which is great considering the amount of work that goes into these conversions. The fuel economy isn't too bad either although seeing as we're putting V6s into the back of our MR2s it's probably not the biggest priority anyway.
All in all I'm one very happy customer.
The feel with the twin poly bushes is great Paul. I just got the subs refitted today, managed to get around the ecu/fuel pump accessibility issue by building a support in the cubby holes then building a box that will slide in and out. The box is secured when it's in by two small clamps at the bottom.
Once again thank you Paul, great job.

[Beanyfelix]

Hey Justin,

It's good to hear how the car is. I had a good look while i was at Woodsport dropping off my DNA 430 for the same motor. Paul was showing me little bits and pieces on your car as we discussed the swap. It looks great, glad to hear the drive is so good. Big grins, i bet?

Paul has said about only fitting one poly mount on my build as it won't be tracked, just driven hard on the road (within legal limits of course.) Are you getting much vibration from all poly mounts? Paul is gonna adapt a Mk2 Poly mount after the wait you had for yours.

I'm just waiting for the engine guru to return from holiday and post my swap so i can see how far things have got. Pesky webcams are down again. Hopefully in a few more weeks i will know the satisfaction of how the V6 feels. Can't wait.

Chris.

[Justin9621]

Hi Beanyflix.

I can't stop grinning every time I drive it still. The sheer grunt of it and the noise as well is brilliant.

To be honest I haven't really noticed much in the way of vibration, the car kinda just feels the way it should feel I guess.

You'll love it once it's done.

[Beanyfelix]

Sounds good mate, can't wait.

May reconsider and go all poly mounts. Will see what Paul thinks.

Keep smiling!
Beany

[Justin311]

Paul,

Love the revised catch support! 1 question; it is obvious you are cutting and flipping the slam support member, and seems that the catch mechanism is in exactly the same place, just rotated 180 deg. Why is it then, that there is seam sealer at the two mounting points that the catch bolts to? It wouldn't seem that you would Need to cut those off and reweld them? If that doesn't make sense I can annotate your pics.

Thanks for another awesome thread on your slick builds!

[Paul Woods]

Ah, you caught me out! When i strip the engine bay i automatically remove the catch support mounting tabs so that when i redo the rear slam panel i can weld them back on, usually i use 40mm box section for the slam panel, but this time i decided to use the original slam rotated.

The answer is i had already removed the tabs before deciding to rotate the original slam, next one i do i won't cut the tabs off.

[oteck]

whats the diameter of the ID where the maf sit? mines a 2.80" using a subaru maf tube. also no worries about not using a hose hump at the coupler on the throttle body?

[Paul Woods]

The Maf pipe ID is 70mm, just straight hose couplers work fine to the throttle body, never had a problem yet.

[vinp182]

The fuel economy isn't too bad either .

Any idea what the fuel economy is dude?

Cheers

[Plasticman0302]

Sorry to re-ignite an old thread but loved reading this build thread and looks great work Paul.