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Login to post Forums » Off-topic discussion » Hope after all (SW20)

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Nov. 16, 2009 10:53 p.m. Drewsifer New Reader

So, the wifey ain't budging on Operation Get Another Porsche. Raspberries. So I tried other routes. Fiero? To old. 240sx? Maybe. Miata? Sure. MR2? Get it in blue. Wait what? As it turns out, my wife loves the SW20 MR2. Her only demand is that I get it in blue for some reason.

Now I'm not totally against an MR2, but I'm also not bursting at the seems for it. I'd be more interested in an AW11, but "it's too old". Would a plain jane N/A SW20 make a good play toy? I'd sort of like to avoid a turbo for the price hike, and maintenance issues. I need something i can track, so I can get my race licenses. Is dis car gud?
Nov. 16, 2009 11:00 p.m. cxhb Reader

Throttle lift oversteer.... thats all i got. I'm sure it would be fun though!!
Nov. 17, 2009 3:27 a.m. BoxheadTim Reader

I've driven a couple non-turbos as I was considering one as a track toy before relenting and buying the Elise.

They're pretty good cars, not that fast unless you get a turbo but the lap times I've seen suggest that they aren't any slower than a AW11 either (some people say they are but that seems to be 'felt', not measured). I'd get the newest I could find as there were noticeable improvements to the suspension and the engines gained more power, at least here in the UK and in Japan.
Nov. 17, 2009 7:28 a.m. Gearheadotaku Reader

back in the day, they were the hot ticket in autocross class CS iifc. Blue might be a tougher find than red, black or white. Hope shes flexible on the color, or a paint job is in the budget.
Nov. 17, 2009 8:09 a.m. 93celicaGT2 SuperDork

Dis car IS gud.

Get it.

It's not fast in a straight line, it's camry-powered. But they handle well, are still fun to drive.

Swap down the road for your turbo fixins, or a V6 is fine, too.
Nov. 17, 2009 9:06 a.m. Matt B New Reader

Agreed. MR2s offer great bang for the buck imho. (although I'm sure I'm biased) Stock NA mk2s aren't terribly fast, but it doesn't take much suspension work to really liven it up. The other route is that they dominate ES autox (for now). Although, looming rule changes may sway that in the future. There was talk of moving faster cars into the class next season, but I don't think it went through. Maybe someone can enlighten me to what the end result was.

While we're fantasizing about swaps, if you didn't want to go turbo, the BEAMS 3SGE engine makes around 200hp. It's what I'd like in my aw11.

93celicaGT2 - you mentioned something about expensive coil packs for that engine though?
Nov. 17, 2009 9:06 a.m. John Brown MegaDork

I wants can haz V6 twin turboez SW20 pleaz!
Nov. 17, 2009 9:36 a.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

My uncle-in-law has one. I drove it around town. Rock solid car, handles well, a bit down on power as compared to more extreme vehicles, but certainly a fun little car. He managed to get a non T-top car too, yet, which is quite rare and sought after.

On the 5SFE, when you do the timing belt, be sure to also replace the O ring behind the oil pump. Takes an extra 10 minutes and will save your motor.
Nov. 17, 2009 9:40 a.m. 93celicaGT2 SuperDork

Matt B wrote:

Agreed. MR2s offer great bang for the buck imho. (although I'm sure I'm biased) Stock NA mk2s aren't terribly fast, but it doesn't take much suspension work to really liven it up. The other route is that they dominate ES autox (for now). Although, looming rule changes may sway that in the future. There was talk of moving faster cars into the class next season, but I don't think it went through. Maybe someone can enlighten me to what the end result was.

While we're fantasizing about swaps, if you didn't want to go turbo, the BEAMS 3SGE engine makes around 200hp. It's what I'd like in my aw11.

93celicaGT2 - you mentioned something about expensive coil packs for that engine though?

Yeah, but the conversion to GM coil packs seems to be fairly well documented. The stock japanese parts aren't especially failure-prone, though.
Nov. 17, 2009 9:46 a.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

Coilpacks on what? The 5SFE? I'm running them on my 20 valve. Got them from the junk yard pretty cheap and they are also used on the later Tacomas. It's an igniter and coilpack together. Kind of a waste spark coil on plug.
Nov. 17, 2009 10:24 a.m. 93celicaGT2 SuperDork

Dr. Hess wrote:

Coilpacks on what? The 5SFE? I'm running them on my 20 valve. Got them from the junk yard pretty cheap and they are also used on the later Tacomas. It's an igniter and coilpack together. Kind of a waste spark coil on plug.

Nah, he's talking about the BEAMS. I think the late late 5sfes had coilpacks, though, along with some other goodies. (stronger bottom end ftw!)
Nov. 17, 2009 10:36 a.m. MiatarPowar HalfDork

I had this '91 N/A car for a few months last year. Used it as a DD. The 5SFE felt fine in the car, delivering a ton of low-end torque for a car of this class. It got around 30MPG best I can remember and it was a lot of fun with the T-Tops off. If they were on, that meant it was raining and like most, they leaked like hell. Very annoying, but I was lazy.

I did replace the dampers and springs with Tokicos and TRDs. The Tokicos were rough. If I had it to do over again, I'd go Koni.

A good friend of mine also has a '91 N/A with a lot of nice goodies including a 3SGE. If you decide the 5SFE isn't enough for you, I'd have to recommend the 3SGE. Retains the simplicity of n/a, but it packs a ton of punch.

EDIT: FWIW, I sold mine because the Miata does all of the same things and does them better IMO.
Nov. 17, 2009 10:46 a.m. Dr. Hess PowerDork

Yeah, the later 5SFE's have coilpacks. That's what I'm referring to. Our 97 Camry has the coil packs and I bought the identical coilpacks from a junkyard to use on my megasquirted 20 valve. They are also used on the RZ motor in the Tacos and the 1zzfe motor has coilpacks that have a different part number but look identical. The spark plug wire connector on them is the same as a standard 20 valve distributor cap too, which makes it easier.

Those BEAMS motor are way cool. Billzilla put one in a 7 clone. Haven't heard from him in a couple years now.
Nov. 17, 2009 11:06 a.m. Travis_K Dork

I wanted one for a while, i would have gotten one but they are (or at least were 2 years ago) more than i could afford. ($5-6k).
Nov. 17, 2009 11:23 a.m. Carson Dork

I had a '91 N/A for a few months and my experience was identical to what MiatarPowar said in every way.
Nov. 17, 2009 3:04 p.m. Strike_Zero New Reader

They are on my short list as well . . . but definitely outta budget for what I have seen locally. . . . 2K for one with a blown engine. . . .I think not!!
Nov. 17, 2009 3:17 p.m. 93celicaGT2 SuperDork

There was one for $900 here a couple months ago... ran well, had some shoddy bondo work. Was still tempting, though.
Nov. 17, 2009 3:28 p.m. jrw1621 Dork

The epi-center of all things MR2 is the MR2 Owners Club at www.mr2oc.com
The site requires that you register but it is worth it.

My MR2 was a '88 SC but I would happily take a SW20 if the right one came my way.

So, your first wife still won't allow you to have another Porsche?
Nov. 17, 2009 3:40 p.m. 93celicaGT2 SuperDork

Drew, is "home" still in Indy? I may have a proposition for you.

errr... i mean, i want to proposition you... nope, that didn't come out right either.
Nov. 17, 2009 4:07 p.m. Type Q HalfDork

$4500 will get you a completely set-up multi-time national champion autocross MR-2 with 3 sets of wheels, service manuals, and a bunch of other extras.

http://www.baautox.com/forum/index.php?t=msg&th=4698&start=0&rid=195
Nov. 17, 2009 4:09 p.m. 93celicaGT2 SuperDork

Type Q wrote:

$4500 will get you a completely set-up multi-time national champion autocross MR-2 with 3 sets of wheels, service manuals, and a bunch of other extras.

http://www.baautox.com/forum/index.php?t=msg&th=4698&start=0&rid=195

I can't believe that car hasn't sold yet....
Nov. 17, 2009 4:20 p.m. Type Q HalfDork

In reply to 93celicaGT2:

I don't think it has been widely advertised.
Nov. 17, 2009 5:06 p.m. turboswede UltraDork

Pixxors might help with the sale of that car. Perhaps a post in the GRM classifieds?
Nov. 17, 2009 6:24 p.m. fromeast2west New Reader

The NAs are harder to find w/ a manual trans, but are more likely to be hard tops.

If you can find a blue N/A hard top w/ a manual trans, go for it.

I've got a dark blue, turbo T-Top, and the only thing I'd trade if for is a Boxster w/ a Zientop (only thing I could also reasonably afford list anyway).
Nov. 17, 2009 7:35 p.m. Type Q HalfDork

turboswede wrote:

Pixxors might help with the sale of that car. Perhaps a post in the GRM classifieds?

It's not mine. It belongs to a fellow Bay Area autocrosser. The ad in not well organized. The second post has a link to pictures. http://moabb.com/zacgallery/main.php?g2_itemId=1636

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