Ive been busily preparing the car for the trip to NSW for the MR2 challenge in early January at Wakefield. Since the last time I posted I fitted an oil filter relocation kit and sensors for oil pressure and temp and it all works a treat. I have also changed the stock intercooler to HKS intercooler until I get my act together for W2A. I have also had the steering rack rebuilt and all the redundant ancillaries associated with the power steering removed, including the fluid.
 
The suspension geometry of the car has been nicely set up for the last few months but I have been wanting to try out the JIC magic coilovers for a while so I fitted those a few weeks ago. I haven’t tried these out proper yet and probably wont until I get to Wakefield.
 

 
My focus recently has been on lightness and handling so I have been stripping crap off the car consistently for a few months now. I think I have shed around 130kg so far, there is probably another 30kg ‘easily’ achievable but after that its going to be a struggle, as I wont to keep this as a turn key racecar all the time.
 
I bought some lightweight wheels from Hong Kong. These are the SSR Type C in 17” and they are really light, roughly 5kg less each than my Work Emotion XD9s. I have some Yokohama A050s fitted but Ive yet to put them on the car.
 

With the focus on lightness and handling I was on the lookout for a big brake kit. About three months ago I spotted this set front and rear for sale in the US with two piece 330mm rotors. They had only ever been fitted to an SW20 and pushed around a garage, never had fluid in them.
 

 
They were basically new at half the price so I contacted the seller as I was thinking he may have been willing to send them by sea or some other means as the whole lot weighs around 50 kg. It turns out his mate crews on a private jet that flys to Sydney regularly so he sent them over with him via Pago Pago and B24 picked them up for me, what a win! I have mocked these up on the car and will fit them proper over the next week. Combined with the wheels this has reduced the weight on the front hub by 10kg each side.
 
Yesterday I got the hubs ready by stripping all the built up rust off, treating them to some brake cleaner and rust proofing them with galvanic protectant. Hopefully they perform well and last.
 

 

 

 

Paddy, that looks amazing.  Wish I was coming to the Big Track Day, but maybe we can catch up in Tassie at the end of January for Targa West Point . . .

Well it will be a nice piece to see a few days time. The wheels will set it off. Make sure you get can drive up here without any hassles.

The car performed really well at the MR2 trackday challenge 2014. I was particularly impressed with the brakes, couldnt have hoped for them to perform any better. Still have some improvement to do to the suspension but getting there. Few photos at the track.
 
These are the first time I have had the new track wheels on.
 

 

 
 
Steve helping with tyre pressures.
 

 
After some use.
 

The tyre, rims, rotor, caliper combo looks great! Bet they also stop you too!

Thanks Rico. They stop really well, off to Baskerville racetrack later this month, cant wait to test them further, this time with race pads!

Time for an update. I have had great fun tracking the car these last few months. It has been very reliable, taking an almighty thrashing with no issues besides a couple of oil leaks. My plan to keep this as a turnkey racecar so I have been steadily upgrading things whilst keeping the car running.
 
The focus for the last couple of months has been on the intercooling system. Im upgrading to an air to water intercooling system. Given its not a road car anymore, I decided to place the intercooler in the cabin behind the passenger seat. The advantage of this is keeping it out of the heat of the engine bay and keeping the weight lower and nearer the centre of the car. For the air hoses I didn’t want them sitting free through the firewall as I wanted a proper seal so I had a fabricator make up an adaptor piece with tubing protruding either side. He did I nice tidy job.
 



Everything else for the system revolves around the placement of the intercooler so I have been busy working on the induction piping. My mate cookiemonster on the forum rightly pointed out the colour scheme of the piping is very appropriate. Can you spot why?


The air intake is temporary but I am very curious to see how this performs all  the same. I didn’t mind chopping the lid as its an N/A one that nobody will ever want.

 
 
 
 
 
 

stuka
 
  My mate cookiemonster on the forum rightly pointed out the colour scheme of the piping is very appropriate. Can you spot why?

 
Hot from comp, cool from IC...

How will you tie the semi's to the car when heading north for the trackday?
I like it mad man.