ATS - RACING MR2
Back to Featured
Racing MR2s
Here is the letter of intent sent off to GRM. It outlines
the plans for our two vehicles. That was then and this is now.
Since we wrote the letter below there was a little fire and lots of turned
wrenches. Currently the blue car is a parts car and the red car has become
the focus of our attention. We have learned a lot and are learning a lot about
tweaking the 4AGE. We have also found out what parts are swappable and what are
not between years as well as AGZE and AGE platforms. Currently the motor is in
the red car, the IC pipes are ready (mostly) and the final touches are happening
as this is being posted. Hopefully within a couple of weeks there should be a
new update with pictures of the finished car emerging from the garage!
Well guys this is our official e-mail to notify you of our intent to enter
the $2001 challenge. Actually we hope to have two entries running. Both are 1987
Toyota MR2's. Oh, BTW we are Aaron Bunch, Todd McClendon and Scott McClendon of
ATS Racing in Dallas, TX.
The first MR2 is "Winky" a blue t-top that originally had a 4AGE and an
automatic transmission. Winky's 4AGE was mortally wounded by the previous owner.
"I knew it needed some oil, but I was waiting until Friday...." It didn't make
it. We bought the car for $350. A week later we found $52 under the passenger
seat while "disinfecting" the interior. I tried to revive the 4AGE with a new
set of rod bearings and some emery cloth. It ran..but sounded like a SWAT team
knocking on the door.
A quick search of http://mr2.xcars.com/ located our new powerplant: a
complete 4AGZE drivetrain from a 1988 Supercharged MR2. A 1100 mile 24 hour
round trip in a borrowed pickup to Roswell, New Mexico and $600 was all it took.
Car number 2 is another 1987 automatic t-top MR2, this one is red. I saw an
ad in the newspaper for TWO MR2's for $1000 obo. What was the catch? One had a
dead cylinder (the red 87) and the other had been rear-ended by a Freightliner
truck (no kidding) but still ran (a gold 86). After some careful negotiating
both cars were bought for $600.
It seemed simple enough, yank the good engine from the wrecked car and drop
it in the straight red car. I guess that seemed too simple. After a leakdown
test I knew the problem was with the cylinder head (#1 exhaust valve
specifically). I also knew I had an extra good head from the blue car. So in a
moment of insanity I traded the running 4AGE to a friend in need for some other
parts and a computer (yes, I'm typing this e-mail on it).
After pulling the head from the red car we found some damage to the block and
pistons. So we are building a Frankenstein of a motor:
Try to keep up here:
The blue car donated its head, cams, block, 2 pistons and 2 rods to be
combined with the red car's crank, 2 pistons and 2 rods. We bought a new set of
rings and timing belt. Rod and main bearings were liberated from used 4ALC
motors at the local Pick-n-Pull yard.
To make things better/worse/interesting I found a Supercharger setup from a
JDM Levin (aka Corolla) on http://mr2.xcars.com/ for $300. I bought it to
install on the red car.
Right now both cars are engineless. The red car should be up and running by
the end of the week and the blue car within a month. Hopefully our budget will
afford us at least one set of race tires.
Faithful reader, Aaron Bunch