Back to Newpages
See the owners who have done what many of us would love to do -
chop the roof off! This section also includes trailers made from MR2's,
including the MK2..
If you would like to have your convertable MR2 MK1 shown here,
or in any of the other Featured sections for others to enjoy E-mail pictures
and technical information on your car to me.
1. Bob Freitas,
Ontario, California, USA
2. Colin Graham
- Vancouver Island, Canada
4. Luther Allen
- USA Also shows Luthers MR2 Trailer Project
7. Japanese Convertable with new bodykit
From: Roger S. Prior 11 Jan 2001
There were a few convertibles that were made from a company out in California
I think, not very many. Now, I wouldn't do this to a SC but it would be pretty
neat in a na. I would definitely mount a roll bar along with a reinforcing the
front window structure. A full cage would be the safest but would look kinda
geeky. As for handling, I'm not sure if removal of the roof would affect it, but
considering it's not made to be without it I'd say it would affect the actual
integrity. Then again the MR2 is built pretty damn stiff. Wait a second! Convertible MK1? Like Bob Feritas' But his is a rare stock
convertible... I want to make my convertible, but keeping the hard top in a way
you can bolt it back on. Well.. do you know about someone who has done this? Is
that a major structural impact? Will my car break on two pieces as someone told
me? Rollbars would look great! Marco Chacon 85NA, 89SC both white. San Jose,
Costa Rica
Roger S. Prior 89 sc From: Roger Bogda 11 Jan 2001 From: Roger S. Prior 11 Jan 2001 From: Roger Bogda 11 Jan 2001 Roger S. Prior 11 Jan 2001 The nearest most of us will get - and this is a fake
Finding a way to
mount a hard top would be the hardest thing, you could probably find an existing
car in a junk yard and use its hardware. This would be one of those projects for
those that want to go out of their way to make it work. A rag top probably
wouldn't be too difficult but from the pics I've seen they are a bit ugly, would
be fine for those days turned sour, and your hard top is at home. Anyhow, seals
and mounting surfaces would have to be put together. Since I've never cut a roof
off I can't tell you anything else. I'll make a few assumptions though, lets say
that the the mounting areas have 2 edges on them, in that case a piece of sheet
metal could be welded in place, each on the top and on the car, so that you can
place a standard seal on there. If its just a single edge a different type of
seal would be used, one that slips over it. Edges I'm referring to the actual
sheet metal edges that are made from the cutting. Looking at some of the pics of
that one car that was cut, there are two near the rear quarter windows. Last
thing I knew that guy was selling his car and probably doesn't deal with MR2's
anymore, but he might still be able to provide some info.
The SC will stay stock or maybe little mods.... but
since.... you know... since I have the SC (like 3 months ago) the NA now is a
little... boring! Having 2 identical cars, but one of them with a supercharger
makes you want ride only the "vitaminized" one... so... I want to add a little
fun (convertible) to the NA! so the Mazda Miata guy next door can shut up! I
want a fun convertible car? the NA... a powerful car? the SC!
Don't put down the NA...please. I had an
NA, now I have an SC, which I love, and I just bought another NA. I missed the
tight tossable quality and with a few mods, exhaust and AFM relocation, you just
couldn't beat that wonderful sound and feeling when you hit 4400 RPM. The 85 is
awaiting a 5 valve engine.
Roger Bogda 88 SC Miami, FL
I'm not putting down the na's, they
definitely have their usage and some of them even have enough kick to beat some
of the sc's. With that said, I'd rather see a na get hacked up and modded beyond
the point of no return than an sc, simply because there are more na's out there
than sc's. NA's are fairly cheap nowadays and make great cars for someone that
wants a mild sports car or a starting point for a serious track car. Of course
if you can find an sc that is seriously beaten, where it would cost more money
than it is worth to rebuild, then go ahead and hack away. Just remember every
year there are fewer and fewer sc's running around, which has its ups and downs,
good that it will drive the value of the remaining sc's but bad that there will
be fewer out there to enjoy meets and limits the amount of people that can enjoy
the thrill of the sc. Not even mentioning the lowering supply of aftermarket
parts thats already low enough. And what is available will only get more
expensive. Someday there might be only one sc left, wouldn't it be a shame that
is was hacked up into a convertible or slammed with a v6?
"These numbers are
from Toyota directly by phone in early 1990: 1988 and 1989: Toyota made about
3000 supercharged models for worldwide distribution. Of these only 1100 were
made in 1989, and of these only 926 were 5-speeds and were sold in the US.
Toyota discontinued manufacture of the MK1 MR2, both naturally aspirated and
supercharged, in June of 1989." Save an sc, hack a na.
Roger S. Prior 89SC
Agreed on which one to chop up. One reason
I got the NA was that I did not want to do to a pristine SC what I need to do to
take it on the track, ie roll cage, etc....the NA had a long and healthy life as
a street toy and now it will ascend to the purity of it's heritage, the track,
Stop me quick...I'll get carried away!
I found about 20 pics of some convertibles,
one from that Bob guy, the dude over in NH, and another one that has some other
body stuff done to it. If anybody wants them, let me know I'll zip them up and
send them out.
As far as the ragtop goes, I guess its no uglier then some of
the rags I have seen on some Ferraris, it just looks weird compared to the stock
hardtop look. There are a couple of close ups to show some detail in what would
be required to make a hard or softtop. Another thing, the mouse pics I have is
of a MKI that is also chopped, and a body kit was made for it. I'm not going to
say anything about the body kit, but it looks like they had success in a hard
top. I'm sure there's a lot of shops that can do it, just a matter of finding
them. Any shop that chops up mini trucks could do an MR2.
Roger S. Prior
89SC
Absolutely agreed!! Specially when you live in Costa Rica... Actually
mine is the only 89SC, and there are 4 88SCs around! This one will be stock for
the rest of it's life! (Except the power antena... the local Toyota Dealer is
asking $380 for the stock antenna, so I'll end up adapting an aftermarket Bosch)
But the NA... if I compare the fun driving them... it's not fair!!! (At least
the fun leaving the Civics SI behind...) But I can do whatever I want to that
one in other ways to make it different from the and making it fun again!
Actually that's why I want to remove the top, make holes all around it to put
Infinity speakers and... perhaps... a turbo or who knows... why not... the V6...
but... Mid engine V6 doesn't sounds like. Fiero?? hahaha kidding!
