Newbie from Anglesey

[warrenc]

Hi guys, I'm Warren from Anglesey in North Wales. I'm on my 3rd MK1 which I use mainly for autotesting here on Anglesey. The car has a MK1 Club sticker in the windscreen, so maybe someone recognizes the plate? The previous owner had it sprayed in the MG Blue and I think he added the extra bits too. My first MK1 also had a MK1 Club sticker in the window, but it died a rusty death, so its engine now lives under the bonnet of my Mini :shock:

Here's my current one. Since this was taken, I've chopped off one of the tailpipes and welded plenty of rusty holes which were hidden under the bodykit :(

http://www.mr2mk1club.com/images/imported/2010/09/P1311_270410-1.jpg



I'll probably be in the tech section a lot, asking questions about where vacuum pipes and wires go so I can get the mini finished!!

[oukie]

Hello and well that's a bit different

Chris

[warrenc]

Hi Chris, you put that very politely!!

Its not exactly my taste either, so It'll be toned down a bit when time and money allow!

A friend of mine has converted a MK1 rear end into a BBQ, the plan is to swap bootlids so I'll gain a standard spoiler eventually.

[No3157]

Hi there...that's one different colour!! :shock:

Think she'll look a lot better without that wing(handle??)...

Talking of handles, how does she handle with those 17"s on?? I wouldn't of thought too well... :eh:

...however, like everything, handling's a personal taste so you may find it fine!! :lol:

[warrenc]

Hi there, I think the colour is MG trophy Blue. The car used to be a dark metallic green. I've never seen a MK1 in that colour, but I reckon it'd look good. I'm hoping to find the time over the winter to make a few changes, the first one being to remove the ironing board from the boot lid :+: then maybe a respray if I ask my father in law nicely :P

The 17" wheels aren't too bad but they kill the acceleration dead. Its like driving in one gear to high all the time. They like following the white lines too. I use a pair of 15" wheels with 55 profile tyres on the back for autotesting which work well.

I don't know if anyone's tried it before, but I tried car trialling in it one day. Needless to say, I didn't do very well :|

http://www.mr2mk1club.com/images/imported/2010/09/Hilzpicture044-1.jpg

[mk1 dal]

hi welcome to the club , i like the colour trophy blue and it suits the car well , lose the bling wheels and the scooby spoiler,
i would keep the kit and you have a nice looking unique mk1 . what is involved in auto-testing :?: I'm interested to know . ps i bet that mini flies and is top fun :)

gary :+:

[No3157]

The 17" wheels aren't too bad but they kill the acceleration dead. Its like driving in one gear to high all the time. They like following the white lines too. I use a pair of 15" wheels with 55 profile tyres on the back for autotesting which work well.

I don't know if anyone's tried it before, but I tried car trialling in it one day. Needless to say, I didn't do very well :|

Erm...yeah, they need a bit of prep for off-roading antics, not the best as std... :wtf:

And ahh, tramlining(choosing their own path)...that's what I get with too big wheels!! Not fun...I try 195/50/15, keeps the overall wheels' rolling radius close to OEM. Others find 195/45/16 is ok, a little rubber-bandy(thin) for me though... :think:

Nice front airdam/spoiler btw, v.similar to one I once wanted....Mk1dal is right, lose the wing/wheels and you've got a peach!! :+:

[superwhite90]

Thats a Vien's front bumper by the looks of it! I've always wanted one too! I like the colour but I also agree, lose the spoiler and wheels and get it lowered :+:

[No3157]

Looks more like a Eurosport, or Toysport to me...it's not Vein's, they're one piece with the nosecone, and that's clearly a lower airdam... :)

[warrenc]

Gary - Autotesting is basically a test of car handling skills against the clock. The experts do it like this:

http://www.gomotorsport.tv/mychannel/ch ... format=flv (http://www.gomotorsport.tv/mychannel/channel.aspx?contentId=b3e581e705fe4f5b8affde031ab 85ef2&channelName=8D8DC4A5F8D28C7B396983AC25318D0B350208 246C804C19FDE0CB360882B6E2B2CC41793BB9FAA214A9EC52 08FC27AF&format=flv)

The clubsport ones I do are more like this:

http://www.mr2mk1club.com/images/imported/2010/09/th_V281208_1234-1.jpg (http://s438.photobucket.com/albums/qq107/angleseymr2/?action=view&current=V281208_1234.mp4)

That's my first MR2 which was so riddled in tin worm that it actually started sagging in the middle. Sea air and MK1's don't mix! The engine from it is now in my Mini, which is still undergoing surgery, but I'm getting there slowly and hope to have it running in the next month or so. Just a shame that things like having to work and sleep get in the way :(

To put the bodykit debate to rest, the fella I bought it off said it was a Eurosport kit and the spoiler is from the Starship Enterprise :P The car trial didn't do it any favours, so I've had some hefty repairs to do and I've now blended it into the nosecone.

I bought my first MK1 off fleabay on a whim as it was cheap and local and now I'm hooked - these cars are great fun, though my first experience of lift off oversteer had me twitching a bit :o

[No3157]

Awesome...known in Japan as Gymkhana, I know a couple of people who use their SCs for it!! :shock: :mrgreen:

Looks like you're getting used to that slight rear weight bias...comes in v.handy for snap turns!! :+:

Does take some balls though...like your vid, btw(and on FB) :lol:

Thanks btw, doesn't matter what kit it is, as long as you like it!! :)

[mr2mk1chick]

Hiya and welcome :wave:
i loved a go at grass auto testing in our mk1, although it was a bit low on the ride hight.
are you sure you bought the right car for job, as you are carrying so much weight with all that kit on?....
A stripped out mk1 would be ace :+: I love the colour though :+:
try picking up some cheap std MK3 alloys as they are a straight fit and would be so much better for your off road fun :+:
As the mk1 handbrakes are notoriously crap soem of the turns are not easy as the FWD guys but the sliding around is a hoot!
We've done loads of trackdays at Trac Mon though with ours and loved it. :+:

[warrenc]

I've given up on the off roading in the MR2, definately not the right car for it! It was a good laugh though and got some odd looks :shock:

I've stripped the car as much as I can internally, though I've had to make a fibreglass cover for the 'transmission' tunnel as my arm was getting a battering on all the ironwork! I'm going to re-build the rear calipers this winter if I can find the parts needed as one of them is binding now and then. Any suggestions on where to source them?

I saw a load of (racing prepped) MK1's on the island a couple of months ago that looked to be heading to the circuit. Would that have been you guys? Let me know if your heading that way again, I'm only 20 mins away from the track.

[mr2mk1chick]

you can get caliper refurb kits from toyota adn brakes international.
look it up in the mechanical section as this has been discussed in depth.

the mk1 you saw were racing in one of the 2 race series for them - see the track section, as sarah has done loads of race reports. you can see the calendar by following a link.

our track prepped mk1 needs a new engine, so we are taking our vx220 back to trac mon in oct with bookatrack

[superwhite90]

Camskill also do refurb kits

[warrenc]

Thanks for the brake info guys. I'll try and make it to the track in oct for a look :shock: The next autotest is at the track in December (27th I think) so I've got till then to get the car sorted 8-)