1993 MR2 2GR swap

Current state of the ol shitbox


In the name of not having enough projects (and because I've wanted one of these suckers since i was a wee lad) i have acquired a 1993 mr2 turbo chassis. (no engine or transmission, and some pretty icky wiring i have to fix). Got the car from the owner of frankenstein motorworks (marc) for a pretty damn good deal. but only because its very much not running and has some cancer that needs to be addressed. far from gone. but far from good.

This car was the car used as the 2gr swap tutorial vehicle on his youtube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NKbqTg3sqc&ab_channel=FrankensteinMotorworks

plan for now is a stock looking 2gr swapped car. e153 manual with LSD and camry gears. Hybrid pistons in the 2gr. maybe cams down the line. but here she is the day i got her.


Eventually it'll be getting painted hakone green. but for now. its getting a cheap rattle can job for all the paint issues and just focus on getting it running.



mostly stock.. appears to have never been wrecked. it has 94+ turbo wheels on it.

 

Sub'd. Love the Tundra build, so this should be fun. Looking forward to paint updates. Hakone Green + gold rpf1/bronze meister s1?

 

Likely. Way down the line. But yea. My buddy that does the touch ups at the dealerships out here is going to rattle can the peeling and chips for now. Won’t be perfect. But it’ll be a hell of a lot better

 

I have most of the stuff for the swap. The engines just waiting for 2 pistons from Toyota; and I need to find a Camry e153 transmission to rebuild one of the mr2 e153s I have. And I’m debating a quaife LSD or the stock viscous lsd

 

Pulled the t tops. Seals feel good. I have new ones coming. But they may sit in storage for now. Bought them because Toyota still had them.
Just cleaning it up as I wait for engine parts and the transmission to cannibalise. You can see the box of parts for the swap there.. mounts, harnesses, etc.

 

You still are

 

Ouch

 

In for the MR2 goodness.

 

all 6 pistons in. so. did some rod and piston assembly tonight. weighed everything and was surprised to find out... all the rods are 628G and the pistons are all +/-1G of each other. this would explain how they got the 2gr to be so smooth
pictures for the curious
This is what 128k miles of driving like a normal person does to pistons and their rings (oil control is seized, compression #2 is sticking. #1 is fine)




And the pistons are all ready to go to work with me and get put into the block. Was going to do the heads tonight. but damn my sinuses are fucked up

 

Sub'ed I often miss my shitty 91 N/A.

 

Pistons are in the engine. Some point next week I’ll do full assembly. Maybe Monday.

 

Nice. I've seen 1MZ/3MZ swaps....but not a 2GR

 

2gr is pretty common. It’s replaced the mz and vz v6 swaps. 300whp with an s54 transmission is stupid easy these days. I’m shooting fir 320-330 with the e153 with hybrid pistons

 

I really like these cars, want one myself. Anyway, coat all your seals with this;

$20 Genuine Honda 08798-9013 Silicone Grease

https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Hond...774&sprefix=honda%20seal%20lube,aps,90&sr=8-6 . And maybe talk to our Katskinz hookup here and see if you can get a deal on some seat covers.

 

Mr2 heaven sells repro covers that appear to be really nice and the correct color. I will be having my friends father refoam the seats. I hated tan in the tundra. But damnit, tan in this? It’s so nice with the black

 

Car is now at my buddies glass shop. He’ll be doing a quick job to spray the front and rear ended where the paints MIA. Won’t be the prettiest but it’ll be better and stop rust from getting worse. Once he’s done I’ll be dropping the gas tank to swap in a supra turbo fuel pump, and run my new parking brake cables. Potentially replace brake lines if they seem sketchy

 

got one head done tonight, lapped the exhaust valves, and installed new valve stem seals. intake valves and the seat seemed good enough to not worry. exhaust had some pitting. better now.

 

also... very tempting to do some clean up in the exhaust ports.. but i'll save that for the more impressive build... and when i have someone with a flow bench to do it.

 

one head on, other assembled. should get the other head on tomorrow then Thursday I'll toss the covers on and she'll be mostly complete