Toed64
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 10:46 AM |
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Toyota T Sport engine
I've got a Toyota Corolla T Sport track-day car. The engine and gearbox are very impressive - 190bhp with a red-line over 8000rpm and a slick 6
speed box.
Lotus switched from the K series to these motors, but they seem to be off the radar for kit builders. They are cheap and relatively plentiful - you
can buy a good road-legal car for under £1000.
I was thinking about fitting my engine and box in an early Elise with a dead K, then I thought about building a J15, Riot SE or a Rocket, but bought a
R1ot instead.
Has anyone used a Toyota VVTLI donor? In what?
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big_wasa
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 11:10 AM |
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They are of the radar for most kits as traditionally they have been front engine and rear wheel drive. The MeV rocket two is going to use it as a
donor.
What's yours like as a track car ?
[Edited on 8/7/16 by big_wasa]
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Toed64
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 12:06 PM |
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Aha, that's interesting.
My Corolla is rather fun for a cheap FWD track car. It's on slightly lowered stiff springs, yellow stuff pads, Federal RSR tyres and it's
gutted to reduce weight.
Last time we took it to Bedford Autodrome, it proved quick enough to surprise quite a few cars that should have been quicker and to keep up with a
pair of properly track prepared Clios. The brakes are excellent and it's stable enough to take liberties with kerbs. It's quite
adjustable on the limit. In common with most FWD cars, it teaches you to get your corner entry line and speed just right, or the understeer is
pitiful on power.
In the wet (it always rains at Bedford) it is very quick. An E46 M3 driver came over to ask me about it because he struggled to get by until we got
on to the straight.
It would benefit from shocks - it hops around a bit. If I decide to spend some money on it (unlikely other than oil etc), I'll fit some
coilovers and some buckets to lower the lofty seating position.
I MUCH prefer RWD, or 4WD. My last track day heap was an early MX5. Slow and
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Toed64
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 12:09 PM |
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Can't edit...
Slow, but great fun...
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big_wasa
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 12:14 PM |
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The Clio seems the budget car to beat. But having worked on a Megan its put me of the breed. I would sooner buy a pug gti180.
I bought an st170 to track but being a ford if rusted away quicker than I could take it to bits
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Toed64
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| posted on 8/7/16 at 01:23 PM |
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Interesting - so the Rocket 2 is being developed by Stuart Mills and a new manufacturer - Brimoto. I'll be looking at it...sometime.
The Corolla is 14 years old, but has no rust at all. I really liked the mk1 Focus - there wasn't much to beat it in its day.
I've had some good FWD cars, but since having Subaru and BMW daily drivers, I just can't go back. As a track-day novice, I learned so
much from the MX5 and modified it cheaply to perform better (brakes, suspension and tyres) that the dynamics of a FWD car feel wrong. It may be that
the Corolla has a very distinct rev band as the valve timing changes at 6200rpm - it feels like you suddenly get an extra 50bhp and probably 40% more
torque. This probably contributes a lot to sudden oversteer powering through corners.
I probably need more practise in it - I shouldn't blame the car, it's my lack of driving talent!
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