I've had a hankering for a while for something old, but practical. Ideally a bit rough and ready and something I can throw a couple of bikes in the back at the weekend, but which is also a bit funky and fun to drive. Something a bit different and which puts a smile on people's faces So I got this: {} {} {} {} {} So it's a 1972 Hilux pickup. 1600cc and RWD with a manual box with a weird column shift. It was imported from South Africa and is in amazing condition for the age. Africa spec means no door seals or heaters, but we can deal with that later on. It's super solid and doesn't have any trims or hard to find bits missing. The engine and box are in good enough nick and it starts and runs sweet, but the brakes are dreadful and the suspension is very tired, so it needs a few upgrades... The plan with this is not to go all out and create something ridiculous, but to make it lower, faster and better for cheeky skids without losing its oldschool charm and without compromising reliability and daily driveability.
I was looking around for inspiration and there's a few real cool pickups about from the same sort of era {} {} {} {} {} including 3DMike's amazing Datsun 620 project {} {}
cheers guys. So after mulling a load of options over, the plan is to keep the bodywork, external stuff and interior to be standard and oldschool, then convert to as much of the engine, drivetrain, suspension and all that to MX5 gear with a turbo kit. That way I can get a fun and reliable solution with real cheap spares and should see over 200bhp so I got one of these and promptly pulled it to bits {} till it sort of ended up in lots of piles that looked like this {} {} {}
this all came out (If anyone like playing with old toyotas and would benefit from a good low mile 1600 engine and manual box drop me a line) {} {}
next up we got it on the ramp and got the rear bed and front subframe off so we could test fit some bits {} {} Then it was a matter of dropping the chassis onto the mx5 front subframe to see if it was going to line up and what issues we were going to see. Weirdly and thankfully it actually wasn't that bad a fit! We sat the subframe so the suspension arms were near horizontal and lowered the body to give a simulated ride height and it wasn't far off where we hoped it would end up {} {} The track width of the mx5 suspension is a few inches in total wider than the original Hilux suspension, but nothing that will cause an issue {}
Then Chris set about fettling the subframe so the slopey mx5 frame would fit nicely around the square section Hilux chassis {} {} {} and the back section was trimmed off. Both were plated up {} A new boss welded to the chassis {} and new rear support plates put in {} And it's sat in place with some beefy stainless plates (thanks Terry ) supporting the top and reinforcing the section that was cut out {} And it's in Need to work out how to mount the top of the mx5 dampers as the Hilux has no suspension strut towers in the inner wings.... {}
then on to the rear.. having considered how best to interface the mx5 engine and box with the Hilux rear axle, what to do about brakes, an LSD and getting good rear ride height, we did some more measuring and decided to fit the rear mx5 subframe too. This means cheap LSD, the right diff ratio, decent brakes with working ABS and a load of other headaches get easily and cheaply solved. And it's not a bad fit either! {} {} Just need a slight trim of the subframe at the front and some new cross beams and again with the suspension arms sat parallel and a simulated ride height, the subframe is pretty much where we want it {} Craig made some nice bosses so the subframe bolts into the new cross beams using al the original mounting holes {} {} So the rear subframe's bolted in nicely and again we need to think about the rear damper top mounts {} Thankfully on the rear the heights work out about right and we can mount direct to the chassis rails {} Good old Terry again and his laser cutter bring us these {} The little cuts mean these side flaps can be bent down and welded on to the side of the chassis rails for support. {}
next up we got this off {} {} which made it much easier to trial fit the engine and box {} {} {} and meant we could work out the powerbrace from engine to box. It needs to be about a foot longer, so joining 2 together seemed the best way to sort that. {} Craig loves a bit of alloy welding {} {} Here you can see the fat laser cut plates of stainless from the chassis onto the top of the front subframe. We'll be building the shock towers off those {}
Some posh and shiny bits are here After a load of reading around and comparing options, I've gone for a Motorsport Electronics ME221 ECU which seems like a brilliant option for an MX5 turbo It's totally plug and play with the standard loom and even comes with a suitable base map on for the NB2.5 1.8L VVT engine and Subaru TD04 turbo I have. Looks like a very well made bit of kit and importantly for me I've heard lots of good stuff about their support and found them friendly and helpful when I called up to enquire about it {} {} I heard they're now supplying a version of this ECU for Flying Miata in the USA. I also got a td04 Subaru turbo which needs a bit of a clean, but is in good condition {} {}
I got an mx5 turbo manifold and downpipe and fitting kit from Doug at G19 Engineering and it's a bloody work of art! {} what a manifold! {} {} lovely welding {} a beefy turbo support {} and even the other hardware's really nice {} {} very impressed indeed, especially for that money
