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I bought this car last year from a dealer i had been looking for a Ford RS200 replica for a while and did not have the funds to afford a chassis built car with a cosworth in the back as they cost around £50-£60K well out of my budget. He had three of these cars on his lot all with different choices . I chose this one because the other two had no rear opening clam shell the only way into the engine was to remove the rear screens which were held in with Zsus fasteners not ideal . My car had an opening rear with gas struts and also with the front mounted rally pod assembly which made it for me more like the real thing. The car cost me just under £15k with free delivery thrown in.
The car had a few issues it needed a new rear sub frame and some work on the front lights . Both jobs were done with no cost to myself. I also removed the standard front leather seats and fitted replica red Rs200 bucket seats and rally belts. Also re coloured the steering wheel to red as the real car. The car engine had over 120,000 miles on it so I have had fitted a new fully refurbished 1.8 unit fitted so its now ready to fit a turbo kit to this car as planned using the roof mounted inter cooler as I want reliability . Other jobs throughout the coming months are a performance brake upgrade , new RS Cosworth rear lights which I got of Ebay, and a new rear louvered screen . The idea is to improve the car as I go along
I have also had the car correctly registered as an MRS200 on the V5c no mention of Toyota which fools anybody checking the reg. Also just fitted some nice RS200 front mats. Just doing a trail fit of the four wheel drive replica gear shifter its a bodge at the moment but will fully do a good job on it as I go along
Fitted is the Malian North American Catback Performance Stainless Steel Exhaust System £275 pipe size 2.25/60mm to replace the standard Toyota set up. Better flow and more sporty.
The picture has some of the items needed to turbo the 1zz 1.8 Toyota engine . The kit costs around £1100 but you still need a good refurbished turbo {£300-£500] a set of uprated injectors [£200] an ECU Management system [£1000 £1400} an intercooler or charge cooler {£500- £600] and somebody to program the ECU with a boost map. Also needed are some additional sensors and a AFR [air fuel radio ] meter to keep the turbo running correctly as you do not want the turbo to run lean as that will cause detonation . All in all I reckon the total cost is around {£3000-£4000] to get the job done properly . There are less expensive engine upgrades for my car I have decided in future to go the Turbo route as my car is a replica of a Group B rally car from 1986 that had a Ford 1.8 BDA Turbo engine in the back and I want to get my car as close as I can to the original.
Another modification to be carried out is to remove the existing 1.8 engine cover and fit in its place a replica fibreglass Cosworth cover as pictured . This cover I got of Ebay and fitted some spark plugs and ignition leads which I already had in my garage to make it look real . This should also enforce the illusion of visitors peering in through the rear clam shell screen to see what engine I have . Not yet fitted it but will but up picture when done.
I have had fitted some time ago Tein green lowering springs and new Bilstein Drop links . You can fit BC Coilovers to these cars and it lowers the car even more but beware it lowers the rear engine to close to the ground, and was advised not to do this with. Modern roads , potholes, and speed ramps I could possibly rip off my sump and that would be a disaster. I do not want a car slammed or "Down in the weeds" as the say . These cars went through the RAC Welsh Forest in WRC "Gravel Spec" and that is what I want mine to look like when complete.
I’m guessing the precats have already been taken out?
That was the first thing I did when I built my DNA 360. It’s generally known that they fall to pieces over time and get sucked back into the engine, causing the pistons and cylinder walls to wear.
I was never brave or deep pocketed enough to turbo mine.
Thanks for taking the time to post, I’m itching to start another kit soon… this is helping me with that scratch until I’m able to start again!
Thanks for the reply Munky like all builds its being constantly updated, possibly take the winter months to have it for show condition next year. The turbo route as you say is not a cheap option I will just have to bite the bullet but plenty of cheaper updates to get on with . Just doing some research on what turbo kits are available and prices.
I think when it comes to fitting a turbo I will go for the basic kit which is pictured in a previous post that is around £1100. Then try and find the other parts second hand of Ebay. The hardware should be easy to bolt on the only problem I can see is you have to fit a sandwich plate to the oil filter for the turbo intake oil line and also drain the sump remove it and fit a turbo return oil feed elbow this will complete the turbo installation . The cold water feed to the turbo should be more easy as you can break into the water lines. I think the ECU management system will be the most costly part to obtain. The two most recommended for the turbo install are the Apexi FC Commander or the Master Black ECU both cost around £1100-£1250 .
I have now completed the replica four wheel drive torque red gear shift knob that was fitted to the Ford works rally cars its as close as I can get to the real thing so pleased with the results. Also fitted the the three gauge gauge pot and fire extinquisher.
Now fitted the dummy Cosworth engine cover to conceal the Toyota engine and complete the illusion . Need to get some better pictures as space is limited through the rear screen. at the moment. After lots of thought I have decided to not go the turbo route the install will cost around £3000 and I would not get back that extra amount if I sold the car as is, So with the replica Cosworth cover in place and secure I will fit and fabricate intercooler pipes into the roof mounted intercooler and down and into the engine area and hopefully it will fool most onlookers . So I have gathered together some stainless beaded pipework and blue Samco Sport hose fittings and work out a plan to fit them
Excellent!
I just noticed, my son picked up a Hotwheels set with a ‘200 on a trailer on the back of something like a transit van.
Probably not odd in the UK but in the US a rare find!
I’m proud of the little guy and his taste in cars. He’s only 12!
Just fitted performance new disks, pads, new front calipers , and new Ford blue braided brake lines from Hel . I not now going down the turbo route so need of a bigger brake kit the present performance set up is good enough for my 2005 Roadster and it will save money. Painted the disks and calipers in Ford blue to keep it uniform, Tried to get new rear calipers bur stuck in some sea container somewhere,
Car is in David's garage for adjustment to the rear clam shell as its slightly out of alinement on the rally fixing pins. Its a two or three man job as the rear clam shell is very heavy to lift and I an on my own. Also getting some smaller things attended to while its there. Thinking of fitting a new rear screen as the one in at the moment is a bit flimsy and has no slots in it.
My MRS200 is still in David's garage having the rear clam shell adjusted, I have decided to bit the bullet and replace the flimsy rear screen with the correct one. Only two places in the UK supply these rear screens for these unique cars . Got mine from Bill Watson £450 plus £50 delivery OOCH still its cheaper than the one from Bolton supplier Plastics4 Performance which was a lot dearer . I will post some new pictures when I get the car back. I then have to fit the intercooler pipes and new cone filter fabrication set up to complete the illusion of the real thing.
Have got my MRS200 back from David with its new rear screen fitted which looks the business . Also had the rear clam correctly fitted after the engine was replaced and the mechanics put it back on out of alignment . Need now to work on and mount the replica intercooler 76mm pipework and Samco hoses. Most of the big expensive upgrades on this car have now been done , the rest of the upgrades can be done by me over the next few weeks. I think I have one more cars & coffee meet to attend in the next three weeks and then the MRS200 can go into my garage on a battery condition meter and hibernate over the winter months.
Now completed the turbo pipework from the roof mounted intercooler into the engine bay but only on the passenger side sorting out the brackets to hold this large 76mm pipework securely was a nightmare, but it looks great will but some pictures up when I complete the other side . I have needed to order some extra pipe for the drivers side as the ones I have are a bit short. Hopefully have ordered some of Ebay and it should be with me by the end of the week. On a positive note I have sold my old rear screen on the RS200 Facebook site which helps with my costs.
