Alternative Modifications for Baby Boomer Toyobaru Owners
 

I just finished a quick reply post to respond to requests for suggestions from Five Axis, but let's be more creative.

Suppose you were a Boomer Toyobaru owner, fresh out of your overweight German ride, and thinking about personalizing your new lightweight Toyobaru coupe to your Euro-oriented tastes?

I'll start the ball off.

First, upscale the Scion interior. A kit to (a) add interest to the dash panel, (b) provide some real estate for autocross/trackday instrumentation like instrumentation and data logging, (c) replace the center console, and (d) replace the tranny tunnel console.

Second, acknowledge that no one will use the rear seats. A kit to close off the trunk area after lowering the rear setbacks.

Third, a new nose for the Toyobaru.

What would happen if you pointed your styling compass towards Europe rather than Tokyo? Your motorsports activities compass towards autocross and track days vice drifting and burnout's?

What would happen if you had a budget of $7,500 in parts to outfit a Toyobaru to compete in the Targa Newfoundland?

^Um...that doesn't sound like Five Axis designs. They build "street" cars with great styling.

If not Five Axis, then....
 

You're right, of course... we'll see if any other aftermarket suppliers want to comment on (or productize) some of the ideas that show up under this thread. But that depends, I think, on us coming up with good crop of "wants".

The more I think about it, the more I'd like a divider insert between the rear seat area after fold-down and the trunk. I could imagine myself using the area as a shelf during daily driving, suitable for briefcases, coats, the odd grocery bag, our dog... very much like I remember the back of an MGB GT or a Triumph TR6.

A flat panel with mounting brackets top and bottom, made of some light, simple sound-absorbing cored material with carpet facings and an insulating flange around the edges would do me fine.

Any particular reason you'd want the trunk separated from the "shelf"? Just aesthetics? The shape of the seat bottoms would probably hold your briefcase better than a flat shelf. I think you'd get some side-to-side sliding action going on with a completely flat sheft and flat divider. Now, if you were talking about removing the seats completely and adding some sort of cubby with a folding lid that could effectively mimic the seat's current action but take up less overall volume, I could see the cargo advantage of that because you wouldn't be wasting volume with cushions.

As far as the nose, it sounds like you are asking for one of those Euro looking body kits that you can get for Miatas. Something like this... http://www.gomiata.com/sdmiatitbodc.html
I'll refrain from sharing my opinion of those kits, but I think the FR-S has much more Italian flair than you'll find in anything else in this price segment already. It doesn't look particularly Japanese to me. I guess you could be looking for something staunch like an Audi, but that directly goes against the swooping lines of the front and rear fenders.

For sprucing up the interior, I don't see many makers jumping to upscale the downmarket interior bits. The plasticy bits are probably expensive to manufacture aftermarket and the fit and finish of aftermarket interior bits is usually pretty weak. I could see them offering a gauge pod that goes in place of the double DIN stereo and possibly some replacement panels for the large black/gray panel that runs across the IP. Maybe color matched to the exterior or built in gauge pod for that. I don't see their being a business case for leather covered IP uppers, for example. There are quite a few shops that will cover the interior of your car with alcantara. Here are some examples on WRXs and STIs.

http://www.iwsti.com/forums/gr-inter...de-dash-2.html

$7500 for Targa Newfoundland would probably mostly be eaten up by a top-quality suspension setup. No way any of the setups that take away travel will be of any use on those roads at speed. Think rally-spec suspension...

[QUOTE=Quentin;121236]Any particular reason you'd want the trunk separated from the "shelf"? Just aesthetics? The shape of the seat bottoms would probably hold your briefcase better than a flat shelf. I think you'd get some side-to-side sliding action going on with a completely flat sheft and flat divider. Now, if you were talking about removing the seats completely and adding some sort of cubby with a folding lid that could effectively mimic the seat's current action but take up less overall volume, I could see the cargo advantage of that because you wouldn't be wasting volume with cushions.

Now, my briefcase often lives in the footwell behind the driver's seat... not the best space in a Toyobaru. Having lived with a shelf behind the seat, it's surprisingly welcome and practical. As far as separation goes, there's aesthetics, security (keeps prying eyes from the trunk), air volume (don't need to heat and cool the trunk) and airborne noise from the exhaust, rear wheel rumble and any residual final drive noise. Lastly, I know where my wife would like to put her purse when driving with two people in the car... right in the middle, behind the front seat, where she only needs to reach back.

But all that is beside the point. The central issue for me is the difference between the atmosphere of a 2+2 with vestigial rear seat buckets and a true GT that was never meant to carry more than two people. It's a feeling...

I think Porsche already makes the kit you are looking for ...it's called a Cayman.

As for a $7500 budget to build a TNF car? You forgot a zero...$75000 should be your target for a TNF build...(including cost of a donor car).

Go to www.flyinmiata.com and check out their Targa Newfoundland miata setup .

http://www.flyinmiata.com/Store/images/31-30000.jpg


Then check out the equipment description...

"For the Targa Newfoundland, you need a car that can do everything. The suspension has to absorb some terrible roads at all speeds, but give tight handling and stability on smoother surfaces. It has to be comfortable for the long transits as well. The engine needs to be flexible with a wide powerband so there`s always acceleration available. And of course, it needs some safety gear to protect the driver and passenger.

Sounds like a pretty good car, doesn`t it? It is. And now we offer a package that lets you duplicate the 2006 Miata we ran in the 2011 Targa Newfoundland. With an extra 90 hp, beefed-up handling and safety gear, it`s ready to drive across the country, tear around the track - or roll up to the starting line of the Targa Newfoundland. We like to think of it as the Mazdaspeed that Mazda never made.

FM supercharger system
FM exhaust
ACT clutch (for cars with manual transmission)
FM springs
Tokico HTS shocks
FM sway bars
Hard Dog Sport double diagonal roll bar
Wheels and tires are not included. Please contact us to determine what the best setup for your needs would be. "

Then check out their price: $6,895.00

(pirated from www.flyinmiata.com without permission).

There's an opportunity here for somebody in the aftermarket... if only Toyobaru sales are sufficiently substantial to make a market.

[QUOTE=oneday;121292]I think Porsche already makes the kit you are looking for ...it's called a Cayman.

Or... maybe I'm reaching for the feeling of something else:

http://www.carpictures1.com/data/med...Martin_db4.jpg

http://www.astonmartin.com/heritage-...o_interior.jpg

Is that an Aston Martin Zagato? And you expect to translate a Japanese car to that 'feeling' somehow with a $7500 budget? Why not start with a Dodge Viper? Or a Citroen? Or a Toyota Sera? Or a Pontiac Fiero?

The Subaru/Toyota is what it is. Learn to love that. And be thankful that you'll already have plenty of options from the start. There will be plenty of mixing and matching. There will be a worldwide aftermarket. Just put a Scion nose on your Subaru and badge it as a Toyota GT86.

Your eye is sharp.

Now let's talk passion, history, and inspiration. Seriously. At length.

Who would have believed that a company that hadn't built a performance car in 10 years would have decided to throw out its own rule book, spend tens of millions on "passion", and use a Porsche Cayman as inspiration?

The result is a car that the EVO magazine testers rated at 5 stars in their first drive evaluation. When I want to read about automotive passion, I pick up EVO's annual edition of their Car of the Year road testing. 8 reviewers, 7 days, 14 cars, and very, very passionate writing about automotive excellence. If they thoroughly approve of Toyota's 86 product, I'll accept that it's already a world class automobile.

For 40 years, Ugo Zagato's design consultancy worked their genius on a succession of very good cars. The results? From the Alfa Romeo Gulia, the unforgettable Alfa Romeo Tubolare Zagato. (50 years on, I still remember my first encounter with one on a cold fall evening in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I can still see that car, as clearly as if were yesterday.) And from the 2+2 Aston Martin DB4, the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato.

During the 1950's, Sir David Brown enjoyed surprising success pitting his Aston Martins against a succession of Ferrari and Maserati creations in the Continent's most demanding motorsports arena; LeMans. In 1959 he sent 4 DB4 chassis to Milan. Wikipedia's description of what happened is pithy and direct: "Ercole Spada at Zagato transformed the DB4 GT into a smaller, more aerodynamic, super lightweight car. Many steel components were replaced by aluminium counterparts. Basically all non-essential elements disappeared, such as the bumpers. With the help of Perspex and aluminium components, more than 100 pounds (45*kg) was shed off the DB4 GT". Zagato retained the successful Aston Martin straight six engine, but increased power output by from 240 to 314 horsepower.

If I dream of making a very good car even better, I can look to Milan instead of Tokyo for my inspiration, and choose the arena of Targa New Zealand or Targa Newfoundland instead of LeMans or the Mille Miglia.

In the Toyota 86/Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ I start with the results of almost maniacal weight control, a bullet-proof engine, and sparkling handling. And most importantly, I start with a car that the most passionate testers on the planet have given their highest rating.

I reset the benchmark for my inspiration. Not the Porsche Cayman, but Ercole Spada's Aston Martin masterpiece. I choose to be inspired by the Zagato approach. Make a simple car even simpler. Simple in style and accommodation. Rely on the manufacturer to give provide more horsepower. And set the performance standard to compete in the most demanding road competition in North America, the Targa Newfoundland.

No body kits, no ground-scraping lowering, no filled wheel wells, no neon interiors. Smooth the exterior. Remove unneeded ornamentation. Remove the pretence of accommodating four occupants. Add power using the same basic engine (this time, through forced induction). Modify the suspension for roadgoing performance (by learning the lessons of the Targa Newfoundland MX5).

My hoped-for result? A 300 horsepower, 2,700 pound 2 seat GT, no frills added. fully capable of touring, at high speed, some of the most satisfying tarmac on my continent. Acceleration of 0-60 MPH in just over 6 seconds, and a top speed around 150 MPH.

Those results very closely match the configuration, dimensions, weight, power and performance specification of the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato.

I say... far from making Tetsudo Tada's creation something it's not, I'm extending Tada San's passionate vision by returning to Europe for inspiration. I set the bar high (again), and listen (again) to a different voice.

The first round comparison-based design exercise is complete and will be published tomorrow.

Targa Newfoundland? Is that like a style or something?

No it's a motorsports event. By the look and feel of it, more fun than we have any right to expect on the public roads. They took their inspiration from a southern hemisphere sister event called Targa New Zealand, which was in turn probably inspired by the legendary but now-defunct Mille Miglia.

Try http://www.targanewfoundland.com/. And you can get the real flavor of it on YouTube.

The Flyin' Miata folks prepped an MX5 NC and competed last year. They didn't spend a lot of money, and it looks the fun/dollar return on investment was huge. Being good businessmen, they packaged their modifications package for sale on their site. And I believe they put up a series of photos and blog entries about the build.

One more thing. I've visited Newfoundland, and remember it as a big rock populated by some of the nicest, most down-to-earth folks I'm ever likely to meet.

Honestly, throw out the rollbar, replace the shocks with konis or bilsteins, the springs with RCE Blacks, probably keep the stock clutch unless the SC is too much, relpace exhaust with intake (I'm too tired of loud exhaust, but love some good intake howl), and you preety much have the FR-S build I'd like to attempt. Throw in an extra set of some wider wheels for the track and you're done. Comfortably daily drivable, but can decimate a racetrack to some extent.