what do do with my MR2?

I just welcomed a 1984 MR2 to my family of cars and it runs really well (has 400k km though!!!). The body is in good condition, but as with most old cars some work is required. I wont be touching it until I'm finished the black micra this year but I'm curious as to what path I should take.

a) transplant 4a-ge to gze supercharged?
b) get a 4a-ge with less km on it and turbo?
c) rebuild the 4a-ge engine, keep it n/a but build it for powerful n/a application?

It's already a pocket rocket at 90ish kw but I definitely want more out of it.

Also, I could honestly get a RWC for it tomorrow and it cost $600 :D what a steal :D

It's been ages since I looked at the specs of the 4a motors, but I'd be inclined to get a lowish km 20v 4age in there and avoid the hassles of modding and rebuilding. They are the same or slightly higher HP than the 4agze, but I think less torque. But by the sounds of things you're keen to do some work to the motor anyhow.

The 4agze is getting old, but I think they already have forged internals from the factory so that would be a good option. Maybe get that in there first and run it with the SC, then when you're ready to spend money on the turbo you've already got something strong to build on.

I really like the old original MR2.

I would suggest not going gze, you'll hate how gutless it is and that it doesn't rev. My bro has recently put a turbo 4ag in his aw11 and it's great!

Why would you call the gze gutless anyway. Plus the 4ag doesnt come in turbo form from the factory so the only way to get a turbo 4ag is to install a gze and turbocharged it. Unless you want to reinvent the wheel, considering that a 4agze engine block can withstand 150+kw all day every day from factory, and that a very conservative figure.
If your looking for a daily then get a low mileage 4agze and some pulley and be done with it as Mr2 isn't design for straight line racing.

The best engine to have fun in for a aw11 is actually a 16v 4age NA engine which is what already in the car as it give better weight distribution and great for the track. Sure the engine is old now but during it prime 1984-1989 prior to honda b16, the NA 4age is probable one of the best NA engine in the world. Just to but into perspective for all the muscle car fan out there, 100kw from 1600cc thats equate to 312kw in 5000cc for an engine build in the mid to late 80's. If money is not an issue your could potentially build a 10000rpm race engine from a 4age. Google formula atlantic 4age if you want to know how to build one, how many mass produce engine can do that?

I have driven a factory 4agze in an import aw11 MR2 and it impressed me...

Nick...

I pulled the sc12 and NST 180mm crank pulley off my 4agze and replaced it with an old t3 turbo. Made 30% more power on the same boost, raised the usable revs by 1500rpm and was infinitely better to drive.

The T-VIS on the 1st version of the 4a-gze is very unresponsive if you don't know how to drive it. If you want a fast take off you should always have about 4000 rpm as you let the clutch out or you'll feel like a snail at the lights. The turbo definitely fixes that but as said above the gze can go and go and go.

Planning to build a sideways car :D

"Planning to build a sideways car :D"

LOL dont kill yourself doing it.
Ever play Mario cart when you slip on a banana and spin? Well thats what happen you drive a mid-engine rear wheel car. Not many people able to gasp that concept of how to drive such car hence not many car manufacture make them. However with that being said if you can manage to drift one let me know, i havent able to drift one yet dont have the heart to destroy my pride and joy. :)

AW11s are no good. Lots of my friends have them, some went mental, others stock-ish, and they all seem to be a rare breed of people claiming A Ferrari like driving experience from their little 'Midship Runabouts'. I believe this to be a fallacy.

I've driven a few 4A bigport, 20V and GZE examples. None impressed me. Oh, and working on them? try detensioning the belts. What a joke of a car to work on. The good 15-ish hours I've spent on them was not worth it in anyway..

my pick would be - tidy it up, sell it for a lovely SW20 and actually go sideways. I dunno about you, but I like a car that's playful and doesn't want to send you into a spiral of death every time it feels some oversteer.

The SW20 they got right, and <5k will get you one these days. Can be setup to be quite playful if you have balls to match.

My 2 cents!

I'm actually thinking of cleaning it, fixing the little aesthetic flaws and flipping it for 2 grand...

It's a great car but I have to focus on my daily and black car projects right now.

Check your email!

I have a forged 1jzgte twin turbo motor
ecu & intercooler
gt4083 turbo
with a racing exhaust universal
$3500
motors worth around 10k

Well all my thoughts above set aside; I am buying a 200k km 4agze plus loom, ecu & LSD gearbox from another supercharged aw11 mr2 for $3000 couriered to my door.

Having picked up micra boxes and engines for $300 I feel like I'm getting ripped off but ebay, importmonster etc all float around those prices.

Can't wait to swap it all into it.

Engine swap 3000, car 600, all the rest to fill in the gaps for Goldsworthy I've set myself a limit of 5500 and it'll be my new daily.