JHclassics dino conversion

[ACE.]

I'm considering having JHclassics do a dino conversion on my MR2. Has anyone from this board heard anything about the company? It's a fairly costly affair and my car has to be transported to Uk from Denmark (where I'm from) and so I would like to know a little about the company before committing to a deal.

[JeffD]

The chap behind the company used to make the deon (which are more accurate shape IMO) and they come up for sale now and again

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/clas ... ica/474690


Heres a ready made mr2 one

http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/clas ... 006/705999

How much are you intending to spend? (no worries if you dont want to say) but if its anywhere near £25k youd be better off going to the company who he sold the deon too and they reworked it to be better - self build is approx £25k

http://www.dinomotorcompany.com/

BTW The mr2 ones have been up on ebay recently for IIRC approx £13/14k

[2tmike]

Hi,
I've had a look at one of these and met the owner. The cars are very faithful reproductions and the finish on the one I saw was superb. The owner is a true enthusiast and will build what you want...although you'll have an argument if you want it painted a silly colour!!!
Good luck, wish I could afford one
Mike

[nickg07]

Don't do it you'll just ruin an Mr it will never be a real dino...

[jasongtr]

i went with a mate of mine to collect some mr2 panels he was selling of car he was converting, i saw one whilst i was there, i have to say they look very good, interior doesnt look like a mr2 interior with a few bits added as it has a proper dash overlay and different clocks etc.

The one i saw also could of had a better finish imho as they are not cheap, upwards of £20k to include the car/kit and of course a V6.

but if the finish/paint was spot on then its a great looking car and whilst im not normally a fan of reps this is very good considering anyone thinking of it probably couldnt afford £200,000 for a real one.

He also claimed a ferrari fanatic stood there and swore blind to him it was a real one, so if thats true praise indeed

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

It will never be the real thing. Spend the money on making your car a special mr2 that can surprise newer and more expensive cars, much more fun than sitting feeling paranoid that people can tell your car isn't real.

[jasongtr]

Exactly. It will never be the real thing. Spend the money on making your car a special mr2 that can surprise newer and more expensive cars, much more fun than sitting feeling paranoid that people can tell your car isn't real.

unlike the crappy 355/360 conversions, i would doubt anyone other than an anal ferrari enthuiast could tell it not real they are that good, considering also that mot people dont know what a real one cost, that said if you leave the silly little 4 pot (inc turbo) in the car its a total give away

this is the sort of conversion that you cannot lump into the same catagory as other reps unless you have actually seen one

also spending £20k on an mr2 is insane

[Peter Gidden]

It will never be the real thing. Spend the money on making your car a special mr2 that can surprise newer and more expensive cars, much more fun than sitting feeling paranoid that people can tell your car isn't real.

I agree. It's a bit like buying a fake Rolex off eBay.. Looks good from a distance, but don't get too close.

[JeffD]

I dont think these look very accurate at all. Wrong stance and the MR2 roofline is all wrong whereas the other types had an entirely replacement bodyshell - sort of makes it look a bit chubby :-(

Seriously, either buy a 2nd hand early deon for about £17/18k or better still go for the other companies - many of their bits actually fit real dinos and are a source of spare parts. Or better still get a real Ferrari :-)

[ACE.]

the laws in Denmark prevent me from buying a Deon or other types of kit cars.. the only way you can get away with a replica in Denmark is getting it done as a conversion on an already registered car. It has to be done on my own car as the import tax in Denmark is ridiculously high.

Regarding trying to look like a Ferrari.. I actually spent alot of time trying to find bodykits or just general designs that I could have custom built, but at the end of the day, nothing I could come up with looked as good as this replica.. I don't really care that it's trying to copy a Ferrari. I only care that the car ends up looking better than any MR2 could ever do (personal opinion).. The car will be running a 2GRFE.

Thanks for the replies.. sounds like he is an alright guy.

[craig]

Regarding trying to look like a Ferrari.. I actually spent alot of time trying to find bodykits or just general designs that I could have custom built, but at the end of the day, nothing I could come up with looked as good as this replica.. I don't really care that it's trying to copy a Ferrari. I only care that the car ends up looking better than any MR2 could ever do (personal opinion).. The car will be running a 2GRFE.

Thanks for the replies.. sounds like he is an alright guy.

A decently kitted MR2 will look better than trying to make the car something it's not.

[ACE.]

thats your opinion.

I'll challenge it a bit. You could argue that the coversion kit is a bodykit just like any other.. in that case, I think it gives the car a more beautiful look than any other bodykit available.. and I dare to say, I've looked through all of them.. Before I decided on this conversion I was set on one of two other options:

-Palatina kit. (very expensive widebody kit made by MR2 centrum europe in Germany)

-Eurou front bumper (very rare japanese kit. I actually managed to get a hold of one of these before changing my mind), greddy sideskirts (also got these) and custom rear.

But no matter how I tried to put it together, everything just seemed out of place. The kit would always stick out and it would just look a little bit off. So in my opinion the MR2 looks the best as stock (lowered a little, maybe with subtle changes as revised clear rear lights, and rev6 headlights) or with this conversion - because it's done as a whole.. you don't just add parts to the original design.. you change the entire look of the car. And since I find the stock look to be too common, I end up with the Dino replica.

Besides, the 246 Dino looks gorgeous. If I end up driving something that resembles it, even just a bit, I will consider myself lucky.

[alanmr2turbo]

It's your car at the end of the day and not matter what replica kit you put on it it'll still look 1000's of time better than the Veilside kit

[Marlowe]

Reminds me a bit of the Retroforza MX5s, but it's your MR2 at the end of the day. I don't get why anyone wants to stick body kits or after market spoilers of any description upon a car with very classic lines, but I'd never knock someone else for doing it.

Ultimately it's your car, so if you can accept with having something that looks 'nearly' right, and don't mind paying the premium for that look, go for it and all the best.

[synXero]

Good luck with the Palatina

[JeffD]

Make sure its a keeper as its unlikely you'll ever be able to recoup the build cost

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... SS:GB:1123

[Charged]

It is your car as others have said, different strokes for different folks.. the trouble is, when most MR2 owners / car enthusiasts see an MR2/ any car dressed up as something it isn't, they tend to point and laugh and poke holes in it, I know I do. It's just the way it is. I think you'll struggle to get much enthusiasm from an MR2 community for a fake Ferrari, however nice it is.

[rev3gtturbo]

...any car dressed up as something it isn't, they tend to point and laugh and poke holes in it, I know I do. It's just the way it is. ...

Bit like your avatar, although that sheep looks like it might bite back lol

Sorry could not resist

[Vampire]

the guy who build these is a great bloke. hes a tru enthusiast, trying to give you the chance to own something that otherwise you could never afford.

If it makes you happy, then do it, you only live once.

[Driftlimits Performance]

yeah but ollies car is special on the inside