How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

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Dunc
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How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by Dunc »

I'm really keen on getting it done on mine down in woodsport, but i'm curious to see how many people have actually done it.

It seems like an awesome conversion to do and there's no doubt a million and a half threads about it so sorry if this is a topic that comes up all the time!

Cheers,

Dunc
There must have been oil on the road, officer. my car wouldn't just go sideways like that
jasongtr
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by jasongtr »

you need to ask what you want out of the car.

ive owned a rev1 v6, that i reshelled into a rev4 tintop (never quite made it back onto the road though)

was going for the ultimate V6, bought the engine from a paul woods group buy over on twobrutal, but ended selling the engine on to Paul Woods that he is putting in a mk1 mr2.

the cheapest option is a 3vzfe V6 from the early camry, then theres the 1mz (runs coils not a dizzy - alloy block too i think) then theres the daddy the 2grfe - 3.5v6 with headers will see 325hp, thats the engine i sold to Paul, but the engine on its own was £2400, then you need the fitting kit, ecu etc etc.

i decided to stick with a rev3 turbo as its easy cheap power, as much as i love the sound of a v6 (or even v8)
synXero
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by synXero »

There are a huge number of DIY guides on Two Brutal.
Torero
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by Torero »

Hi Dunc,

I did mine with the help of the TwoBrutal crew and it's awesome. I'm not a massive fan of turbos but that is purely through personal experience, so Chris (cdwood2010) and myself fitted a 3VZ-FE and I've never regretted it.

Chris has done several of them but uses Paul Woods guides and quite often some help from the man himself so it's consistent with the Woodsport way of doing things. I also have the build thread on TB if you want to see it.

All I can say is that it is outstanding, it blows your mind the amount of low end torque it has and will accelerate through all gears, it just seems like the power is there all the time. Every time I drive it I have a grin on my face that you couldn't remove with an angle grinder. :D

What you need to do is to get someone to take you out in one and find out for yourself or even get to somewhere like JAE where there will be a range of cars with all the engines Jason has mentioned so you can get someone to take you out in each of them.

Hope that helps,

John.

http://www.twobrutal.co.uk/forum/showth ... t=vendetta

You need to register with TB to view it, Dunc.
3VZ-FE V6 TRD Widebody Replica

Draven wrote "TRD dude. TRD... Can see awesomness from anywhere. "

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic. ... sc&start=0
blue2
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by blue2 »

I had mine done back in 2008 by Woodsport. Cant agree more with the above post. The power is always on, really torquey, you can pull off in 2nd from a stand-still no problems and 3rd too with slight judder lol.
synXero
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by synXero »

Torero wrote:...Every time I drive it I have a grin on my face that you couldn't remove with an angle grinder...


Such an MR2-owner statement :lol: :lol:
blue2
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by blue2 »

Since Ive had my V6 Ive also owned a 540 bmw that has a 4.4 V8, a 330 clubsport bmw, 3 litre straight 6. Sold both and still have the mr2, that should say how good they are. :twisted:
Torero
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by Torero »

synXero wrote:
Torero wrote:...Every time I drive it I have a grin on my face that you couldn't remove with an angle grinder...


Such an MR2-owner statement :lol: :lol:
:D :D :D
3VZ-FE V6 TRD Widebody Replica

Draven wrote "TRD dude. TRD... Can see awesomness from anywhere. "

http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic. ... sc&start=0
gavsdavs
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by gavsdavs »

I love mine - it's transformed the car from being a bit underpowered and too noisy into a wonderful GT car - it moves effortlessly.

Was a mk2 rev2 2.0 n/a - kept well - now has a 2GR (Woodsport)
(Jason - the engines are around $2400 (not £) but you're right they're not cheap)
The car & the build thread are both on TB (can't post the links)

If you
- have a lot of money invested already in the car in maintenance..
- are confident that you're going to keep the car long enough to enjoy it - you're not going to *make* money doing this..
- have the cash

Highly recommended :)
jasongtr
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by jasongtr »

thanks for the advice on the engine price but i know what i paid and what Paul Woods paid to buy it off me.

cheers :thumleft:
jasongtr
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by jasongtr »

thanks for the advice on the engine price but i know what i paid and what Paul Woods paid to buy it off me.

cheers :thumleft:
gavsdavs
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by gavsdavs »

jasongtr wrote:thanks for the advice on the engine price but i know what i paid and what Paul Woods paid to buy it off me.
cheers :thumleft:

Engine+Shipping+Import Tax....is around £2500, yes. Its a shame they have to be imported....
jasongtr
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by jasongtr »

not likely to get one to the uk without shipping and import duties
p5ycho
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by p5ycho »

Did mine myself, used a 3vz,
my mr2 is a well looked after with full service history rev2, (John) Torrero has read my post over on twobrutal, the forum has all the advice you need and likeminded people who are always prepared to help,

I did my swap alone from teardown of camry , dismantling and rebuild of the v6 to fitting into the 2 and wiring up, had help with menouvering the engine and heavy bits, and Chris Cdwood on twobrutal very kindly lent me his engine crane and even came and helped bolt gearbox back to the v6 and helped hang it in the 2,..
was a great achievement when car fired up 1st turn of the key,

I took my time and managed the whole process in 4 weeks, working a few hours here and there daily , but I worked out that if I had worked on the car for 6 hours a day solid I probably would have done the complete swap in under a week..

engine out the camry and straight into the mr2 without replacing any servicing components can be done in a day, so a full swap can probably be completed in a weekend if u just ripping the v6 out a camry and straight into a mr2, providing there is 2 of you working at it and you have all the necessary bits needed to hand..

power wise, just like John says the power delivery is smooth and instant, and transforms the car from the 3sge it originally had..
I can drive mine in 5th gear at 30mph round town and soon aas u tough the throttle it launches forward, if I push hard in 1st it tears chunks out the back tires and wants to go sideways,,
Dunc
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by Dunc »

Well the 2 i've got is a rev 3, with 66k miles and a full service history, and i plan to keep it that way. obviously i can make some money back with an engine with such low miles, but i'm saving the cash away to get this done.

What are they like for fuel? last i measured on a blast i was getting less than 20mpg, and the highest i've had is 35. Obviously something a bit easier on the wallet would be nice!

I was ridiculously close to buying one i saw on ebay, which was going for about £3k so i see what you mean about not making money off it :lol:

I do quite fancy getting a 3vz but the hard part is actually finding one...
There must have been oil on the road, officer. my car wouldn't just go sideways like that
blue2
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by blue2 »

"power wise, just like John says the power delivery is smooth and instant, and transforms the car from the 3sge it originally had..
I can drive mine in 5th gear at 30mph round town and soon aas u tough the throttle it launches forward, if I push hard in 1st it tears chunks out the back tires and wants to go sideways"

One of my favourite aspects of it. Driving in 5th at 30 its barely above 1000 revs. Launching it in 1st is addictive, Ive calmed down a lot lately but thats due in part to the expense of rear tyres. Thats the only downside, expect to go through 2 sets of rears a year if your driving daily.
p5ycho
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by p5ycho »

blue2 wrote:"power wise, just like John says the power delivery is smooth and instant, and transforms the car from the 3sge it originally had..
I can drive mine in 5th gear at 30mph round town and soon aas u tough the throttle it launches forward, if I push hard in 1st it tears chunks out the back tires and wants to go sideways"

One of my favourite aspects of it. Driving in 5th at 30 its barely above 1000 revs. Launching it in 1st is addictive, Ive calmed down a lot lately but thats due in part to the expense of rear tyres. Thats the only downside, expect to go through 2 sets of rears a year if your driving daily.


Hahaha.. I know exactly what you mean there chap, good job I change my daily to a french diseasal after driving the 2 for couple of months with the v6..lol

fuel wise I found the v6 to return slightly better economy on motorway and round town mine seems to drink the same as the 3sge I pulled out..
but its all about smiles per gallon not miles per gallon with these cars..

as for the availabilty of 3vz engine,
I found 2 cars on ebay within a few minutes.. but they are fast becoming rare and as people know we use the engines for swaps they have started putting prices up..
heres the links and sorry I don't intend on pisson on someones chips but the op said he couldn't find any 3vz'z..

here is one on auction ..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/toyota-camry- ... 2c6e575bcb

and here is another on auction
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-CAMRY- ... 1c3212c83e

and a buy it now
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1997-TOYOTA-C ... 257cc75e65

another
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Camry- ... 2329704be1
Dunc
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by Dunc »

Thanks for that.

I suppose the hard part isn't findinng one, it's finding one close enough that it's not going to cost me an arm and leg to get it back up to my workshop.

better start saving now, get one, then spend as much time as i please stripping and re-building the engine.

A lot of you are on about twobrutal, i think i heard there's somewhere on there i can buy a fabricated drivers side engine mount?

Cheers,
There must have been oil on the road, officer. my car wouldn't just go sideways like that
jasongtr
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by jasongtr »

speak to paul woods about the mount - he might still have some
thomp1983
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Re: How many of you have done the V6 conversion?

Post by thomp1983 »

bout time you got yourself over here dunc (i posted about your 2 on bcf), get yourself over to twobrutal aswell all the info you need is there. 3vz's come up for sale reasonably often could just get one pallet shipped to you or ask any local members if they could store a car for you short term if you see one you like.

chris
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