Hi all,
Been looking at getting myself an SW20 turbo recently (never owned an MR2 before). What with lockdown putting an indefinite delay on things, I thought it might be good to use the time to answer a few nagging questions.
Would anyone with an SW20 be able tell me/measure how far off the ground the bumpers (front and rear) are? Assuming the car isn't on modified tyres/suspension of course. I have a nice dry garage to keep it in, only problem is my driveway is close to a 1/3 slope, so getting on and off is potentially a problem. The photos I've seen have never given me too much cause for concern, but it depends what the numbers actually are. All the household's other cars are fine, including a focus with a bodykit, if you go up at an angle. Also as the car I have my eye on is a JDM car, it has one of those caravan type aftermarket rear fogs below the bumper. If that's the only issue I may have to get myself a set of UK spec tail lamps as a matter of urgency.
Thanks in advance folks!
SW20 Nose / Tail height ?
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Many subjects will have been discussed before. Please try the search function before starting a new thread.
Check in the Know Your 2 as the information you need may already be there.
Important ! - Please make your topic title as descriptive as possible . titles with just "help" generally dont get as many answers as a title that points to the problem
Re: SW20 Nose / Tail height ?
The easiest way to check a ride height is to measure under the sills, front and rear on level ground. I think my standard Mk2 Rev3 was a minimum of 140 mm front and rear. After fitting coilovers it is now 120 mm front and rear. This is fine for clearance.
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Re: SW20 Nose / Tail height ?
regarding the fog light, there is a mod where the rear lights can be used as foglights, so no messing with sourcing UK lamps
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SilentWings
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Re: SW20 Nose / Tail height ?
Hmmm.
Spent an evening running around with the tape measure, looking at all our cars. Think perhaps the issue would be less the height, more the length of nose that's ahead of the front wheel. The nearer the wheels to the corners, the better.
140mm minimum height is close to the lowest car we have (the Focus) under the bumper, but most of them have pretty short noses (under 12"/30cm). This allows you to come onto the drive (which is at a right angle to the road) by coming at it along the road at a near right angle, getting one front tyre onto the start of the slope to start the front of the car lifting, then whack on full steering lock and start up, once both front tyres are on it's fine from there up. You scrape or come closest at the corner of the bumper on the side of whichever wheel you put on first, usually as you're getting that first wheel on.
Looking at photos of the MR2 and using the size of the wheel as a guide (24" diameter?), I'm guessing there's about 22"/56cm from front of wheel to nose. This is again, within an inch or so of the Focus, but the bumper on that car is more of a 'half moon' shape (from above), meaning it's only that full 22" length at the centre, and is nearer 12"/30cm at the corners of the car. The MR2's nose looks far more square.
Any thoughts?
Also thanks for the thought on the tail lights, have read the section you mean
Spent an evening running around with the tape measure, looking at all our cars. Think perhaps the issue would be less the height, more the length of nose that's ahead of the front wheel. The nearer the wheels to the corners, the better.
140mm minimum height is close to the lowest car we have (the Focus) under the bumper, but most of them have pretty short noses (under 12"/30cm). This allows you to come onto the drive (which is at a right angle to the road) by coming at it along the road at a near right angle, getting one front tyre onto the start of the slope to start the front of the car lifting, then whack on full steering lock and start up, once both front tyres are on it's fine from there up. You scrape or come closest at the corner of the bumper on the side of whichever wheel you put on first, usually as you're getting that first wheel on.
Looking at photos of the MR2 and using the size of the wheel as a guide (24" diameter?), I'm guessing there's about 22"/56cm from front of wheel to nose. This is again, within an inch or so of the Focus, but the bumper on that car is more of a 'half moon' shape (from above), meaning it's only that full 22" length at the centre, and is nearer 12"/30cm at the corners of the car. The MR2's nose looks far more square.
Any thoughts?
Also thanks for the thought on the tail lights, have read the section you mean
