1985–89 Toyota MR2, first generation (AW11) chassis
This car is a unibody, so there's no separate frame to replace. The way to modernize it is to upgrade the original suspension, stiffen the body shell and fix the known weak spots.
Upgrade the original chassis
- How it's built
- Steel unibody
- Front suspension
- MacPherson struts with lower control arms, tension rods and coil springs. Manual rack-and-pinion steering.
- Rear suspension
- MacPherson strut independent rear suspension with lower control arms and trailing arms. The differential is part of the mid-mounted transaxle.
- Weak spots
- Rust appears in the rear wheel arches, rocker panels, floor pans and around the rear frame rails and engine bay. Rubber arm and tension-rod bushings and original struts are usually worn, and lowering changes the front geometry and bump steer.
Stiffening the body or frame? We list 3 kits for this car, such as frame rails, subframe connectors and braces, on its Chassis stiffening page.
Suspension and steering kits for the original chassis
| Area | Kit | What it does | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coilovers | Techno Toy Tuning Four Corner Coilover Kit (AW11 - MR2) | HyperCo springs, sleeves, weld-on perches and upper hats for all four corners; dampers not listed as included. | $785 Source |
| Coilovers | BC Racing 84-89 Toyota MR2 coilovers | BC Racing vehicle page; price is the lowest listed option. | $1,215 from Source |
| Front suspension | Techno Toy Tuning GTX2 Front Lower Control Arms and TC Rods (AW11 - MR2) | Adjustable front lower arms with tension rods. | $795 Source |
| Rear suspension | Techno Toy Tuning Rear Lower Control Arms and Trailing Arms (AW11 - MR2) | Adjustable rear lower arms and trailing arms. | $695 Source |
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