Someday... - Toyota Yaris Forums

Tonavi · 12-22-2011, 07:02 PM

Someday the Yaris will get old and tired and I will have a new car. Problem is the car has too much character (I've had it since I was 16 and it has gone on every roadtrip) for me to get rid of. Therfore, I have to do something with it that doesn't involve selling it. Let the daydreaming begin.

I don't post here all that much but figured this would be the best place to ask questions on it. I want the car to appear mostly stock from the outside and be civil enough for a daily driver yet a weapon on autocross and ice rallies. The stock frame in my experience is about as rigid as a fence post (not very) so I would build a full custom cage to reinforce it, adding safety and handling improvements. I'd gut the interior and put it all back together with a custom IP (stock speedo though) and felt tape around everything to quell rattles. I'd remove the rear seat and create a flat load floor as I haul stuff way more than people in the car. To offset the weight loss in back, I'll move the battery there to even the distribution out some more.

The engine I'm lost on what to do. I could build up the 1NZ and save a lot of effort on fabrication but can it make 200-220 HP reliably? Can the stock tranny handle it? Another option is a 2ZZ/6 speed swap from a first gen Matrix XRS. More wild options are the engine and transaxle from a Northstar Cadillac swapped into a custom rear subframe, for a mid engine Yaris. This would be tons of work though, yet one of a kind and certainly great handling a la Renault Clio Sport. Another I thought of was the AWD powertrain from an AWD Eclipse/Talon. The 4G63 can take a ton of power stock but because of the AWD I'd have to almost completely re-engineer the front suspension and steering. What other, less drastic swaps would work?

Anyways, enough daydreaming. What do you think would make this unique yet a secret weapon on the track/ice? By the time I'm ready to do it I will have about $12k set aside for mods and a brand new xB paid off.

wildcard · 12-22-2011, 08:45 PM

ZX-14 engine mounted where the rear seat was. Chain drive to a sprocket on a live axle.

marlondog · 12-23-2011, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildcard

ZX-14 engine mounted where the rear seat was. Chain drive to a sprocket on a live axle.

Is that a magazine for a P90 that I see?

flg · 12-23-2011, 06:54 AM

Build a good cage with rear subframe and mount another yaris drivetrain at the back wheels. AWD!

wildcard · 12-23-2011, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marlondog

Is that a magazine for a P90 that I see?

Yes.

cali yaris · 12-23-2011, 09:55 AM

How much racing have you done to date?

1.5 · 12-23-2011, 10:08 PM

why dont you make it a daily and get something that has power as the power car?

Captain Slow · 12-24-2011, 10:25 AM

agreed. use it for daily driving and get a Miata for autox and windy-road blasts. not that the yaris isn't fun to drive, but a Miata is like nothing you've driven before.

cali yaris · 12-24-2011, 06:50 PM

That's missing the point. The OP wants to keep the Yaris and buy a new daily - "someday".

So the whole thing is in the future anyway.

Nothing at all wrong with racing a Yaris, great car to learn in as a matter of fact. Properly set up they keep up with Miatas all day long.

Yaristeve · 12-25-2011, 04:44 AM

As long as we are daydreaming...

Like you (OP), I tend to get attached to my cars (I still have my 1979 Celica sitting in my garage waiting to be restored). I like the Yaris for its looks but not so much its FWD chassis. So, the obvious solution is...

as Wildcard suggests, to turn it into a mid-engine hatch like the Renault R5. Except, since I live in calif., I would just take the stock power train and stick it in the back and avoid any emissions issues.

Captain Slow · 12-25-2011, 09:20 AM

drive it until you get something much nicer one day, then gut it out and make a track day car, would be fun.

Betrivent · 12-25-2011, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yaristeve

As long as we are daydreaming...

Like you (OP), I tend to get attached to my cars (I still have my 1979 Celica sitting in my garage waiting to be restored). I like the Yaris for its looks but not so much its FWD chassis. So, the obvious solution is...

as Wildcard suggests, to turn it into a mid-engine hatch like the Renault R5. Except, since I live in calif., I would just take the stock power train and stick it in the back and avoid any emissions issues.

That would completely mess with the weight distribution of the car though

Yaristeve · 12-27-2011, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Betrivent

That would completely mess with the weight distribution of the car though

Oh, no doubt. It would go from 60/40 to 45/55? Just get fat rear tires and fender flares, like the R5...

10 Francis · 02-18-2012, 03:29 PM

While we're dreaming, how about an Subaru STI engine/trans in the back with driveshaft output removed? Lower center of gravity than other engines to be swapped to the rear, and may retain a little utility in the rear.
Personally, I'd keep the Yaris a dd, and build something else for a project. That's just me, though.

why? · 02-18-2012, 09:41 PM

the yaris as is is a good enough project. 200+ hp is doable, and the 1nz is probably the lightest engine you'll find that you actually would want to use. It would be interesting to see it spun around and put in the rear of the car. rwd yaris could be fun.

cali yaris · 02-18-2012, 09:55 PM

^ If they can do it with an iQ, the Yaris would be cake.

12-22-2011, 07:02 PM	#1
Tonavi Drives: 2007 Yaris HB Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: die Vereinigten Staaten Posts: 134	Someday... Someday the Yaris will get old and tired and I will have a new car. Problem is the car has too much character (I've had it since I was 16 and it has gone on every roadtrip) for me to get rid of. Therfore, I have to do something with it that doesn't involve selling it. Let the daydreaming begin. I don't post here all that much but figured this would be the best place to ask questions on it. I want the car to appear mostly stock from the outside and be civil enough for a daily driver yet a weapon on autocross and ice rallies. The stock frame in my experience is about as rigid as a fence post (not very) so I would build a full custom cage to reinforce it, adding safety and handling improvements. I'd gut the interior and put it all back together with a custom IP (stock speedo though) and felt tape around everything to quell rattles. I'd remove the rear seat and create a flat load floor as I haul stuff way more than people in the car. To offset the weight loss in back, I'll move the battery there to even the distribution out some more. The engine I'm lost on what to do. I could build up the 1NZ and save a lot of effort on fabrication but can it make 200-220 HP reliably? Can the stock tranny handle it? Another option is a 2ZZ/6 speed swap from a first gen Matrix XRS. More wild options are the engine and transaxle from a Northstar Cadillac swapped into a custom rear subframe, for a mid engine Yaris. This would be tons of work though, yet one of a kind and certainly great handling a la Renault Clio Sport. Another I thought of was the AWD powertrain from an AWD Eclipse/Talon. The 4G63 can take a ton of power stock but because of the AWD I'd have to almost completely re-engineer the front suspension and steering. What other, less drastic swaps would work? Anyways, enough daydreaming. What do you think would make this unique yet a secret weapon on the track/ice? By the time I'm ready to do it I will have about $12k set aside for mods and a brand new xB paid off.

12-23-2011, 09:55 AM	#6
cali yaris ULTIMATE View User's Garage Drives: 07 Yaris Turbo Join Date: May 2007 Location: Canoga Park, CA Posts: 14,859	How much racing have you done to date? __________________ Micro Image forums, online store and shop are now closed. It was a great eight year run, but it was time to focus on other things. I'm still selling parts on eBay under micro*image seller ID and customers can still make requests for anything specific.

12-23-2011, 10:08 PM	#7
1.5 Form>Function Drives: 07 Flint Sedan Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Tampa Posts: 4,018	why dont you make it a daily and get something that has power as the power car? __________________ Instagram: @southernstreets_phil Facebook.com/southernstreetsempire

12-24-2011, 10:25 AM	#8
Captain Slow My Face Is Ridiculous View User's Garage Drives: 2010 Toyota Yaris 3dr LB Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Scott, LA Posts: 456	agreed. use it for daily driving and get a Miata for autox and windy-road blasts. not that the yaris isn't fun to drive, but a Miata is like nothing you've driven before. __________________ {Buy my book - It Came From Tomorrow}

12-24-2011, 06:50 PM	#9
cali yaris ULTIMATE View User's Garage Drives: 07 Yaris Turbo Join Date: May 2007 Location: Canoga Park, CA Posts: 14,859	That's missing the point. The OP wants to keep the Yaris and buy a new daily - "someday". So the whole thing is in the future anyway. Nothing at all wrong with racing a Yaris, great car to learn in as a matter of fact. Properly set up they keep up with Miatas all day long. __________________ Micro Image forums, online store and shop are now closed. It was a great eight year run, but it was time to focus on other things. I'm still selling parts on eBay under micro*image seller ID and customers can still make requests for anything specific.

12-22-2011, 08:45 PM	#2
wildcard Drives: 09 3dr HB 5sp Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Missouri Posts: 33	ZX-14 engine mounted where the rear seat was. Chain drive to a sprocket on a live axle.

12-23-2011, 06:54 AM	#4
flg Drives: Silver Toyota Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: The Internet Posts: 11	Build a good cage with rear subframe and mount another yaris drivetrain at the back wheels. AWD!

12-25-2011, 04:44 AM	#10
Yaristeve Drives: 3-door hatch Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 519	As long as we are daydreaming... Like you (OP), I tend to get attached to my cars (I still have my 1979 Celica sitting in my garage waiting to be restored). I like the Yaris for its looks but not so much its FWD chassis. So, the obvious solution is... as Wildcard suggests, to turn it into a mid-engine hatch like the Renault R5. Except, since I live in calif., I would just take the stock power train and stick it in the back and avoid any emissions issues.

12-25-2011, 09:20 AM	#11
Captain Slow My Face Is Ridiculous View User's Garage Drives: 2010 Toyota Yaris 3dr LB Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Scott, LA Posts: 456	drive it until you get something much nicer one day, then gut it out and make a track day car, would be fun. __________________ {Buy my book - It Came From Tomorrow}

02-18-2012, 03:29 PM	#14
10 Francis Drives: 2010 Yaris S HB Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 33	While we're dreaming, how about an Subaru STI engine/trans in the back with driveshaft output removed? Lower center of gravity than other engines to be swapped to the rear, and may retain a little utility in the rear. Personally, I'd keep the Yaris a dd, and build something else for a project. That's just me, though.

02-18-2012, 09:41 PM	#15
why? Only Happy When it Rains View User's Garage Drives: Yaris LB Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: harnett county NC Posts: 4,097	the yaris as is is a good enough project. 200+ hp is doable, and the 1nz is probably the lightest engine you'll find that you actually would want to use. It would be interesting to see it spun around and put in the rear of the car. rwd yaris could be fun. __________________ Colin Chapman disciple

02-18-2012, 09:55 PM	#16
cali yaris ULTIMATE View User's Garage Drives: 07 Yaris Turbo Join Date: May 2007 Location: Canoga Park, CA Posts: 14,859	^ If they can do it with an iQ, the Yaris would be cake. __________________ Micro Image forums, online store and shop are now closed. It was a great eight year run, but it was time to focus on other things. I'm still selling parts on eBay under micro*image seller ID and customers can still make requests for anything specific.

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