About TF-R
What’s TF-r?
We’re a pair of car enthusiasts located in the Midlands, UK. Neither of us are mechanics by trade, but over the past few years, we’ve spent 1000’s of hours working with Toyotas, along the way collecting what we’d consider a large focused quantity of knowledge.
Our goal is to understand the ZZW30 platform, modifying it with a heavy focus on driving enjoyment and reliability, ultimately becoming honed, driver focused track cars.
Our toolset is modest and our mindset is humble, however our ambitions are clear: If we can do it ourselves, we will.
What’s the Site For?
We’re setting up this site to provide back to Toyota enthusiasts like us. Our goal is to fill the site with useful tutorials, knowledge and interesting articles - something like how those early 2000 forums used to be.
If we’ve moved your project on, or even just distracted you for a moment to look at some rusty old Toyotas - we’ve done our job!
Who’s Tom?
I’ve been obsessed with Toyotas for decades, starting back around 1998 with the Granturismo titles on Playstation. The first Toyota I ever sat in was my dad’s: an AW11 generation MR2, which set the seed.
Since then I’ve owned a whole bunch of Japanese metal, some special and some not so special, but all branded with the three ovals of Toyota.
When it comes to MR2’s, I unfortunately missed my chance to pick up an affordable AW11 or straight SW20, but after a close friend offered me his ZZW30, I jumped at the chance to finally get my own mid-engined fix.
Driving the ZZW30 changed something for me, everything else felt cumbersome or loose in comparison. Without much hestitation plans started to come together and the little black MR2 became something more than just a little Japanese runabout.
Who’s Fraser?
I have always had a love for cars and particular interest in Japanese vehicles. My second car was a 350z which I owned for a little over 5 Years. Nissan’s last sports car before Renault ruined everything. I also owned a C5 Audi RS6. Owning that RS6 was like owning a stick of dynamite with a lit fuse. Even the gearbox was a consumable wear item. Truly horrific to own.
After owning one of the least reliable Audi’s around, and that’s saying something, I had the need for reliability. And after turning the 350z into a too-brutal-to-daily drift spec car, I had the need for comfort. However, I had also gotten into sim racing and knew I needed to at least do track days with.
This is where Tom’s influence came in. I had helped Tom 2ZZ swap his MR2. As soon as I drove it I knew I needed one. I sold the RS6. Bought an MR2 within a month. I sold the 350z. Bought a Phase 3 Lexus GS300 soon after. Before I knew what happened Tom had corrupted me.