Ferrari F430 Spyder Replica

Where it all began over 10 years ago. This was my first Kit Car Build. I took a 2002 Toyota MR2 Mk3 and converted it into a Ferrari F430 Spyder Replica.  This build took me 466 hours from start to finish between the years of 2013 and 2015.

 

I built the majority of the car round my Dad’s house and once it was painted, I completed it at my house. The build was pretty straight-forward. No welding was required, although some cutting with the angle-grinder made for a nervous time. I had planned to keep the original Toyota engine, hence why I bought a donor car with only 29,000 miles on the clock.

 

However, once the car was on the road, I decided to swap out the engine as well. I had a Lexus RX300 3VFZ engine installed. 3.0 V6! It sounded awesome and drove pretty-well too 😊. I also installed BC Racing Coilovers after the new engine was fitted.

I also heavily modified the interior of the car, including new top dash, bespoke centre console, open speedo cluster & centre rear speaker. I upgraded the front lights to use DRL switch-back indicators, designed my own fake brake calliper setup and the fake rear-engine cover when thru 3 different iterations – I am especially proud of the baked-bean cans used on the engine cover.

Once it was on the road, I didn’t really use it that much (apart from the first year). Plus, in 2017 I started my second build (Porsche 911 GT3 Replica) and then in 2019 my third build (Porsche 911 GT3 RS Replica). Having built 2 other cars during the ownership of the Ferrari I really didn’t get much chance to drive it (Possibly 300 miles per year).

It was when I decided to start build #4, I thought it was about time the Ferrari was sold to someone who’d use it more. In June 2021, I sold it to a very good friend of mine who still has it to this day 😊

Click on the below picture to see the full Build-Diary slide show of how I built this car: