Have picked up a donor mr2 to use as a test bed for the Bonito.

The rear has an awkward subframe and I'd like to convert it to double wishbones. Discussed this before and it was suggested to use off the shelf parts, mx5 or the like. As I have this here though I'd like to try it first.

With the design of the hub, there's a balljoint at the bottom, easy enough, the top as it's macp bolts straight to the strut.

Question is, if I used the top of the hub where it bolts to the strut to afix the top wishbone, will the lack of balljoint stop it from working?

With both bolts in it wouldn't work. What may work is going through one hole only and using a bearing either side of the hub arranged so the bolt does not move in the hole. Not sure what size that bolt is but it may not be strong enough.

So if i used the bottom of the 2 holes and enlarged that with a "fixed to the hub" bolt, that would work fine with the movement being rotational around the bolt only for the wishbone arms?

It doesn't need the castor movement a balljoint would allow to work?

Will be easy enough to open up the lower hole on the strut and make it an open ended catch rather than a hole.

I use the same hub on the Furore with a double wishbone setup.

At the bottom I remove the bottom balljoint & bolt a bracket on which accepts the end of the wishbone, it has a long 10mm bolt thro' which takes standard poly bushes in the wishbone end & protrudes thro' the rear of the bracket & has the lower shock mount slid onto it & then washer & nut - it's not an absolutely ideal arrangement as the bolt is in single shear, but as it only has a very short moment behind the bracket the forces aren't that great & I have yet to see one bent, never mind broken, including substantial track use. You could keep the standard bottom balljoint instead, but then you'll need to find another shock mounting position.

At the top, if you look behind the McP strut mount there is a short section of the top of the hub with a web down each side, I cut the McP mounts off immediately forward (towards centre of car) & have the centre accurately machined out to accept a 12mm rose joint as a light push fit (the hub is cast, so you really don't want to be bending the sides as you bolt up the rose joint). 12mm bolt goes through the centre & the rosejoint is attached to the wishbone, bingo, one double wishbone rear suspension for peanuts!

What's more the Toyota driveshafts & wheel bearings appear bullet proof, I've always used 2nd hand as they come off the donor unless the bearing was obviously knackered & I've only ever replaced one bearing (which was shot when I got it). You also have a decent handbrake caliper & a toe adjustment should you want it (we don't use it & cut the arm off).

You should be aware there were 2 different versions of the rear end setup on the car, both look the same at first glance, but the early cars - '85 to '86 had smaller rear discs, the hub itself was smaller & had different size bolts in the bottom, 10mm instead of 12 & had a smaller rear disc, you can do as i have described above with either, but i would recommend the later hub as being the better option. So far as I am aware the driveshafts were the same in both cases.

HTH Russ

Do you have any pics of that Russ?

Should have said it's an na mk2 I'm using but i know how similar the hubs are.

They must be very similar as from the doagram I had just assumed it was Mk1, looks a very similar setup even down to the casting shapes, if you u2u me your email I can send you some pics direct, save uploading to here first

They weigh a bloody ton, being cast steel IIRC.

Very similar to the rear of the Celica GT4

http://www.gtfours.co.uk/how_to/rear_bushes/022.jpg