Matrix TR-42, a mid-engined RWD suby kit car

[spaceywilly]

Hi everyone,

I am very new to the kit car scene so I'm sorry if this is general knowledge, but I found another kit car that is very similar in concept to the new FFR design. The TR-42 by Matrix Motor Werks is an exocar (like the Ariel Atom) that was originally designed to use a Porsche 914 drivetrain but was designed with Suby power in mind. There are currently 2 Suby-powered prototype cars well into the assembly phase. I thought the FFR guys might be able to get some ideas from these builds. It is also a great chance to see what the underpinnings of the new design might look like, and of course it's a really neat car in its own right and worth checking out. Here are the 2 build threads over at exocars.net which are definitely worth a read if you are interested in the FFR's new model.

tl;dr: a cool suby-powered kit car

Erik's Mako - Suby powered TR-42, Chassis #002 (http://www.exocars.net/showthread.php?t=6962)

Marty's Mako - Suby powered TR-42, Chassis #004 (http://www.exocars.net/showthread.php?t=6940)

Cheers,
Mike

[Kc_Shane]

can you get pic from the links? I'm not going to join to see what they are.

[spaceywilly]

There are tons of pics and it doesn't seem like they allow linking so I'd say it's probably worth creating an account. There is also a thread on NASIOC that has some pics, but none showing the engine in. Here are a few from that thread:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2093090

http://images.thesamba.com/vw/gallery/pix/728472.jpg
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww301/hipowernut/TR-42%20build/TR-42.jpg?t=1290983002
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww301/hipowernut/cluster.jpg?t=1295922221
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww301/hipowernut/left2.jpg?t=1295922221
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww301/hipowernut/left3.jpg?t=1295922221
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww301/hipowernut/leftdetail.jpg?t=1295922221
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww301/hipowernut/right1.jpg?t=1295922221

[agepag]

Originally I thought the green car was from FF. I think that looks great and I hope that they go in that direction or the K1.

[Benji]

There is also the SDR WR3 V-Storm exo style kit car which was released a while ago based on a Subaru engine:

http://www.sdrsportscars.co.uk/home.html

Benji

[spaceywilly]

here is a shot with the engine in place:

http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww301/hipowernut/erik2.jpg?t=1297868926

[Franknbeans]

Did these things ever kick off? Can't find anything about them anymore.

(Back from dead thread)

[billjr212]

based on the last posts of one of the build threads linked above, seems the company folded and the jigs/molds were sold off to IAG Performance. Based on their website and a google search, seems to have essentially died/gone dormant: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2093090&page=70

[K3LAG]

Nope. IAG Performance here in Maryland bought the rights to it. They have one running around, but at this point they have no plan to produce it. Maybe some day.

At least that's the last I heard when I asked them about it a while back.

Larry

[Mechie3]

Tamra has some photos in their build thread of it at the wicked big meet. I never could figure out the original setup. It's as though one guy made the frame, another guy was building it, but was building it for someone, but was redesigning the whole thing, but he made it, but he didn't...I never could get a straight answer. IAG does own the rights to it now though as said.