well i thought it was about time i properly introduced myself!
Im Lee and i live near Sunderland.

About 6 weeks ago i bought a cheap mr2 that was advertised on a local forum for 300 pounds with no tax and test.

.

.after a bit of haggling i got it down to 230 pounds!

When i got it it looked a mess, filthy, no working electrics on most things as he had removed every fuse in the front frunk which explained why he sold it.

.

.he thought it had a head gasket problem but it didnt as he had removed the fuse for the front radiator causing it too overheat in traffic

(the plank), all trim painted red from rattle cans

(why red on a blue car!) matt black wheels and have i mentioned filthy? oh plus a smallish dent on nearside rear wing

(covered in black tape

)
looked like this:











so first thing was to put it in for an MOT.

.

.and it failed only on handbrake cable, headlamp alignment and one back bulb!

cost me 30 quid for the MOT and 35 quid for the defects.

now the idea was to do this on the very cheap to prove a point plus whats the point of putting 600 quid wheels on a 230 quid car!
so i started the refurb.

.

.wheels down first, cleaned, sanded, primed and rattle can'ed.

from this:



to this:



then plastic interior the same and rebuilt.

.

.also fixing the speedo!



the steering wheel was a mess.

.

.the last owner with his black tape fetish! had wrapped it all round the outside so when i pulled it all off, it took all the leather off leaving looking whiteish/grey.

.

.so that was repainted in new vinyl paint



engine cleaned up the best i could:



polished and clay bar'ed the car, now looked like this:







but i now wanted a better exhaust, bigger wheels and get rid off the standard steering wheel.

.

.you know how these things start snow balling! but how to do it cheap?

this is how:
I saw another MR2 for sale in Derby that was an unfinished project with all the bits i wanted.

.

.bit of haggling again got it down to 300 quid with 6 months tax and test.

It had a broke gearbox with no fifth or reverse gear

(which was fun driving it back 160 miles!) but came with a spare box to fit.

drove down in the Shogun to pick it up.

.

.lovely chap and he filled the shogun to the roof with spare parts too.

This is it:





got it home and started the transfer of parts to mine.

.

.

.16" wheels

(nissan ones i know!) steering wheel and all trim switched over and all electrics switched over too.

swapped the X brace over to the engine bay as well.

so it now looks like this:







to go on yet is the Apexi exhaust to swap over on Tuesday and i have just bought a TRD horn button off a member on here.

now.

.

.the best bit is the breakdown of costs.

car

= 230
mot

+ defects= 65
tax

= 101
rattle cans etc

= 22
total so far

= 418!!

The donor car cost me 300 plus 50 quid for fuel.

.

.

.

but i have already sold it on with all my standard stuff on

(kit staying on too) for 350 on another forum, guy has already paid for it.

so.

.

.

.

.

exhaust, wheels, steering wheel and interior etc

= FREE
TRD logos where free as i said the amp and sub that came with the donor car for 40 quid so paid with that, just sold a spare set of rev1 alloys that came with the donor car for 24 quid as well.

I still have tons of stuff to sell too so more stuff to buy yet.

So the car still cost me 418 quid.

.

.car plus tax and test.

.

.

.YIPPEE

I will add more pics as i go but all mods have to bee cheap or free!
It will never be a show car but what else can you drive for that money!

thanks for reading.

.

.

.

.lee

