Dans Rev1 GT Turbo.

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

Well, I have never put a profile on here but found a load of old pictures on disc today, so I have decided to whack them up! Please excuse the quality of them!

I thought it would be a good idea to make a profile thread as I find the `garage` section a useful part of the site for a log of mods, so I shall update this every now and then with pics and progress also.

Please feel free to leave comments but be aware that this is to be a Veilside kitted vehicle lol, so I realise that it will not be to everyones taste.

Apart from basic service parts oil and oil filter/spark plug changes etc (and easy stuff like stripping the interior out etc), I send my car away to be worked on as I work full time and do not have the time (or really the expert skills!) to get the car where I want it as quickly as I would like, so I am currently ploughing money into it with 3S Service Centre to gradually get it straight for summer.

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

So, before moving onto my current car, this was my first MR2... A blue H reg rev 1. I bought this from a lady owner in Ratby Leics, understanding that it was a 2litre 16v, but at the time had no idea that it was the less powerful FE engined model! That was back in about 2005.

I ran it to about 150k on the clock and it eventually developed a few issues being used as a daily driver to Northampton and back. I sold it on this site back in 2007 to member TeccyJim, who at the time intended to get it running well again and have it as a winter runabout.




By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-27


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-27


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-27

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

So, whilst I had been out and about enjoying the comfy blue interior of my underpowered U.K moonroof, I had started to notice the different variations of MR2`s knocking around and fancied a T-Bar.. So I went out and bought myself (in November 2007) my current Revision 1 import GT Turbo, T-Bar model, on a G plate.

I got a train to Birmingham to have a look at it, and to be honest it was a rash buy! It needed A LOT (and still does!!) of work. I dont have the original picture with the original wheels, but I changed them that first week as 2 of the standard wheels where cracked and leaked air from the tyres, so here are the pics of when I first had the car on 18`s... Which without any bodykit, make the car look like it is trying to be some kind of mini monster truck!


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-27

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

The car was the GT model but....

Had no stereo.
Ripped and worn half leather/alacantra seats/interior.
Electric folding wingmirrors that did not work.
One headlight motor was knackered.
Boost issues.
Suspension soon began to knock.
Petrol flap was difficult to open....

No record of cambelt change... The list goes on and on. I could have scrapped her, but my work situation improved and I could keep the car as a weekend toy. Maybe looking back, I could have saved and gone and bought a fully sorted rev3 plus, but where would be the satisfaction in that? And knowing that virtually EVERYTHING needs sorting from scratch, I will know exactly what has been done, what has been replaced, and where and who worked on it. It`s a keeper for me, and will be worth more to me than any resale value I could ever get. I`m too attached to let it go!


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-27

Next thing after putting the wheels on I tinted the rear lights and added a carbon centre panel, not to everyones taste and I have since redone this and added red U.S reflector triangles to improve it for drivers behind me. The GT Turbo lettering has also gone and replaced with a simple one piece `Turbo` badge which looks a bit neater.

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

After a basic service, spark plug change to NGK and an oil and filter change, new brake pads (still rev1 brakes on at the time) and knowing that the car was going to require a full respray anyway, I invested in a full Veilside kit. I had this fitted on the cheap at the time (buy cheap buy twice..), and the guys at 3S are currently sorting some of the issues with it 3 years on! But here is how it looked way back in 2008/2009ish when it had been put onto the faded pink Tubby...


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-27

Got my plate off retention around that time too.


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-27

Bought a new headlight motor and sorted that issue, and stopped a couple of wires touching inside the dash which along with a couple of new fuses fixed the folding wingmirrors and interior lights. (That was through advice on this site as I had no clue at the time which fuse or where to look etc).

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

Not sure why but at the time (think it was after putting my old sony headunit in from my old FE) I thought it would be a good idea to spray everything in Halfraud silver inside the car..

What a bodge this car was turning out to be!


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-27

And look at the state of the paint on the outside of the car! Also added a sunstrip back then and replaced the cracked Jap screen with a UK one as I prefer it without the aerial in the screen.


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-27

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

It got to this point, and I was just fed up of rolling around in a tatty bodged up car! So, I got offered a respray... Great, cheapish, and I thought I would go for it. Bad move really. It looked OK for a few months, but rapidly deteriorated!! Here are the pics after the initial respray.


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-27


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-27


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-27


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-27

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

Anyway, the seats were terrible and worn so I snapped up some reclining buckets from JasonGTR.. A pair of genuine Bomex intake scoops, and a reconditioned Blitz Nur Spec R with a brand new flexi section from other trusted members of this site. A couple more pics from when the paint job (which has now deteriorated MASSIVELY) looked ok.


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-28


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-28


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-28


By d4n_v_u at 2011-11-28

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

So now the time came to have a serious think about the old rev1.. Would it ever be the car I wanted it to be? Should I sell and get something else? I trawled pistonheads and autotrader but no Lotus Elan or Mazda Rx8 floated my boat more than an MR2.

So the decision was simple, either sell off the rev1 and buy another `sorted` MR2 Turbo or stick with what I have and go crazy getting it to a standard that I am happy with.

Better the devil you know I thought.

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

I invested in a decat, new rad cap, oil cap, a set of Magnecor ignition leads from Rogue, and a new set of Apex coilovers to start the freshen up process!
All this was professionally fitted at 3S along with GAB front and rear strutbraces, a whiteline rear anti roll bar, and a rev3 brake upgrade with braided hoses, and a single wiper conversion... Oh and a hybrid Turbo and AEM air filter.

I had the car back for the summer and de-grilled the rear to show the Nur off, whacked in some 160mph dials/delimiter, and had a new stereo/dvd/sat nav/rear camera system installed.

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

I finally got around to adding the veilside spoiler and then it was time to send the car back to 3S again to continue the good work over this winter..

I have not seen the car yet, but the veilside front end is having a `chin lift`:lol: to raise ground clearance, new front fogs, new sidelights, and will be returning to me with a mapped AEM ECU,gauges installed, ST205 chargecooler installled, rev3 head/manifolds/injectors etc, minus the AFM,walbro fuel pump, Baileys BOV fitted and a whiteline front ARB. The bumper is being rubbed down too, ready for fresh paint.

Oh yeah, it finally got treated to that cambelt change too! When I have new pics of progress I shall post them up, but I feel that a corner has been turned now, from spending money at the wrong places or on the wrong items, to finally making moves towards turnng this old 1990 Rev1 Turbo into a good weekend car.

[planted2]

Nice post,
so much of it rings true about my experiences as well,
nice to see it coming together how you want it,
i'll be watching this with interest

cheers
steve

[craig]

Nice project fella, not a big fan of the veilside kit, and I had one years ago.

Will be watching for updates

[loudandproud205]

I think most of us can relate to the impulse buy, I know I can.

Its nice to see life in a good ol Rev1

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

It`s getting there! I forgot to mention I spent a whole day removing the interior before it was trailored to 3S, all carpets/soundproofing, a load of the worn plastics and inner linings and carpet off the back of the bulkhead etc. Took the centre cubby box out the lot. I will be leaving it this way, going for a minimal stripped out look. I`m going to remove all the stuck down bitumenish stuff or whatever it is aswell when I have it back. Then have a real good clean up inside and paint the interior. I had already stripped the front trunk and rear boot out. Only drove it once to fuel up after I did this but it sounded awesome inside the car with the Nur and you could hear the Turbo spool, should be cool for passengers.

It will be back with the Sparco harnesses installed too so it will have a real stripped out racer look on the inside eventually, the mean looks of the Veilside kit outside, and hopefully it will get somewhere around 280-300bhp when it has all been sorted.

Clean paint inside and out, mean looks and enough power to match is what I want, then just maintain and enjoy! More pics to follow when I get them.

[loudandproud205]

That's one thing I wish I had done before I stuck my grip tape in was remove the stuck on bitumen stuff.

One day I may buy more grip tape and do it again but I currently have more important issues to look in to, well that and removing the aircon set up.

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

Yeah I was gona keep my aircon, wanted to keep all the extras and keep it `GT` spec whilst making it a stripped out raw car. Aircon is now going to go. Still got the electric folding wingmirrors though.

I have a fibre glass bonnet sat in my living room thats been there for too long now, and I`m on the lookout for the right set of staggered wheels...

[loudandproud205]

As am a retro person my mirrors are going in favour of some fender mirrors if I can find some I like.

Saving weight and looking odd is what mines all about lol

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

Fibre glass bonnet... Will need painting but car will eventually have a full respray.


By d4n_v_u at 2011-12-06

I have also purchased those nice staggered Stern rims from Rossco on here, so looking forward to seeing what they look like on my car.



http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic. ... highlight=

[DAN_REV1_TURBO]

Front Whiteline ARB and full polybush allround at 3S. I have a cobra alarm ready to fit too purchased from Steve-O on here. So plan of future attack...

Aftermarket Clutch Install
Recon Gearbox
Maybe go for wide arches,unsure on how they will look with Veilside
Full respray inside and out/any rust sorted and underbody seal
Window Tints

Then just a few bits like new footwell mats and tucking wires away etc and I will be happy to take it out to a few shows and meets finally.



I will update with more pics when things get more interesting again.