Well here it is.
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Finally ive posted up my own thread only after owning what is my second MR2 now for 6months.
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My MR2 story started off back when I was 18.
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I got my first MR2 Turbo.
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It was a mk2 rev2 with rev5 exterior and a rev4 Turbo engine.
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Boot mount IC, TD06 etc.
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.
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.
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was a bit of a weapon.
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Cut a long story short, I bought 800cc injectors for it, a new Turbo etc and it just sat tucked away in the garage for well over a year.
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which killed me as I just wanted to get it mapped and have some fun again.
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However, the reason it sat away was due to two things:
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1) I travel a lot for work and college so I was running a second car to prevent the MR2 from getting ruined and secondly I couldn't afford to run the MR2 aswell as my daily car due to reason number 2.
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2) My girlfriend of the time.
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.
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controlling expensive nightmare.
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Anyways.
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.
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.
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moving on.
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She didn't like the car and moaned about it constantly.
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Said I would spend too much money and time on it and not enough with her etc.
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I was younger and a foolish so instead of telling her where to go I listened.
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Which is how it ended up tucked away for so long.
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I thought she would come around.
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.
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.
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SILLY me.
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Here it was while I still used it and before I sold the Rotas.
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![Image](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2869/9509365301_950dd06356_c.jpg)
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![Image](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7410/9509363485_40e820768f_c.jpg)
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And with my old Daily bus at the time:
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![Image](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2831/9512150712_43d44242d2_c.jpg)
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I finally came to my senses and sorted out issue No2 and started saving to go nuts with my car.
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However after much thought regarding the power I was going to chase I figured that the T-bar chassis would flex too much off the line and so I decided I would buy and build a second MR2 which would be my
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"balls out" weapon.
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The plan was to keep my original T-bar as a sunny weekend backroad car and use the second MR2
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- which wasn't bought yet
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- as a road drag car/occasional track assault car.
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GREAT PLAN!
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So I was ready to start buying up parts and looking for another MR2 when I got myself another girlfriend.
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Oooops.
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She seemed fantastic and loved that I had a passion for cars and so on.
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So I put the cars on hold again as I enjoyed unreal nights out, holidays, weekends away and all the rest.
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Then she decided she wanted to future plan and was thinking about Flats and so on
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(this is another year down the line.
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im 21 now at this point).
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I was in absolutely no hurry to move out as I get on great with my folks and was currently still a 3rd year apprentice.
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So I said id start saving for a flat once I was time served and in the mean time ill sort out the cars.
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That way in the future I wont have to spend as much on top of the flat idea.
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See this was and should have been a clever idea but I made one major mistake which ill get to.
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I then came across what is my current MR2 and snapped it up as it was a fantastic base to build upon with some of my plans already done
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(money saving exercise).
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So that was me with two Brilliant MR2 bases that needed me to save up and finish each to how I planned.
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Then came along this girlfriend of the time and talked me into selling my original MR2 at the time as she thought I would spread myself thin over building the two of them.
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She thought I may not be able to save up enough for a flat if I kept putting money into two cars.
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.
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.
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(She is no longer my girlfriend either.
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I know, I pick them
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:p)
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And so.
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.
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.
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the original t-bar went.
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However its still in the community as VinP182 now owns it.
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I had text him to see if he wanted some parts as I was considering breaking it and he said he would buy the whole car.
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I knew it would be going to a good home and I know Vinny so I was happier to let it go this way.
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I have to say though Vinny has really got it coming into shape now and has done some cracking work to it.
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hats off buddy its looking great again
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So here was the day it left.
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minus the wheels I had bought for it and kept.
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(it actually snowed that day quite heavily as Vinny and I loaded it onto the trailer)
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![Image](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7412/9509214401_53098a31c2_c.jpg)
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![Image](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2849/9509112445_dae0be3643_c.jpg)
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Genuinely one of my biggest regrets was being talked into selling it.
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But im happy to see the progress the car has made an im hoping Vinny will give me a shot again someday
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
wink wink.
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Right.
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onto my Current car.
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1998 UK Rev5
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so originally a NA.
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Now rocking a Rev3 Turbo unit with many alterations.
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Here it was when I travelled 250 miles to view it.
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please excuse my Mum's car in the background.
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She kindly let my Dad and I borrow it for the day and probably regrets it now.
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![Image](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5495/9509075609_3fb9628592_c.jpg)
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1 hour later, hands shaken and deposit was already wired the night before as I knew I would take it.
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After a few issues that happened with the car before I came to pick it up I ended up having to wait about 3-4 weeks before It was ready but I didn't mind as I was arranging a few things for it anyway.
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After another 250 mile drive home
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- 70ish of those with snow
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- I got it home.
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Here are some photos of it the next day.
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I had already removed the UK rear lights and changed them for USDM style ones and had converted to the quad rear light set up.
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I had also started removing the stickers that were all over the back windows.
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They were cool but not my cup of tea.
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![Image](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7426/9512007868_327490d501_c.jpg)
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![Image](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7339/9509215125_da27ed9e1f_c.jpg)
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Next up was to paint the brake callipers.
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They were a pastel yellow colour and I just couldn't hack it.
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My old man had got some paint mixed up for the brakes on his car and had some left.
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350z bronze/copper with a very mild gold flake through it.
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so I
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"borrowed" that.
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![Image](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2807/9511887362_47ae1164b3_c.jpg)
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At this point James
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(Cardhore) was in the middle of finishing my Desmond Regamaster Marquis Promada wheels that he has sourced for me.
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However, the colour we had chosen for them didn't quite work out with my plans and my Dad painted them white for me.
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While the car was still up on stands/jack I ordered my tires for the Regas and got them fitted by my mate through at SKIDZ
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(Falkirk)
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Here the are fitted.
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Front: 17x8 et35 on Yoko Parada spec 2
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(215/40/17)
Rear:
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17x9 et38 on Toyo R1R
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(255/40/17)
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I use Paradas on the front as I absolutely love the feedback you get from them.
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and I don't plan to ever use the car in the wet
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![Image](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5444/9509127451_0fddd6f07f_c.jpg)
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9(
I had also sourced 4 brand new centre caps from America for the Regas.
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(they slightly change colour from bright white when under light to a light silver when not in direct light.
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pretty cool as anytime you see White rega centre caps they have yellowed and look terrible)
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![Image](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5322/9509989143_cb8f9fd0e0.jpg)
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I Also got my Dads friend to make me up these stickers
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(based on original Rega Evos) just to break the white on them for now.
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![Image](http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5512/9509936867_9eb75233e2_c.jpg)
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Next It was time to sort out the seats.
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It had came with Sparco Bucket seats which don't get me wrong were nice but I just didnt fit them at all due to the fixed rails.
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I actually had to remove the drivers one in order to drive the car home.
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Luckily I had a spare set of leather mk2 seats and rails in the garage so I dropped them in for the time being.
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This is what I removed and sold
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(Harnesses also gone):
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![Image](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3740/9511876906_291e4a54ff_c.jpg)
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And ive ordered 2 of these with custom Blue stitching instead of the usual Red so they match my Nardi Torino Steering wheel that I have put in the car.
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Got a set of Takatas coming too for it:
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![Image](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/9509935037_d25d78045d.jpg)
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BYE BYE ricer style exhaust.
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I took a trip down to see Willie at Meerkat exhausts
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(they make exhausts for SVM and made Keith Cowies etc)
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I asked for a subtle, not too big style Jap dragger style exit
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(3" internal bore) and that I didnt want It to sound like an ASBO.
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The result was fantastic as my car has a non-OTT exhaust and a fantastic power note now aswell.
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![Image](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2884/9510089949_056017cecd_c.jpg)
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![Image](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7429/9512873324_6c6ab80c8c_c.jpg)
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And the story will continue tomorrow.
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![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)