Yellow TRD widebody project ***BIG MOT FAIL, END OF THE LINE FOR ME***

[nakamura]

Beautiful car, just what I would love myself.
If you want an idea of how to style the rear lights, here is what I did with mine when I had it.



Loved the dark look, gave a nice consistent look. Also like the white wheels but I had to go for bronze in the end as I couldn't get white.

[RST]

Cheers bud, think that's the look I'm looking for.

Got a few more bits now:

Black Lexus lights (still undecided)
Grade 7 iridium plugs
Full cam belt kit
JDM rear plate holder -the illuminated one
Toyota boot liner

...I've struggled big time to get a translucent plate for the rear plate holder. TVR plates only available in TVR sizes (possibly why original seller sold the holder on) so I got a set of illuminated bolts off EBay instead. I think I'll use the plate holder but replace the normal bolts for the illuminated ones -not great but much better than now. Only thing is the rear plate I already got is 7in deep and the holder needs 6.5in

I also have a new radiator now so hopefully at some point I can get someone to do a full service, fit a new rad. I think my A/C rad has seen better days also as not convinced it's blowing so cold now though it still kicks in. Maybe a new A/C rad on the cards also as they both look ropey

I was away last week on a lastminute.com trip and had to re-schedule my MoT to this Thursday so fingers crossed. Gonna take a can of oil and new filter and see if we can do that while it's on the ramps and also my heat gun to stretch the front liners a bit so there's no rub on full lock.

MoT ran out last week while I was away (noughty) so not touched the car in case I get caught. One of my neighbours is a copper so not risking moving it until the MoT is good this week.[/i]

[RST]

Meant to say Protok, yea never seen them style mats before either. Have been looking for a good set and these are almost mint so I paid a bit extra with GTSChris but they do look quite nice.

The GT4 sold last weekend past so I have some cash back in the account now. LoL.

I've been stopped in the street a few times with this car now with admirers so must be doing something right -all blokes though, no birds LoL.

[Super_red]

Every delivery driver that comes to the house has to ask me about mine and then tell me all about cars they have or have had! Although today in Sainsburys Petrol the 3 women at the counter were talking about it when I went in to pay for fuel. They were arguing as one thought it was a Porsche as she had seen one just like it the other day. I said 'you've not seen one like this!'

[RST]

Afraid this project has just come to an abrupt end for me.

Car failed MOT. Doesn't look much on the fail sheet but it's pretty badly rusted underside. The back end looks quite ropey, usual rear sills and most of the floor pan on the far side feels soft compared to the near side. Shouldn't be able to lift the floor pan up pushing with your finger!. Beyond what I can get repaired around here for any justifiable cost. It will have rusted along the length of the sills like they usually do. Looks the same damage as on my first MR2.

Don't know how to sell this one, can't get it through an MOT round here, don't have anywhere off the road to repair or break it myself. I'll have to sell it as a non-runner and take a hit for it. Pretty miffed as my GT4 just sold at the start of the week!

I think the engine's good with about 60k on it (emissions were a little high but the engine was still cold, we reckoned it would be OK with a good warm up) and all the interior and most of trim is OK (what's not I had spare parts), HSD coilovers look old and a bit tired -front top mounts seized solid both sides. New set of Rota 18in alloys, unmarked with good tyres. Have a new stock rad to go on, full service kit including belts and pulleys, spark plugs, dizzy cap and arm, filters etc. Maybe someone could cut the bodykit off and transfer it? They would at least get a chance to fit it up a little neater anyway.

I've had to lay it up in the local storage centre for a few weeks as I go back offshore next week. I'll post up an ad but I only got until Monday before It'll have to sit and wait for a month.

[KarlBristol]

That is a gutter to hear mate, I was looking forward to seeing this being worked on

From what you've described it basically needs all the underside being replaced?

Out of interest was it sold to you as being in good condition/rot free?

If realistically it is going to be split down you may as well try a repair job yourself prior to that. You might be able to get it roadworthy again. What have you got to loose if it doesn't work out; you'd have to split or sell the car which seems like a high possibility anyway.

It's ashame that its in such a poor state. I really hope you don't loose out too much on this. The way that I'd handle the situation is to part it out as you can make a lot more doing this then selling as a poor condition MOT failure and you might be able to recover some of your costs that way. I know you might struggle to do this with your storage situation though.

I would offer you a space on my drive and use of the pit in my garage to work on it or split it out, but your a bit far away to feasibly do that.

Do you intend to own another MR2 or has this tarnished your view on them?

[RST]

Hi Karl,

It's my 4th MR2 so far so I think I'd have another one. Certainly going to be looking for another Toyota anyway.

If realistically it is going to be split down you may as well try a repair job yourself prior to that. You might be able to get it roadworthy again. What have you got to loose if it doesn't work out; you'd have to split or sell the car which seems like a high possibility anyway.

...don't have anywhere to do it or even break it myself. I don't even spend much time at home these days so it's too big a project.

Thanks for the offer -I wished I had off the road space myself these days. I like projects -but tinkering, this one's just too much for me to take on. Particularly because it has to sit OTR now and it can't stay where it is for too long. It's not somewhere I can break it either.

I don't know what to ask for it as a rolling project. Good bits are:

Rev 3 3SGTE with 60'000 miles, have all the bits to do a big service on it
Almost mint re-trimmed stock seats in red / black leather
Plenty of other neat parts to tidy it up

I think I bought this one with my heart rather than my head. I did spend some time looking underneath and feeling / tapping away and it did look outwardly OK from what I could see. It's the fact you can push the floor pan up which made both of us start to worry.

[RikH77]

Did you not like just buy this car? And it's catastrophically failed its MOT?

[Magic Beans]

Sh*t, that's gutting

As Karl said though, consider all your options before you commit to breaking etc. It would be a shame to lose a car like that.

Were there any known issues when you bought it?

[GeorgeL]

That was not a good read in the slightest bud I'm Really gutted for you..

It's fixable though... Could be loads involved and may be worth it but I know if I was in your shoes I'd be totally disheartened by it.. Wouldn't walk away though

Like the guys are saying you have a good few options. There is decent money in parts there but it would be a shame to break... Try stash it away, save and fix it over winter

[RST]

It possibly is fixable guys, but not by me. It's too big a job to get it done commercially around me unfortunately. I won't be breaking it either so it'll have to go as a rolling car with no MOT.

Unfortunately I never got any pics as my phone went flat today. I'll have to return to it over the weekend though to drop a spare set of keys off and disconnect the battery for going away. I'll try and get some shots of the main problems then.

I forgot to say also, I'll look at trailer costs and get a cpl of quotes, one to Edinburgh area and one further south in case anyone is interested in taking it. I put up a guess at a price in my for sale thread, just based on the various parts but open to sensible offers. It would probably make an OK car for the TRD kit to get transferred, seeing as there's the wheels with it. I think they'd be well over a grand to get separate with tyres. Would possibly be a big saving for anyone wanting to build a copy.

[fimmo]

hi folks, i was the seller.. i'm truly gobsmacked by this due to the car going through the mot fine last year and no mention of any issues of the above or advisories

but rich did check the car over and i had nothing to hide and as far as i knew there were no known issues,in fact i left rich to check over the car himself, just to keep things clear rich and i have no issues and he's kept me informed of whats hapenning, i just wanted to make it clear i had no idea the car had any issues let alone issues that would end up like this

i truly hope someone takes it on as a project,even with the issues its too good a car to scrap

[GeorgeL]

Unfortunately it's our roads... Anything after September and before April and there is the possibility of salt/grit which absolutely ruins our cars the stuff we get up here is so much worse than the salt used down south...

It's a real shame to see this

[Infamous]

Awful news dude.
This car looks soo good too, be a real shame if it went to scrap!
I wish the kit wasn't smoothed, would be much easier to fix what ever needs doing then!
Hopefully someone with the right skill set buys this and puts it right

[RST]

Unfortunately it's our roads... Anything after September and before April and there is the possibility of salt/grit which absolutely ruins our cars [Sad] the stuff we get up here is so much worse than the salt used down south...

It's a real shame to see this [Sad]

..speak for yourself George. I have also seen cars south of the border half this age in much worse condition. The car wasn't up here 'till I bought it though I admit it is a Scottish car and for once actually has service history and shows it traveling about.

You are right though, the Highlands remains the only place I have seen where the gritters pepper shot outwards and upwards to the sky which means the whole front of your car, the bonnet and the roof is peppered with salt rather than the ROAD. This is a recent thing in the last 4 years I find. Salt makes it through to the interior, I have found it under seats, in ash trays, in pollen filters, the air vents in the cabin in the back of vehicles. The other reality is I have a motto which I broke this car, only buy fresh jap metal.

Before you shoot it down completely, I have a list of component parts for breaking and offers. I won't be breaking myself and offering on transport, but I can post them up. I always thought the kit wouldn't take much figuring out to come off. Actually my main concern when I bought was to repair cracks.

[RST]

I wish the kit wasn't smoothed, would be much easier to fix what ever needs doing then!

...wouldn't make too much difference. I would still have written off the car, I know first hand what water up the sills can do and unfortunately not going there again although a good MOT would have been useful. The biggest difference with this one is the car's worth stripping.

I can help get it down to you at quite amicable costs but NO I'M NOT STRIPPING thanks.

[Protok]

Well that went south quickly

Having my own near impossible to fix experience, I know that anything can be fixed but would it be financially sound to do so and also would the car be the same?
Probably cheaper and easier to find a recently imported mr2 and get that.

[RST]

RST wrote:
Black Lexus lights (still undecided)

Sacrilage!!!

Yes don't hate me and unlikely to be fitted. In all honestly they were cheap pigs before cutting a genuine set of new brand new rev 3's! They were ging to be cheap pattern. I hate rev 3 lights anyway, rev -1-2 all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Vampire]

if he u cantstrip the car, im sure u can still get a fair wack of your money for a no mot, rev 3 turbo TRD. what sort of figure were u thinking?? pm me if ur keen to move on as im always after parts and a possible rev 3 engine swap

[GeorgeL]

He has it advertised as for sale buddy... Such a shame