NA MR2 T Bar Rev 3+

[mattm117]

Well, not a lot of progress lately but I plan to change that this weekend!

Just a bit of tinkering up to now mostly involving a Kestrel DAS6 and Maguiars Ultimate Compound in an attempt to change my 2 from pink to something that resembles red!

Results haven't been too bad but I will still need to budget £2K or so for a respray and some work on the rear inner arches which have a few rust holes underneath the layers of dirt . But on the plus side it will (eventually) look amazing. I'm considering Ducati red for the respray but we'll see.

This panel I did by hand

Before



After



While my detailing trials and tribulations continue I noticed an amount of coolant on the garage floor under the front of the car which after further investigation has resulted in me purchasing an alloy rad from MR2 Ben.

Voila!!




I also cleaned up the radiator brackets and gave them a coat of hammerite.



Busy weekend ahead, my now expanded plans include fitting the new alloy rad + toyota pre mixed coolant.

and

Giving the brake callipers a service, new DOT 4 fluid and Goodrich braided hoses all round.

Luckily my mechanic mate is coming round to help out!!

[mattm117]

Slow progress but moving forward none the less.

New alloy radiator now fitted, brackets and fan housing cleaned up and given a coat of hammerite.

New mesh fitted to protect the rad.

[mattm117]

A quick update on where things are up to

Recently fitted the new alloy rad, coolant is in and running sweet.
Goodridge brake hoses installed - just need to bleed/top up.

And this is where the overall project is up to.

Done

New Alloy Radiator
Mesh Guard for radiator
Coolant Change
Black Headlining
Black Int Mirror Surround
Goodrich stainless brake hoses
Clear Indicators

Still to do

De Cat pipe (mongoose) Purchased - new bolts and gaskets needed.
Clear Side Repeaters Purchased
Replace o/s headlight cover Purchased
Re seal rear n/s quarter window
Remove unsightly front number plate holder

Replace front splitter
Rear Strut Brace
Front Strut Brace
Poly bush mounts
Osram night breaker plus headlight bulbs
Red LED dash + heater conversion

New Toyota OEM iridium spark plugs, OEM air filter. and OEM oil filter
Castrol Edge 0w40 oil change
Redline MT90 gear oil

Re furbish Rays TE37 alloys (black or gunmetal)
Meister R Coil Overs or Yellow Billies
Power deck spacer

[Donato]

Any update on this Matt? Interested to hear if there are any

[mattm117]

Thanks for asking, It's been slow going mostly due to cash shortage .

This is where I am unto.

I had a leak in the n/s rear quarter window so acquired a new one from Pete at SBits and fitted with new sealant - all water tight now.

Front number plate holder removed, I think I'll attach the number plate with sticky pads direct to the bumper, not sure yet though. If only we didn't have to have a front plate. I'm also considering removing the front fogs I just think it looks better without them.

I purchased a front splitter and Rev 5 rear spoiler last week which are at the body shop being sprayed, hopefully be fitting those next week.

Driftworks nuts in black purchased today so I can get my TE37's on, they are still white but will be getting them re done in black soon.

I'm currently removing some snapped bolts so I can put the front under trays on. When I bought the car these were missing.

On the exhaust front I have decided I want a nice shiny one to replace the oem one and have removed the black grill in preparation. It will probably be a mongoose.

Oil sump is porous so just in the process of buying a replacement then will do an oil and filter replacement.

I should really get the rear internal arches sorted as a priority but I keep buying other things lol.

I've set myself the goal of having a perfect (for me) almost oem looking n/a by April next year including a full respray. Longer term maybe i'll drop in a V6 or a Beams who knows? lol

[mattm117]

My latest and by far the most important modification....

[mattm117]

Finally got my bits back from the spray shop and fitted.

This is how she looks right now.

[mattm117]

A few minor updates.

Oil sump fitted + new filter and oil. No oil stains on the garage floor now!!

New front number plate, looking nice and tidy at the front now.

New Toyo T1-R's on the rear.

Its finally out on the road taxed and insured after 8 months sat in the garage and boy is it fun to drive.

Latest purchase - Polybushed ARB's from a turbo.

[mattm117]

A few more recent purchases now fitted.



And

[mattm117]

And a few pics of how its looking now.

[mattm117]

Well its had a week over at MK Auto's who are mostly a Celica specialist but do work on MR2's as well and is also fairly local to me.

Had my rear arches all sorted, turbo ARB's fitted plus new timing belt and waterpump.

I've also fitted black sun visors to match the rest of the black interior. Thanks to Lukas from Lithuania for supplying them at a good price!

Changed my clear front indicators to JDM orange which I quite like.

I wasn't totally happy with the look of the Toms grill and rear lights to a few tweaks and this is how it looks now.



And another pic for good measure.

[mattm117]

Well having owned her for 12 months it was time to get the dreaded MOT done and at the same time get her totally undersealed.

After a new CAT and another handbrake cable she has a 12 month ticket.

I thought it would also be good to reflect on what I have completed over the last 12 months and how my plans have evolved.

So on day one my plans were

Short Term
Rear TRD Strut Brace - Went for Cusco
Front TRD Strut Brace - Still need a front Cusco
Mesh Guard for radiator - Done
New Toyota OEM iridium spark plugs, OEM air filter. - Not done
Goodrich stainless brake hoses - Done
Poly bush mounts - Only the ARB's done (also changed to the turbo ARB's)
Redline MT90 gear oil - Not done
OSRAM Night Breaker Plus Headlight Bulbs - Not done
De Cat pipe (mongoose)? Not going to bother with this.
Rev 5 wheels with matching tyres (previous owner had mixed budget tyres - not good) - Rays 15" with Toyo Proxies on rear Pirelli P6000 front

Medium Term
Meister R coilovers - Still undecided.
Engine polish/clean - Done

Longer Term
Good quality re spray in Red of course! - Still to do maybe in 2015
Power deck spacer maybe. Not going to do this.

I'm glad I changed the interior (roof liner, sun visors etc) to black much prefer it to grey.

My more iminent tasks are to change to a Rev 5 dash with red back light, same for the heater controls. Add a Rev 5 steering wheel and I'm going to go for a S2000 aerial.

I'm really pleased with the way it is coming on as slow going as it is.