The Ramblings and Diary of a Japanese Car Enthusiast

[Madabout]

Progress on my MR2. Since I bought the end of January 2017 I have not used the car as been gathering parts waiting for an improvement plan on the car.

It is in getting some TLC with RE-Worx a RX7 Specialist I know who has carried out previous welding and fabrication work for me. I bought this car knowing it needed a little bit of rust repair work so factored the repair into what I paid. I looked at few for sale and saw some horror stories under supposed rust free cars with skirts, etc. hiding hidden horrors. However even with an ownership of other 90's Japanese cars I was surprised to see how bad this was from the rusty area at the top of the wheel arch.

I have bought a replacement rear arch panel from a rust free MR2 being broken which will provide a base for the outside of the arch while the inner arch will also be fabrication work. The other rear arch is all good while the sills had been done and passed mine and RE-Worx approval. At the same time of all this work I am also getting the following done:

1. Replacement alloy radiator fitted
2. Rogue motorsport rev6 engine fan lid kit fitted
3. Speedo sorted - wiring missing to gearbox sender missing into loom now resolved and sorted.
4. Boost pipe sorted (bent/kinked) so wont have been making correct boost.
5. Personal steering wheel fitted
Rev3 standard front bumper fitted as has a border front on it right now.
6. Front and both sides re-sprayed after all the work is done.
7. Electrical aerial deleted and smoothed over.
8. UK speedo to be fitted as I am removing the km to mph converter.
9. Front fog lights re-fitted.

The owner of RE-Worx is a Japanese car fan (has to be to specialise in RX7s) but has owned Toyotas himself before so knows the engine set-up, etc.

Some photos of the initial start on repairs.

[Madabout]

Outside of the arch has now had the new panel welded in so Reworx will now move on to repairing and replacing the inner arch.

Some updates on progress.

[SeanSw20]

Wow u have had some nice cars, how much were u for that panel out of interest as I've got that job to do on mines

[Madabout]

Wow u have had some nice cars, how much were u for that panel out of interest as I've got that job to do on mines

Thanks. The panel was from a rust free mr2 being broken. I know MR2-Ben are looking to do a replacement rear arch panel like they do the sills.

[Madabout]

More progress on the car.

Inner rear arch has now had the rot cut out and replaced with fresh metal. This now goes with the outside of the arch which was cut out and replaced with fresh metal off a rust free breaker.





It had poor repair on the inner arch before where someone plated over a rust hole so that has all been ripped out and sorted properly. I am doing to a budget and will not have welds ground back that can't be seen which are covered by the rear bumper, etc. as adds an extra unnecessary cost IMO.

RE-Worx have done various welding and fabrication jobs for me over the years that have stood the passage of time. I always use them for this type of work as trust them to not pack a welding repair out with filler, etc. which has put me off jobs I have seen done elsewhere.

Car is missing the front bumper at the moment as I have sold the border front bumper so a rev3 front bumper is going back on and I am going to see how much paintwork I can afford. In fairness it is not too bad but if I can I will get both sides of the car done, the front bumper, bonnet and tin-top roof and rear bumper.

[Madabout]

At the moment the MR2 is looking worse before it gets better.

Popped down to RE-Worx. Car is missing the front bumper as I have sold the Border front while given the repairs to the rear arch the rear bumper is also off and the dashboard was all out as the speedo now works but I will be replacing the JDM speedo with a 'UK 160 mph' speedo in the Turbo cluster.

Work to be done now to finish is pretty much the car is getting a full re-spray, standard rev3 front bumper refitted, personal steering wheel fitted, alloy radiator plus the passenger rear arch all under sealed as the driver side has been done following the repair while the fronts were done before I bought it.

At the moment the car all looks rather sorry for itself but aiming for when it is finished a subtle modified REV3 Turbo with period mods like the Advan wheels, Personal Steering wheel, Blitz NUR Spec exhaust on lowered HKS springs/suspension.

[SeanSw20]

Repairs look good, looking forward to seeing it come together. Is there any other rust on yours?

[Madabout]

Repairs look good, looking forward to seeing it come together. Is there any other rust on yours?

Thanks. RE-Worx have gone a good job. Welding is not something I have tried before but I know RE-Worx are handy with. That was the rust on mine. It has had the sills done previously, which are OK now.

[SeanSw20]

That's good can't wait until I can say that about mines lol

[Madabout]

That's good can't wait until I can say that about mines lol

Good luck with yours. Previous owner on mine had spent a good deal of money on it but I'm surprised they didn't do the rear arch. Only benefit it I know the work RE Worx do so it's solid.

I've also been surprised at the lack of repair panels and such as looking around it's a common problem - MR2 Ben is due to start doing them but expected this as a given when I got the car.

[Magic Beans]

Yep, car envy right about now

Keen to see how the '2 turns out.

[Madabout]

Yep, car envy right about now

Keen to see how the '2 turns out.

Thanks. I've a real passion for MK1 MX5s. I've been lucky to get to know a lot of people in that car community and definitely helps with the buying, selling, swooping of parts and getting the right advice.

I'm looking forward to getting the mr2 done. I am doing a little more then initially planned (full respray, etc.) so hopefully that out ok.

[JLW]

Hi Pal

Great to see you restoring this Mister 2 back to former glory,
very impressed with your current and previous car collections.
Have to say I'm really fond of an MK1 mx5 also. especially love the
first two cars you posted up.

Looking forward to seeing your progress on the car.
Might be interested in that Border front bumper if your willing to
sell soon ?

J.

[craig]

Repair work looks good!

[androo007]

Repair work looks good!

Yeah looks great!

[Madabout]

Hi Pal

Great to see you restoring this Mister 2 back to former glory,
very impressed with your current and previous car collections.
Have to say I'm really fond of an MK1 mx5 also. especially love the
first two cars you posted up.

Looking forward to seeing your progress on the car.
Might be interested in that Border front bumper if your willing to
sell soon ?

J.

Thanks. I came across you car first mate on you tube and it looks really nice and sounds great. I have always liked my Japanese cars and it is nice to have another MR2. The 2x MX5s you like of mine are pretty quick given the power to weight ratio. It is surprising the modifications and size of the scene for the MK1 MX5. A bit like the MR2s though a lot have rotted away and or been broken for spares. My MR2 project will hopefully be OK when done.

I am afraid the border front bumper has already been sold and gone. It is unfortunate as would have been nice to have met you and heard about your car as don't think your car from me.

Repair work looks good!

Thanks. RE-Worx have done a good job. There will be a few weld lines showing behind the bumper but anything visible has been ground back and importantly the rust is now all cut out and gone.

Repair work looks good!

Yeah looks great!

It was a worse job then I anticipated when I bought the car. I had looked at a few with rusty sills, rust on doors with aftermarket side skirts hiding hidden horrors. The photo below shows mine just before I got it and the rear arch didn't really such a big deal.



Bit of a lesson on any newbie purchasing a MR2 that from something like that once you get it home, start giving it a proper poke with a screw driver you can often find more.

[JLW]

Ah cheers mate , yeah it's currently having a Forged engine build
By YVS performance, have a look on my build thread, whereabouts
Are you located mate ?

No worries about the bumper pal, quite a few about.

[Madabout]

Ah cheers mate , yeah it's currently having a Forged engine build
By YVS performance, have a look on my build thread, whereabouts
Are you located mate ?

No worries about the bumper pal, quite a few about.

I'm near Gatwick Airport mate. Unless you have another mr2 I think the exterior on yours looks spot on so wouldn't fit a border front or anything. The front lip with skirts works well.

I have to check your build thread properly.

[JLW]

I'm near Gatwick Airport mate. Unless you have another mr2 I think the exterior on yours looks spot on so wouldn't fit a border front or anything. The front lip with skirts works well.

I have to check your build thread properly.

Main reason I'm changing is for clearance mate, my Aeroware lip is a poly one
and subsequently its incredibly low. i also really like the look of the border
front. Im going to add a diffuser to it also.

[Madabout]

I'm near Gatwick Airport mate. Unless you have another mr2 I think the exterior on yours looks spot on so wouldn't fit a border front or anything. The front lip with skirts works well.

I have to check your build thread properly.

Main reason I'm changing is for clearance mate, my Aeroware lip is a poly one
and subsequently its incredibly low. i also really like the look of the border
front. Im going to add a diffuser to it also.

Gotcha I really like the Aeroware front lip. If you do decide to do a swop to a border bumper or something and sell the Aeroware front lip please let me know. Personally I really like the look of your car as is.

My car now has a standard front back on it with the rev3 front lip, etc. so back to how it should look. I took some photos today as with the standard front doesn't look as low as before with the border front bumper. I think also compared to my mx5s it seems positively 4x4 even though its lowered.

I am a lot happier with the standard front look though after the test fit, which will get painted when the car has a full re-spray.




I think so far I have definitely done my best to take a reasonably good looking mr2 and make it worse as right now has the dash is all open/out, odd coloured front bumpers, etc.

Jobs completed this week -

Alloy radiator in and fitted - as a bonus the car already had replacement silicone coolant hoses throughout. The old radiator was super crusty so worthwhile upgrade.

Wiring tidied up in the car - RE Worx have an in-house auto-electrician and pretty much every 90's Japanese car I have taken him has had previous owners attempts at wiring. This is now all getting tidied up to a higher standard.

160 UK mph clocks are now in as hear this is a better job then the converter unless you can get a really decent one and the mileage on this is only 1000 miles more then the car has done.

Replacement red driver side front wing fitted as the old was bubbling a little and saw this super fresh one for £25 local so seemed worthwhile changing.