**UPDATED** 1991 Rev 1 (Beastly V6 1MZ-FE VVTI) **UPDATED**

[riot68]

Totally agree with everyone, been a great thread to follow, don't know where you get the time and in this weather. Done some work on mine today but doubt everyone wants to see pics of me changing the battery terminal haha.

Don't agree on the engine though, you've done so much work on the car, it's by no means standard any more. I just think you'll end up with an amazing mint quality car with the worst engine. If anyone's interested in an original car you'd have to put back loads of stuff you've done, like the wheels to make the money, or they're going to want it cheap to take all your hard work and buy it for an engine transplant themselves. Not knocking you, just my 2 pence worth, at the end of the day you've got to do what makes you happy and it is a fantastic car...

[KarlBristol]

Well I wanted to work on the car today but the freezing temperatures and the snow storms around by me hampered that idea - due to the temperature I could only really do work inside the house...

As such I decided to tackle a small cosmetic problem which has been annoying me since I bought the car. The interior door handles are meant to have a small red area to signify that they are locked or unlocked. After 22 years of usage this red area had changed from red to white/dirt.

So I set about fixing it:

Old door patch removed (it is a state):



I could not find new door inserts, or red stickers - small jobs are never easy

So I bought a set of white stickers, fed them through the printer and printed them off red:



Old and potentially new:



Stickers now cut apart:



Door handle before new sticker applied:



It looks better in real life, but unfortunately hasn't come out too well in a dark garage:



Other side also now done:



I think that's all I can manage in these freezing conditions, lol. Another job done though and a vast improvement

[kendoskeg]

Thoroughly enjoying your thread Karl, keep it going mate!

[KarlBristol]

Today I decided to work on the car all day unfortunately I'd only just finished a night shift and had been up for 24 hours before even looking at the car this morning - needless to say that progress was slow and laboured!

Firstly I jet washed the engine bay, (had intended to gunk it aswell but I lost it in my garage )



Next I set about draining the coolant from the car so that I could do a full coolant change. This obviously also involved jacking the rear end, removing the front radiator access panel, etc...





All in need of a good clean:



Unfortunately I have no idea when the coolant was changed last - it was a worrying rust colour!!









Then I jet washed the inside of the coolant system to try and clear some of the rubbish inside:



After that the car was left being washed through for an hour to ensure that it was clean inside and none of the previous coolant existed:



Then I replaced the thermostat and gasket sealet it in place

Old and new:





I then set about putting everything back together and refilling the coolant. Car then went out for a long long drive to check for air locks, etc...


I then stripped the passenger door card down to sort out the non-working passenger window. This wasn't an increadibly long job and turned out to just be a loose electrical connection.

Following this I thought I would look at the stereo as it was playing up. This unfortauntely encouraged me that I want a change and so the car was left as follows (I don't know what any of those wires do, lol):







The previous owner had stuck shiny covers over the internal vent trims, as seen below. Needless to say these had to go for a more subtle OEM look:

Before:


After:


After nearly 36 hours awake I'm afraid thats all I've managed today

Brought a few parts in the house with me so I may clean those up then collapse in a corner and fall asleep! lol

[craig]

Good progress dude, I like reading the updates. Car is getting better with every one

[riot68]

I did some work on mine but you out did me again haha, great work. Interested to know how the engine bay jet wash went. I know we spoke about this before. I want to give mine a very thorough clean i'm just to scared it wont work after...

[KarlBristol]

just a mini update ...

First today I made a make shift double din stereo cover until I get the new stereo sorted:





Its not perfect but it makes the dash area cleaner and tidier

Then I cleaned up the frunk plastic trim that I removed when doing the coolant change:

Before:







After:







This will be re-fitted in due course, and the entire frunk area cleaned up properly.

Then came the final small MR2 addition of the day ... a turbo engine lid in perfect condition thanks to a member on here:





A quick placing on top in order to give me a rough idea of what it will look like:



Dropped it to the bodyshop today, and am £200 lighter for it. Its being sprayed up to match and should be ready in around a week, when I'll pick it up and fit it

May also be a mini update or two tomorrow....

[craig]

Nice touch with the turbo engine lid

[StuRobinson88]

now you've got the lid, you're going to need the engine to match it....

haha.

[riot68]

now you've got the lid, you're going to need the engine to match it....

haha.

[craig]

now you've got the lid, you're going to need the engine to match it....

haha.

I was going to put words to that effect in my post, but left it out.

Karl, you know it makes sense!

[KarlBristol]

I still maintain that tackling a small job each day will get the car perfect for show season with seamingly little effort.

Todays small job...

When I replaced the door cards I realised that the passenger one was badly damaged and bodged in place:





Its marked, disfiguered, and held in without clips but by bulking it out with gaffa tape! I wish I could meet the previous owners, I'd certainly have some interesting words to offer them regarding car maintenance!

Quickly replaced with the following:





Interior is almost there.

Getting all excited about the impending tubby lid
And a few future mods! (damn my current lack of money and impending house move! lol)

As they say thats another job jobbed

[riot68]

Been doing a few bit's on mine, although need more time and now have another project car too, does indeed seem like you get something done most days, keep it up, will be a new car soon ...

[KarlBristol]

Mini update for today before the joys an an extended night shift at work

My current stereo surround/centre console is very badly cut about (the previous owner fitted a chavvy home made metal illuminating MR2 sign in a single DIN spot)

I've got an original double din stereo on the way thanks to CJ so I needed a new surround, hence this was delivered today:



It will be fitted with the new stereo


I then went out to the garage and replaced the frunk radiator cover. However the rest of the frunk looked filthy in comparison, so got a bit of a clean out:

Before:





After:









I'm quite pleased with the results considering I only spent 10 minutes cleaning it - makes a big difference.


I also spoke to my bodyshop today and my tubby lid is going to be ready for collection tomorrow!! So time dependant before work tomorrow that will also be fitted

[KarlBristol]

Fitted the new engine lid today, heres the old lid:





Sprayed badly by a previous owner:



Old one off:



New parts to be assembled:







Now fitted:









It is a perfect colour match and I was very happy with it

Also fitted a new stereo surround today ready for the new stereo
Have an ignition or solonoid problem that I need to focus on next as the car is not firing up...

[craig]

Turbo lid looks great fella

[kendoskeg]

Looks superb mate.

Really enjoying this thread!

Inspiring me to get mine on the go.

[riot68]

Is Karl alright? He's not done any work on the MR2 for a day now, maybe he's been abducted?...

[KarlBristol]

Is Karl alright? He's not done any work on the MR2 for a day now, maybe he's been abducted?...

Lol, you made me laugh very hard there mate!

Unfortunately I've run into some major issues with the car, which I've been trying to sort out hence the lack of updates... All will be revealed now

After fitting the engine lid and giving the car a quick clean I had another member from here and a family friend come down for a mini meet/drive. Thought it would be good to have a blast in two MR2s and a mustang

For the first time ever the car wouldn't start and made only a clicking noise. I presumed that it was the starter motor or the solenoid. Unfortunately after numerous tests this wasn't the cause. The battery drained almost immediatly as well ... A few more tests and I still couldn't find any problems.

The car wouldn't bump start or jump start...

After a long day of cussing about not being able to go on a blast I packed up for the day and stuck the battery on charge overnight.

The following day I put the battery in, hoping that my issues may have been caused by a dying battery or faulty terminals. Went to start the car and it felt like it was trying, but wouldn't actually start.

After about 20 seconds of sitting in the car, scratching my head and trying to work out what was wrong I smelt a horrendous smell (and it wasn't me for once! lol) I looked around and saw every car owners worst fear..



My car was on fire...









The above pictures are when it just started. When you stood at the front of the car the smoke became so thick that I couldn't see the front wingmirrors. After lots of swearing and water the car settled. I left it in situe and went inside crying over all my hard work! lol

Upon closer inspection today none of the bodywork had been damaged and I couldn't even see any fire damage to the engine or engine bay. It was clearly an electrical problem that started this, so I set about trying to trace it down...

Figuring that it would have come from one of the leads that came off of the battery I started by stripping the frunk to trace them:



Everything seemed in order and so I set about stripping down the interior to trace starter motor cabling, etc. I presumed that there was an electrical short which caused the fire. Everything seemed in order inside:



Eventually I went back to the engine bay, jacked the car and started to look at the underside. I eventually came across the passenger side handbrake cable which was a charred and burnt mess:











Here is some of the plastic coating that is meant to sit around the handbrake cable:





I ran some basic electrical tests and I've come to the following conclusion. One of the major earthing points in the car has broken (probably a frayed earth cable as its 22 years old). When I tried to start the car the electricity took the path of least resistance, which was for some reason the o/s handbrake cable. This almost immediately discharged the battery and caused a large electrical fire.

Thats the theory anyway...

SO the plan of action is to re-earth the entire car, replace both handbrake cables and then try and start the car again. Hopefully that will sort out the issues. Then I can set about getting back on track with my car refurb


Thats the plan anyway. Watch this space!

[kendoskeg]

Bloody hell mate.

Very lucky in the end, you could have been half way down the road, or the whole car could have been engulfed!

Fingers crossed its a straightforward fix