1988 Mr2 - 2nd attempt

[mrvic]

Hi guys, I'm new to PH but was after someone to capture some of the resto of my MR2, hope it's fun reading! I got her about 3 years ago as a bit of a toy and a little project. Having messed about with cars in various forms I thought I'd do my own classic rolling resto. Started to work through the long list of issues when I got her but for the last 2 years she's been left standing due to a move and house renovation. Anyway when I stopped she was looking a bit like this;




Now it's a bit more like this (haven't got photos to show the rotten wing and arches to complete the sad picture atm..);



Work to Date
So when I first got her I had a bit of time so rattled through a load of jobs. First job on her was defiantly to sort out the ride, it must have been on the original rubbers as on the motorway the car would just slosh around the road!

Bit of a gap!



So a set of polybushes later and I could drive without fearing for my life


Couple of other easy fixes; replaced the gear gaiter, sorted out the fuel smell in the cabin (fuel valve needed replacing), replaced the electric aerial, made a new intake gasket, replaced the drop links and general service (oil+filter, new dizzy+rotor arm). Next big job was the wheels, these were a bit of a pig and took forever was I was so pleased with the results; check it out!


The clutch slave and the brake master cylinders also gave up living so they have to be sorted


I couldn't find a mk1 master cylinder anywhere and the service kit was about £120 from MrT, so managed to get one out of an early mk2 and it went straight in, v.jammy! Oh and of course where the brake cylinder had been leaking it had made a right mess of the "Frunk" so had to sort that out....


2nd Wind!
So yeah like I said I was having fun restoring my little car until I moved to Bristol and she's been feeling very unloved for the past 2 years! Me and friend did manage to get her out of the road earlier this year but blew a 5cm hole in the exhaust driving up to a car show.... it did sound awesome though!

But having now (pretty much) finished renovating my house, today I could get my hands oily again! I've decided as I'm likely to lose my driveway soon I'm just going to leave the rusty body work until I can have off road parking again, so it's on to the other tidy up jobs.

I'd ordered up some new pipework and bits for the air intake as the guy who had it before my had basically bodged a cone filter on using masking tape and chewing gum. I'm not sure though if my effort is any less chav, but at least it's attached properly now! (perhaps I should have used black pipe)


I also set to working on cleaning up some of the manky parts in the engine bay



Although the engine lid release spring broke so I'm waiting on that to arrive before I fit that... thankfully with the way the engine bay lid opens I can still drive it

I've also ordered up some new braided brake hoses at the minute braking is a 2 footed affair with some bottom clenching required! I suspect the old rubber flexi hoses are well past it and just expanding when you brake.

So my challenge whilst writing this was to remember the list of jobs I left to do when I stopped and the new ones since putting it back on the road.... i think it goes a little like this;

1. Replace Vacuum hoses as idle is off atm (ordered the wrong size D'oh!)
2. New exhaust.... gotta be stainless me thinks
3. New steering rack bushings
4. Engine and gearbox oil change
5. Paint up rocker covers
6. Check rocker shim clearance
7. Find and sort squeaky component on the Aux belt
8. CLEAN
9. Check out gear linkage
10. Replace rear wheel bearing
11. ....... errrr sure there is plenty more!

So yeah, super excited that I get to crack on with her again and looking forward to some tail out action over the winter

[theshrew]

I used to have the T-Bar in that colour. Loved that car even if I did look like a hairdresser. The driving position was perfect for me, Id defo have another.

I think if I remember correctly a stainless exhaust was cheaper to buy than just replacement.

Check the front panel the one that runs behind the front bumper they tend to rot like mad on these. When I had mine off I have zero idea how it hadn't fallen off. Well worth replacing it if your thinking about keeping the car.

I have some parts kicking about in my parents garage, give me a shout if you need anything.

[celger7]

Looks like a great little project. They are becoming more and more expensive here in NZ.

Good job with saving this one.