1986 Toyota MR2 (AW11)
Discussion
Quick update : spent the last few days rebuilding the rear suspension.
All bushes & ball joints replaced, new Tokico dampers.
Also did front disks and pads.
Now it needs tyres and wheel alignment, but the wheels look a bit shabby, so I think I'll get them chemically cleaned and powder coated before fitting tyres and alignment.
Q:
Should I colour the wheels silver, or white?
All bushes & ball joints replaced, new Tokico dampers.
Also did front disks and pads.
Now it needs tyres and wheel alignment, but the wheels look a bit shabby, so I think I'll get them chemically cleaned and powder coated before fitting tyres and alignment.
Q:
Should I colour the wheels silver, or white?
GappySmeg said:
Oh crap, that's harsh.
Is it just the door that's damaged? Or sill or b-pilar too?
I think it's just the door. She hit me square on the door, and the car is so low she didn't touch the sill.Is it just the door that's damaged? Or sill or b-pilar too?
The pillars are fine, and what I can see of the sill is straight although I won't know until the side skirt is off.
At least everyone was insured, and I get my choice of repairer, so it's going to the guy that did the rust repairs and paint job 5 or 6 years ago.
We just need to find a 35 year old door (I had to get out the passenger side)
.
It's alive!
After nearly ten months, I picked up the MR2 from the panel beaters today.
They've done a nice job, but I found out when I got home that the central locking isn't working - I assume just a plug not connected. I'll sort it on the weekend.
On the bright side, they fixed some lifting paint on the bumper from the respray 8 or so years ago. Not their fault - the original factory paint was lifting off the 35 year old plastic.
I'm dropping off my spare set of wheels for painting tomorrow, then new tyres all round - probably Michelin Pilot Sports.
I'll post up pics when the wheels are done - I bought 2 sets of mk3 wheels (2 sets because the mk3 has staggered sizes), so I have 4 x 6.5" (being painted) and 4 x 7" (on the car).
Man it feels like a go-kart after almost a year of driving the daily shed. And I'd forgotten how addictive the redline is.
After nearly ten months, I picked up the MR2 from the panel beaters today.
They've done a nice job, but I found out when I got home that the central locking isn't working - I assume just a plug not connected. I'll sort it on the weekend.
On the bright side, they fixed some lifting paint on the bumper from the respray 8 or so years ago. Not their fault - the original factory paint was lifting off the 35 year old plastic.
I'm dropping off my spare set of wheels for painting tomorrow, then new tyres all round - probably Michelin Pilot Sports.
I'll post up pics when the wheels are done - I bought 2 sets of mk3 wheels (2 sets because the mk3 has staggered sizes), so I have 4 x 6.5" (being painted) and 4 x 7" (on the car).
Man it feels like a go-kart after almost a year of driving the daily shed. And I'd forgotten how addictive the redline is.
Om said:
Good news! Was it just the door in the end or was there more to it?
Incredibly, just the door & window. No damage to sill, side skirts, etc. although they've painted that whole side of the car.They fixed the door back in January, and have been waiting for window glass & regulator to arrive from Japan for months.
Once they fixed the door the car came back here on a tow truck as they didn't really have room to store it for months - it's a small business.
Then the towie picked it up once the parts arrived. So it's had 3 trips on the same tow truck & driver.
And it's back, with 4 new Michelin Pilot Sports 3's and a cheapo spare, and a full alignment.
The week before I got T-boned I replaced all the suspension bushes with urethane, and finally fitted the new rear shocks (Tokico blue).
So I finally get to drive it on new tyres, with a refreshed suspension and proper alignment! If it ever stops raining
ps The hydroblast cleaning and painting ended up at $90 / wheel, and they look new.
Now I need new wheel nuts to match.
Next - find a set of 87+ rear brakes & backing plate, to try and improve the brake bias.
All mk1 MR2's have way too much front brake bias, so fitting larger rear rotors should help.
Look - it's shiny!
The week before I got T-boned I replaced all the suspension bushes with urethane, and finally fitted the new rear shocks (Tokico blue).
So I finally get to drive it on new tyres, with a refreshed suspension and proper alignment! If it ever stops raining
ps The hydroblast cleaning and painting ended up at $90 / wheel, and they look new.
Now I need new wheel nuts to match.
Next - find a set of 87+ rear brakes & backing plate, to try and improve the brake bias.
All mk1 MR2's have way too much front brake bias, so fitting larger rear rotors should help.
Look - it's shiny!
So my poor idle turned out to be a vacuum leak...
Did you know that a blacktop MR2 takes 2.95 metres of vacuum hose?
And that you need to remove the throttle linkage, airbox, and 3 out of 4 ITB's to get to half the vacuum hoses?
Anyway, after 2 afternoon's stripping and reassembling, all vac hoses are replaced, and it idles beautifully.
Next - aircon idle-up.
There's a vacuum valve (VSV in Toyota speak) that allows extra air past the throttles when aircon is on.
When we fitted the blacktop I stripped everything out of the engine bay.
Now I know about the a/c VSV, I checked the box of random bits, and there it was!
So now it's refitted and plumbed in, I need to find the switch wires for it.
I've started to unwrap the (modified) wiring harness from the a/c amp back, so I can break out the idle-up signal at an appropriate point.
I hope to have it all sorted by the end of next weekend, as I'm doing a mini road trip over Easter, and my niece will be driving some of the way.
Did you know that a blacktop MR2 takes 2.95 metres of vacuum hose?
And that you need to remove the throttle linkage, airbox, and 3 out of 4 ITB's to get to half the vacuum hoses?
Anyway, after 2 afternoon's stripping and reassembling, all vac hoses are replaced, and it idles beautifully.
Next - aircon idle-up.
There's a vacuum valve (VSV in Toyota speak) that allows extra air past the throttles when aircon is on.
When we fitted the blacktop I stripped everything out of the engine bay.
Now I know about the a/c VSV, I checked the box of random bits, and there it was!
So now it's refitted and plumbed in, I need to find the switch wires for it.
I've started to unwrap the (modified) wiring harness from the a/c amp back, so I can break out the idle-up signal at an appropriate point.
I hope to have it all sorted by the end of next weekend, as I'm doing a mini road trip over Easter, and my niece will be driving some of the way.
So having done all the vacuum lines, I set out to trace the A/C wiring, which involved untaping lots of the wiring loom..
Finally found the idle-up connector taped up in the loom!
Now to wire a signal to the ECU, fit a relay for the 20v compressor shut-off signal, which turns the A/C off at high revs, and tape it all up again.
Easy!
ps A curse on the person who made the adapted loom, for using insulation tape rather than wrapping tape, so everything is sticky under the wrapping.
Finally found the idle-up connector taped up in the loom!
Now to wire a signal to the ECU, fit a relay for the 20v compressor shut-off signal, which turns the A/C off at high revs, and tape it all up again.
Easy!
ps A curse on the person who made the adapted loom, for using insulation tape rather than wrapping tape, so everything is sticky under the wrapping.
trickywoo said:
Don’t want to sound negative but is that seam corrosion a concern?
YES!I only found it yesterday when I stripped the boot out - I will get it welded as soon as I've made the car driveable again.
I've a mate who works on classic rally cars, converting rusty lacework back into steel - I've seen him repair a lot worse than this.
Looking in the boot, it appears to have been flooded at some stage before I bought it, although the boot has been bone dry since I've owned it.
All sorted.
I can't make it run happily with the A/C signal connected to the ECU - the idle surges up to about 1900 RPM, then down to 1000, then up again.
However, with the A/C idle air bleed connected but not fed to the ECU, turning the A/C on makes the idle pick up by about 100 rpm. When I adjust the air bleed it should be perfect.
To celebrate, I went on an MR2 club run today - about 20 cars showed up, including a bunch of mk1's. Mine was the oldest there.
I can't make it run happily with the A/C signal connected to the ECU - the idle surges up to about 1900 RPM, then down to 1000, then up again.
However, with the A/C idle air bleed connected but not fed to the ECU, turning the A/C on makes the idle pick up by about 100 rpm. When I adjust the air bleed it should be perfect.
To celebrate, I went on an MR2 club run today - about 20 cars showed up, including a bunch of mk1's. Mine was the oldest there.
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