'88 T bar Mk1 MR2...finally back home!

[Heaveho]

So, after telling my best mate's mother that this should only be residing in her garage for about 3 weeks ( in July 2016! ), I finally brought it back home last week! This decision was brought about rather suddenly by the subject of another recent thread, in which I'd convinced myself and others that I'd bought an immaculate Impreza Turbo 2000. In reality I hadn't, but the possibility of such an event meant that various vehicles had to be relocated into spaces that they would fit in to, and the MR2 would fit into a space in my garage that the Impreza wouldn't have.

It's been back about a fortnight. Yesterday, I decided to embark on a programme of extracting as much mintness as possible from what was available. This is an unrestored car with original arches and mainly original paint, 59k from new, lots of service history.

Pics of the results of recent activity.....



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|https://thumbsnap.com/w0vowG7q[/url]

At the point where it's a toothbrush and fast wax in all the nooks and crannies now, around all the seam sealer, door and boot hinges, etc. I removed the rear bumper and mudflaps tonight, as the bumper has faded and crazed to the point of needing a full repaint, and I have a pair of replacement mudflaps ( also requiring paint ), as the originals have lost their shape and the mounting holes have corroded through ( very common problem ). My plan is to have the bumper support beams powder coated in the near future, and start removing and renovating anything and everything I can get my hands on in the near and distant future.

More pics to follow.....

Edited by Heaveho on Wednesday 11th September 22:10

[crofty1984]

Wow, that's amazing.

[AmosMoses]

So fresh! My uncle had a ratty one about 15 years ago and I loved it.

[AW111]

Excellent!

As a fellow mk1 MR2 owner - get out there and drive it.

[5harp3y]

that spare wheel is mint!

[TartanPaint]

Now, that is something special!

[Rich135]

That looks awesome Heavho, such perfect condition. I have just fitted my Jimi bracket, it really tidies up the engine bay! I just need to do my cam covers now so that they look like yours ;-)

Rich

[Heaveho]

Thanks for the replies and kind words. It's in another readers cars thread involving all of the things in the garage, but I thought this was probably worth one on it's own.

If you want refurbed cam covers, I got mine from T&N in Herts, £75 exchange at the time. I bought loads of stuff from Tony, remanufactured under bonnet and engine bay decals, floor mats, bodykit bolts, pedal rubbers, original Toyota wiper blades, can't remember all of it now!

There's a timing belt and tensioner waiting to go on and a distributor oil seal as mine's weeping. I want to try and figure out a way of isolating the fuel supply and spark so I can crank it to get oil pressure before starting it, as they tend to have a momentary rattle just after firing up. I grind my teeth in my sleep over stuff like that!

Sorely tempted to get one of Woodsports 6 speed boxes as it's a direct swap with no external giveaways, but the car is almost 100% standard other than the throttle bracket, and that's only a 15 minute job to reverse.

[seiben]

Heaveho said:

There's a timing belt and tensioner waiting to go on and a distributor oil seal as mine's weeping. I want to try and figure out a way of isolating the fuel supply and spark so I can crank it to get oil pressure before starting it, as they tend to have a momentary rattle just after firing up. I grind my teeth in my sleep over stuff like that!

From memory (it's been a while since I had a mk1) you need to fit a genuine Toyota oil filter. I believe (again, from memory!) it has a non-return valve to stop the oil flowing back into the sump and avoid the very rattle you describe.

Car looks ace, btw

[Heaveho]

Hi, from what I can see it already has a genuine filter on, but they're also sensitive to different grades of oil, and other than it being clean, I don't know what's in there. Got a new genuine filter and fresh oil ready to do once we're doing the belt.

There's a reasonable list of stuff to do both in and out, it's generally in lovely nick, but the leather could be better and there's paintwork to do. Always a headache finding a bodyshop with the right attitude.

[danllama]

Lovely looking Mk1! Wish I had the space for one.

[OnePaintedMan]

I had a red Mk1 T-bar about 18 years ago. Fabulous little thing. Proper mini exotic. I absolutely loved it. Sold it in mint condition to a friend who proceeded to absolutely trash it within 3 years and let it go for nothing as an MoT failure.

This example looks in amazing condition! Lucky find. Enjoy!

[Rich135]

Heaveho said:

If you want refurbed cam covers, I got mine from T&N in Herts, £75 exchange at the time. I bought loads of stuff from Tony, remanufactured under bonnet and engine bay decals, floor mats, bodykit bolts, pedal rubbers, original Toyota wiper blades, can't remember all of it now!

Thanks, I have T&N saved as a favourite in case I need anything! I quite fancy doing the cam covers myself, although at £75 it is pretty tempting...

[Heaveho]

Bumper off for paint, rear panel came up pretty spotless...

[MattsCar]

Good man! Lovely looking example and hope you give it the attention it deserves.

On another note.. a certain Impreza is currently on Facebook for 5k...I am guessing you are included in the mention of the 4 time wasters (or smart people) in the advert. Did you have any luck with your deposit?

[Heaveho]

MattsCar said:

Good man! Lovely looking example and hope you give it the attention it deserves.

On another note.. a certain Impreza is currently on Facebook for 5k...I am guessing you are included in the mention of the 4 time wasters (or smart people) in the advert. Did you have any luck with your deposit?

Hi, thanks for the comments on the MR2. It will be getting lots of attention, I'm smitten with it!

I noticed the Impreza had disappeared from ebay the week after I saw it, the only time waster is the vendor! The car turned out to be a heap, in all honesty. I was in to that with a mate, so halfers on the deposit, and no, no refund. Tells you all you need to know about the seller, his word means nothing. Neither do his descriptions. We stuck to our part of the deal, wish we hadn't now. The guy who was in it with me has become quite seriously ill since we viewed it, and because of this neither of us have got around to chasing it.

[Dave Hedgehog]

I had a 3 year old G reg mica blue t bar

One of my fav cars

[anonymous-user]

My parents had an 89 super red one with very little mileage on it. I used to love driving that, there was nothing else to compare it to. Rust at the rear was a bit of a problem usually the wings. Where the wings get produced, there's a lip and the dirt gets held there. Then when it rained, the dirt held the dampness promoting the rust. It's a good idea to get a hard bristle brush and brush all the crud out everytime you wash it.

[Heaveho]

So, replacement mudflaps sourced. Only took a year to find decent ones, had to get them from America in the end, as it's the only place where the climate means the mounting holes don't corrode to the size of tunnels! Roughly flatted them off last night, I'm going to take the red one down to bare plastic, as I don't want any red showimg through if it gets chipped. I'll have a graphics place make up the "MR2" script after I get them back from the bodyshop.

[Heaveho]

One of the very few mods.....sourced a period factory option cd player to go with the original radio cassette........yes, that is an actual cassette! When the cd player turned up, I though it was bust, as it wouldn't play on the bench, fitted it anyway, and it worked. I think it's just extremely sensitive to the orientation it's in when being asked to play.



Well, when in Rome. 80's car, 80's music.......