1988 Mk1 MR2 T bar refurb

[Heaveho]

So, for the last 3 days, this has been my life.......my Boxster's on the scissor ramp waiting for brakes and a wheel refurb, and anyway, it's nice outside.



These things look so much better with no front plate....



First things first. Bodykit off for sill inspection. Holy st, who's garden is this?



Could be worse......



Plenty more to come.

[Heaveho]

And breathe.....these had scope to be a right horror show.



There's a very small hole in the bottom of the back edge of the o/s front wing above that pile of debris on the ground in the previous post, and another microscopic hole at the back of the n/s sill. It appears to have been waxoiled and undersealed from new, thank fk. Very happy with the way these cleaned up.



Meanwhile, there's no way these are dodging the upholsterers. The quality of the leather is crap, frankly. Should get them back this week.







Been quoted £250 to replace the drivers bolster and recolour and seal both seats. Never had leather repairs done on anything prior to this, if I'm happy, the Boxster might be getting the same treatment.

[Heaveho]

The original mudflap mounting holes were, as usual on these things, mullered. Took me a year of looking on ebay, but finally managed to source a decent pair from America and had them and the rear bumper painted at the end of last year. I didn't fancy my chances of painting in the logo on the mudflaps afterwards, so got a decal company to knock some up.



I got replacement rear bumper decals from a Mk1 specialist. Bit of a game to fit accurately, lots of measuring and guide tape to get them level.



I'm going to strip both front bumpers and get the beams and mountings powder coated at some point when places are open again, but in the meantime, I've repainted the tow hooks which are visible. If I can find a quiet stainless replacement, I'll change the exhaust, but in the meantime, the original's had to make do with a respray.





Cleaned and dressed all of the spalshguards with Auto Finesse Dressle started replacing all of the splashguard and bodykit bolts with new originals.....24 more on order.

[Jefferson Steelflex]

Fantastic cars, and yours looks great. I ran a red ‘89 T-Bar in the late 90s and loved every second, one of the best cars I’ve had.

Enjoy.

[Heaveho]

Jefferson Steelflex said:

Fantastic cars, and yours looks great. I ran a red ‘89 T-Bar in the late 90s and loved every second, one of the best cars I’ve had.

Enjoy.

Thanks, it's lovely and I'm smitten! :laugh...........it's got a few minor issues, some of which I'll deal with in this thread, but it's just coming up to 60k miles, so that's a timing belt service due. I'd like another stamp in the book for that, but that's obviously not happening at the mo. Need a dent guy to have a look at a couple of bits, and the n/s paintwork wants done again.

I'm guessing it's been keyed at some stage. I could see it had had paint on the n/s when I was buying it, I took the interior panels out to have a look for damage, but the painted panels are dead straight, so I'm struggling to see another reason for it having been painted. There's no rust around the arches and no sign of related repairs.

Remember when this stuff was cutting edge?



It's still got the original dealer plates, which I want to keep, but they're getting tatty now. I'd like to replace them with new ones in the original style, but I think that's becoming impossible to do now. I'd fit an original rear window dealer sticker, but again, not sure repros are available any more.

[Hitch]

You could achieve a similar plate look with show plates from someone like fancyplates

[5harp3y]

these guys seem to do a lot of custom plates and dealer stickers etc

https://www.dmb.uk.com/

[Heaveho]

Thanks for that, had a look at dmb, they do a dealer sticker, but it's become Peugeot since then. not really acceptable! I dare say I can ask the question though. I'll speak to fancyplates, anything's worth a try.

Within reason, I'd like to try and get the car as original as possible. Although admittedly, I've scuppered the 100% original look by doing what I've done with the alloys!

[Cliff J]

In 1990 I was working for a company where two sales girls had cars to die for, one was a Peugeot 205 1.9GTi and the other was a MK1 MR2 Tbar.
I looked at those girls like they’d already made it in life lol

[Heaveho]

Cliff J said:

In 1990 I was working for a company where two sales girls had cars to die for, one was a Peugeot 205 1.9GTi and the other was a MK1 MR2 Tbar.
I looked at those girls like they’d already made it in life lol

Jammy sods, only taken me another thirty years then!

[Rich135]

They are super shiny wheels - did you have them diamond cut? The car looks great - I know the relief of removing the side skirts to find solid metal - phew!

[Heaveho]

Rich135 said:

They are super shiny wheels - did you have them diamond cut? The car looks great - I know the relief of removing the side skirts to find solid metal - phew!

Yes, I was a little concerned when taking the bodykit off.....one of the screws holding it on was absolutely seized solid, and I had a right game shifting it, which made me worry about what I was going to find, so very pleased when I saw it to be as nice as it is. It's in really good nick everywhere I've looked, much better than I dared hope. There's the usual surface rust on the suspension components, which seems like it will clean off without too much trouble, but the body underneath is really clean. I've been under it polishing the radiator crossmember and rear firewall, zero rust on them.

The wheels have a polished alloy effect coating, it's very realistic. I'd seen it done on another this colour and thought it suited it. I wouldn't have been brave enough to do it otherwise!

Just remembered, you've got one of these haven't you?

Edited by Heaveho on Tuesday 28th April 16:44

[Heaveho]

Some fairly bang up to date technology going on here! I sourced the blue stitched gaitors from a supplier on ebay, and the period factory option cd player also came from there. It wouldn't work on the bench when I received it, but they are fairly orientation sensitive, so I fitted it anyway, and away it went! The gearknob was in nice nick, so I got the cover to protect it. Sadly couldn't find a blue stitched one to complete the set, although I'm thinking of having it and the steering wheel done to match the gaitors.



The standard speakers were shagged. I replaced them with Hertz 4" that more or less drop straight into the factory holes. Need to do the rears next.



I'm your stereotypical, up to date, finger on the pulse, cutting edge entertainment freak, obvs, Best band in the world, you either get them or you don't! I think this dated back even further than the car!

[Rich135]

Yes I've got one as well. Similar to you, just a bit of surface corrosion on the suspension but no horrors found so far. You've done so many of the same little jobs that I've done on my car :-)

Don't bother replacing the rear speakers, as they are tiny and give no depth of sound anyway. Make some speaker boxes like these and use the wiring from the rears to wire into them, then you have some proper sounds, and it's completely reversible to stock as well. The t-bars sit on top of the speaker boxes.

[darkyoung1000]

Oh very nice indeed. There was a red one that used to park at work that I lusted after - there’s just something so right about the overall shape.

Very glad that you’re finding yours to be in (mostly) tidy condition!

[Baldchap]

Photo of the Toyota reflection from under the spoiler onto the rear windscreen please? I thought that reflection was so unbelievably cool as a kid.

[Heaveho]

Rich135 said:

Yes I've got one as well. Similar to you, just a bit of surface corrosion on the suspension but no horrors found so far. You've done so many of the same little jobs that I've done on my car :-)

Don't bother replacing the rear speakers, as they are tiny and give no depth of sound anyway. Make some speaker boxes like these and use the wiring from the rears to wire into them, then you have some proper sounds, and it's completely reversible to stock as well. The t-bars sit on top of the speaker boxes.

They look great, are they 3 way Infinitys? Do the seats still go all the way back?

[Heaveho]

Baldchap said:

Photo of the Toyota reflection from under the spoiler onto the rear windscreen please? I thought that reflection was so unbelievably cool as a kid.

Lol, I'll see what I can do! Weather'll have to sort itself out up here before it comes back outside though.

More pics....

At home with the family

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Got the seats back from the trimmers today. Bloody lovely job.

|https://thumbsnap.com/UetUULo1[/url]

Too scared to get in without this on now though.....



Pagid front discs and Brembo pads for £27.72.!!!! Take a bow Euro car parts.....



Cleanliness is next to godliness apparently. Clearly some pages missing in my dictionary.....

[Rich135]

Heaveho said:

They look great, are they 3 way Infinitys? Do the seats still go all the way back?

Yes, 3 way infinitys and the seats do go all the way back. I am 6ft nothing and it works for me!

Those refurb'd seats look great! I am very glad to see it has a nice dry home every night :-)

[seiben]

What a lovely thing! I've had a couple of these over the years, both of which I miss quite a lot.