My SW20 - Dandism-life

[Swampy]

Woah haven’t updated here recently, partly because this is the mr2 forum and I am busy with Subarus and an AE101. I won’t bore you all with my new daily doer-upper BH Legacy Lancaster Outback lol but I will spam you all with 4AFE stuff until I’m back in an SW.


It’s been vinyl wrapped in nardo grey (long story), 2k black trims, badges, grille, wheels etc. bought for $850, questionable timing belt history, leaks, 165kms, but full of dings and just grubby interior. I used a big green machine, full detail outside too polish and clear headlights, tails polished, to name a few.



Timing belt water pump done with genuine aisin and gates parts, rear brake pad actually wore through and I had to order a new calliper from canterbury car parts. Rocker cover gaskets and spark plugs done


being an ej25 I had to disconnect engine mounts and lift it up a bit to get clearance.

I have a few Koken tools now, no pics but they are 1000% worth it and the slimline ratchet heads and low profile sockets will save you time.

I now live in Gisborne 1000km from civilisation so going to a wreckers is not that straightforward.

I actually used said Subaru to tow my mr2 and Corolla from Taupo to Gisborne. It did it with 0 problems other than going uphill very slowly and use a lot of petrol.

It actually got stolen so I replaced ignition with a push-start as it was cheaper and easier than sourcing ignition and barrels and the key. I’m battling with wiring in my door locks but once I’ve done with that and sorted a massive exhaust leak it should be wof reg and ready for sale.

Enough Subaru !

[Swampy]

End of 2021 I refurbished my Prelude wheels.



I’m happy with them, but they are 14x5.5/6.5 or something real small, shod in boto genysys tyres which absolutely suck, and I have 2x re001s and 2x s001s on the mr2… just need some 17s.

I attempted a respray in my old shed, but dust made it a challenge. As did trying to stay at a campground in Taupo and do it fast in a not so optimal facility. More in that later

I removed my steering wheel for an AliExpress momo copy. I love the momo but it’s $380 and advice I got from the old school forum was that it’s a risk, some are good, some aren’t, just get a good boss kit.



I actually have the higher spec ae101 wheel. Part of the attraction in owning an AE is that I can have facelift/higher spec parts without getting in to debt. I just don’t have the high spec 20v 4AGE or the LSD trans

I decided to borrow the boss kit from my MR2, off came the steering wheel


Legit Momo? Nice!


Boss kit




OEM wheel had this ring. When the horn is pressed, the circuit finds ground through a series of rings and springs. So I had to keep this ring, just bodged up a “shim” to keep it in place, bent a terminal on it to make it work and connected the ground wire horn button to the body of the boss kit.



And by shim I mean roll of masking tape, that will get replaced with nylon washers





It feels pretty solid, shouldn’t be a new face ornament etc

The work begins on my respray. Curiously I couldn’t find a paint code, it was a dulux electric blue. But the paint supplier I was using at the time wasn’t good, and said he’d make it up based on photos. I got sent KA4. It’s okay though, I kinda like it.

I got to work on my rear bumper



Sanded the body filler and sanded out any damage. I use bodyian paint from autocolourbank. The past guy even sent me two different shades of high build, which is a recipe for disaster with a colour that doesn’t hide well.

[Swampy]

A quick diversion from the bodywork; I got a knock off HKS ground kit from aliex. Partly because I love HKS parts, and partly because my WRX has bad grounds that I thought were making it hard to start. It’s most likely because the key is worn bad.

Oh yeah I also did my timing belt and water pump with this car with gates parts. I would have done oem, but at the time my partner was pressuring me to get rid of a few cars.. good news
Is I won’t be selling this.

The wire gauge isn’t too thin



There’s two fitted that you can see, and one above the transmission. There’s a bracket just behind the pod filter where they are bolted, this bracket is then bolted to the grounding point. The genuine item is quite overpriced for what it is, a pretty set of ground wires.

I then disassembled my genuine pod filter, to give it a good clean.



Solid construction, would recommend









An impressive bellmouth





After some compressed air and some soapy water back in she goes.



Apart from being JDM, it also is an unoiled filter which is MAF sensor safe, should I need it for another car.

Also was getting loud squeaking from my clutch, found the clutch slave was bone dry where grease should be under the boot. Removed it, packed it with some Castrol red stuff, and now
It doesn’t sound like a creaky thing.

[GDII]

Good old dress up grounding kits. Nothing but great marketing from the JDM manufactures.

[Swampy]

Recently I swapped my SARD (that i thought was a Border) front bumper for James Zemah’s Border bumper. It was a good deal and he plans on replicating a full sard body kit, whilst my SW sits sadly parked up.




Unfortunately my SW is a longer term project, I do a lot more on my AE101 so I’ll make a new thread for it. I still want to be a part of the club, but I now love the 4A engine and Corollas. It is going to get a respray, I’ll be trying to get more power out of it, there will be a body kit coil overs and some nice wheels and tyres.

[Benckj]

Great to see your still making progress on all the projects. I’m more into my Audi TT these days as the MR2 rarely gets driven.

[Swampy]

Great to see your still making progress on all the projects. I’m more into my Audi TT these days as the MR2 rarely gets driven.

Truth be told, my SW needs a once over on the chassis alignment machine, or a re-shell. Like yourself I enjoy the posts by the likes of Mo/Phil/Charlie/Mike/Jason/Olaf and I do want to stay involved with the club and SW’s, be that directly or indirectly.