Clives 1991 MR2 SW20

[clawnz]

Here will be the details of what the little Red Beast is all about.

I think it best if I ask a Mod or Admin to bring some of my other details from threads into this.
Yes it has some engine troubles, due or said due to being over heated.
That has been the last of my worries, so far.
The engine runs, and on all four, sounds very quiet and also seems to drive reasonable.
After compression check I have to think the motor needs reconditioning. It pulled around 120psi on all four pots.
Which I know is low enough to say worn.
I took on the MR2 with the Gen4 in it, knowing it would need work. But never figured it was such a mess.
Maybe I started wrong working on cosmetic things, while I thought out my plans for the mechanical side of things.
I knew I had to fix the rotted out exhaust. That was a mission in it's self, but fixed up with mods. Gen4 down pipe, so had to sort a flange for it and a new flexi joint. For now it is connected to a N/A silencer with the catalytic converter still in place.
As per my other thread I have a complete system coming down from USA. I know it is for the MK1 and some have commented it will still be too restrictive. It is a performance system. I know whatever I get will need to be modified to fit anyway, so not too worried.
It is 305 Stainless and cost a fraction of the prices I have been quoted here in NZ.
I am after free flow, but not too much noise. Yes the cat will be taken out of the system. But want a system I can legally use if and when I try to get this car complied.
Yes I know there is another worry.
So fitted a decent radio and speakers. While I had the interior apart I ripped out the old factory amps. Managed to get the MR2 Ariel to work, after some stripping down and playing with things.
Had a play with steering wheel and am still rethinking that. I am a bit on the short side and am not yet comfortable with the driving position.
Working on installing a 45mm Boost gauge into the cluster.
Got the speedo connected and working.
Power steering. Well not sure about this yet. Replaced relay and stopped there.
All four suspension springs were non captive when the car was jacked up.
Backs were easy and for now found and fitted standard springs and shocks.
Fronts. What a laugh. The top mount bearings were sized.
So, one shock shot, two springs non captive, and both bearings screwed.
The new bushes are on their way. Ordered online Monday arrived in my USA address yesterday and should be shipped out today, here in 5days.
Changed the front bumper over to a complete one. While I had the off took off the air con heat exchanger. Which was rotted out and most likely causing some blocking of air flow through the radiator. Took off the main chassis frame, cleaned, treated with rust kill and then sprayed internal with FishOlene. PA10'ed the outer. reinstalled and fitted new horns before putting the replacement front on. And got two spots to fit in the front. Loved that mission. NOT!
Somewhere in all this I also had a good look at some of the wiring, as the engine bay fan kept stopping. (I did pick up another from Zebra) In checking wiring back to fuse box and CPU was a little shocked to find all these wires, where things have been patched in, just twisted together and badly taped up. Bunches of wires just cut folded over and also badly taped up. How this engine was ever running I am not sure. So I have soldered the connections up. Heat shrinked them. Also put shrink tubing over all the bunches of cut wires.
On driving this to my warrant guy found strange knocking in the rear end drivers side. On top of lower ball joints not well. Got new ball joints and on deciding to take control arms off. Things got real interesting. Inner coupling bolt just turned? Captive nut had broken out. This is not good, time for a beer.
Ok next day and I knew I had to take the subframe out to deal with this. After getting it on the bench used cutting disk to open up a hole and mig welded the nut in place and managed to undo the bolt. It is a Throwaway. No way in hell can I fix this. So next was to decide where to get another subframe. I knew there was one over the shore from a guy parting on out, I knew the guy in Cambridge also would have one. Then there was the guy trying to sell his MR20. As luck would have it I also knew there was one at Zebra in Manukau. They told me bare frame $60 and off I went with tools in hand, dreading trying to take one off out there, thinking that I was going to be dealing with sized bolts.
It was all good and got it home, cleaned it up and then FishOlened it. cleaned threads and put never size on them. This morning I have it mostly installed.
And I have not finished sorting the wheels out. That was another issue. Only two centric rings for four wheels! These took some real detective work to find the right ones. Plastic and had to pay $20 each for them.
So where am I? I have a car that needs a paint job and an engine rebuild.
Been told I will need to fit a E153 gearbox when I blow this one up.
So looking at a bit of money to be thrown at it yet.

[Benckj]

Quite a long saga to say the least. Guess it pays to go some serious research before buying a project car like this. No doubt with enough time and money you will get there.

[Alsw20]

Can we link to this post when someone comes onto the forum about this 'bargain' MR2 they have seen on Trade Me that only needs a couple of things to get her sorted?

[clawnz]

Hey! No Worries if you want to use this as a warning to anybody looking at buying.
If someone does not have a clue and is not capable of doing most of the work, then this sort of challenge would be out of their grasp.
As I said I knew I was into some work and expected a few things would need my attention.
At the end of the day it does not have any rust that I have seen, so basically a good foundation to build on.
And I feel most 25yr old cars that people have played with would need some things done. I just did not expect to find so many cowboys had played with it. David was good enough to make contact and fill me in on what he knew about a bit of this cars history.
We are so very lucky down here in NZ, as you guys do not have a clue about rust issues.
25yr old cars and still have nuts and bolts that spanners fit on and are still nuts and bolts.
Being a Two & From, I can tell you some stories. I worked on some wicked rust repairs.
Rust buckets were the norm. Some so bad that the insurance companies charged more for certain cars. Like Mini, 1100, 1300 BMC.
I did chassis repairs and panel work for awhile.
And where $1,700 was a good price or not, is a good question.
I figured if I parted it out I could of recuperated at least most of that back.

So here is a little vid of the subframe captive nut issue.
[youtube-embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnoRwwy ... e=youtu.be[/youtube-embed]

[Statek]

This is weird, but to embed a youtube vid, you have to grab the code from the embed link that youtube gives you,
ie. from <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MnoRwwy5haw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
just grab the https://www.youtube.com/embed/MnoRwwy5haw
and then use the iframe function instead of the youtube-embed...
Here:

[mickeyduck]

No, just grab the youtube ID e.g. MnoRwwy5haw and put it inside the youtube tag:

Screen shot 2015-12-12 at 4.42.31 PM.png (8.19 KiB) Viewed 3015 times

Screen shot 2015-12-12 at 4.44.03 PM.png (46.37 KiB) Viewed 3015 times

As for that captive - or rather, loose nut, it looks like some careful welding might be in order?
Or better yet swap out the subframe...

Don't drive it until you're damed sure it's safe Clive.

[Statek]

No, just grab the youtube ID e.g. MnoRwwy5haw and put it inside the youtube tag

Duly noted

[clawnz]

Ok Let me try this again.
What I did the first time was copy URL for the vid and open window youtube-embed and pasted URL. Result is what you see in my first effort to post vid.

So open youtube-embed and past copied URL into window.[youtube-embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDoV114WxqA[/youtube-embed]
Next one open youtube-embeb and past just PDoV114WxqA on the window
And try this one URL window https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDoV114WxqA

Ok I see in Preview the one done as Kris says works. The other two will link, so sort of works.

This is not MR2 But Terrano run back from Stratford with a new bird Sophie. Though her name was Scalet, before I adopted her.
10.5hr road trip 800km down and back same day. Don't run the numbers, as you may find we were speeding a little.

Now wheres the edit button.

I would note. That I am not taking any car out on the road that is a danger to me or any other person.
One of my rules I have always lived by is. Brakes and suspension before speed.

[JasonFriday13]

Now wheres the edit button.

That's one of the perks that paid up club members get.

[clawnz]

I have made the decision to abandon the Gen4 N/A.
Hopefully logics have kicked in. I am concerned I may never get it totally legal. I have had cars complied before, but nothing this old.
So I know they could cripple me cost wise. I still need to pull head to see if the gasket is blown. There are still bushes that should be replaced in suspension. And it needs a complete repaint.
I know I have thrown good money and time at it already, but time to pull the pin and part it out.
And the experience has been worth it, in that I have learned a lot of 'How Too's'.
There are parts I need like wheels, front bumper, bumper bar, guard maybe. And a few other things I may need to remove from my N/A

I have taken on a 1992 MR2 SW20 GT-S with some body damage. I feel a much more viable option, as it is 100% legal.
I am sure some of you would of seen the car in question on Trade Me. I have yet to take photos as it only arrived late last night.

[Benckj]

Probably a wise decision given the time and money involved. Best to start s new thread with the latest project.