the "MR2GUY"

[MR2GUY]

Well with all the neglect of my AW11, just daily driving abuse, I decided to finally treat it to the custom made stainless headers I had made from a few years ago, and an added resonator to help soften the note a little...

Next on my list of things to do is to sort out the pesky rust starting to form under the rear quarter windows and some paint touch-ups.

[mickeyduck]

Well with all the neglect of my AW11, just daily driving abuse... pesky rust starting to form under the rear quarter windows...

Nice exhaust system there Cameron. Be sure to brace the headers to the block ahead of the flexi joint or the welds will break (like they did on my SW).

As for the daily driver, rust forming... Time for you to remove the plastic vents from the bottom of the quarter-lights and look under there. Also peel the window rubber off from in front of the B-pillars and look underneath. And pull the side-skirts off, look under them, and also undo the bottom of the front guards and look under there and clean all the debris out. Those are the places the rot usually gets going on an AW that lives out in the weather eh. See here for more detail: http://mr2.org.nz/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=1 Hopefully yours being a dark blue facelift means it's still basically ok. Though the rust tends to start from the inside so by the time you see rust bubbles it can be a bit ugly. Here's hoping it's not too bad!

And 195 / 50 - 15 RE003 Potenzas work very well.

[MR2GUY]

Well with all the neglect of my AW11, just daily driving abuse... pesky rust starting to form under the rear quarter windows...

Nice exhaust system there Cameron. Be sure to brace the headers to the block ahead of the flexi joint or the welds will break (like they did on my SW).

As for the daily driver, rust forming... Time for you to remove the plastic vents from the bottom of the quarter-lights and look under there. Also peel the window rubber off from in front of the B-pillars and look underneath. And pull the side-skirts off, look under them, and also undo the bottom of the front guards and look under there and clean all the debris out. Those are the places the rot usually gets going on an AW that lives out in the weather eh. See here for more detail: http://mr2.org.nz/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=1 Hopefully yours being a dark blue facelift means it's still basically ok. Though the rust tends to start from the inside so by the time you see rust bubbles it can be a bit ugly. Here's hoping it's not too bad!

And 195 / 50 - 15 RE003 Potenzas work very well.

I will definitely be removing all the window trims, like you say it seems to form from the inside out so it has rotted out in a couple of months. I have a decent panel beater who specialises in rust and restorations so I'll have to get him onto it quicksmart. He's already done inside the door jams a few years ago and under the sideskirts, just have to constantly battle it I guess. I would like to get it looking decent again I haven't even cleaned the car for months because its just depressing seeing the rust and clearcoat fades, not to mention the missing trims and roof visor.

[MR2GUY]

Quick update,

Finally got around to sending my car in for more rust repairs...

Took out the rear quarter windows and the rot was pretty terrible

Also a little bit starting inside the roof sills.
So far it's all been removed and in the process of being patched. I can't wait to get her back repainted and ready for a few summer runs...

...progress...

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[mickeyduck]

Cam I am soooooo glad you are fixing the thing up. Properly. Not just throwing bog at it to flick it off like all too many a-holes do. You, you're a guy who knows what a cool car it's been and wants to make it that way again. That's a mint attitude.

The only thing I'd add is, for goodness' sakes keep it dry.

Unless you're gonna strip it to nix, galv it and rebuild it (major mission but hell would it be worth it!)

In fact if I thought I had more years ahead of me and maybe a bit more coin, I'd do exactly that to my AW. And fit it with a seriously tricked up 4AGZE like maybe a Mannon turbo version or perhaps a Formula Atlantic build or something. 300hp at least anyway. Then you'd have like a baby Lambo, and likely just as quick. Certainly at least as much fun.

I digress.

Like I said mate, really glad to see you're fixing the wee beastie up. I'd like to think you will enjoy that wee gem for many years to come. Cos one thing's for sure. You're not going to find a better one to replace it with in any kinda hurry eh...

I look forward to seeing you and the AW on a run again sometime, maybe this summer if you can?

Cos an AW is AWesome thru the twisties!

[MR2GUY]

Cam I am soooooo glad you are fixing the thing up. Properly. Not just throwing bog at it to flick it off like all too many a-holes do. You, you're a guy who knows what a cool car it's been and wants to make it that way again. That's a mint attitude.

Well this really is the plan now Charlie, I could've had her back on the road already, but one thing turned into another and I've decided to do a pretty decent restoration on her. I've been spending the last few weeks unbolting and sanding while my panel guy and I discover more rust to fix and more steel to seal and protect. I'll be getting it painted within the next couple of weeks and then the long process of refitting it all and replacing all the old broken clips and rusty nuts around the place.

My front radiator support had looked as if someone in the past had done a quick bog job on it so that was cut out and replaced with brand new steel:

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And the countless hours of sanding, priming, filling, re-sanding takes its toll, pretty glad I don't work in a panel shop

[MR2GUY]

So my car has finally come back from the painters and I've started to piece her back together, been a long time coming thanks to covid
Still waiting for all my rusty brackets to be sandblasted and epoxied for the bumpers and a few panels to be repainted, be good to finally get her back out this summer, will have to stock up on wax and elbow grease.

[Mr-Paulio]

Pwetty!
I really want to get my car painted one day. Same colour of course. It looks so nice! Well done!

[MR2GUY]

Pwetty!
I really want to get my car painted one day. Same colour of course. It looks so nice! Well done!

Thanks Paul, I wasn't planning to restore my two, I actually thought it was in pretty good condition, but once we dug deeper it was a hell of alot of work involved. And you can't beat the Mica Blue right? Yours would look great if you ever did

[ClanFever]

Pwetty!

+1

[Mr-Paulio]

Yeah I love the colour.... when mines clean!
Did you use the exact paint? No extras?
I have thought about a bit more metallic or slight pearl.

Yours looks super bright and clean. Probably just because its fresh and better quality paints and clears though I guess?

[MR2GUY]

Yours looks super bright and clean. Probably just because its fresh and better quality paints and clears though I guess?

They told me that when they looked up the paint code it had 3 revisions, so they used the more modern revision that has a bit more metallic in it. Pretty happy with it. It'll be good to finally come out for a run sometime.

[MR2GUY]

Progress

[MR2GUY]

She's finally mostly back together, time for a polish and a w.o.f seems like the battery has had it after a year of sitting also. The glazier stuffed my windscreen up, she's a little crooked and roof moulding was glued down. So I might re-order a new moulding and clips, get it redone. Does anybody have a window guy recommendation? Hard finding decent ones that will take their time.

[MR2GUY]

Back on the road