The Project Pad

Downpayment sent on 3/1.

What makes a RHD car a pain?
-Passing a vehicle ahead of you
-Turning left on a green light at an intersection
-Pulling out of a spot where you've parked parallel
-Toll booths, parking voucher dispensers, fast food drive-throughs
-Drive specific parts available or parts in general if you have a model that wasn't sold in your market.

What a FULL day. 3/12/2016

Leaving at 4AM from my house, we left and headed to Virginia. We only encountered one slight traffic jam (clean up from a previous accident) where traffic was forced to one lane. Also a bit of fog very early in the AM. Other than that, the ride went very smoothly both ways. I do wish we had a bit more down time for other activities, but it was a longer round trip than expected.

I will be adding some photos from my real camera soon.

On the way down:


Sun coming up near Scraton PA:


A bit north of Harrisburg VA. We grabbed some gas and breakfast.


A short drive through West Virginia:


Arrival at Japanese Classics @ 1:20pm:


Checked out a skyline of an employee:


Checked out the inside. In their front office showroom, awesomeness:



After we looked over the MR2 it was brought outside for a test drive:


After the purchase was finalized, we had to fill up:


And then we were on the way back and I was feeling VERY odd on the right:


Well, my buddy felt pretty odd on the left side as well:


SO WEIRD.


Finally back in NY and had to stop to stretch a bit...


One last photo, taken at 12:38AM on 3/13/2016... before I shut it off and crawl into bed.


I wanted to cover this trip more than I did, but time really killed my motivation.

Updated 06/14/2023

Items needed/wanted:

• Tint. Legal on the driver and pass windows, black as possible on the quarter glass and legal on the rear window.
• Cam gears (HKS or Fidenza)
• clear camgear cover
• C's short shifter repro replacement
• Projector headlights
• What do do when the clutch needs replacing:
  • clutch *duh*
  • LSD
  • nickel plate all of the intake
  • powder coat brackets and such

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Installation Projects and Things to Do

• Get the car detailed
• RHD floor mats.
• Make brackets and install speed flaps
• roller clutch pedal clevis kit

Electronics:

• install megasquirt PNP stand alone ECU V2.0
• AEM wideband (install top of steering column)
• steering column gauge holder.
• HKS EVC4 (put where?)
  • how to install the boost controller
• alpine SEC 8063 alarm
• Look into power folding mirrors issus and replace drivers side door handle

Suspension and while the car is jacked up:

• front and rear roll center adjusters
• megan racing tie rod bump steer ends.
• 10mm front spacers
• LOWER it more
• Pull the fuel tank and swap the walbro 255 in

____________________________________________________________________________

DONE/FIXED/BOUGHT

• 2016 - 03/01 - Bought: Car. Down payment sent to confirm purchase. Insurance will be ready tomorrow.
• 2016 - 03/06 - Bought: 94+ JDM Yellow/orange corner reflectors for the kouki tails.
• 2016 - 03/07 - Bought: OEM MR2 and ABS logos for the back of the car (so when I restore the paint)
• 2016 - 03/07 - Bought: Carbon fiber Crux rep lip.
• 2016 - 03/10 - Bought: BRAND NEW 94+ MR2 Kouki tail lights and center section, with extended lock.
• 2016 - 03/13 - Early in the AM, The MR2 GT is home.
• 2016 - 03/14 - Bought: CXracing coilovers (same brand as the alltracs).
• 2016 - 03/17 - Bought: New leather shift boot with blue stitching (will continue this theme).
• 2016 - 03/26 - Bought: NIB Ash Tray (missing), Door bezels (cracked), Door Pull handle (missing clips).
• 2016 - 04/03 - Mod: Started installing the coilovers. Just ran out of time, kids and all...
• 2016 - 04/07 - Mod: Coilovers complete (at the highest setting)
• 2016 - 04/12 - Mod: Wheels on
• 2016 - 04/13 - Mod: Lock cylinder pins swapped for taillight swap.
• 2016 - 04/19 - Bought: Smoked front corners and side markers
• 2016 - 04/23 - Mod: Rear tail swap complete
• 2016 - 04/26 - Mod: Lowered the car more, adjusted the front camber and figured out I need front spacers (5mm)
• 2016 - 04/28 - Fixed: Aligned
• 2016 - 04/30 - Mod: Installed lip, evo wheels & front spacers. Did NOT have to pull in new studs.
• 2016 - 05/08 - Fixed: Replaced the wrecked shift boot with new
• 2016 - 06/21 - Fixed: Evacuated and refilled the A/C System (R12).
• 2016 - 07/02 - Fixed: Replaced and installed the blown tire.
• 2016 - 07/04 - 'Merica: Replace power antenna.
• 2016 - 08-06 - Bought: SSR GT1s, 17x7.5" and 17x9" with better ETs than the eveo wheels.
• 2016 - 09-24 - Mod: Installed the 93+ rear subframe and sway bar
• 2016 - 11/06 - Mod: SSRs are powder coated, thanks Mike B
• 2017 - 01/14 - Bought: HKS Exhaust, 93+ short shifter, plugs, cap and rotor.
• 2017 - 01/17 - Bought: HKS EVC4
• 2017 - 01/26 - Bought: JDM passenger seat to use the back part to replace the slightly worn one on the driver side (RHD).
• 2017 - 02/14 - Bought: TRSM (repair manual).
• 2017 - 02/21 - Bought: TCS Intercooler kit.
• 2017 - 02/23 - Bought: HKS BOV
• 2017 - 02/24 - Bought: Another 3SGTE valve cover and replacement gasket (to powder coat)
• 2017 - 03/03 - Bought: TCS Rear X brace (will not ship until the new run is complete. bought at the sale price).
• 2017 - 03/11 - Mod: Mostly finished the SSR center caps
• 2017 - 04/14 - Mod: Installed the SSRs and ordered the 10mm front spacers.
• 2017 - 05/07 - Fixed: Driverside door pin (so the lights finally work correctly)
• 2017 - 05/16 - Mod: Finished the JDM custom smoked side marking lights.
• 2017 - 05/24 - Mod: Replaced the early MR2 shifter with the 93+ short shifter assembly.
• 2017 - 05/30 - Bought: Many timing belt and such parts.
• 2017 - 06/20 - Bought: UK 160MPH cluster.
• 2017 - 06/22 - Bought: JDM Midship Runabout steering wheel
• 2017 - 07/20 - Fixed: Timing belt is done, and downpipe is mostly on. Cap and rotor replaced.
• --- Timing Belt Done @ 53,670 miles.
• 2017 - 07/27 - Fixed: Finalized and started!! Intercooler, fan, piping, intake, downpipe, steering wheel all done.
• 2017 - 08/02 - Fixed/Mod: Interior is back together, new shift knob, boot, UK cluster all installed.
• 2017 - 08/05 - Mod: Installed the shine rear add ons
• 2017 - 08/24 - Mod: Installed the HKS Exhaust
• 2017 - 08/27 - Fix: Oil Change ~ 53,680miles
• 2017 - 09/01 - Mod: Installed the HKS FCD
• 2017 - 09/02 - Mod: Installed the smoked side markers and lowered the car more.
• 2017 - 09/03 - Bought: JDM rev 3 clear corners and rev 5 speedflaps
• 2017 - 09/15 - Mod: Installed the JDM rev 3 clear corners.
• 2017 - 10/13 - Bought and Mod: Installed a genuine TRD oil cap and HKS Radiator cap.
• 2017 - 10/14 - Bought: The real JDM plates I ordered came in.
• 2017 - 10/27 - Mod: The Greddy rep side skirts went on.
• 2018 - 02/23 - Bought: AEM Wideband gauge kit, autopista rear spoiler, roll center spacers
• 2018 - 03/23 - Bought: Walbro 255 fuel pump
• 2018 - 04/04 - Bought: TRD rep front strut brace and front sway bar reinforce plates.
• 2018 - 04/22 - Mod: Installed the front strut brace and the dark front toyota emblem.
• 2018 - 04/25 - Bought: Fuel rail and FPR pulled and in a box, ready to be sent to ATS for mods.
• 2018 - 04/26 - Bought: Fuel injector o rings and such
• 2018 - 04/28 - Bought: ST sway bars
• 2018 - 05/04 - Mod: Installed the upgraded fuel rail and FPR (and no more vacuum leak)
• 2018 - 05/08 - Mod: Installed the Autopista spoiler and used all new stainless hardware (also cleaned below it a lot)
• 2018 - 05/18 - Mod: Boost gauge, UK turbo cluster and Alpine alarm LED installed
• 2018 - 06/02 - Mod: Sway bars and front reinforcements installed, fenders rolled and lowered.
• 2018 - 09/08 - Mod: Installed the JDM plates and hardware for easy swapping.
• 2018 - 12/26 - Bought: Hux engine hood bracket (received 1/28)
• 2019 - 01/04 - Bought: New front lip has been commissioned. ETA is 3-4weeks (done and received 1/29)
• 2019 - 01/09 - Bought: 4x8' HDPE Sheet in black for a protection "splitter" for the MR2 and MK3 supra.
• 2019 - 02/23 - Mod: New CF lip was installed with help from Josh. Thanks man!!
• 2019 - 04/25 - Mod: My custom "splitter" AKA lip protection is complete and installed.
• 2019 - 11/27 - Bought: Megasquirt PNP v2.0
• 2020 - 04/13 - Bought: New RHD floor mats
• 2020 - 05/16 - Dropped off for new Paint...
• 2020 - 05/21 - Bought: ATS top feed fuel rail, 12000cc injectors, wiring harnesses, and parts needed for the install.
• 2020 - 07/19 - Picked up from paint (shit work).
• 2020 - 07/20 - Ordered: New rear taillight panel, rear emblem, windshield cowl, screw covers, door belt moldings.
• 2020 - 07/23 - Ordered: Used 1998 JDM hard painted side moldings, which will be painted the same black as the car.

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I do plan on keeping this quite stock. No major hacks and anything I do will be able to be undone as this car only has 52k on it.

Anyway, a couple of sexy things that came in:

The lip:


The NIB 94+ tail lights that I picked up:

Love these SW20's and MR2's in general.. Can't wait to see what you do with it!

This is sweet, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of your alltrac too. I'll never forget the day I saw one of them launch and run the 1/4 trapping around 160 mph... It was brutal! I have loved them ever since.

How was is working with Japanese classics?

It was very smooth. Nice guys, took photos and videos of anything I asked about and more.

I do wish they would have told me about a small trim piece that is bent out. I may be able to fix it with a heat gun.

I will make a topic about the alltrac as well. I just need to get some time with the kids napping AND holiday family not here.

Dude, how do you convince your wife to let you have so many cars? color me impressed.

It will look better with scantily clad women on it

Glad you found your way over here, nice score on the MR2!

the german wrote:Dude, how do you convince your wife to let you have so many cars? color me impressed.

cause she's awesome and has nice cars herself.

Yes she is.

A few photos of some of the JDM specific little things.

What the heck is the "a man in dandism" thing about?

"Goofy Jap-speak nonsense word seen on the rear window of later model import versions of the Toyota MR2 MK2"
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dandism
Before I spent my lifesavings on an Audi, I actually considered MR2 turbo.. Even so much that test drove one.
I'm not saying I regret my decisions, but..
Oh, and the one I was after was an SW20 in black.

Day one of working on the import MR2: BLISS.

A buddy came over today to do some relaxing wrenching and holy shit everything was ACTUALLY relaxing!

Every single bolt we touched today (sway bars, struts and such) came off without any issues and were all so fucking clean. EVERY single nut came off all four sway bar links without any issues. This is a first for ANY of the cars I have ever worked on.

Under the car it was just as clean. Wow...

Getting the car up in the air to start the mods:

It is back on the ground with the coilovers set at the highest point, until i check fitment on the evo wheels, then can get it aligned.

I started the 94+ tail light swaps. I need to repin the new lock cylinder and get new plastic clips (that help hold the tails) before I can move on.

New tires will be mounted to the evo wheels tomorrow afternoon.

How she looks now:

The outcome.

Fitment is quite close to perfect. I do wish the front wheel were higher offset so I could go lower, but it does look WAY better. These wheels and tires are a temporary setup. I do plan on going with a custom setup once I get my other projects further along (the mk2 supra, mk3 supra and the truck).

215s in the front, 245 in the back.

Swapped the pin tumblers between the old trunk lock cylinder and the newer tail light one. Cleaned the old pins in the new cylinder and am very happy everything went smoothly.

Set up a space in the dining room and Molly and I worked side by side:


The back side:


Empied, and be careful of that BALL!


Swapped:


Complete.

finished up the taillights this weekend (after my father in law crashed into my wifes allroad, totaling it)...

on may 3rd had it aligned:


Put the lip on over that weekend:


While the family was napping on Mother's day, I did a few simple things.

Installed the new shifter boot

Before, sooo dried out and worn:






This tuesday eve, we evacuated the A/C system and ran a vacuum test. No leaks, then refilled. Working A/C again! Woot. Cars n Coffee this Sunday.

looking good!

bummer about the allroad :-/

woot i'll see you on sunday! i'll be in the mad max coupe

been pretty slow around here, summer and all (pool, kids, etc).

Just got back from the Cape for vacation and took a trip down to southern PA for a different set of "temp" wheels for the MR2. Better fitment/sizing.

Installed the 93+ rear subframe, links and larger sway bar last weekend.

The wheels off to my favorite powder coater a couple weeks ago:


He finished them this weekend:


Color:


Also a few other parts came in.

To get rid of the cat:


To finish the exterior look: