Simple Sable Daily

Started by Dreamcast, May 21, 2022, 21:55

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Dreamcast

It's taken me a while but I want to use the forum a bit more regularly, and I think having a progress journal of sorts will help that, and maybe encourage me to actually get around to doing the things I have planned...

This is my MR2, a 2004 Sable I bought at the end of 2019. It's covered ~46800 miles and I'm the third owner. It's my first fun car and my daily driver right now. Mostly stock and in overall pretty great shape.



Good:
Bodywork is in great condition
Roof is in good condition
Radiator replaced last year and new belt and tensioner at the start of this year
Doesn't burn oil and handbrake OK ;D

Bad:
Clutch pedal is squeaky
Paint chips on the bonnet and a couple of marks in the paint
Headlights are slightly cloudy
Wheels have some corrosion, and paint is chipping off them as a result
Nappy partially held on with zip ties

So there really isn't much that needs fixing and I have had a pretty stress-free time so far, the MR2 does make a surprisingly good daily.

Here's what I've done so far:
  • Binned the terrible stock speakers and radio, upgraded to Alpine G-Series speakers and an Alpine CDE-178BT radio
  • Replaced the corroded foglights with Prius ones and tinted them yellow (not in the photo above)
  • Added a weighted shift knob and a new shift boot
  • Got rid of the OEM interior light and replaced it with a white LED one
  • MR-S front badge
  • Alcantara-style trim on lower section of door cards
  • 3D printed sun visor blanking plates


And here are my current plans in no order:
  • Get the wheels refurbished or buy a different set
  • Clean up the fogging on the headlights
  • Strut tower braces front and rear
  • Hook up a DAB antenna to the radio
  • Various interior changes – Gen 7 Celica seats as a main one
  • New exhaust (catback + headers)


I have ordered a Cusco Type OS strut brace on order that should hopefully arrive sometime at the start of June. Other than what's already here I don't plan to do anything else, as I said this car is my daily so I don't want to go overboard - hopefully those aren't famous last words :o 

Chilli Girl

Hi there, I recognise the pic taken at Simply Japanese at Beaulieu last year as we met one another. A very nice sable you have there and I see Sapphire is in the background ;)

Hope to see you this year.

Jane
Ex owners of Chilli red facelift 52 reg called Chilli, silver 55 reg called Foxy and blue pfl W reg MR-S called Sapphire. Now 2 less!

Ardent

looking forward to the updates.

Topdownman

The squeaky clutch is probably coming from the pivot rather than the pedal, its fairly common.

Zip ties on the nappies is also common as the fittings corrode and its much easier to cut off a ziptie and replace when refitting than mess around with rusty bolts. Some dont like this but its nothing to worry about unless it upsets you.

Hopefully your headlights will polish up ok.

That is a nice short list though so thats good!

"Racing" tax disc holder (binned), Poundland air freshener, (ran out), Annoying cylinder deficiency,  (sorted),
Winner of the Numb bum award 2017
Readers Ride

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puma2

 :) good to see it  :)
lets see how you get and enjoy the journey :)  :)
not so much the spend ;D  ;D

Gaz mr-s

Agree with Ardent re the clutch pivot squeak - very common. It's awkward, but take off the 'corrugated' rubber & spray some sticky grease in & get someone to press the clutch as you do. It usually works.

I have a rear strut brace spare if you want one, but they're not as effective as a front one. The type that is usually regarded as most effective is a mid underbrace.

Check the handbrake cable rubbers at the rear. The chances are they're perished.  MGF gear cable rubbers off ebay can be persuaded on.

1979scotte

Hello and welcome.
Just refurb your wheels.
It's expensive to find new ones as light in the right sizes and Toyota wheels are pretty bomb proff compared to modern audi or BMW. So said the guy that did mine.
First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Free Ukraine 🇺🇦

Dreamcast

Thanks for the comments all, especially advice for the clutch, it has been a minor thing for some time.

Cleaned up the headlights today, the passenger side one was the worst. Here is a before and after:





Not quite perfect, there are a few light scratches still on there, but still way better than they were before.

Dreamcast

Quote from: Chilli Girl on May 21, 2022, 22:10Hi there, I recognise the pic taken at Simply Japanese at Beaulieu last year as we met one another. A very nice sable you have there and I see Sapphire is in the background ;)

Hope to see you this year.

Jane

I will go again this year, hopefully the weather is better this time!

Topdownman

The headlight is a good result, sometimes they go on the inside too and you just cannot get them looking good.

There are a couple of events next weekend if you fancy a longer drive than Beaulieu!
"Racing" tax disc holder (binned), Poundland air freshener, (ran out), Annoying cylinder deficiency,  (sorted),
Winner of the Numb bum award 2017
Readers Ride

06 not V6 readers ride

Dreamcast

Already been signed up for Hatton for a while. I was busy last year so this will be my first time going!

Dreamcast

Nice to meet some of you yesterday!

I also got a set of John Sleigh's Delrin door bushes while I was there (not sure if he is on the forum?)

Haven't had a chance to go on a proper drive with them on but everything felt a bit more rigid and much less rattly when going over bumps on my way back. My front strut brace is due to arrive next week so hopefully these two together will provide a nice difference.


Topdownman

Good to see you too, hopefully we will see you at our National Meet in July!

(Glad to see the mods have started).
"Racing" tax disc holder (binned), Poundland air freshener, (ran out), Annoying cylinder deficiency,  (sorted),
Winner of the Numb bum award 2017
Readers Ride

06 not V6 readers ride

J88TEO

Quote from: Dreamcast on May 30, 2022, 21:47I also got a set of John Sleigh's Delrin door bushes while I was there (not sure if he is on the forum?)
How much are these? Would like them on my 2.

Joesson

Quote from: Dreamcast on May 30, 2022, 21:47Nice to meet some of you yesterday!

I also got a set of John Sleigh's Delrin door bushes while I was there (not sure if he is on the forum?)

Haven't had a chance to go on a proper drive with them on but everything felt a bit more rigid and much less rattly when going over bumps on my way back. My front strut brace is due to arrive next week so hopefully these two together will provide a nice difference.



Looks like a development of @Dev 's wedge type idea, good to see ingenuity is not dead, but John Sleigh needs to have a word with his marketing department, and/ or get on here!

Dev

Delrin good material. Looks like a good product.

105e

They do look like a good product...

Jimbo

Re DAB antenna, I used a splitter from eBay rather than a separate one, to my surprise it actually worked! A lot less faff.
Mark - Project Stop Gap - 03 Roadster in blue

Mark A

Also interested in the price of the door bushings

Dreamcast

There seems to be a decent amount of interest in the door bushes! If any of you are in the Facebook group he's on there already. Currently they are £110+5 postage. They're being made in batches so might be a different price in the future.

My experience of them so far has been pretty great, I'm yet to go on a good drive with them to see how they affect stiffness but they seem to have got rid of 99% of the rattling from the doors and dashboard which is promising.

Dreamcast

Had a chance to drive for a while now with the door bushes and the difference is quite noticeable, as I said before less ratting, but definitely less shaking through corners and over bumps as well.

My front strut brace arrived earlier than expected, so I'll fit it sometime this week.

Dreamcast

And fitted. Looks great but really need to have a clean out under here...


Dreamcast



Nice day out to Beaulieu today. I fitted some more Delrin bits yesterday, this time in the form of new bushes for the shifter cage. Not originally on my list but what a great difference for such a cheap mod! Got rid of a load of excess play in the shifter and feels much nicer now.

Ardent

Liking the pic.

I really do like that green.
Rare beast.

Dreamcast

Quote from: Ardent on July 24, 2022, 20:16Liking the pic.

I really do like that green.
Rare beast.

It was mint. Very nice cream and colour matched green leather interior too. It was at Beaulieu last year as well and had a matching hardtop on then... A unicorn for sure

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