The vehicle formerly known as Gus

[RichGR32]

Hello all,

I am brand new to MR2's and have recently become an owner, but more on that shortly,

I am somewhat of a Japanese car enthusiast, having owned an R32 GTS-T Skyline and for many years a Honda S2000, which ended up with a turbo strapped to it and 340bhp.
Right up to the point in which my now-wife became pregnant, this prompted a sale of all things fun and the purchase of a house.

Towards the end of my S2000 adventure, my mum provided me a budget and sent me off to return to her with a 'sports car', and definitely not swap the money for some magic beans.
I probed the usual suspects and discounted many, until I came across the perfect car, a PFL MR2 with low mileage, hardtop and under budget. A test drive proved everything was 'pukker'.
So the trade was made and the car returned to the cow dearest mother.
She was ecstatic and after eight trouble free years, it is now starting to show its age, it hasn't been used very much in the past year, has had repeated O2 sensor failures and EML.
Recently, I relocated to the Midlands and so my slave labour and car maintenance that was freely available to her is now a 100 mile journey, so my mum is struggling to find the time and/or enthusiasm to give the car the attention it craves.

And so, as the doting son I am, I have stepped in to save the day and more importantly save the MR2 from a terrible fate.
The MR2, or the vehicle formerly known as Gus (GU51 plate), was packed up onto a trailer and made the perilous journey north, ready for a resurrection.



My Midlands base features a 22ft X 17ft workshop in the garden, this has been my main project over the last 21 months (it's a slow burner). and with the impending arrival of the latest inmate, there was a renewed drive to get not-Gus's new home ready and comfortable, so that work can begin.

For now... he resides on the drive while I quietly plan his fate.



My thoughts are along the lines of:

Full strip down and chassis refurb
Seam weld it
Wide body kit
Engine swap - possibly a copy cat of the MR-T5 but Focus ST variant

[1979scotte]

Hello and welcome

Well done for saving her from the scrap heap.

Good luck with your endeavours although a small turbo with 240 bhp would be plenty fast enough believe me.

When my supercharged V6 actually works she put out over 250 ftlb at the wheels too much for 15" wheels on an 1100kg car

Enjoy.

[s12vea]

Welcome

[Ardent]

Hello and welcome.

[Topdownman]

Welcome,

Glad to hear you have finally worked your way up to a good japanese car!

Sounds like you have some big plans. Looking forward to seeing how you get on.

[RichGR32]

Good luck with your endeavours although a small turbo with 240 bhp would be plenty fast enough believe me.

I'll start steady and work from there and see where I end up, I'm chasing driveability and enjoyment over bhp figures
340bhp in 1250kg of S2000, started becoming normal eventually, haha.

I also forgot to say that the MR2 also has a P0301 cylinder 1 misfire, so that will be my first point of investigation. And the most annoying exhaust heatshield rattles known to man!

[1979scotte]

Good luck with your endeavours although a small turbo with 240 bhp would be plenty fast enough believe me.

I'll start steady and work from there and see where I end up, I'm chasing driveability and enjoyment over bhp figures
340bhp in 1250kg of S2000, started becoming normal eventually, haha.

I also forgot to say that the MR2 also has a P0301 cylinder 1 misfire, so that will be my first point of investigation. And the most annoying exhaust heatshield rattles known to man!

Yes but S2000 don't have a lot of torque and some early mr2s only weigh 950kg

[puma2]

  happy story on this
now you have made a good home for your 2 lets see what happens
keep up the good start