I though I would make a more detailed thread on the work I'm doing this time round, having completely rebuild my last car, I realize looking back more documentation would be helpful so this time round I will use this thread
Late in 2020 I picked up this, my first MR2
(https://i.ibb.co/f3j0dMZ/220897261-509714436782388-8502417738252449213-n.jpg) (https://ibb.co/f3j0dMZ)
This nice 2000 MR2 Roadster with 105k miles and some nice facelift bits sprinkled in. The car drove well for a period but began to burn oil, not a huge amount less than a litre in 2000 miles at the beginning, I tried various cleaners etc and the car drove on without getting any worse or any better for a couple of years until I parked it up at the end of 2022.
Life happened as it does and the car went untouched until late 2024, I rolled the car out began inspecting and found the subframe had corroded right through. The bushings where looking worse for wear and the car needed a refresh.
I completely rebuilt the car
New oem subframe
Tein Flex Z coilovers
Superpro polybushings,
Whiteline anti roll bars
TRD replica front strut brace with a corky mid brace already installed by a previous owner
Prius front calipers
new/refurbed rear calipers
new oem handbrake cables
refurbed hubs, new bearings, brake dust shields etc
Falken Tyres
I also gave the car a full bilt hamber/fertran treatment. Sills, chassis legs, new subfame, control arms basically everything got treated in some form or another. I completely went over this car tidying bits up.
The paint had scratches and the headlights where faded but mechanically it was happy-ish and drove well.
(https://i.ibb.co/39rH7dfj/Messenger-creation-8-DAC4-F80-44-CF-48-F3-BFE3-AD58-E6-B872-D0.jpg) (https://ibb.co/39rH7dfj)
Until it didn't, I booked the car for its test, the evening beforehand I drove to a nearby hill to test and adjust the handbrake, whilst sitting at idle and adjusting the handbrake the engine suddenly stopped. No spluttering, no hesitation just dead. Car wouldn't crank. Towed the car 50 metres to my house and began to investigate the next morning to find the timing chain had snapped...
(https://i.ibb.co/PvHK5c7t/Messenger-creation-B87-C4-A5-B-66-A3-4481-AEAF-2267-EC039458.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PvHK5c7t)
I still don't know why this happened, I had changed the valve cover gasket previously and the chain looked great?
I began to weigh up options and took a test drive of 2 2zz swapped cars, and personally I didn't like them as road cars so I decided to purchase a rebuilt 1zz unit from Mag Engines. Whom I would definitely recommend.
There where delays and I had to pay for the gearbox to be completely rebuilt due to being sold a shoddy unit but eventually had the car back running with a rebuilt engine, lightweight flywheel and 2zz gearbox with longer 6th and lsd.
The car then began to misfire pretty badly a failed injector was the main culprit, however a smaller intermittent misfire was present, this turned out to be a very minor leak/warp on the standard manifold flange. I picked up a good used stainless unit and fitted it, curing the issue completely.
I enjoyed the car quite a bit over 2025 racking up over 5k miles with the new setup, I just wish I took more photographs ;D
Unfortunately in November, whilst navigating a roundabout at no more than 30-40kmh an hour I lost the back and proceeded to smack a tree.
(https://i.ibb.co/Vcf3SgMp/PXL-20251109-103459650.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Vcf3SgMp)
I walked away with not even a sore neck, the car unfortunately, was gone. I was obviously devastated, I've lost count of how many hours I put into this car, how many times I came close to just putting down the spanner and breaking it or selling it put I persisted, slowly but surely it was becoming a really great well sorted machine.
(https://i.ibb.co/7tC3yQZ7/PXL-20251112-105440852.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7tC3yQZ7)
I made inquiries as to getting this repaired, but for the price of 2 maybe even 3 decent replacements it just didnt make sense, I did consider cutting the front out and having a tubular frame built but it would have been strictly track car and I just dont have the space, so I made the only logical decision available to me, I stripped the car
(https://i.ibb.co/rKWCHMLf/PXL-20251215-101629153.jpg) (https://ibb.co/rKWCHMLf)
and bought another ;D
(https://i.ibb.co/b5SW8jgr/PXL-20251208-091636148.jpg) (https://ibb.co/b5SW8jgr)
2002 134000miles body and chassis are really excellent condition for the age. no rotten rear quarters and only some really minor surface rust in the usual places. Subframe all good etc
However engine is kaput
(https://i.ibb.co/tpVL03hW/smoky.png) (https://ibb.co/tpVL03hW)
It went through over a litre of oil in the 20km round trip to bring it for registration :o
With registration out of the way the plan is simple, get the dead engine out and the rebuilt 1zz+c60 combo back in and then just enjoy it. Hopefully the lessons learned from my first engine swap will make this second much simpler!
The car will get the same bilt hamber/fertran/painting the last one got but I will waiting for warmer months to tackle that job. I will leave the standard suspension for now and see how it gets on, maybe a nice set of wheels but not a priority. It's only been just over 2 months but I miss driving these cars allot already, hopefully I can get this back happy sooner rather than later.
(https://i.ibb.co/DfMmDXyL/PXL-20260103-140120974.jpg) (https://ibb.co/DfMmDXyL)
@J.P.As "someone" else might say - a like / not like post.
10/10 for perseverance, as I might say , the best tool in the box.
Sorry to hear about the silver 2, what a shame after all your hard work but the important thing, you walked away unharmed. Wish you all the best for your blue 2.
:) gutted to any 2 as a right off i should no from haveing 1 >:D >:D
i do like the way you get up for another go any used what you did from the last 1 :) :)
keep going and let no how it all goes 8)
you will love this 2 more because all the time and effort you put in will be worth it :) :)
Mirroring my MR2 journey. My first was a silver and that died in a crash (rear ended at 50 by a modern mini) and I then got my current one, a blue hardtop!
Not a terrible amount of mechanical progress over the last couple of weeks with work and the car hasnt moved but it is now officially registered on Irish plates! Which means I can crack on and get it back to a proper road worthy condition, getting it's first NCT and getting out on the road.
The car was misfiring horrendously and I decided to take a quick look at the plugs and yeah, to say they looked bad would be an understatement. I knew the engine was toast when I bought the car so this isn't a surprise still not nice to see, too much mechanical sympathy maybe ;D
(https://i.ibb.co/cSrT3Kt6/PXL-20251217-125349617.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cSrT3Kt6)
But for now I had a more immediate issue, it had leaked all its power steering fluid very quickly and on investigation found the power steering pipes to be corroded. 60 quid on ebay and and the new lines went on easy enough. Pump is noisy though. I have a seal kit on the way, hopefully a good service will bring it back right but for now it turns the wheels easily and that's all I need.
(https://i.ibb.co/PvDmHnj5/PXL-20260118-142543455.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PvDmHnj5)
Frunk is looking a little crusty in the usual places. A thorough cleaning and protecting is on the cards. I've ordered some colour match patch but that will wait for warmer weather to tackle. A new UJ will come sooner it looks like for now I just needed to get the car moved, its spot was very quickly stolen by a skip. Ahh January's, may they never change :))
Next job is the easy one just take out the old engine and gearbox and replace with the new :)) with a million little things in between :))