Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Discussion and technical advice the SW20 MR2. 3S-GTE, 3S-GE, 3S-FE etc
Anything and everything to do with maintenance, modifications and electrical is in here for the Mk2.

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JackDaniels73
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:14 am
Location: Norfolk

Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by JackDaniels73 »

Been a fan of the MR2 for many years. A boss of mine had one years back and always loved the styling, but never thought to own one...until November.

Browsing autotrader and came across a rev2 tubby for under £800 and thought fancy something I can tinker with at weekends and use on track days. so took the punt based on being told engine had new clutch, cambelt and water pump and main issues were body finish and brakes. As always no guarantees, but thought I would take the punt.

Got home and started the strip down. Close up finish is real bad but otherwise appeared sound.

Plan of attack was just to take apart and see what I had got myself into...

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1st Job....sort out the sills on both sides then new front end......
Martin F
IMOC Moderator
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Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2006 1:19 pm
Location: The Couch !

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by Martin F »

Fixed the links for you :thumleft:

Looks like your going to get your hands dirty, it does look like a good project though, have fun and looking forward to the end results :wink:
philmr2
Posts: 510
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 9:24 pm
Location: rugby

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by philmr2 »

Did you manage to get the border bumper fitted...

I've still got your old bumper gathering dust in my workshop :D

Good to see you have started a thread for your tubby...
JackDaniels73
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:14 am
Location: Norfolk

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by JackDaniels73 »

Thanks Martin. How Should I be posting in future? Would not want you having to fix my future posts :D

Hey Phil. Playing catchup. Be good to see the old bumper after you finish the planned mod. Been meaning to start a thread for some time. Lots of help along the way from members already to my various posts for help...great forum! :thumleft:
Draven
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Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2006 8:34 am
Location: One of the Hamptons.
Contact:

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by Draven »

When posting a link to an image you need to put it in

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for example

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This will make the image appear rather than just the link..

:thumleft: There is a handy litlte button under the subject. if you just highlight the link and click it they will pop up.
JackDaniels73
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:14 am
Location: Norfolk

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by JackDaniels73 »

Removed the side skirts to reveal the sills. Got busy with a screwdriver and started to make a lot of holes, both sides.

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Out with the disc cutter to remove offending rot \:D/

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Happy with the result given home garage setup. Objective was to stop the rot and ensure it was solid and treated...at least for now. It all gets covered back up with the side skirts so did not need it to be showroom!

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next was engine service. Fluids, filters, plugs etc. Also sorted some crazy wiring to the rear light clusters and in the frunk to horns and old spots. General tidy up.

Now off to attack the brakes!
JD
Posts: 2888
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2012 6:23 pm
Location: The Far East

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by JD »

nice job on the sills - how long did that take?
JackDaniels73
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:14 am
Location: Norfolk

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by JackDaniels73 »

Thanks....

Half day making holes and cutting n shaping new material. Good 4 hours of welding and finishing. Then quick paint. One full on day!
JackDaniels73
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:14 am
Location: Norfolk

Brakes all round

Post by JackDaniels73 »

Still playing catchup with my posts.... Moved on to brakes. As the car had sat for about a year I did not have high hopes and on the drive home it was pulling all over the place, so suspected one or two callipers had seized.

As it turns out every corner was in a similar condition. Ended up having to re-con the sliders, but fortunately all pistons worked ok.

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After a few hours of reading the various posts on the forum I decided to go ahead and replace all with OEM discs and yellow stuff pads. Seems to be the consensus choice for a 1st time out track car.

While I was at it I bought some v.h. temp paint to tidy up to look of the callipers and sliders.

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Fingers crossed the choices pay of when I finally get the car to the track! :thumleft:
l1ca
Posts: 713
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 10:17 am

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by l1ca »

Great job on the calipers! looking like a good save this :thumleft:
JackDaniels73
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:14 am
Location: Norfolk

PP Roll Cage and Interior

Post by JackDaniels73 »

Spotted PP Cage for sale on forum, thanks George_M for sorting me out :thumleft:

Also want to credit Ashley for a top thread on how to fit these. :clap:

Striped out the interior and made a trial fit, marked out the positions and made pilot hole's etc.

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Back out with the Mig and sorted the base plates, fabricated a few extra plates just to tidy and then re-finished in factory red.

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Also went ahead and welded in the race harness eyelet brackets and then fitted and bolted in the roll cage. Had to make a few last minute mods to the headlining etc to get it all to fit snug!

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Then in with the interior and the new bucket seats. Had to build the subframes though as not sold with any :(. Then managed to get the T-bar glass back into position, again with a few mods.

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Only challenge was to bolt the back plates of the cage where they meet the fire wall. Looks like I would need to remove the intercooler to be able to bolt them in on the drivers side to complete the install #-o
slipping clutch
Posts: 1844
Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2005 1:22 pm

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by slipping clutch »

Good work, just read your thread from the beginning. That looks like a mighty tight squeeze to get the tbars back in though.
Last edited by slipping clutch on Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
dan mkii
Posts: 336
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2012 7:07 pm
Location: welling kent

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by dan mkii »

Blimey you seem to have got alot done in such a short space of time :thumleft:

great work :clap:
JackDaniels73
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:14 am
Location: Norfolk

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by JackDaniels73 »

Not that quick, been working on it since Back end last year, Playing catchup with thread as I get time over last week or so. :D

More to follow :thumleft:
JackDaniels73
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:14 am
Location: Norfolk

intercooler

Post by JackDaniels73 »

In order to finish the roll cage installation I needed to remove the Intercooler. Decided that I might as well upgrade it given the effort to take the factory one out.

Decided that in order to give me as much room as possible I would go ahead and remove the AC pump and pulleys while at it. Made a whole load of difference, created plenty of space and the IC and plastic shroud came out fairly easily after.

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Completed the roll cage install with firewall bolts and spreader plate then made up a new shroud for the upgraded IC and bolted it in. Took some playing around with the pipes and clips but got there in the end.

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Quick run up and all appears good...time will tell, once I finally get it out onto the road.
gerbil1028
Posts: 1618
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:15 pm
Location: NEWBURY BERKS

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by gerbil1028 »

Is your ac condenser any good ?
One day the Phoenix will rise from the ashes.
JackDaniels73
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:14 am
Location: Norfolk

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by JackDaniels73 »

Unfortunately condenser is scrap! Pretty much dismantled itself :D
vtecpower
Posts: 431
Joined: Tue May 26, 2009 7:55 pm

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by vtecpower »

I had that HKS Super Sound BOV best dump valve ever !

Belongs on a old school jdm car
JackDaniels73
Posts: 43
Joined: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:14 am
Location: Norfolk

Body pre paint

Post by JackDaniels73 »

Lucked out with the HKS BOV, came with the car. Immediately liked the sound :thumleft:

With interior sorted and IC in place remaining time was spent getting the body into shape.

Refitted the side skirts and front bumper with bond and rivets. Used up a tin of P38 sorting out all of the deep scuff's, scrapes and dents, then spent HOURS with various grit wet n dry and filler primer to get best finish possible. :eye:

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Got some grey primer rattle cans and prepared the front bumper, then got carried away and decided to do the lot then used 800 grit to flatten smooth.

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nathan.z
Posts: 529
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2012 10:09 am

Re: Mid life crisis solved!... I hope :)

Post by nathan.z »

Looking great.
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