This thread remains amazing, and an inspiration to all aw11 owners.
 
Been meaning to post this for some time (ever since page 9 apparently),
 

 
Sits in my shed, along with these. http://i.imgur.com/2ZzAvMY.jpg http://i.imgur.com/NBB9FjQ.jpg

They. are. All. Awesome.

“Surgeon:This thread remains amazing, and an inspiration to all aw11 owners.Been meaning to post this for some time (ever since page 9 apparently),”Sits in my shed, along with these.http://i.imgur.com/2ZzAvMY.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/NBB9FjQ.jpg
  > Oh no way those prints look fantastic, and huge format too. The generations is awesome! What a compliment. Thank you again. Had a thought, if you're okay with I'd quite happily and easily update the artwork to reflect your car and its two tone black/white paint job and SC decals!
 
“5SGTE:They. are. All. Awesome.”
  > So very very true!
 
I’ve been meaning to update for a while, but keep putting it off until the next thing is done, until this is painted, until that's rebuilt until that's replaced and so on. That happens and it's been over a year since i've posted here!
 
So this will be the first of a few catch up posts till now mid 2015.
 
Going back to where I left off. Post the MR2 display at the 2014 Formula One Grand Prix.
Having the car super clean from the event was a bonus perk, so it did alot of drives and I pretty much took a photo every time I parked. 
 
2014 05 09 Doncaster Hard Park

 
2014 05 21 Driveway hardpark interior

 
2014 06 07 Bastos 222D -
Looking for cool AW11 aftermarket support, rare bits and it's clear that the amount for our 4AGE cousin the AE86 is tenfold. With good reason, I wonder what may have been if the 222D did find its way to Group-B, or compete in Group-S. Could the AW11 have been to rally what the AE86 was in, Group A, Group N?!
 
Potentially period correct if it had of raced.

 
Development time-lapse.

 
2014 08 15Toyota Winterfest
Still “fresh” from the GP it be rude not hardpark it at the 2014 Toyota Winterfest amongst a host of fantastic and individual Toyota’s. Didn’t get any photos myself but hat tip to NoisyNinja for the great photo and kind words!

Caught up with RdS and saw his other immac Toyota - more pics of that day here!
https://noisyninja.wordpress.com/2014/08/17/all-toyota-winterfest-2014/
 
2014 08 24 RSK Ti Exhaust

Came across this RSK Ti exhaust - ex 4agze AW11 race car - Japan - ages ago and I’m not sure why but was looking for cool stuff and it popped up again and it was the perfect item to replace a great conservative Fujitsubo legalis exhaust. (The Fuji’s awesome but the 20v revs hard and the muffling qualities of the Legalis don't do it justice.)


 
** Reality set in pretty quick, wont be fitted until I can have a new header and mid pipe with common flange fab’d up to swap between the cat back and this for the track (still haven't got around to it…might even attempt it myself?)
 
2014 10 02 Heritage Plate
This happened and what a great thing it is! Vic Roads Heritage Plate. Was a very straight forward process with thanks to the club and I’m real glad that 1988 was eligible.

 
2014 11 03 Changing oil and service before Club Event Haunted Hills - Bryant Park
Or rather... rounding the gearbox fill plug after removing drain plug and dumping oil like a champ.
Sat empty, didn't move for a week until I could pick up new OEM plug, remove the bust one and fill it!

 
 * Hot tip that suckers not 24mm metric its 15/16ths!!! wow.Toyota Part # 9034118006 - were about $8.25ea(Use a 24mm socket on a uncracked plug and it’ll round in no time.)

 


 
2014 11 23 Haunted Hills

 
Again I didn't get to take any good shots myself so big hat tip to Trav for sharing this.

 
What a great introduction to fast fun closed circuit stuff. Lots of undulation, great crew, well run, safety first, ambulance on hand, great weather, and a huge amount of track time. Everyone built confidence through the day, and the pace got quicker within our own abilities. The sensation, weight shift and change of direction were all new experiences in the MR2 away from the street. I definitely got to know it far better than I thought I did -  really enjoyed how much the AW11 encouraged me to go harder, faster and try tweaking things between all the runs. It was awesome!Can’t say enough great things from the day - will definitely return.
 
Okay so this brings me up to November 2014 - the proper cool stuff to come over the next few posts including replacing the I-mec trumpets, Sandown track day and meeting a familiar AW11 face Benji there, roof respray brought back to bare metal and that single annoying rear quarter fender rust blister cut out/repaired, failed rim upgrade, brake upgrade, brake dilemma, brake problems, brake solution, brake wait time, brake clearance problems, shiiieeetttt bringing this thread up to date to today in the midst of a rim change or partial rim change other bits and pieces and no doubt what will be the “next” thing speaking of resprays -  noted today the paint in other sections is getting gross. The average 2nd respray from the previous owner is in rapid decline in massive patches across the front bar hood and now decklid and boot.  SuperRed became Red which is now spotted faded Pink… what a P.I.T.A…

Cheers!

...update..!
I havent seen you in fkn ages mang.. need to cruise again..
 
Loving the chunky rear tyres, and jelly of that Ti exhaust (get that damn thing on there..!). Re. the paint issues; nothing a cut/polish can sort? Single-stage acrylic red.. just remember - out of the sun, out of the rain, and wax, wax, wax...

MK1corse
 Had a thought, if you're okay with I'd quite happily and easily update the artwork to reflect your car and its two tone black/white paint job and SC decals!

That sounds freaking amazing, but I don't want you to feel obligated or anything. As long as it's easy and doesn't take up too much of your time, I'd love to see it.

RdS
...update..!
I havent seen you in fkn ages mang.. need to cruise again..
Loving the chunky rear tyres, and jelly of that Ti exhaust (get that damn thing on there..!). Re. the paint issues; nothing a cut/polish can sort? Single-stage acrylic red.. just remember - out of the sun, out of the rain, and wax, wax, wax...

 
Hahaha dude entirely my bad! Hope you're ace. Ti pipe is SO well made and weighs very very little! Keen to fit! Sage advice on the paint front, reckon ill cut the bonnet and assess but the front bar is proper gross.
As soon as its sorted ill msg ya - cruise then!

Surgeon

MK1corse
Had a thought, if you're okay with I'd quite happily and easily update the artwork to reflect your car and its two tone black/white paint job and SC decals!

That sounds freaking amazing, but I don't want you to feel obligated or anything. As long as it's easy and doesn't take up too much of your time, I'd love to see it.

Cool! Not at all, it'd be a pleasure. Leave it with me ;)
 
 

I should be working, but just read this end to end.  Thank you so much for sharing and compliments on your attention to detail.  That is one seriously nice car!

Cheers 1slow! Thanks very much for the kind words and reading through till the end! Your compliments are much appreciated!
 

1slow
I should be working, but just read this end to end.  Thank you so much for sharing and compliments on your attention to detail.  That is one seriously nice car!

Update!
Time flies.
Just under a year since the last update...
And I didn't even complete that… Gotta bring this up to speed, up to current day by the end of the week.
 
Cheers again for the kind words, and 1slow for the most recent comment that’s made me pick up where I left off.
 
Part 1/4
 
Immediately post Haunted Hills (November 2014 - Club Day Bryant Park) Nothing but driving and enjoying it!
No major work/updates/refreshing servicing or maintenance.
 
2015
The new year arrived.
In early January I heard a creak when leaning gently on the center console.(A few posts back, a while back I took the preventative measure of discreetly reinforcing its B-Surface ribs with resin.) Suspecting a crack was imminent from the creak (nothing visible) I re-visited the repair and reinforced the surrounded area. Mint uncracked consoles are getting super hard to find.




 
2015 JanThe Airbox cover got a clean and a lick of paint.

As did the head cover.

 
Installed an ITG JC100 filter and SQ Engineering adaptor plate for a bit of audible fun.



Clearance to rear bulkhead.

 
 
2015 Jan - Pre Sandown Track Day 
Sandown “The home of horsepower” with those long straights!
Going there with a largely stock 20v I’d take any NA intake breathing gains I could get!
After consulting local genius and a very humble talented machinist Sam at SQ Engineering, I replaced the IMEC 35mm plastic trumpets with some excellent machined alloy tapered 50mm parabolic trumpets.
These fit perfect.
No step where they meet the throttle and a generous bell mouth.





They look and sound the business.
 
2015 Jan - Sandown
A few mates, a local track, a garage, good weather, a mixture of cars, good times.
Quick fill for both car and jerry can the night before:


Ill pick up from here with Part 2.

Part 2/4
 
2015 Jan - Sandown
Great day, great instructions.
Session after session we got quicker and more confident.


 
Making some friends.

Followed that EK Civic around and we swapped positions for many laps. Pulling up alongside and giving each other thumbs up.




 
Keeping cool between sessions, at the back of the garage in the wind.



 
We’d later find out that the Blue 2014 Ford Focus ST out there with us was CarAdvice.com.au - doing a review. Haha timing > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSk-1mi-vxo There’s a little red car making an appearance at 0.01 and 2.06 !
 
Fellow adub Benji was there too =)
Benji and I actually met years ago, great guy. Good catch up even if only brief.

 
The result of my amateur driving skills, and a motor that seemed to spin forever.
(Poor prep on my behalf didn't expect the fluid to cook, or pads to wear out that quick.)

By the end of the day I had no pads, wheels covered in brake dust, boiled fluid, and I’d later find out warped rotors.




 
Had too much fun, swore to do it as often as possible.To do it again and often safely, whilst still remaining a street car meant upgrading the brakes to cope, have better longevity, reduce fade and have more bite.
 
At the very least to drive again the car needed:
Front Rotors
Rear Rotors
Pads
Fluid.
 
**The car wouldnt move from the driveway for another 11 months.
 
March - April 2015
Looked into, and later bought a set of Toyota Celica ST165 front calipers (2 piston sliding callipers).
Keeping it all OEM and because they're directly compatible with AW11’s.
They mounting directly with no modification to the uprights.

They would need rebuilding, and ideally because OEM OCD would use Celica ST165 rotors redrilled to 4x100.
 
ST165 Front Brake Upgrade
Caliper: 2 pot - Sliding
Disc:  277xXXmm - Redrilled to 4x100
 
Decided to do it myself. Working on it over a period of time, when it possible whilst saving for the parts in between the numerous stages. Because it definitely wasn’t going to be a quick job, I’d have more time, and at this point was only a little more to source and use a lighter more powerful kit from a handful of companies.
 
An alternative to the ST165 front callipers could be the BBK kit from MRP.
 
MRP offered the best BBK kit. Value for money, ease of install and it was developed with the intention of being hassle free using the stock master cylinder and no need for additional modifications. Will clear most 15in rims.
 
MRP (Manon Racing Products NZ) Front Brake Upgrade
Caliper: Wildwood Dynapro 4 pot (With option dust seals)
Disc: 280x25mm Brembo disc - Redrilled 4x100
Brakelines swapped for custom HEL lines made by MRP.
 
The rear brakes I’d rebuild and replace the rotors and pads.Rear rotors: RDARear pads: EBC
 
Decided to go with the MRP Big Brake Kit! 
 
June 2015
MRP Kit arrives.
Mock fit to find x2 things.
1. My Work S1R’s are not S1R’s…(They turned out to early 1 piece cast Work Nezarts (Great not what I bought.))
2. Calipers are awesome but clash. Rims do not clear.
Absolutely shattered. 
 
TIME EXTENSION.
(If they were S1R’s the guys at Work via a dimension sheet show it would clear.)
 
July 2015
RDA (RDA751D) rotors sourced from Online Performance Autos.
Test fitted



 
July 2015
Looking to clear the front caliper, trying what wheels I had.
The original upgrade RAYS GR-N’s rims from early in the thread clear! But I only had one.
One cracked memento.

Seeing this could take a while longer, I managed to pick up a spare upright to work with in the garage, off the car for all measurements.

 
MID JULY 2015
By mid July and the cold and wet had adversely affected the paint, being parked under a cover for a few weeks, I went away and then got distracted doing other things I had a micro greenhouse, oxidising, fading and bubbling paint...
 
Great.





 
Id send it off for paint as soon as the brakes were installed.
Which meant finding rims that clear.
 
AUGUST 2015
Love a 2, 3 piece rim and Watanabe RS’s hence a staggered set of SSRxWatanabe RS8’s was found on Yahoo Auctions.
4x100 15x6.5 +21 (Maybe get rebuilt into 7.5’s?! In the future)
4x100 15x7 +27
Cool!

 
They arrived buckled, and in need of a resto…Great.


 
TIME EXTENSION.
 
All lessons. The whole thing so far. Even though I tried to “measure twice and cut once” a host of variables helped drag things out.
 
They would clear.JUST.

To be safe, if they flexed even the slightest bit i'd be in trouble…For peace of mind I'd have to use a 3mm spacer.
Custom Hub rings machined. Better rim to hub interface for better mounting weight distribution and vibration reduction.
ID (Toyota hub spigot @54.9mm) OD (SSRxWatanabe ID@ 65mm).


Which affected the offset calculations...
 
SEPTEMBER 2015
Woah September.
The OEM rear caliper rebuild kits arrived and both calipers were rebuilt over the month.
I thought I could make do without SST 09756-00010 to remove and reinstall the adjusting bolt. Ha. Nope.
Spent a good half day struggling. I regrettably sacrificed a piston from a spare caliper to get its floating coarse thread spiral core. This core when wound down, compresses the assembly allowing for effortless re-installation.
It actually worked a treat if anyone needs to borrow it let me know, or grab it from a rear piston!




 
Rear calipers wire wheeled, cleaned, re lubed with OEM grease and rebuilt with new seals.

END Part 2/4