Dwyer125 Checks in finally
Thought I better properly introduce myself. If you’re bored here’s a quick recap of my life with my SW20. I’ve been a member on the forum here since 2009 I think. Bought my SW20 late 2008 sometime. I was 19 and that’s the only car I wanted. It was actually Initial D that first let me know MR2’s existed. Coming from out in the country of Vic we don’t get many Japanese sporty things, get the odd skyline or supra but it’s pretty bare. I’m studying a Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics Major at Deakin in Geelong. Best decision of my life. Living in the city is very different to the hobby farm type thing im on here but it’s a bunch of fun.
I must say thank you to everyone on here that has helped me over the years, I ask to many questions compared to answers I write on here. It’s such a great community here and one day I need to come on one of these drives with everyone.
So, I started looking for MR2’s on the net, would never find one locally, and being 19 and at uni with no money I wasn’t having much luck. Found one on Ebay for a decent enough price. Dragged my girlfriend in the car and drove the 4 hours to see it. This was actually the first time I’d ever seen one for real and I really was in a daze looking at it. I sat in it, test drove, fell in love haha. Looking back now I shouldn’t have bought it, my glazed eyes missed many little faults but it’s something to learn from I guess. Luckily I have a fully equipped work shop out the back and plenty of time to slowly fix her up. My Dad used to have his own garage, so everything’s there still and I’ve grown up fixing cars and bikes all my life.
I used to drive it to Ballarat and back to Warrnambool every week. I studied at Uni of Ballarat my first year. I really couldn’t get enough of the car, it was so fast compared to anything I’d ever been in. It was my first drive with a turbo, and I wasn’t meant to be driving it for another 2 years. But I thought if I was sensible on the roads and didn’t do anything stupid I’d be fine. Being in a bright yellow, low, sporty looking thing I’d expect to get pulled up all the time out in the country, but not once.
My first incident in the car was on a twisty stretch out west of Mortlake on my way home from uni, I’d take it every week and knew every corner like the back of my hand and loved sticking it in the corners. But while powering through one, I get a knock knock knock. I’d spun the first big end bearing. This is what happens when you don’t top up your oil haha. Isn’t it funny how mechanics never service their own cars.
So out comes the motor, crank ground, new bearings, all new gaskets and rings, and back together again. That first engine removal took a while. Now I can do it quick smart, a two post hoist is the best tool for an MR2 owner I reckon.
Next I transferred to Deakin University in Geelong (for a girl)(broke up as soon as I got there lol). Full year there with the car, great fun, fastest car at the dorms, everyone would come up to it, morning and night, and wave their hands over it to set off my alarm, that had a ringing remote on my keys haha. Drove me mad. Start of my 3
rd year before uni I lashed out and got this HQ Kingswood. My second dream car. Exact opposite of the MR2, big, slow, handled like a boat, 6 seater, wagon, could sleep in it, it was great. Little 173 with a 3 on the tree, would get comments everywhere I drove it. It worked out well cause it was that semester that I met many exchange students, I took them on road trips everywhere around aus in it, went to Ayres Rock was the furtherest. But the MR2 sat in the shed, I’d do some odd jobs on it but hardly got to drive it.
Started hooking up with this American chick, and ended up getting the 2 running properly again to take her out in it. Went on a date alone the great ocean road, absolutely flew through the bush from Lavers Hill to Colac, I hadn’t driven it for so long I just got totally immersed and forgot she was even there.
Next incident, got to Colac, got dinner, driving down the highway, and I get pulled up. First time in this car ever. Because I looked like I was in a fast car and was still on P’s. He knew it was turbo and he ended up letting me go because I had the wagon to drive until I was 21. So it sat in the shed again.
Next I turned 21 but the girl got me travelling, I decided to do a semester abroad at her uni Cornell in the states. 9 months there and the 2 sits again. What would you think if I said we broke up not long after I got to Cornell? Haha I have no luck. Had an amazing time over there anyway, but it is hard not driving for 9 months.
Back home I decide to sell the HQ to get some cash up. It was in such good nick it was really hard to see it go. Miss it a lot. So out comes the MR2 again, a semester back in Geelong with it, and next comes incident 3. Just before exams I do a head gasket. What had happened (I think) was the pipes have cracked above the tank and leaked water and it got hot, (plus I might have been running to much boost). Get the engine out, and end up leaving for a semester at Ewha Womans Uni in South Korea. So the car has been sitting on the hoist since then.
I’m building a 5sgte to go in though, and since I’m without a car I should continue to have motivation to get it done pretty quickly. Head is all sorted, just have to sort out the bottom end. I’ll go a build thread for it, just waiting on a block to turn up soon.
Also somewhere along the line I got this corolla really cheap, loved it, but so slow, made a little bit of money off it but would love another one to put a big motor in it one day
Now I have just over a year left on my degree, but the biggest thing on my mind is whether to spend money on my car or go travelling again? Decisions, I hate them. Also along my time with this car, I’ve purchased a second mr2, a bit beat up but it had the late model gearbox I wanted, also got some wheels and sway arm, and few other goodies. So it’s handy having a parts car on hand. I also bought a crashed GT4 st185 for the built head on it and the haltec ecu. I’ve been slowly saving up parts for a great build, and pretty cheaply (uni doesn’t pay much), but it’s close to happening now. I have an engineering part time job so cash is starting to come in for once.
Well I hope to become a more active member here and I hope everyone doesn’t get sick of me asking questions J But if anyone’s ever down my end of the great ocean road you’re more than welcome to stop by.