AW11 SC MR2

Here is how it looks now:

 
Hi guys,
 
I've recently purchased mr2pod's MR2 all the way from Adelaide to WA. His sale thread and original delivery thread are as follows:
http://www.mr2australia.com/MR2play/tm.aspx?m=73515
http://www.mr2australia.com/MR2play/tm.aspx?m=325
So the full history is all online basically from the time that it arrived in Australia.
 
When I dropped it off at the autotrans depo in adelaide, rather dirty due to crappy weather and crappy roads. 






It is the best condition one I've seen in awhile, although doubtful about original paint for the bonnet as the underside appears to be fresh paint, no stickers to speak off and it didn't have any rubber stops attached.
The wiring mod is umm, like I said to scott, very amateurish.. Other than that, everything seems to be the usual wear and tear from being a 24 years old car.
The price was on the upside but a grand here and there for a car guy is pretty much the norm, got to pay to play really.  
 
The engine is in tip top shape, compression was all between 160 to 165. This was the big draw card as it indicates that the engine has had a good life, and no one of the too fast and furious crowd (read: too stupid but know enough to be dangerous with stupid mods) touched it with their stupid stick.  Or it was simply rebuilt, but no tell tale signs at the moment. 
 
btw, if anybody ever needs a vehicle check done, hit up Angelo at adelaide vehicle inspections.
http://www.adelaidevehicleinspections.com/
This guy has to be the best in the business, no one in WA does the same level of work that I've used in the past. Pretty sure Scott was amazed at how thorough he was too. If I could, I would even get the guy to come work here in WA instead.
 
I've started tackling all the areas that he has picked up as well as further improvements. As I am a big fan of keeping everything as close to OEM unless there are better parts to be fitted, the method to the madness is to go through a few stages:
1. Handling - All Steering and Suspension rebuild/upgrades
2. Reliable Power upgrades the supporting plumbing cooling
3. Interior Leather trim to match everything else in the cabin. 
4. Full restore in maybe 5 -10 years, sandblast it to bare metal then a full respray in either factory colour or black.
 
The interior retrim will probably happen at the same time as the Handling areas.
 
I'll update this thread and add pictures as I go along, cheers guys
 

Nice to see you have joined the forum. I hope you enjoy the car as much as I did
PS - I can certainly attest to the mechanics thouroughness -  will be using and recommending him for a long time to come.

Having read a few AW threads recently, I'm thinking I should start one on my baby.
 
If anyone is interested . . .

More handling related parts to be installed:
Front and Rear Ball Joints

 
Fron Inner Tie Rods

 
Front Outer Tie Rods

 
Rear Tie Rods

 
Quaife Quick Steering Kit

 
Sway Bar Endlinks, pity that I probably won't be able to use the fronts due to the coilovers. Maybe other BC owners can chime in on this.

 
Roll Center adjusters

 
Braided Clutch Hose and Brake hoses

 
Front and Rear Wheel bearings. They were a bitch to find the part numbers, but all 4 for less than 2 from toyota is a pretty good deal I guess.

 
Right and Left Hand brake cables Assy and Suspension techniques Front and Rear Sway Bars

 
and yeah, I know the photos blow compare to the ones taken by Rd's.
I used potatoes to take these photos... 
 

Yet again, crappy weather in Perth when I am back in town.
 
Put on New shoes, sooooooooo much better tyres, absolutely transformed the way the car handles its business.
The tyres before now seems passed its use by date, good enough to pass the pit to get it regoed in WA so all good. 
These are Rota RBs, minilite copies at 15x8 +25 with Federals 595 195/45/15.
2$ matte black spray can jobbie on the center caps as the rota logo look fugly.



But NEED MORE LOW>>>>
 
Brake Cylinder Stopper - cheapest and by far the most Effective addition so far. Spongyness  brake petal feel and squeaky Brake booster all GONE!

 
Front Compartment as reference:

Absolute mess, it did have the cowl cover but it was ripped. Hopefully will replace with a good one, let me know if you have one available.
As mentioned before, the wires everywhere amateur jobbie on the passenger side is absolute nonsense. 
It had some aftermarket wheel which I gave away. This spacesaver needs a $2 spray job and retrim a leather OEM cover over it later. 
The carpet are all ripped as well, deep scratched on the harness protector plastics.
Someone definitely did something on the trunk well, visible over sprays, left over masking tape and some rough metal surfaces underneath the cover up paint.
All in all, just about all work done in this front compartment has turned out bad. Ohh well, least of my worries at the moment. It falls under the everything else\restore category, will sort it out eventually.
 
My other car:

Not too hard to guess right?

pity the garage is full to the brim that I can't do any major work on the AW11 by having it on stands.  
 
If anybody within perth metro could help me out with this, please let me know. Then the real work can start on the handling refresh/upgrades.....

I am still trying to figure out if I should just bite the bullet and get someone to do it or do it myself.
If I get someone to do it, I'll pick it up when I get back in town again. That'll be two weeks from now. 

I do not have any adjustable tie rod ends. Just flipping the fronts from top to bottom. 
 
Will see once the car is set up.