My AW11

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My AW11

Postby msaw11 » Fri Feb 15, 2013 11:16 pm

Hi everyone! My name is Minna...But I'm sure you want to know more about my car instead :D

This is my N/A MK1 MR2. I picked it for $500, not running, up from a guy who had to let it sit for about 5-8 years (about 4 months outside after his shed was demolished) because he'd started a family, and opted for a SmartCar instead. You can imagine the shape she was in. And if you can't, here's a few photos! :D

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Yes, that is rat poop. Would you believe it if I told you that the original floormats turned out fluffy after some intense vacuuming? Because they're still fluffy!

She came with 156k, "Supercharged" doors, and a nice Ferrari logo in lieu of the MR2 screaming chicken. (Not to mention a lifetime's supply of snails (dead and alive), dirt, and rat poop.)

Over the last few months, my boyfriend and I've cleaned the car, changed the sparkplugs (one was so stubborn that I have it in my room as a keepsake now--that's how bad it was), alternator, 2/4 wheels (it still has the 1985 spare donut, haha), and changed the oil and got new gas. We still have to do the timing belt and water pump, and it still has a small screech sound when you start the car.

Cleaning the car out involved removing 10lbs of weird wiring (mostly for the alarm/sound system), including two network cables wired to the ECU for reasons unknown. We took them out and the car still starts, so we're assuming it wasn't essential...

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(This was not the worst of it)

Also found out why the heater wasn't working and made weird sounds when started....
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I am SO glad it was not a dead mouse, as we'd initially suspected.

Kakucaekz and my boyfriend changed my shifter to a 93+ shifter+drop plate+trd shift knob. They keep blaming each other, so I'm not sure who's at fault for the "secret" colour
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There's also a GIANT hole in the exhaust. Which would matter, if it were connected to the muffler (excuse me if I'm not using the correct terms, I'm still getting used to my automotive jargon!), due to the thorough rusting in the pipes. Will be replacing that with an OEM exhaust soon :D I'm hating the obnoxiously loud exhaust, but when you rev it, my boyfriend says it's strangely addicting.

The brakes are also extremely sticky. We're assuming it's from sitting too long, because when we drove the car for a bit one of the brakes started smoking pretty badly. Going to be doing a brakes job in attempts to fix that.

That's all I can think of for now, but I'll update later as I remember/as we progress.

Here's some more recent photos of her...
Before cut-polish-wax
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After cut-polish-wax (not completed, though. Worked mostly on the rear end, as that had the most paint damage)
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Sorry about the lack of better naturally lit photos for the after cut-polish photos; the sun was always down by the time we finished polishing/waxing, lol.

So proud of how far she's come :') Can't wait for the summer!
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Re: My AW11

Postby kakucaekz » Sat Feb 16, 2013 1:04 am

You forgot how Mr. Boyfriend drove it out the driveway and cracked the front lip :lol:
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Re: My AW11

Postby immorality » Sat Feb 16, 2013 2:48 am

I've always loved that front end.
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Re: My AW11

Postby MRII » Sat Feb 16, 2013 8:30 am

Nice restro on the aw11, she needed a lot of TLC. I always like these type of stories.
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Re: My AW11

Postby tedv » Sat Feb 16, 2013 4:25 pm

Wow, good save !
Well done, a lot of work but am sure will be worth it.
Thanks for the post and good luck on the rest of the project!
My 87 Mk1 is sold :( Owned many KE1#'s, currently a 2015 Yaris and a 2001 Rav4
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Re: My AW11

Postby bbarnumboy » Wed Feb 20, 2013 7:40 am

Welcome and great work on cleaning that MR2 up!
God created turbo lag to give the v8's a brief moment of hope
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Re: My AW11

Postby immorality » Thu Feb 21, 2013 1:41 am

Agreed, can't wait to see it out at some meets.
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Re: My AW11

Postby msaw11 » Sun Feb 24, 2013 10:33 pm

thanks for the replies :D

immorality wrote:I've always loved that front end.


what is the front lip called? i've tried looking around to no avail in figuring out what the name is for it.
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Re: My AW11

Postby immorality » Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:34 pm

Toysport
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Re: My AW11

Postby PearlWhiteMR2 » Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:21 pm

Welcome to the club, nice to have another girl around!
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Re: My AW11

Postby msaw11 » Tue Feb 26, 2013 11:02 pm

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got a new oem full exhaust; muffler and cat are walker brand, and the downpipe with 40k is from tyler on this forum, boyfriend helped me sandblast the downpipe and VHT painted it to protect it because I couldn't find a new one to buy. also going to VHT paint the welds of the muffler and cat, the cat being done already on this pic.

all to replace a rusty straight pipe exhaust the PO had on it.

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leather headrests found at ralph's, and other goodies to go on it. brake seals to hopefully cure the sticking brakes
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Re: My AW11

Postby yeungun » Wed Feb 27, 2013 9:22 am

Just a warning, aftermarket cats do not last long. You would be better off getting a used oem one from Tyler if he has one or try the wreckers again.
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Re: My AW11

Postby msaw11 » Tue Apr 15, 2014 1:46 pm

So...This happened.

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Re: My AW11

Postby immorality » Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:19 am

Ouch. Time to learn metalwork!
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Re: My AW11

Postby m_b » Wed Apr 16, 2014 3:49 pm

Time for a widebody!!!!!!
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1994 Honda Civic Si
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