Returnee looking for opinions and advice

[rymixxx]

Hi all,

I will soon be returning to the fold. I've had two Mk1 MR2s in the past, and I am now looking for another one. I want to find a good Mk1b and ask Paul Woods to work his magic on it with an engine conversion.

I wondered what you all thought about the classic side skirts. Personally I never much cared for them. My original red n/a had them and I always thought it make the car look kind of dumpy. My SC did not have them. I don't know if they were removed or if it came off the factory line line this, but I loved the look.

So what do you think? When I find my perfect car they will be coming off temporarily anyway to fix up any rust down there, but the question is do I leave them off, tidy up what's left and go with the lithe, nimble look?

Here's a pic:
http://www.rymix.co.uk/mr2sc/2.jpg

Cheers,
Steve

[charged]

Your SC above ( is it Kates now?!) has the mK1a rear triangle instead of the side skirts.. ALL UK 1985 Mk1s came with these fitted. You can see them in this picture:

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h135/retrocarrestoration/IMG_0991.jpg


I've removed the skirts from my Mk1b but it has wide arches fitted:

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk253/skyinsuranceollie/modifiedlivebrandshatch015.jpg

I'm not keen on the look of standard side skirts myself.

Ps, if you find your perfect car, surely it'll be rust free?!

I sold this recently, you missed it!

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk253/skyinsuranceollie/036.jpg

Good luck and welcome along again

[charged]

And I hate to say this, I probably have your 'perfect' Mk1 (tintop rust free) in a lock up in Chelsmford but it's mine, all MINE mwah ha ha ha ha ha

[rymixxx]

Hi Charged, thanks for the welcome and the info. I think I like the combined look of aggressive front and rear but sideskirtless. Basically I want the look of my old SC again. My prefect car: rust free. Probably a recent-ish import is best, and also one that has been well sealed. Few and far between though.

I'm not sure who has my SC now. I sold it to a young guy from Southampton but lost track of it after that.

Are you from Chelmsford? I've seen a metallic gold-grey Mk1 around these parts. I think it's an SC. Never managed to catch up with the driver for a chat :) I don't think I've seen your lovely motor though.

Steve

[rymixxx]

(Ah - I see you're on the other forum too. I may be guilty of repeating myself a bit.)

[charged]

Hi Charged, thanks for the welcome and the info. I think I like the combined look of aggressive front and rear but sideskirtless. Basically I want the look of my old SC again. My prefect car: rust free. Probably a recent-ish import is best, and also one that has been well sealed. Few and far between though.

I'm not sure who has my SC now. I sold it to a young guy from Southampton but lost track of it after that.

Are you from Chelmsford? I've seen a metallic gold-grey Mk1 around these parts. I think it's an SC. Never managed to catch up with the driver for a chat :) I don't think I've seen your lovely motor though.

Steve

Hi Steve,

here's a picture of Kate's SC. There aren't many in that colour..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/widnes_road/6601334291/

I'm not from Chelmsford myself but am familiar with the area... my grey mk1 in the picture rarely gets driven as it's always broken.. in fact I think I broke the turbo this weekend! Fun and games : )

Cheers

Ollie

[rymixxx]

Nah, it's not that one but it does look like a similar spec.

So what's the deal with your turbo? Ambitiously tuned or is it an installation issue? What engine is it? The Woodsport turbo conversion (prolly rev 3 donor) is at the top of my list currently, but having had a Cosworth turbo (200 block, stage 3) in my kit car I know how silly they can be at times. Like this one time where my poorly-fitted (I fitted it) oil breather pipe broke away from the rocker cover at full chat and detonated red hot, smoking oil all over my face. That sort of thing :)

Steve

[Kateg28]

Hello. I was stunned to see the picture of your car but it is not mine. They look identical though. I have heard of another mica red SC but cannot find anymore. Cannot believe there are too many in Mica Red.

I think the colour is stunning!!!! I may be biased though.

[rymixxx]

Hello. I was stunned to see the picture of your car but it is not mine. They look identical though. I have heard of another mica red SC but cannot find anymore. Cannot believe there are too many in Mica Red.

I think the colour is stunning!!!! I may be biased though.

:) I loved the colour and would gladly have one again, but my wife hated it. Weird, eh?

I was told a crazy story by the guys at Fensport. I've no idea how true it is, but apparently my car was one of the last SCs Toyota produced and they speced it differently from normal to make it lighter. Tintop (was this rare?), no a/c, quick rack, no side skirts, manual windows. At first I thought it was just a Mk1a with SC conversion but the I got Toyota to look up the VIN and it checked out. Fensport also said that it came out of the factory undersealed.

Sounds like a tall story to me, but all I know is I loved that car and should never have sold it.

[EppingMk1SC]

Weirdly that is similar spec to my SC, tiptop, wind up windows, no cruise control, no central locking etc. I've never come across another SC with wind up windows, so may not be a shaggy dog story... Seems to go as quick as my last one, even though that had the Fensport pulley conversion.

Would be interested in you having a look over mine to see if it's similar. It does have skirts though.

[rymixxx]

Yep, that too: no cruise control, no central locking, no electric mirrors. Had the Fensport pulley too. I'd swear that whoever owned it in Japan had all this work done but Fensport were quite sure it was factory spec. Thinking about it, it woul dbe a lot of difficult and expensive work to do crazy things like remove central locking. Maybe there is some life in the story?

It also had a supercharger switch in place of the little tray thingy in the central column. I used to use it for light-hearted trafficlights japery on summer days. I'd pull up to a Boxter or Scooby or something, switch the SC off, give the driver 'the nod' and then get roundly thrashed. Then, just for shits and giggles, I'd catch up, shout "sorry, I forgot to press this button!" then do it all again, more often than not ending with my victim some distance behind me. It was damn quick. Fastest SC I've ever been in.

Damn, why did I sell that car?

Would love to look around many of the cars I've seen on this forum. Some seriously talented and committed people on here. I wish I had the skills, knowledge (and money!) to match you all. I'll deffy come along to the next meet, but I will likely be MR2-less.

Steve

[CecilWard]

I absolutely love the side skirts and to me they are part of the personality of the car. I love the way they meet the wheel arches especially. Seriously. If you think the car looks better with them off then definitely go for it. I would smile weakly, but inside my heart would be still. It's of course your car.

Am I a sick man?

[CecilWard]

@charged : Btw is that a Miura next door to the red B-reg Mk1a?

[CecilWard]

@charged : I'm interested to know what wheels and tyres you have on the grey car?

[Kateg28]

I like the side skirts too personally but different people like different things. For example I don't like the Super Red on a mk1 but I showed my Other Half a photo of a superb condition one in Super Red and he raved about the colour.

As for the spec, then mine is most definitely not your old one as mine has all the spec (Air Con, Elec Windows etc) and.......retractable electric mirrors. They still make me giggle when I use them.

I like the idea of playing with the SC switch. My idea of childish fun is to gradually slow down through the villages so am well below the 30 or 40 limit and then as soon as the NSL sign comes up, drop a couple of gears and boot it. Did it once in my daily driver as I forgot. It is a diesel mondeo and nothing happened really

(just to clarify, the only limit I have, ahem, accidently broken is the NSL, I never speed in towns and villages, you never know what will suddenly appear)

[rymixxx]

Am I a sick man?

Sick, sick, sick! Get out of my sight!

I totally understand. They do kind of define the car. Certainly it was one of the features that drew me to the car when I was a boy. That and the Toyota reflection in the rear window. And the popup headlights.

Having looked at loads of pics on here I think the skirts work well for black and white cars, but they just don't melt my butter.

[rymixxx]

@Kate I hear ya. I drive insanely slowly in most conditions, only occasionally letting my hair down when I feel it is safe to do so. Yep, this is an arrogant, selfish stance (to many) but I'll live with that.

My first 2 was a Super Red n/a. Loved it at the time but it doesn't draw me in any more. I spotted a two-colour black and white car with gold retro wheels in the build section here. It blew my mind. THIS is how my next car will look :)

[CecilWard]

(just to clarify, the only limit I have, ahem, accidently broken is the NSL, I never speed in towns and villages, you never know what will suddenly appear)

The "what" for me is usually one or more of the following :

1. tourist

2. pothole the size of xx#%$_

3. killer local driving at a squillion mph, never brakes,

4. cow

5. stag, if really unlucky

6. jet black cow, sitting all cosy on black road, in dark, behind a bump in road that casts a big shadow. stealth cow

[Kateg28]

. stealth cow

Want one!

[charged]

So what's the deal with your turbo? Ambitiously tuned or is it an installation issue? What engine is it?
Steve

Mine was originally a Woodsport REV 2 3SGTE conversion but the engine has been in and out a few times.. it's now a REV 2 block but REV3 converted. It's almost standard but I think the hybrid CT26 Turbo has just shit the bed, either that or something more sinister.. still got boost but smoke on cold start up.

[charged]

@charged : Btw is that a Miura next door to the red B-reg Mk1a?

That is indeed.. the owner was good enough to tell me my front brakes were on fire going around the old silverstone circuit!

[charged]

@charged : I'm interested to know what wheels and tyres you have on the grey car?

The wheels are Borbet A's.. front are 7.5" x 16" rears are 9" x 16" I cant recall the tyre sizes off the top of my head.. the wheels bolt straight on but you'd need arch extensions on the rear..