Wanted: Mk1b. Unrealistic wish list found within

[rymixxx]

Hello. I'm looking for a Mk1b MR2. I'll tell you my perfect car because, well, if you don't ask you don't get.

* Tintop or sunroof.

* Sound bodywork. No rust on the sills, arches or floor pan. If it's been in a reputable body shop then great! If it's been hastily patched up with Halford's finest then I might not dance a jig.

* No crash repairs

* White (according to me. My wife wants a red one.)

* UK originally registered (only because Japanese imports can be difficult to insure...I actually prefer the Japanese model)

* As little electronic stuff as possible, so no a/c, leccy windows, cruise control etc.

* Moon on a stick

I'm not too bothered about mileage. Structurally sound is my main thing. I didn't think I wanted leather, but having seen some very tidy examples I may have changed my mind on this.

I know the chances of ticking all those boxes is slim, but if you have an MR2 you think I might be interested in then please let me know. I'm in Essex and I don't have a bucket full of cash to spend, but I am willing to wait until I find the car that's just right for me.

Cheers,
Steve

[russthedude]

tintops are pretty few and far between
rust free cars are also few and far between, but they are out there, they just cost more ££££ (these cars are quite old don't forget)
white+red = pink, get a pink one and you should both be happy, actually some red ones are pink lol
you can buy the Japanese rear lights and other bits and bobs and fit them to a UK car
a/c is rare, and if present probably won't work anyway, all except a handful have electric windows, don't worry about cruise control - I doubt you'll findone with it
leather interior is nice (imo) but most drivers seats are knackered, and this will cost money to get sorted, good leather seats are rare and pricey

Good luck with your hunt, try not to get too excited and snap up the first one you look at, there are plenty of good MK1s out there if ouy look hard enough and can wait :)

[CecilWard]

Try Dafydd at http://superbclassics.co.uk wHich is where i got mine from, worth asking for the moon, might be surprised.

[mk1chris]

Tintop + Non Import = Not Possible

No Leccy Windows + UK Model = Not Possible

No Rust + UK Model = Also not possible :-p

[Kateg28]

Did not have any problem insuring my Jap import. It was £50 more than my previous car but that was

a) it is a SC

b) It included the journey in Eire before I got to UK.

Don't rule out an import for Insurance purposes (I pay £300 fully comp all singing all dancing etc but I am in a very genteel postcode, it is garaged, I have 73* years no claims, old - look far younger obviously, and female **)



* this may be untrue but it is loads n loads n loads
** this did count when I renewed last year but this gravy train has ended methinks.

[rymixxx]

Ok, thanks for the info. I've had an import before. SC as it happens, and insurance wasn't a problem then. But I'm planning to do a turbo engine swap and am nervous about ending up with a car I can't afford to insure - or even insure at all if insurers continue to get more and more restrictive.

But I really would rather a Japanese model. Much less chance of deep-set rust, often lower mileage and the lovely, lovely tintop :)

[superwhite90]

JDM models are very rare not in supercharger form, but as mentioned above you can put the Charger lights on the rear as I have done. It really does make the car look better in my opinion.

Whatever happens in the end, insuring a turbo conversion is going to make your insurance high anyway so it probably wouldn't matter if its import or not. I've just got a quote for £388 fully comp including all 6 mods and I'm 27 with 9 NCB and 3 points and even I think that is a rip off, so hell know what you'll have to pay when the conversion is finished. My renewal went up 25% and apparently its gone up 37% across the board for insurance this year.

But what you've mentioned is a wish list - a UK spec with no rust, without spending £2-3k come on lol

[rymixxx]

Yeah I know, but you gotta have a goal, right? Frankly, I'm banking on finding someone who's done a lot of good work on the car already but now has bigger (and possibly better) things on their mind. It could happen. I'm prepared to spend a bit on the right car, but I have to keep the costs of all the future work in mind too.

I've had quotes for the post-swap spec I'm aiming for. Not too bad. £580 fully comp or £480 third party with WiseOne. No idea if they'd actually pay out if I needed them though. Compared with some of the bills I was faced with when I was younger this doesn't shake me too hard. Of course, when I was younger I didn't have two kids and a mortgage...

[rymixxx]

Try Dafydd at http://superbclassics.co.uk wHich is where i got mine from, worth asking for the moon, might be surprised.

Thanks Cecil. As it happens, I spoke with Dafydd yesterday. He's shutting up shop and is keen to shift his remaining two cars. He offered me a remarkable deal on the blue one and I'm thinking of taking him up on it. Only thing is I think his cars are overpriced to begin with, and his descriptions of remedial work are a bit too fuzzy for my liking. With some more detail and perhaps a little movement on price he might have a deal ;)

[rymixxx]

For anyone else looking for the right car, Car and Classic seems to have pretty good turnover on Mk1s. The Essex SC* here looks gorgeous.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/list/99/mk1/

* Ha! Gone. But the Essex white and grey one looks rather neat.

[superwhite90]

Yeah but its listed as a sherwood toning and that is not a sherwood toning unfortunately. Massive wheels will kill the handling and that is well overpriced.

[superwhite90]

I'm contemplating keeping mine now. My engine arrived today and going to be fitting new flywheel to it. Its going to be hard to want to let it go after its all fixed up mechanically

[superwhite90]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3542803.htm

[superwhite90]

Maybe not your cup of tea, but this is in half decent condition

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1985-TOYOTA-MR2-RED-SPARES-REPAIR-ENGINE-PROBLEMS-/220928612327?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item33705f17e7#ht_584wt_1083

The Mk1a's are slightly lighter and make a better car for conversion apparently.

[superwhite90]

Or this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-MR2-1987-E-REG-MK-1-1-6-PTEROL-MANUAL-EXCELLENT-CONDITION-/220931072328?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item337084a148#ht_2318wt_850

[rymixxx]

Thanks for the help Super. I'm strangely taken by that orange one. Risky to buy without seeing, but let's see where the price goes...

All the other good ones look nice. Some overpriced, others a little tatty. Can't have it both ways I guess!

I think I'm going to have to change my mind about the t-bar. Seriously restricts my choice otherwise. Just all that weight and twisting...I drive like a loon and would rather have something a little more structurally solid.

[rymixxx]

Yeah but its listed as a sherwood toning and that is not a sherwood toning unfortunately. Massive wheels will kill the handling and that is well overpriced.

^ This. It's not Sherwood but it sure is pretty. I love white over black/grey schemes. It just means 'Japanese' to me.

And yes, bad choice on the wheels. Some would argue they look tight but they're not my cup of tea, nor the car's.

Aside, we should probably start up a pseudo-physics thread here where we can all pretend we're experts in rotational moments of inertia, coefficients of friction, tyrewall flexing and contact patches. It would be like Piston Heads but with nicer people.

[rymixxx]

Oh, wow. If I were a nearer I'd definitely go and see this. Beautiful!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180795121746#ht_989wt_1396

[superwhite90]

It is a lovely colour, but I think the cars are ruined by the pinstripes not being put back on.

Too many miles for me though, but that's my opinion, would be good for a donor car. If only the engine was blown, even i'd go and buy it for the shell!

[superwhite90]

Delete posted twice

[rymixxx]

Too many miles on the engine, but I'll be replacing that...:)

Still, a lot of miles on everything else which makes me wince. I'm seriously considering going for a very long drive tomorrow though. I think it looks stunning.

[EppingMk1SC]

Need to get it properly pinstriped and badged, but the colour is a refreshing change, I think it looks smart. Get some refurbed 15"s on it and it would look lovely. Go for it!

[superwhite90]

Glad someone agrees with me about the pinstripes. Nice colour, but subaru blue is a bugger to match if you ever need to! So many different shades!

They are 15s on there mate and look in pretty good nick

[rymixxx]

I just had a lovely long chat with the owner. He had a (almost) Fossman-eqsue battle with the car when he bought it, albeit with far less floorpan rust. He's done a cracking job doing her up. I'm going to do something I never thought I'd do: put a deposit on a car I haven't seen based purely on the advise of the guy I'm giving the money to.

I'll keep you posted! (Looks like I might turn up to the 4th Feb meet with a Mk1 after all :) )

[rymixxx]

I should add: yes, the stripes and decals will be going back on. They're Mk3 alloys. Not an original idea - I've done the very same myself in the past - but you have to admit that they suit the car.

[superwhite90]

Now this is unrealistic in the fact its in the USA and been bought, but such a stunner

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1989-Supercharged-Toyota-MR2-/200695332892?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2eba5fc01c#ht_934wt_1165

[Kateg28]

I actually really like that colour blue and rarely like non standard colours (very much in love with the Mica blue - after the mica red obviously).

This is all very exciting........

[rymixxx]

This is all very exciting........

Yep! I know what you mean about the colours. It never occurred to me that Subaru Blue would work on a Mk1 but it just does.

Dude sent me some teeny pics of the restoration work. I think he accidentally sent me the thumbnails rather than the full sized versions, but I get the gist. Looks like a thorough job well done. I'll be making some calls tomorrow...

[Kateg28]

If you had told me about the colour I would have been very hesitant but it does look stunning when you see it. Get the pinstripes back on though!

Now you need to get it and bring it along on the 4th February.

[rymixxx]

The deed is done! Save for any unexpected anomalies, I will soon be the proud owner of this lovely machine: http://rymix.co.uk/mr2/ef1f45ed.jpg

Thank you all for your help and advice these past few weeks. You are all so generous and honest. A refreshing online experience. Really. Group hug?

[superwhite90]

The passenger side light doesn't look like its working by the way :P

I just realised this had sold http://www.imoc.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=157092 for half the price - admittedly a worse colour but cheap as chips

[rymixxx]

Yeah, I saw that one. Spoke with the chap selling it. Seemed like a genuine car and I'm sure it will do someone proud, but it wasn't for me.

[neiljones308]

That looks like a lovely car. I hope you enjoy it. If you need anything for it, i have got a few here for spares.
Cheers, Neil

[EppingMk1SC]

The deed is done! Save for any unexpected anomalies, I will soon be the proud owner of this lovely machine: http://rymix.co.uk/mr2/ef1f45ed.jpg

Thank you all for your help and advice these past few weeks. You are all so generous and honest. A refreshing online experience. Really. Group hug?

Cool! Can't wait to see it out and about... I was pootling around your neck of the woods in Chelmsford in my '2 today; well not so much pootling as testing the LSD on roundabouts. I can report its working fine ;)

[turlough]

Very nice car a bit jealous I must admit

[rymixxx]

Ooh...LSD. There's something I'll miss in the n/a. My SC had one and my kit car was virtually undrivable until I fitted one. I don't suppose the n/a will trouble me too much, but I can't imagine doing the turbo conversion without.

[rymixxx]

I now have a lovely, bright blue MR2 on my drive. The previous owner did a stunning job, and I felt a bit bad stealing away his pride and joy. I've done it twice before and I know how he feels. Still, the Mk1 lives on with me. I shall be kind to her, lest she bites me back ;)

[Kateg28]

Pictures or it didn't happen.

So, does that mean we get to have a look in a couple of weeks in East Weald on our next little meet?



(okay, I mean South Weald, I think)

[EppingMk1SC]

Woo! New 2!

No excuses for not bringing it out to play next time (except maybe 6 inches of snow)

Looking forward to seeing it In The flesh, but, as Kate says "photos please"

[rymixxx]

Yes, I'll be bringing it in February :)

I'll take pics at the weekend. I won't see the car in daylight until then.

Sitting in the driver's seat after a six year absence was like coming back home. I was pleasantly surprised at how strong the car is in every respect. 123000 miles, 23 years and still going strong.

[Kateg28]

Showed my OH the pictures from ebay and he thought it looked stunning. I became the jealous wife and demanded to know that he still loved mine/ours more.



Just tried to think of a witty retort about the snow and got caught up with the 'six inches' and decided to be a lady and be quiet.

[CecilWard]

@rymixxx - Steve, what a gorgeous car- that Subaru Blue just looks absolutely stunning, it's freaking weird but beguiling, beautiful and works really well on the car with the mk3 wheels. More pics? Whereabouts did it come from in the end? Does it need anything doing to it? And a million more questions.

Hope to see it in the flesh. Very jealous. Well done you.

[CecilWard]

Showed my OH the pictures from ebay and he thought it looked stunning. I became the jealous wife and demanded to know that he still loved mine/ours more.haha ha :D all too real, too true! :)


Just tried to think of a witty retort about the snow and got caught up with the 'six inches' and decided to be a lady and be quiet. cackles

[CecilWard]

rymixxx wrote:
> Aside, we should probably start up a pseudo-physics thread here where we can all pretend we're experts in rotational moments of inertia, coefficients of friction, tyrewall flexing and contact patches. It would be like Piston Heads but with nicer people.

Haha!! Just noticed this, belatedly. Steve don't tempt me. Nicer people, we hope indeed. The very best.