julianw
11th June 2011, 04:56 PM
Been a junior member for a year or so, but only just got around to making it a full. Firstly, I like your site and forums the best of all the international MR2 ones. Well done on an informative and friendly club site. I'm Julian, 46 but trying desperately not to feel it! I got my mk1 in 2004 when I realised if I wanted to get through my 'list of cars I've always wanted', I'd better get started! Then I got stuck on the first one! - a white '89 T bar with just 88k on the clock, which I've been running almost continuously ever since. Blue cloth interior, K&N filter, superchip and a Magnex exhaust. More by chance than design, all of the mods have gone - I wanted to know if I could make a steady 80 on the motorway quieter, so ditched the K&N first (no difference), then the Magnex middle section gave up and I opted for a standard exhaust (still regret that) and most recently, I found the connections for the superchip. It didn't look like a professional fit - shocking soldering and insulation (though the paperwork that came with the car says so - torque curves and evidence of 139 brakes after fitting) so - off it came. I've been rewarded by more torque, better idle, more pronounced shove at 4750rpm, better top end and more mpg! Should have done that years ago! I think previous owners have done the sill on one side and both rear arches, with varying degrees of success, I've had one arch and one 'C' arch panel done and some decidedly dodgy respraying. Most recently, new front wings have gone on (Toyota items, so the fit is ok, but not great 'cos I put them on). And I'm running out of corners of the car that I haven't been into and poked about, adding waxoyl and underseal as I went. However, as I run her all year round and have put her up to 204k miles, she's not concourse! Poor old thing! Both rear arches are starting to bubble again and I'm losing the battle with the returns at the rear sill ends, so I'm on the lookout for someone who knows what they're doing with mk1 bodies. Still love driving her though - I even get that tingle of anticipation the night before a long journey, as someone noted in Rob's '101 reasons...' thread. Sorry to have not come and meet up with the club faithful at Tatton Park - I spent the entire weekend in the garage with a front wing off (again) and the whole dashboard out (again) chasing down a leak from the front gutter. And as I needed her for work on Monday morning, the pressure was on somewhat. Hope to meet you all soon and keep up the work on a great site. And, yes, I struggle to stop once I start typing!