G's Garage

Yesterday my full Prothane bushing kit arrived by Amazon

Ive also ordered other suspension items from Rock Auto, mostly MOOG and KYB
-Front and Rear Ball Joints
-Front Upper Strut Mounts
-Alignment bolts
-Strut bellows and bumpstops
-Spring Compressor

Plan is to use some Monroe shocks that came with the car (new in box) and the 1993+ springs, which are 1" lower and supposed to be better performance, also came with car.
I just wanted to update the suspension, not really trying to drop a grand on struts and springs right now. It'll be a much better ride once all these 30 year old components are replaced
 
I've been waiting on the part of this thread when you realize the car is a Gen 3 3S-GTE, and you should be running 16-20PSI on E85 ;)

Otherwise, I subbed a while back and I'm enjoying it. Toyota really showed the world how to make world class cars, too bad Americans were (are) too blind and stupid in the early 90s to import more of them.
 
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Ikarus1 said:
I've been waiting on the part of this thread when you realize the car is a Gen 3 3S-GTE, and you should be running 16-20PSI on E85 ;)

Otherwise, I subbed a while back and I'm enjoying it. Toyota really showed the world how to make world class cars, too bad Americans were (are) too blind and stupid in the early 90s to import more of them.
Click to expand...

My focus has been other places than power right now.
I want to enjoy the car, first and foremost, so getting proper wheels/tires, and getting it comfortable is key (which plays back to the tires part).
I didnt trust the tires on the car when I bought it. Like, sure, the 14" stock wheels are ugly, but the tires arent 'performance' tires, narrow, and OLD.
Some I got some 15" stockers with quality tires, but, they're old too. But they were stored indoors (garage) for the time, they looked brand new. I trust them much more than the ones that were on the car. Ok, so there was that. Also, BRAKES lol

Radio and speakers were important, as Im IN the car when driving. So that's sorted with the double-DIN headunit, getting all of the speakers working, and upsizing/better quality door speakers + the iphone to give me (currently) over 7k songs in car.

Also on the interior was the shift boot and proper shift knob and CLEANING.

Now we're on to the suspension.
Get all that sorted, make it well planted and comfortable and then I can move on to performance and looks. And I hate the looks, paint is screwed.
But, anyway, Im getting there brother.

Side-mount intercooler will be this year, Im sure. I'll keep it around 15-16psi. Much more and the turbo is working too hard to be very effective/efficient.
Downpipe will be done too. Shave off about 20lbs of cast iron and get things breathing more freely, if I remember correctly it'll bump power about 10-15whp on it's on.

First of June I will start the suspension. From this point on I'll pretty much just buy as a deal comes up etc.
I still have a lot I want, I'll get there.
 
Suspension work blows.

One strut removed, another loosened up (trying to only do one at a time).
This blows.

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This look like a normal bearing? lol

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Im beat.

Ok:
-new struts installed, along with strut mounts, ball joints, and tie rod ends
-93+ springs, slightly lower and stiffer/more performance oriented

-I fixed the tach, the capacitors had went bad and it didnt read or didnt read accurately (on hot days it'd move, but barely)
I dont recall who sent me capacitors, but HUGE THANKS!

Tomorrow I'll go to get an alignment and then it's good to go!
 
rear sway bar end links order from RockAuto
Have some leather door panels on the way, get rid of the cloth version in my car now
 
Mighty Car Mods on Youtube did some MR2 work a while back. If you haven't seen it already, might be worth a watch. I think it was "rear engine shootout" something along those lines.

I've enjoyed watching your progress.
 
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Sp00ks said:
Mighty Car Mods on Youtube did some MR2 work a while back. If you haven't seen it already, might be worth a watch. I think it was "rear engine shootout" something along those lines.

I've enjoyed watching your progress.
Click to expand...
I watched, several folks have done MR2 builds that are MUCH cooler than mine, but Im poor lol
Shopping around for wheels right now, 15s are hard to get tires for, looking at 17" and at least 1" wider front and rear (staggered from Toyota, want to keep it staggered)
 
I'm the king of Hobbies on a budget. I always seem to have a second gig going just to fund my hobbies. Working from home since March has helped :)

If that is a standard Toyota lug pattern, you should be able to find something.
 
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Sp00ks said:
I'm the king of Hobbies on a budget. I always seem to have a second gig going just to fund my hobbies. Working from home since March has helped :)

If that is a standard Toyota lug pattern, you should be able to find something.
Click to expand...
yeah, just 5x114
Im looking for strong and lightweight, mainly forged wheels
Looking at some various things like 5zigen 5n01c-r, kosei k1 etc
5 or 6 spokes
 
HMP said:
yeah, just 5x114
Im looking for strong and lightweight, mainly forged wheels
Looking at some various things like 5zigen 5n01c-r, kosei k1 etc
5 or 6 spokes
Click to expand...
I think either would look good.
 
HMP said:
yeah, just 5x114
Im looking for strong and lightweight, mainly forged wheels
Looking at some various things like 5zigen 5n01c-r, kosei k1 etc
5 or 6 spokes
Click to expand...
Tirerack.com has their system so you can see them on your car before you order.
 
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Changed to R134 for my AC (I did not, but a local shop who does it), used it Thursday on the way to VA and back - actually got too cold at times!
It's nice to have air again

Thought I'd fixed my cruise control, worked on the 5 hour drive up, but yesterday was acting up and not functioning.
 
A few weeks back I put in a 3-spoke steering wheel from a Corolla S (99-01 model), same as they offered on the MR2 in Japan/Asia in the late 90s. It's a much more modern look, really changes the interior and feel of driving.
Anyway, so there's that. Ive been acquiring parts here and there, like an IS300 gas pedal to match the aluminum brake and clutch pedals I already have.
Also picked up some reproduction front lip spoiler mounts, somt T-top guides that will help with leaking issues, and reproduction window switch bezels to fix the broken and painted driver's side unit. Oh, and some new spark plugs, I'll do the ignition system and clean up in the engine bay a bit.

On ebay now looking at some front lip spoilers, to at least have the 93+ look.

Just getting things here enjoying the car a day or two a week

Quick pic that I sent another local MR2 guy

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'aeroware style' front lip spoiler just bought on ebay.
Have the kit to mount it, it'll be one of my fall/winter projects.
 
Ok, real quick backstory. FIve years ago when I started to look for a home, one thing I started thinking was "Hmmmm, these 2 story homes with a back deck, a lot of wasted space under the deck, would be neat to put a building under one for additional storage"

Ok.
Then I found my dream home. I'll, quickly, retell the story of that - enter, fall in love with the home, but WHILE I WAS VIEWING IT it went under contract. Rats.
A few weeks later, contract falls through. Halloween this year was the 4th year anniversary of me being in the home.

Well, the original (and only, before me) owners of the home did what I thought of - built a building under the deck - great idea!
...
...
... but piss poor construction.
I didnt think to take a pic of it, I'd have to dig through to see if I have any pics that have it in the background etc, but it was in rough shape.
The doors just didnt close right.
Particle board used throughout, and, with the dampness, was rotting in some places

For about two years mom and dad been saying "we'll get you a new building built" Mainly, they'll take care of the concrete pad being poured for the base, theyre very generous folks. Welp, we've begun.
Wednesday I started deconstruction, then yesterday/Thanksgiving Dad joined me and we got it all cleared out.
Hoping next week the concrete guys can come out to pour the pad and ramp for the lawn mower.

I'll be keeping the mower, yard tools/implements etc in there, extra car wheels

Father will wire up a large light strip over head, motion sensor light on the front, and two outlets, one per side.
Building will be about the same size it was, maybe 8' wide, 10 or 12 long. Plenty of shelving.

It'll be built RIGHT. It'll look RIGHT. It was such an eye sore before
 
This is what I had inside on Wednesday and how they had the shelves set up. The shelves were mostly brad nailed together. Yep, brad nails. VERY few screws used. The thin particle board, as you can see, could not take much weight before bowing, so I didnt use at all. Most of what's on the shelves in the pic was left behind by PO

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Found two tires, a cinderblock, and some 4x4s and stuff on the tin roof to keep it held down. Nah, we'll have it done right when we do the roof

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End of Day 1, one wall off








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On day two I got out there about 8am and got to it.
Found, between the building and house, a bunch of two x fours and random wood.
Dad brought his 4x8 trailer over and we loaded the big sheets up and stuff, but the little stuff we loaded up in the burn barrel (@Joem ), it made short work of those pieces

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Ended up leaving the outside of the base, just in case the concrete guy could use it for his base/boundary/whatever. But everything else gone.
Pulled the tin roof back under, get it off the grass to not kill the grass, that'll be quick to move.
And there are some bricks under there, got to move those, again, easy stuff.
So Im ready! Im excited!



K8PX6I2.jpg
 
You’re gonna put a little pitch on the new roof, right?
 
Jeppo said:
You’re gonna put a little pitch on the new roof, right?
Click to expand...
Of course!
And the original had some to it too
Might reuse the metal roof that it had, just do it right (ie, make sure all the pieces are even and not use old tires and trash to keep it held down)
 
Love the selfie with the burn barrel! That there is the face of a man GLAD to see bad work gone. 🙂 My favorite part of the old building was the 2x4 "rafter extension cleats" on the bottom of the (ahem) rafters.

Good project, good plan, I hope you continue to enjoy the process. Caution, though: if you weren't already aware, building stuff is an addiction! Once you bang your first nail (steel, not thumb), yer done fer.
 
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Windini said:
Love the selfie with the burn barrel! That there is the face of a man GLAD to see bad work gone. 🙂 My favorite part of the old building was the 2x4 "rafter extension cleats" on the bottom of the (ahem) rafters.

Good project, good plan, I hope you continue to enjoy the process. Caution, though: if you weren't already aware, building stuff is an addiction! Once you bang your first nail (steel, not thumb), yer done fer.
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, there are lots of things that would make you shake your head.
Hell, half was screwed in, half was nailed.

Look at the first pic I posted, top of the image, left side. There are two roof supports, instead of getting two 2x4 that stretch the width of the building they put a small piece that was nailed in the middle... and had some screws in too. Just little things that made you shake your head.

Many of the screws on the floor were rusted out, broken
 
HMP said:
There are two roof supports, instead of getting two 2x4 that stretch the width of the building they put a small piece that was nailed in the middle... and had some screws in too.
Click to expand...
Haha! Yep, those were the ones I was referring to. It's astounding that "roof" supported 2 tires & some cinder block!
 
A little photoshop work to hide the burn barrel would make for an interesting shot (bottom half of attachment).
 

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Windini said:
Haha! Yep, those were the ones I was referring to. It's astounding that "roof" supported 2 tires & some cinder block!
Click to expand...
AH! I thought you meant where some of the uprights were cut too short and they put some 2x4 in on the sides (third pic from top, closest upright on the right)
 
No more concrete than that call up a concrete company that has a truck that will mix it on the job. Even by yourself you could screed that good enough for a shed slab.
 
I should have taken more pics, @BlackGun It was not in good condition
There was a door, a double door, and while it wasnt great, it was, actually, one of the better parts of the building!
The floor was soft and cracking. Could see outside in many spots due to bowing side pieces, the roof kept the inside dry though.
 
more parts in and on the way
intercooler kit - new hot and cold pipes/couplers/clamps, fan, IC shroud (so air doesnt go AROUND the intercooler but through it)
45mm boost gauge to go in stock location
Jan 1 I'll get busy.
 
Thanks for posting this, I’ve read every post this afternoon in the thread and very much enjoyed it. Will be following along the rest of the thread. Friend of mine in HS had a 94? Turbo I think, always loved the looks of that little car!
 
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johnnyb said:
Thanks for posting this, I’ve read every post this afternoon in the thread and very much enjoyed it. Will be following along the rest of the thread. Friend of mine in HS had a 94? Turbo I think, always loved the looks of that little car!
Click to expand...
94s were/are rare! Lucky guy!

I'll update when I can
As stated, Im planning on Jan 1 to start digging into it with some upgrades
 
It was a girl, she thought it was cute, her parents bought it new for her. Lol.

not 100%sure it was a 94, may have been a 93
 
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