A passion re-kindled

[baileydom]

Yes Al. Well done buddy!

Sent from my GT-I9100

[oddshoes]

so are we swapping bits over dude? Will give you a hand if possible... a red tin top with GT Spec interior and your alloys on etc etc

[MR2Jay]

Now THAT looks good

Great find Al

[rob]

That looks truly lovely mate, the diamond cut alloys look really classy.

As much as I love my turbo transplant, I have fond memories of driving my car as an na right on the peak of its performance. If I did that currently I would be arrested.

[Howlin_Mad]

That looks truly lovely mate, the diamond cut alloys look really classy.

As much as I love my turbo transplant, I have fond memories of driving my car as an na right on the peak of its performance. If I did that currently I would be arrested.

This ΔΔ

As much as I want a turbo conversion, I will miss my manual N/A for what it is and how it drives at 7K every day!

Good find Al, hope this one gives you more driving enjoyment.

HM

[_Al_]

I need to write a full response when I haven't been out all night driving.

The short version is, I needed to be out of the flat so I went looking at cars. As per the main project thread, my free time is about to be utterly murdered, so I need something that just works. I went out intended to drive a pair of black mk3s. One was older than the other, but the older one came with a hard top. Test drives went to plan, but the younger one had clearly had a shunt so was looking at the older one - it it just didn't click with me. Neither of them did.

I headed home, but then it turned out that I needed to be out some more. I had noticed this car on autotrader and as I was at a loose end I went to take a look. I was stunned. The alloys are badly marked, there's a dig on one wing, but the rest of the car is SO CLEAN.

The interior looks brand new - I am not exaggerating. There's not a mark on anything. The bodywork isn't 100% but there's no rust anywhere. I went over it with a fine toothed comb. The owner was even gracious enough to let me take out interior trim and carpets to check the boot and under sills. I can't find anything wrong with it.

Next up was the test drive. It has 94k on the clock, but I checked with the DVLA and was amazed to find that all of those are kilometres. Less than 57k on the clock, if my memory / maths is any good. It has an almost flawless MOT history consisting only of advisories on tyres and wheel bearings.

It doesn't so much drive as float. It's the same ride height as my white one, on the same size tyres, but it is just so supple and composed. The gearbox on my white one has been praised often, but this one makes it look tractor-esque. Even tiny things are so clearly "fresh", down to the self-centering spring on the gear level and the auto-cancellation of the indicators. Both are just 'sweeter' in their operation.

Finally there's its party piece. The only modification on the car is an induction kit. The noise is STAGGERING. I love it. I haven't heard a snarl like that since my FTO died. It's the crowning glory of the experience, making the drive feel so special, even at the relatively modest speeds its capable of. I loved driving my MX5 for the handling and the "fun" factor, but hated the complete lack of "go". This car solves everything.

I've spent 2 1/2 years trying to build an MR2 that felt factory fresh and here's one just sat in front of me.

So I bought it. Rude not to really.

This car brings back all the best memories of my rev 2. It presses the emotional buttons that the white one just can't manage. And damn it looks good in red with those alloys.

As for the turbo conversion - no. Been there, done that. For now I'll leave it be. It's a stunning example of the breed and I intend to care for it as best I'm able. I'll consider swapping bits over from the white one, but frankly there's nothing wrong with the red one. If it's not broke, don't fix it.

Someone is going to get an absolute bargain of the white one really is fixed, as I can't justify keeping both, and there's no way I'm letting this one go.

That said, the engine and box won't last forever. More than any other '2 I've sat in, this car deserves a 2GR-FE...

Begin new project... "Lady in Waiting"

[stuMR2lee]

Excellent find Al. Low miles and great looking condition. Very rare these days. Really hope you enjoy using this one a lot more. Future V6 sounds like a good plan too.

[_Al_]

It'd just be "a bit different". I've had two turbos now and I think they're fantastic. I'm really going to miss that mad overtaking capability and the ability to break traction so effortlessly. Hopefully a 270+ bhp V6 will sort that out without ruining the character of the car.

As an aside, I did 90miles in the red one yesterday and the fuel gauge barely moved. While I'm busy saving for a house with a garage that will be very helpful...

[sinjen]

As much as I love mine in its present guise, I do miss the way it was. You can't beat 7k rpm with epic induction noise, lovely find Al

[baileydom]

As an aside, I did 90miles in the red one yesterday and the fuel gauge barely moved. While I'm busy saving for a house with a garage that will be very helpful...

Yeah just wait til you go on a drive with tubbies, the needle soon moves then as you wring it's neck keeping up! But the induction roar is immense, acis kicking in at 5.5k. It's almost 'O' worthy! :-D

Sent from my GT-I9100

[Kinsy]

If you own a turbo it is a toy. If you own an N/A, you can (just about) run it every day.

I've done 27,000 miles now in my car in 16 months carrying everything around in the surprisingly big boot (and the passenger seat) to do my job. Toolkits, monster servers, TVs no problem. I get to thrash it around Leicestershire B-roads on a fairly regular basis and I can't see myself driving anything else for the foreseeable future. Really should have a diesel barge for all the time I spend sat on the M1 but I just can't bring myself to do it!

[_Al_]

As an aside, I did 90miles in the red one yesterday and the fuel gauge barely moved. While I'm busy saving for a house with a garage that will be very helpful...

Yeah just wait til you go on a drive with tubbies, the needle soon moves then as you wring it's neck keeping up! But the induction roar is immense, acis kicking in at 5.5k. It's almost 'O' worthy! :-D

Sent from my GT-I9100

The thought of actually making it to a run brings me out in goosebumps, even if I'll just be hanging at the back. Can you imagine if I'd been on a Kent run when that track rod end let go!?!


This car will actually be a toy as well, all my cars are. I commute by rail. That normally means I buy something silly and I dump all my free cash in fuel. Now the spare £££ will go into savings. Soon I'll have a garage, then anything might happen

[MR2Jay]

That's one of the reasons I got the mk3...

The turbo isn't a daily car, it's too stiff, barely gets warmed up and too low to miss speed bumps (which they are very keen on here)

With the mk3, I get to learn a new car and have something I can use as a daily, saving the tubby for best

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 4

[TonyleFrog]

The thought of actually making it to a run brings me out in goosebumps, even if I'll just be hanging at the back. Can you imagine if I'd been on a Kent run when that track rod end let go!?!

You have just run out of excuses for not doing one.