THE ONE YEAR UPDATE.
Yup, it has been a whole year now since I started working on this car, though it does seem like it has been a lot longer. Marty the MR2 (as I now call it) is now a sort of side project as I work on Emma the MR2 (the
MK1.5 MR2 that I am currently building). Every now and then I will do something different with him in between jobs on Emma.
The other day I finally got around to installing a brand new Clutch Slave Cylinder. The car struggles with a Stage 2 clutch, and I would advise anybody with a stock N/A MR2 to not bother with such a heavy upgrade. The problem is that I will often have a hard time pushing into 2nd gear. I already replaced the Master Cylinder some time ago, but with little effect. Putting in new transmission fluid also made a slight difference but still had problems. I also put on new shift link bushings. Replacing the slave cylinder has shown a major improvement. It still grinds sometimes, but not as easily. Apparently bad synchros in the transmission are a problem for these cars – I may need to buy a press and learn how to fix transmissions some day.
I have nearly finished working on the interior. I stole the shift boot and knob from the MK2 MR2 that Emma’s engine is coming from. With a little cutting it snapped in perfectly. I was going to switch out the steering wheel but I actually like the feel of my large $10 cover. Interior needs to be cleaned desperately.
Last week I also got rid of the glass muffler (did it all myself – just got a muffler shop to make some bends in piping - $30 of pipe and $50 for used muffler, $20 for tips). I put in a twin exit muffler from an Acura. It looks a little less “limp”, as somebody had once described my last muffler tip. Its also quite a bit quieter but sounds more tuned. I also replaced the painted tail lights with the stock black. It justs looks cleaner IMO.
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The trunk lid sits a little crooked. I think I know how to fix it.
Sometime soon I want to spend a few hours a really clean and power polish the exterior. I have a porter cable 7424 but just need to buy some pads and product.
My job on the car was far from perfect. But its 10x (may 8x) better than the paint that was on it. It’s not as dark of silver that I wanted but I still like it. It passes.
Next on the list for changes is a new front valance. I taking part in a group buy for a couple (one for Marty, one for Emma). They are in the process of being made and shipped from England from Paul Woods at Woodsport. About $400 shipped is the going rate. Will be infinitely nicer than the Dodge Daytona lip Marty currently holds. Blech!
I don’t know what the future holds for Marty once Emma is completed (
if Emma is completed I should say). All I know is that it has been a fun time working on it, and the ride is incredible fun. I sometimes think that the Dunlop Dirreza’s may have a little too much traction for the power (engine barely spins them, and bogs a little once hooked), but then I turn a corner at 45mph and cant stop grinning. Fun car, for sure. Excited to get the Mk1.5 going though!
Thanks everyone, once again, for the encouragement and input along the way.
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