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Matt B (fs)
Matt B (fs) UltraDork
6/18/21 1:31 p.m.

In reply to Derick Freese :

Agreed. The GC setup will allow you to play with spring rates and the Konis are about the best OTS damper available for the chassis.  As a point of reference I'm running the Eibach Prokit with Koni Yellows on my AW11 and they're a great match for street manners on reasonably maintained roads, but still find myself being careful in the moon-like surface streets of downtown Atlanta.  They're a relatively soft progressive spring so take that for what it's worth.  

Nicole Suddard
Nicole Suddard GRM+ Memberand Marketing Coordinator
12/20/21 10:56 a.m.

Not a very exciting update, but an update nonetheless. I'd been having trouble with the headlight knob falling off in my hand for a while now, which I usually solved by swearing and trying to pop it back on without looking away from the road, which went about as well as one could expect. Eventually about a month ago the plastic bits that hold it on completely failed and I had to order a new one. Ordered from Twos R Us, it got here super fast, and last night I finally put the new one on. I plan on running a lot of Christmas errands in the 2 this week as a fun little gift to myself, and I impulse-bought a polarizing set of accessories for the occasion that I'll try to post pictures of soon.

Nicole Suddard
Nicole Suddard GRM+ Memberand Marketing Coordinator
12/23/21 9:38 a.m.

a white 1985 Toyota MR2 wearing car antlers and a fake red nose sits in the driveway of a brown house with Christmas lights on it

I present to you: Twodolf the Red-Nosed Runabout

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter)
Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/23/21 10:26 a.m.

In reply to Nicole Suddard :

They look way better on an MR-2 than a minivan or CUV!

Nicole Suddard
Nicole Suddard GRM+ Memberand Marketing Coordinator
3/20/22 6:47 p.m.

Ok, time for an actual update. A while back I bought this center console from Saruken to replace the worn-out and modified one that was in my car. Today Tim helped me rehab and install it, which mostly just involved removing, tightening and reattaching the leather on the armrest and giving everything a good cleaning. I also took the opportunity to clean up the interior carpet and seats with the handy dandy Bissel green machine. Mystery stains, be gone!

As usual, I forgot to take "before" photos, but here's a picture of what the console looked like when we bought it:

And here's what it looked like at the end of working on it today:


 

DarkMonohue
DarkMonohue GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
3/20/22 7:08 p.m.

Did you just ninja-edit out a question about where to find a shift pattern decal, or am I hallucinating?

Neil Jones has them on eBay.  He's legit.

Or you can simply remove the little aluminum plate by bending the tabs back, and expose this below (pic shamelessly stolen from another forum):

 

Nicole Suddard
Nicole Suddard GRM+ Memberand Marketing Coordinator
3/20/22 7:17 p.m.

In reply to DarkMonohue :

Damn, I was hoping nobody would see that. I just felt weird asking about something I could Google. Thanks for the tip!

DarkMonohue
DarkMonohue GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
3/20/22 7:34 p.m.
Nicole Suddard said:

Damn, I was hoping nobody would see that. I just felt weird asking about something I could Google. Thanks for the tip!

No worries!  There was a time - back before Facebook killed the MR2 forums - when the default approach to problem solving was forum conversation and not a Google search.  My response was probably Pavlovian as much as anything else...

 

Nicole Suddard
Nicole Suddard GRM+ Memberand Marketing Coordinator
3/21/22 10:24 a.m.

Ok, new shift decal has been ordered!

Now I want to poll the audience here, since it's about time to start working on the exterior: I want to take the exterior trim back to the original black-on-white. Tim thinks I should keep it monochome. He says the original black trim was ugly, I say "that's the point". What do y'all think?

Here's what it looks like now:

And here's what I want to bring it back to (minus the side skirts - I'll keep those black on mine) photo stolen from this BaT listing:


Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter)
Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
3/21/22 10:26 a.m.

In reply to Nicole Suddard :

Honestly I like monochrome, but that's probably from reading too many issues of Turbo & SCC back in the 90's. 

If you're looking for originality, or if black trim is your jam, go for it!

Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter)
Cousin_Eddie (Forum Supporter) Dork
3/21/22 10:28 a.m.

I'd have to pick up a couple of cans of SEM trim paint and go back to original if it were mine. But it looks killer either way so you can't make a wrong decision.

DarkMonohue
DarkMonohue GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
3/21/22 10:41 a.m.

Black all day. The car's an '85. It should look like an '85.  Body color trim makes it look like an '86.

I like the contrast, and I like that it's a one-year-only treatment. 

oldeskewltoy
oldeskewltoy UberDork
3/21/22 10:43 a.m.

It really depends on what you like... if you like the original... go for it. 

 

In my case I like the black, it helps accent the car

 

Matt B (fs)
Matt B (fs) UltraDork
3/21/22 10:49 a.m.

I like it with or without the black trim, but it looks like it someone may have installed the later Mk1b bumper from the 87-89 models.  You can tell due to the front most plane with the turn signals has a slight angle to it vs. the early bumper was vertical.  There are also some other differences like the early double vs. single indented body lines.  That said, I've seen someone paint the Mk1b bumper like the two-tone 85MY and it didn't quite look right to me.  Maybe I've been staring at these cars for too many years though.

The thing I would definitely paint flat or satin black would be the front lower grill. Those are supposed to be black from the factory, but they seem to get painted body color all the time for some reason.  I think painting those grills or even the lip spoilers body color makes the car look cheaper.

Mezzanine
Mezzanine Dork
3/21/22 12:31 p.m.

I vote monochrome. The car looks a little busy with the black trim stripe down the side.

TurnerX19
TurnerX19 UltraDork
3/21/22 12:39 p.m.

I am 50/50, as in I would absolutely paint the grill black, but leave the bumpers and side molding white. 

tuna55
tuna55 MegaDork
3/21/22 12:55 p.m.

Could go either way. I went through the same thing with my Honda, but it's just taste.

 

I can't believe I missed this thread from last year. I've always liked these cars, but never had a reason to buy one.

Jesse Ransom
Jesse Ransom GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
3/21/22 1:03 p.m.

Monochrome and Koseis for me. But it's not for me, it's for you. That thing is rad however you do it.

John Welsh
John Welsh Mod Squad
3/21/22 1:17 p.m.

A very period correct mod was to go all white.  AMG led the trend...

wheelsmithy (Joe-with-an-L)
wheelsmithy (Joe-with-an-L) GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
3/21/22 5:05 p.m.

Black is my vote.

Mrfurzzy
Mrfurzzy New Reader
3/21/22 8:16 p.m.

My vote is for black with the dealer option stripe/hood fade decal set. I believe Neil Jones sells them as well

Nicole Suddard
Nicole Suddard GRM+ Memberand Marketing Coordinator
3/22/22 9:28 a.m.

In reply to Mrfurzzy :

Ooooh, now that's a sharp look. 

oldeskewltoy
oldeskewltoy UberDork
3/22/22 9:58 a.m.
Nicole Suddard said:

In reply to Mrfurzzy :

Ooooh, now that's a sharp look. 

agree

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