Sunroof red MK1a for sale

[James_Ward]

Welcome to the advert for my 1986 Toyota MR2. It is a red sun roof MK1a, but one of those funny cross-over ones that seems to have some Mk1b parts on it. The chassis has covered 105,000 miles; however a new engine was fitted at 102,000 miles that was claimed to have only 35,000 miles on it. Having run it for a few thousand miles, I see no reason to disbelieve the figure as it pulls very strongly.

The car is MOT'd Until October 23rd 2010, and taxed until Feb. 2011

I have had the car since mid 2003, and I have basically rebuilt it from the ground up. I bought the car as a non-runner with a blown head gasket. At the time I was assured the car had received a "professional respray" and all the rust had been dealt with. Whilst the car was in my garage with the engine being replaced I noticed some rust bubbles appearing around the areas of repair.... I couldn't resist prodding them with a handy screwdriver.... turns out the professionals use a lot of body filler!

So my quick engine swap turned into a full blown body repair. In the end the passenger side had an entire new 3/4 body side panel, while the drivers' side had replacement lower rear sill, wheel arch and rear panel. In 2006 had a local company which normally restores Aston Martins and the like respray it, they painted both side 3/4 panels and the rear valance, and I had a new drivers' side front wing and a repaired passenger side front wing painted at the same time. This year I had them repaint the front valance panels and the glass fibre body kit as they were starting to look scruffy.

So finally my car was on the road, however it turned out 3 years had not been kind to the brakes and suspension, and it was interesting to drive to say the least.... so back to the garage where all the suspension and brakes were stripped off, the metal parts and brackets were shot blasted and powder coated, and the suspension rebuilt, along with the brake system.

So that brings us to today, and I (finally) have a great MR2. I know it is a cliché, but it really does handle like a go-kart! Also the replacement engine pulls strongly and loves to rev, and the stainless exhaust sounds fantastic! The stiffer rear roll bar improves the turn-in no end, although it can feel a bit twitchy over 80mph. However the roll bar is adjustable.

There are a few jobs outstanding on it still, a few external trim items I have yet replaced following the respray, some rubbing strips and some of the pinstripes, the rear mud flaps etc. The interior could do with a good clean, the electric windows work, but not enthusiastically, and the passenger side goes up about a centimetre too far. If I were to keep it I'd probably have the interior re-trimmed. There is no radio fitted right now (although I believe there is one of the original subwoofer things underneath the seat).

Also the constant polishing to keep the pink away has taken its toll on the panels that haven't been painted; the bonnet and engine cover will probably need to be painted next as it's getting a bit thin in places.

I use the car fairly regularly, strictly at weekends and in dry weather, and it gets stored in a garage when not in use.

So why am I not keeping it? Well I am moving house shortly to a smaller place and if I want to keep it I am going to have to pay for it to be stored somewhere. I am actually in two minds whether or not to sell but I think this is a good time to. I have spent so much money on the car I will never get it back.... but I don't mind it if an enthusiast from this site buys it as they will give it the care and finishing touches it deserves. It will be a wonderful car to have for the summer, the stuff left to do is really trivial and doesn't stop the car being used in the slightest! I have run the car in from its extended period of non-usage, and fixed plenty of small but niggling issues, now I can confidently go and fire it up and drive off somewhere safe in the knowledge it's all working as it should.

The price I want for the car is around £2250. I think it's a value that represents the amount of work that has been put into it over the years. This is the value I have it ensured for the Adrian Flux at the moment. I am not interested in swaps as I am selling only because I don't have room. I welcome any inspection, please be aware due to work commitments viewings will be weekends only. STRICTLY NO CANVASSERS. I would entertain offers but please be sensible. I also have a few spare parts kicking around; if we can agree a decent price then I will chuck them in too.

Please call me on 07834346831 if you are interested! Thanks for reading my small novel....

This is a list of all the items I can remember having done to the car, front to back:-

- Replaced front bumper beam, new beam was hot dip galvanized, painted and wax oiled before replacing.
- Previous owner had replaced front valance panels with genuine Toyota panels. Recently I had them resprayed with 2 pack paint and under sealed behind as he didn't paint them very well.
- Radiator surround panel shot blasted and powder coated
- Previous owner head a new radiator fitted shortly before I bought it
- Headlamp retract mechanism soaked in oil for a few months as was a bit slow acting, works lovely now
- Drivers front wing replaced with genuine Toyota part and sprayed with 2 pack, passenger side wing repaired and painted with 2 pack
- Front suspension rebuild, lower arms, roll bar, uprights and body brackets shot blasted and powder coated, hub sanded down and painted by hand. New polyurethane suspension bushes. New bottom ball joints. New KYB gas shock absorbers and Fensport fast road springs. TRD top strut mounts. "2's R us" spherical jointed ARB drop links. New Toyota wheel bearings. Brake callipers rebuilt using rebuild kit. Goodridge braided brake lines.
- Steering outer and inner joints replaced with Toyota parts.
- Steel heater pipes than run above the fuel tank and take coolant to the cabin heater repaired (I guess the coolant loss through these holes was the cause of the head gasket failure before I bought it).
- Glass fibre body kit recently resprayed using 2 pack paint. Seals replaced with the seal kit from this site.
- Passenger side body side panel replaced (from behind the door to the rear of the car. Resprayed using 2 pack paint. Inner wheel arch was badly corroded and had to be repaired, this was done using panels made up from sheet metal. Following painting the area was comprehensively wax oiled and under sealed.
- Drivers side lower rear sill panel, rear wheel arch and rear lower side valance replaced using repair panels available through the club magazine. Repairs blended in and painted using 2 pack paint. Following painting the area was comprehensively wax oiled and under sealed.
- Engine and gearbox replaced with a low mileage unit. Engine required some new core plugs which had corroded, the oil seal o ring from the distributor to the cylinder head, the cam belt, tensioner, cam belt sprocket on the crankshaft and also a new throttle position sensor bought from Toyota. Renewed the water pump and all of the little rubber cooling hoses on the back of the engine. Numerous gaskets, seals and o rings. New alternator. Recently renewed spark plugs, leads, distributor cap and rotor arm. Also fitted the 2's R us bearing kit for the end of the gear cables to give a more positive shift action, and a full stainless steel Mongoose exhaust system. The coolant system has been fully flushed, several times!
- A new battery in 2006
- Rear suspension and brakes rebuild, lower arms, uprights and body brackets shot blasted and powder coated, hub sanded down and painted by hand. New polyurethane suspension bushes. New bottom ball joints. Sourced track rods that weren't seized, and replaced rod ends. New KYB gas shock absorbers and Fensport fast road springs. Toyota top strut mounts (TRD don't make these anymore for some reason). "2's R us" spherical jointed ARB drop links. New Toyota wheel bearings. Brake callipers rebuilt using rebuild kit. Goodridge braided brake lines. New Toyota handbrake cables. Whiteline 18mm adjustable anti roll bar.
- Rear bumper bar removed, shot blasted, painted, wax oiled and refitted.
- Rear valance panel sanded back to bare metal and repainted, under sealed on the rear.
- Sourced some as new teardrop style alloys with quality Dunlop tyres, although the wheels could probably do with a refurb in a year or two.
- Leather gear lever gaiter
- Tailored floor mats
- Rear valance panel sanded back to bare metal and repainted, under sealed on the rear.
- Sourced some as new teardrop style alloys with quality Dunlop tyres, although the wheels could probably do with a refurb in a year or two.
- Leather gear lever gaiter
- Tailored floor mats

[alfiembra]

Sorry to be critical but "Tin Top" means just that, solid roof, ie no sunroof.

£3000 again sorry, but you're being way too optimistic. No matter how good a spec, how much has been spent on it or how much time and effort you've put into it, it simply isn't worth half of what you're asking, Mk1a's in a lot better condition than yours go for £1.2-£1.5k.

To give you an example I've rebuilt mine from top to bottom over a period of 8 years with a genuine 80k milage. I'd bite your hand off if I was offered £1.0k for it.

To get the sort of money you are asking for it would have to be totally original with 35k genuine guaranteed miles on it, full dealer history etc. It would need all the original pinstriping, yours has several pieces missing, a spotless engine bay, yours needs a bit of work.

I wish you good luck but anyone that knows mk1's would never pay that much for one.

Alan

[oukie]

I Disagree ^^^^^^ Alan your car is worth Way more than £1k

This car is also worth more than £1k

I thinks this is worth what someone will pay for it, The values of these cars (good ones and sheds) is rising,
From the sellers discription of the work done I don't think the picture's do the car Justice.
Perhaps if there was some more pictures of close ups of wings and maybe some work being carried out pictures I think you would be getting a bit more realistice replies.

Now I wouldn't give £3k but its worth atleast £2k IMAO

I diagreee with these price moaning posts and posters.
Unless the car is a complete shed that is and this car is certainly NOT a shed.

Good luck with the sale.

Chris

[crazylegs]

I would also put it well over the 1K mark. the trim pieces need to be replaced as it does detract from the overall look. these are easily source from ebay or CLUB MEMBERs like oukie or myself. Other stripes badges can again be found, some are still available from Toyota.
All in all it looks a nice car ,not strictly a mk1a , £3000 is 'optimistic' but if you dont ask......

[James_Ward]

Thanks for the comments guys, both positive and otherwise, it's easy to become blinkered about the value of your car when you've nurtured it from sheddyness back to greatness (or my idea of it).

I do actually have the two rear rubbing strips I just need to glue them back on. The only one I'm missing is the small one on the rear edge of the drivers' wing. Trouble is I'm moving soon, and the strips are in one box, and the glue in another

Maybe my price is a bit ambitious but then if you think of it this way - if someone were to do what I did, you'd spent a lot more money than I'm asking, if you were thinking of doing that anyway, a much shorter and cheaper way could be to buy my car! And I did say I'd be open to offers....

I think I will end up keeping it (not a problem - I love it!) but it just means it will get stored in a dusty aircraft hangar miles from my house for months until I can rent a garage near my new place.

I thought my photos were pretty good!

[mr2mk1chick]

I've edited the thread title from 'Tintop' to 'Sunroof', to refelct the correct details of the car

[James_Ward]

Bump with a price drop to £2250