So I threw a thread up somewhere else about getting my hands on a 1991 MR2. Since this car needs a good bit more work than any of my Subarus ever did, I figured I'd start a journal for anyone who wishes to follow along and laugh at my progress. Anyhow, the car was purchased at an auction for a very reasonable price. The previous owner was kind enough to remove the engine and transmission and then abandon the car in a storage unit until it was evicted. The chassis has 142k miles on it, and it's in fairly good condition for its age. Now the plan, of course, is to drop in a new motor and get the car back on the road. It'll be kind of a weekend car, hopefully with some autox's and a track day or two thrown in. I'm still making up my mind about which engine to use (leaning towards a V6), but I've got plenty of time to sort that out before I start stocking up on parts. There's no timeframe for this, so for the two of you that are following this journal, don't expect updates with any kind of regularity. On to the pics! Transmission and engine lid in the passenger seat Most of the motor in the trunk Got it home, cleaned it up a bit The interior isn't in terrible condition, but the stank is pretty unbearable. Stripping the interior is high on the To Do list Pile of parts that came from the trunks and the interior More to come!
Dude that local MR2 is crazy! I loving the project though. I used to have an old Celica and always craved the 3S-GTE motor.
Being that it's a '91 NA, you're starting at the bottom of the barrel and having to work your way up. Having owned a '93 Turbo a few years ago, I've learned a great deal about them. If you plan on staying NA, I'd definitely look into a 1MZFE swap. It's the V6 motor out of a Camry/Solara and offers great low-end torque and has the ability to use the TRD Supercharger setup as well. If I were to do it again, that's the route I'd go.
Yeah, I'm behind the curve a little, but this thing was dirt cheap so I really can't complain. And I agree with you about the 1MZ, or 3VZ for that matter. I like those cuz they're inexpensive and plentiful, and I can use the stock tranny. The 2GR, though it's more expensive, would still be better and more cost effective than shelling out mega-cash for a TRD supercharger on a 1MZ though... Thanks for the input, so many tasty choices...