Full restoration and excellent condition! No rust!

1986 Toyota MR2 GT Description

This is my personal hobby car, the 6th MR2 I have owned in my decade long habit. I purchased it locally in January 2013. A previous owner had the car painted and restored the engine, but the cheap headgasket from the otherwise good rebuild kit they used blew on me in April 2013. I spent the next several years rebuilding the engine, performing upgrades, installing the best parts from my MR2 parts stash, and performing preventative maintenance to the car. I have a binder full of almost all receipts for parts and work I have done which totals over $6,000. I estimate to have about 400 hours of my own labor in the vehicle.

This car has never spent a night outdoors since I have owned it as it has always been garaged, even during restoration. Car appears to be local to Middle and East Tennessee its entire life and shows no signs of abuse. Odometer shows 212,200 miles, but everything in the car has been redone except the radiator and air conditioning system.

Engine

The 4AGE block is the stronger 7 rib from the late ‘86 and newer MR2s, but it includes the lighter weight 40mm main piston rods and crankshaft used in ‘85-‘86. When I rebuilt the engine, I stripped everything from it but reused the entire short block as its piston rings and bearings must have been previously rebuilt and were in excellent condition. I bought a new Cometic gasket kit but did not use the MLS headgasket, instead opting for a new Toyota OEM headgasket. I installed a new Dorman oil pan resealed with RTV, Aisin oil pump, Aisin water pump, TRD timing belt (very strong), Toyota thermostat, and multiple other parts. I deleted the oil cooler as the sandwich plate and lines as they are weak points and are known to leak or be damaged.

The cylinder head sent off for rebuild. It was cleaned and lightly decked. Valves were seated and new seals installed. Upon reinstallation, I adjusted all valve shims and checked three times. No more annoying taps as you hear on old motors. Fuel injectors were upgraded to the newer ’88-’89 style for the improved spray pattern and easier harness clip style. These injectors were sent to Witchhunter performance, cleaned, rebuilt, and flow tested. Timing was set to highest advance per the shop manual and I currently run 91+ octane without any issues. Distributor used was a low mileage rebuild purchased years ago from a Toyota dealer. Dropped the fuel tank due to the long restoration process and cleaned it out and installed a new OEM Denso fuel pump and filter.

A new old stock Toyota OEM exhaust manifold was ordered as most old manifolds crack on the #4 runner. I had a new flex adapter installed as well as a Walker OEM spec ceramic catalytic converter and muffler.Battery is a year old Duracell AGM 35 series.

The engine runs great, revs eagerly, excellent oil pressure, doesn't smoke or consume oil, and has zero leaks. Engine work was completed one year ago and immediately installed at 210,000 miles. For engine break in, I changed the oil at 100 and 500 miles. Current oil has about 1,000 miles on it. I did have one very tiny leak from a new freeze plug which didn’t completely seat, so I installed a bottle of K Seal which instantly stopped the weep.

Transmission and Drivetrain

5 speed manual transmission is a “double hump” unit from an 87-89 model. There are no grinds or popouts, it shifts perfectly and has fresh fluid. Before installation I sent the transmission do a transmission shop which tore the unit down, inspected, cleaned, and resealed for service. Clutch is an Exedy OEM clutch kit with an OEM resurfaced flywheel. New slave cylinder installed.

Passenger side (long) CV axle developed a vibration shortly after restoration, so I replaced it with a known good unit from my parts collection. Torque on all CV bolts bolts checked again after 300 miles and another alignment performed.

Suspension

New Monroe OEM spec strut cartridges front and rear. Some bushings replaced with medium density polyurethane bushings. Installed 85 only model OEM rear sway bar with Twosrus adjustable rear sway bar drop links. Matrix Garage custom rear toe adjust rods (OEM units freeze and cannot be adjusted). New ball joints (Moog), inner and outer tie rods, and rebuilt from steering rack.

I purchased the lifetime alignment at my local Firestone and I have had the alignment performed and rechecked at least 4 times. Most recent alignment performed after CV axle installation in May 2017.

Interior

Interior is very clean and has not been smoked in since I have owned it. I took the carpet and dash completely out and performed a thorough cleaning. I installed seats and door cards from an 89 MR2 because I preferred the seat design and cloth patterns. New custom leather cover on the armrest. Pioneer HD radio head unit with USB and CD. New old stock custom fit Pioneer Toyota sized 2 way speakers in the dash with a 12” low profile Sony subwoofer and matching 500W Sony amplifier installed behind the passenger seat. Power for the stereo components is securely fed from a fused link directly off the battery. Leather on steering wheel is tight but has some flaking and light scratches. New Lloyd's custom fit hexagomat floor mats.

Air conditioning has been converted to R134 and all components work. After the car was rebuilt, the ac system had leaked down and I had it professionally recharged with dye. It still works but it is leaking from a crack in the compressor body and the compressor clutch may be dragging. I am including a new rebuilt Denso AC compressor with the sale. Heat is very strong and fan works at all speeds.

Body

Car was repainted by a previous owner in a stock red similar to Toyota Super Red. Unlike the factory color this car does have clear coat. The paintwork is very nice, shiny, even, and durable with only minimal orange peel noticed. Body and underside of the car are rust free; a small fiberglass patch installed behind the left rear wheel. No rust bubbles or peeling clear coat. Only a few small dings and light scratches from normal use. Small bullet chip in windshield with no cracks or damage in rest of glass. There is a crack in the paint above the driver front wheel arch. The pinstripes on the rear bumper were painted over and are only visible if looking for them. C pillar trim is complete but cracked in multiple places.

Wheels, Tires, and Brakes

Wheels are refurbished 15” 2003-05 Toyota MR2 Spyder wheels in bright metal finish with clearcoat and new Toyota center caps. Tires are all matching 195/50-15 BF Goodrich Sport Comp 2 UHP AS with like new tread.

Brakes are brand new pads, rotors, and remanufactured calipers for both the front and rear, with the upgraded larger rotors all around from the 87-89 MR2s. Brand new brake fluid professionally bled. New rubber brake hoses installed at all four corners. Pedal feel is firm and brakes stop the vehicle without fade, shudder, or pull. Parking brake is adjusted and works well.

Auction Notes

$500 deposit is due within 24 hours of auction close. Buyer is responsible for shipping and must pickup and pay for car in full within 10 days of close of auction. Seller will work with buyer to arrange pickup from 37820.

If you have any further questions or picture request, please feel free to ask and I will reply promptly!