1986 Toyota MR2 - get kicked into the weeds.

I’ve been thinking about the current state of the car... This is going to be a tedious post!


I don’t take the MR2 off the road in the winter. It gets used all year round.
So when I took the wing off I didn’t SORN the car because I had every intention of putting the new wing on (with a rattle can paint job) and using it. But I’m starting to realise that I’ve lost the weather for painting. Or at least, by the time I’m ready to weld the wing on I’ll have lost the weather. Actually, who am I kidding? I’ve already lost the weather. If it’s warm enough - it’s raining, and if not raining it’s cold.

So, being sensible, I have to admit defeat and SORN the car for the winter. It’s on a Boris MOT at the moment which will run out soon so I’m going to have to SORN it anyway.

Also I’m not going to have time to work on it even if the weather is ok. I want to get the decorating in the hall done this winter (or Mrs Sweetpea will divorce me). I want to put some railings on the decking. And my mother in law is just buying a new house after father in law died and that’s going to need some work before it’s habitable.

So the car isn’t going to get done before next spring. And I’m upset about that because I want to go for a ride in it! I quite enjoy the feeling of having that little engine chasing me down the road sounding like it wants to stomp my brains out.

That’s the bad news. But it does open up a few possibilities for the winter and beyond.

First of all, if I’m not going to rush the paint I can do it ‘properly’.
Secondly, if I’m starting to do a decent job of the paint I can finally sort this inaccurately coloured bumper out…





So a winter job will be to get the old paint off. Ideas on a post card please!

The spoiler that I part repaired after the previous owner cracked it is suffering micro blistering (on the bits I didn’t work on). So it needs prepping and painting.





All the plastic trim round the rear window needs prepping and painting.





That’s hidden in the loft somewhere.
The skirt needs paint.

So there are plenty of bits to practice painting on if I get them ready. Then I can try the wing and see if I’ve learned anything.



Not only that but this really needs fixing.





Cos. If I don’t there’ll be nothing left of the wing to weld to. And that can get paint too!
And the same on the other side.

I suppose I should do this hole in the rear valance too. It lets water into the boot.





We aren’t short of things to do.

So, yeah, I’m miffed that I’m not going to get the wing on this year. But there is plenty to do and I think it’s the sensible decision.

James

I'd very much disagree with your assessment of brush painting, if you use the correct paint, correct brush and the proper technique there are no brush strokes to sand down.
When I was in my teens back in the sixties and just getting into scooters, bikes and cars, the local bus company (Alexanders, long since taken over) had a big bus garage in the next town where all there buses were overhauled, repaired, serviced. At that time much of the repair work (smaller panels etc) was hand painted with cellulose.
My dad (a painter and decorator to trade) hand painted my mum's Austin 1100 using paint "obtained" from a friend that worked for the bus company (buses were red, so it was red). After it was finished my friends and I used to play hunt the brush stroke, very few winners at that game !
If I hadn't seen him painting it I'd have said it was sprayed.
This was hand painted (not the same red)



So was this, including the signwriting on the side panels



Don't forget spray painting cars didn't really come in until the twenties, before that all cars were hand painted.

Apologies for leading your thread astray James, keep up the good work.

This weekend the weather was much better than last. I’ve had a few good days working on the car. Yay!

First job is to get the arch lip fitted. This bit…





It was clecod back on the car and then spotted on.





Next I wanted to fit the wing and make sure the inner arch was in the right place. It’d be really upsetting to weld it on properly and then find it had moved.
As luck would have it it looks spot on.





What you are looking at is the edge of the wing and the edge of the inner wing behind it. Nice and snug to each other. Like lovers spooning.
The inner panel still needs trimming to width.

A question though… Rather than plug weld the arch and then struggle to keep the water out of the seam… How about I don’t weld it at all and use Tigerseal (or something) to bond the joint? Is that an acceptable thing to do? It’ll be welded on all the way round the rest of the wing.

Another job I need to do is mark that bit where the wing meets the bottom of the door shut. I’d left it long if you remember so it needed trimming to length.





That done the wing comes off yet again and I can start the long job of welding the inner arch lip.
The new lip is made of 1.1mm steel. The old one was, well, tin foil. So hopefully it’ll last long enough that I’ll not have to care about it again.

Anyway, buzz buzz…

You could glue the arch, tigerseal will stick it and seal the joint but it won't provide any rigidity, you really need a structural adhesive, these are usually an epoxy cost quite bit and require a special gun.

I you paint it with weld through, seal the joint on the outside and use plenty of wax with a good creep from behind after paint it will last almost indefinitely.

I certainly wouldn't just bond the arch lip to the quarter panel.
(The MOT manual stating it is NOT an acceptable method being something to do with it as well)

How was it originally held together? Thats what I'd replicate if it had worked for 30 odd years

Always remember KISS for anything car related after all


Oh, and the work you have done so far looks very impressive indeed, especially for someone working at home out in the elements

I thought the MOT reference referred to structural / load bearing areas ? The Appendix A diagrams don't show the wheel arches as being load bearing or structural. www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-inspection-manual-for-private-passenger-and-light-commercial-vehicles/appendix-a-structural-integrity-and-corrosion
Toyota's original method of assembly is what causes the arch corrosion on MK1's, The inner / outer arch lips were spot welded together with a foam strip between them, the foam holds water and the arches corrode from the inside out, when you see bubbling on the outside of a MK1 arch its already too late because its come through from the inside.
It's a well known failure point on MK1's. Personnally I can't see a problem with bonding the arch lip, I seem to remember reading of someone doing it before.
Mine had it's rear arches replaced many years ago.
Rear arches, rear arch bottom corners (as James's picture) and sills are the most common corrosion points on MK1's

Yeah, me too. I wish I could remember where I saw it.

I've been thinking more about this... When the wing hooks onto the car it seems best to engage the top first and then 'clip in' the arch. But that causes a sliding movement across the lip which would scrape off the adhesive anyway. Practically it might be difficult to do even if it was acceptable.

James

It's a lovely idea spoiled only by the fact that the arch had completely rotted off and had been replaced already. MR2's are famous for destroying the arches. Well, famous amongst the owners. Like jimi said, Toyota put something between the panels, presumably to keep water out. It didn't work.

The interesting thing is that the right side of the car appears to be on its original arch. It's either been replaced very well or something. Not sure why but it's in really good condition.

The area at the bottom of the wing completely rotted off the car twice before I got it.
This was when I bought the car...





The bit you can't see (because it's missing) is the replacement panel.

I'm going to have to work hard to stop it doing it again.

Yeah, I just made my own.

Twice now!