Sigh....

a new story unfolds.... I had done just as i had planned for 4 years, saved diligently, kept a clean driving record. All, it seems for nothing. It was my big day, the day to pick up my car from Dave at PA auto racing. After investing many thousands of dollars i was looking foreward to the performance of my new machine. After having lunch with Dave and his crew, my Father and i left Philly for the 20 hour trip back to FL. At about 6 in the morning the next day (we had driven all night) fate decided i wasnt ready to let my dream come true. A truck parked extremely close to the road had a teritorial despute with my tiny 2800 lb car (the japanese turbo swap added a few lbs). My dad was driving and i was asleep in the passenger seat. There was almost no damage to the truck, but my poor MR2 was torn to shreds. I am almost convinved that nothing in this world has ever or will ever go my way.

Update: Bought a shell a little bit back and towed it up to PA (along with the totaled MR2) where Dave will begin soul swap #2.

This is my project MR2, a soon to be fast car.

Evident exterior modifications include clear bumper lenses and a lack of plastic grill, exposing the condenser and radiator.

Story starts in PA where i bouth the car unmodified with 11x,xxx miles on it. The two came back to Stafford, VA just to sit in my garage for half a year until i saved enough money to insure my baby. Before that day, i would drive it around the neighborhood and do homework in it. Shortly after it became insured, i move back to where i came from, Niceville, FL. I have an affinity for flinging my car sideways, and it turns out that high revs for a long period of time isnt good for your car. Long story short, i threw a connecting rod through my block where there is now a hole the size of my fist. Luckily, i have been planning to do a 3rd generation 3SGTE/tranny/rear crossmember swap for some time now. I am rapidly approaching my goal since i dont have to pay insurance anymore.

In an endless search for speed, i removed an incredible amount of weight from my car, totaling 218 lbs. Things to go include: spare tire, tool kit, power antenna, all interior sound deadening, all carpet, passenger seat, passenger seatbelt, glovebox, storage boxes behind the seats, and two mufflers totalling almost half the weight of the original.

(although most of the time i had no passenger seat or seatbelt, on occasion i would put them back when i had plans)

No company makes a true cold air intake for the NAs, so, i made my own, put the filter right inside the driver's side side intake with polished 3 inch tubing.

Here is the two in its lifeless state, showing the exhaust i created for it. Two canister mufflers and 2 inch piping which i cut myself, but needed help welding, so off to a shop it was (where i learned to weld ^_^).

another view of the exhaust. Also visible are the factory rims encased in high temp high gloss black paint (they arent clean), and new rear calipers/pads/rotors.

In preparation for my swap, i installed turbo gauges and a carbon fiber gauge bezel, stripped the orange off the backs of my needles (soon to be replaced with blue), and replaced the factory green turn signal indicators with blue ones.

Here is the Cusco strut bar, ground wire kit, and on the left you can see my radiator sprayer tubing.

here is the valve that turns my washer fluid resovoir into a radiator sprayer for track days.

Inside are just a few things to better the driving experience. TRD shortshifter, whistler radar detector, new head unit (i actually took this out when i raced).