Beginnings of Project aw11

I've always loved the old mr2.
I remember driving one for the first time - it was a really old, rough, naturally aspirated one. It was a manual, with the first generation blue top 4age engine.

The one thing I remember most about it was the feeling of the car. Mid engine, rear wheel drive - it just felt so much different than a standard front wheel drive front engine car. Accelerating out of corners; you feel like you are being pushed rather than pulled, and the car just felt so responsive - like it was on rails.

Of course it was probably not quite as I remember it. Probably much rougher, and not quite as quick...

After driving it, I went to work trying to find one I could call my own. I decided to get a supercharged one, and managed to find one eventually. It had 170k on the clock, but drove beautifully.

After owning it for about year or two, the rust situation became a bit difficult to manage, and since it was being stored outside, I decided to sell it an get a newer sw20.

That was all about 5 years ago....

I've driven the turbo and non-turbo sw20s, and they are both very nice. But I still love the old aw11. So I decided that an aw11 project car is just the thing to cure those boring weekends :)

The candidate car was preferably supercharged, manual, and in good condition. It was hard enough finding one that fits that description 5 years ago, nevermind now.

However, I finally found a car. It isn't manual, it isn't supercharged. But it is in remarkably good condition. Ask anyone selling an aw11 and they will tell you that "it has hardly any rust". Sure...
But this one is a bit different. It just doesn't seem to have rust where it should... The engine is tired, the gearbox is shot (plus it's a slushbox), but the body is near perfect. Must have been kept in a garage, one lady owner, e.t.c :)

My plans for project aw11 are quite simple:
1) Restore the car interior and exterior back to its former state as closely as possible, using original parts. This means removing all rust in site, and taking precautions to prevent future appearances.
2) Exchange the engine for another 4a version (still to be decided), and switch the gearbox to manual
3) Do a few minor engine modifications to make it a bit quicker than usual.
4) Upgrade the suspension and brakes to make the car more nimble than ever.

Here are a few pictures of the car after I'd picked it up:






Note the white painted console - who does this sort of thing?!!