[MR2] I long for advice on my first parts car

[Bob Schultz]

Which one is in better shape?

Everything will interchange... if you want...

BTW,  Lug nuts can't be $10 and an hour or so to replace.
Front Marker lights are cheap...
AC hose would not be that bad and it probably would have needed a recharge
anyway.
Air Dam could be a pain though.

Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: mr2-bounces at mr2.com [mailto:mr2-bounces at mr2.com] On Behalf Of
felix at crowfix.com
Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2008 3:14 PM
To: mr2 at mr2.com
Subject: [MR2] I long for advice on my first parts car

I have an 86 Mk I, 406,000 miles, running great except for failing
the smog test due to wandering idle; the mechanic says it is a line
going to the intake manifold.  I have just purchased am 87 Mk I as a
parts car and would love ot hear advice on what to do with it.

My 86 is silver.  The 87 is light tan.  The differences I see on first
look are

    Inside door panels shaped differently.

    Taillights extend further inward.

    My 86 tadio antenna comes from the driver's A pillar.  The 87 is a
    power antenna on the port quarter.

    The vent controls are push buttons rather than the slider in my
    86.

    Steering wheel is 3 spokes instead of 2.

The 87 is in fine condition except that it was stolen and various
parts rudely removed.

    Speakers

    Radio

    Front chin air dam

    Front marker lights

    Battery clamp

    Engine hood support rod

An A/C hose was cut while removing the front chin air dam.

Oddest of all is that the fancy aftermarket wheels were stolen by
chopping off th elocking lug nut, but then four replacement wheels
were put back on, including tightening the three remaining lug nuts.
Rear wheels are the same stock rims I have on my 86, the front two are
some other aftermarket rims.

But otherwise it runs fine.  I suspect it would only require the two
front marker lights replaced to be legal, and maybe even not that.
But with the cost of getting it smogged and replacing whatever it
takes to get four lug nuts again, you still wouldn't have a radio or
A/C, so a parts car it shall be.

OK, questions:

1.  What 87 parts can I NOT use on my 86?  I figured out the tail
    lights, vent control, radio antenna, sheet metal unless I want a
    mixmaster color, interior door panels for the same reason.

2.  What 87 parts are different but still usable, with either no or
    only a little extra work?

3.  What is the best way to store this thing?  Suppose I want the
    shocks or tires, or anything which means it can't roll around any
    more?  I have never done this before -- should I put it on jack
    stands in one more or less long term location?  Should I rig some
    kind of dolly for each end so it can be moved?

    One friend suggested stripping what I want, at least the engine
    and drive train, brakes, etc, and junking the body, but there are
    lots of things which might be handy -- glove compartment lid,
    console, seats, steering wheel, mirror, who knows what else -- I'd
    hate to waste time removing all those and packing them away
    halfway neatly when I would probably never use most of them.  I do
    have space in my basement for it, but it still takes up room.  I'd
    rather just keep it in one piece and remove what I need as I need
    it.

    I'd also rather not store it outside where it snows in the winter
    and mice would infest it year round.

    But if that is what is uaually done, let me know.

4.  Should I offer it up as parts for people who could use the sheet
    metal and other parts which I can't use on my 86 or don't want to?
    How do others handle this -- should I pull them off for others and
    charge something, should I let people come grab their own parts,
    how does this work?  I am not particularly excited at the idea of
    random people (albeit MR2 owners) just showing up at my door with
    a shopping list.  On the other hand, I have a friend who loves
    tinkering with cars and might be willing to pull parts and pack
    them off for some kind of pay.

5.  Any other advice is welcome.

-- 
            ... _._. ._ ._. . _._. ._. ___ .__ ._. . .__. ._ .. ._.
     Felix Finch: scarecrow repairman & rocket surgeon / felix at crowfix.com
  GPG = E987 4493 C860 246C 3B1E  6477 7838 76E9 182E 8151 ITAR license
#4933
I've found a solution to Fermat's Last Theorem but I see I've run out of
room o

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