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Can't believe my last post was May! I've actually been quite busy since. Finally got round to fitting the door skins. They're not quite as straight forward as I'd hoped and although once they're attached to the doors, they look quite good, once they're on the car, it's very apparent they're going to need some serious work. Basically they're too far in at the bottom and too far out at the top nearest the b pillar. I'm hoping that spacing the bottom edge will bring the top edge in. We'll see.
Finally tech screwed the side skirts into place and made up some brackets to hold the edges where they're meant to be.
Made a big decision on the rear clam section. I was originally going to have it hinged with a fixed window but due to the shape of the bottom edge at the rear of the clam and the position of the bumper bar, the decision has been made that it will now be a fixed (but removeable) clam and easyish removable rear window come engine cover for getting to the engine. I would have had to remove a LOT of rear edge to clear the crash bar and that just wouldn't look right.
Have ordered some bits and pieces to build an induction kit and some more bits for an exhaust. My dad actually gave me an exhaust from his old TVR which has actually turned out to be a bike exhaust which at first seemed a good idea but unfortunately there's just not much room under the MR2.
Bit too bling
Cutting holes in the roof!
Also, have decided to use the MR2 bulb holders and attach them to the Sierra lights rather than use the Sierra bulb holders. I think unless I buy new ones, I'll struggle to get good contacts.
Bought some nice little wing mirrors
Think that's about it in a large nutshell. Will hopefully have the bonnet pins fitted on the roof and another set on order for the rear above the wheel arches to hold the clam in place by the end of the weekend and also hopefully have a fettle with the rear lights if my looms turn up tomorrow. Happy days
Great to see you cracking on Nick. I've had nearly 2 months away from working on my MRS200 due to working on the garden, but now turning my attention back including what to do with my rear clam.
I know Retro200 redesigned the bumper bar and clam support to ensure the clam cleared it on lifting. I'm trying to work out the best option on mine - I have all the kit for hinging it as per original (from roof) but will face the same issue as yourself. I've started looking at whether a cantilever hinge would work allowing me to lift and pull the clam outwards before lifting fully but nothing obvious on the market I can see to use here.
Will keep you posted and let me know how you get on with the bonnet pins as I may end up going the same route route as you and not hinging the clam but making it easy to get the window out for engine acccess (as per Andy's original).
Forgot to add ... I've also remodelled the windscreen area on mine to take it further back up making the windscreen area larger (taller) then using a sun strip to fill the gap and an original Sierra screen rubber.
Has the same effect as the sun strip that's been added on top of the original moulding on Andy's original car and a number of the other kits that have been built but appears as though it's a taller windscreen.
Also means I can get at the original MR2 windscreen and rubbers if I need to for replacing the windscreen.
Will post some pics when I do the next update on my build thread.
It was expensive now I have to drill some holes in it. I've had plenty of tips on how to drill lexan but nothing decisive. One guy suggested using a soldering iron to melt a hole which actually sounds like quite a good idea but then what would I use to tidy it up?
I've just started to fit mine - using 24mm black Dzus fasteners as also decided to bolt clam down to start with (may hinge later). I've bonded / glasses a couple of angle brackets to clam so it can bolt to rear support bar from within engine bay so they are hidden.
For the screen itself I drilled a pilot hole first with 2mm drill at low speed (using a dremel) and then drilled it out with 6mm drill again at low speed. Halfway through the holes and touch wood all OK so far !
I've read conflicting views of whether to use sharp or used drill bit. Both bits were relatively new
I wasn't sure what to use to hold it down but they seem like a good idea. I was looking at some phillips headed screws with massive flat heads o get a decent surface area for them to hold on to then gluing a nut underneath for it to screw into.
With regard to the clam, I've also gone for fixed for now and used bonnet pins front and rear then will nut and bolt/quick release the sides where the clam meets the side skirt to hold it all in place.
Thanks for the info on drilling the screen. Yeah, some people have said you'll not crack lexan, just go slow. And others have said about using a really blunt drillbit. I'll give it a go and see what happens.
How have you got on with your doors? I've not attempted straightening them up yet but its on the list.
Been quite busy with the car just recently and managed at least an hour each day outside having a fettle.
Have done some work on getting everything aligned and closing in the shut lines. It's quite slow work and the driver's side seems to be much better than the passengers but it'll get there. Doors are now in just about the right place and have made up some brackets to go inside to push them out to the right place to meet the side skirts. Have also made up brackets to hold the skirts in place and now started on some more for the front bumper.
I've also sprayed up a couple of bits in the engine bay, hinged the bonnet and strapped it so it doesn't open too far. Pictures of stuff below.
I've gone back to looking into hinging the rear end although it'll be a little less elaborate and a little more wobbly (when open) than Wozzys frame that he's made. The main issue is the crash bar is too deep so you'd need to remove some of the clam to clear it. My plan is to get hold of some thinner box section and make up my own shortened less deep crash bar because I just don't want to cut the clam about. It may work, it may not...
They're actually pretty good but more through luck than anything else. It's not that easy to explain (I'd take a photo but I'm at work) so at the rear edge of the door, I've managed to trim the door skin so that the top half of the mr2 door is inside the door skin, and the bottom half is outside of it which pushes the bottom of the skin outward and the top of the skin in then I've bent some brackets to space the bottom of the mr2 door out a touch more to meet the side skirt. I hope that the addition of bit of rubber door seal at the top will give it some extra rigidity as it'll push the top of the door out a bit more.
Looks good and great to see you making progress. I’m having to do the same with spacing the bottoms of the door skins out of push them flush. Tops of mine are ok and it helped me with alignment to cut the roof panel off from the rear clam. As for the tops of the doors against the hardtop/ MR2 door jam I know Retro200 used some rubber stops in the top corner here which I was planning to copy.
Have done a lot of work on the door skins to get them to sit better onto the doors. They're finally starting to come good. The rear edge of both doors are impacting upon the clam so will trim them back once the doors are fitted. Overall quite happy with how they're comin along.
Made a new exhaust out of the old one and a new muffler
Little bit noisier than standard on tickover but its peppered with air leaks at the moment so could get a tiny bit louder. I've not sealed it up yet. It could be the noisiest thing in the world when I get to drive it but the plan for now is to have two exhausts. One like this (for MOTs and things), then another deleting the cat for when I feel like being obnoxious... which will probably be most of the time.
I've just started to fit mine - using 24mm black Dzus fasteners as also decided to bolt clam down to start with (may hinge later). I've bonded / glasses a couple of angle brackets to clam so it can bolt to rear support bar from within engine bay so they are hidden.
For the screen itself I drilled a pilot hole first with 2mm drill at low speed (using a dremel) and then drilled it out with 6mm drill again at low speed. Halfway through the holes and touch wood all OK so far !
I've read conflicting views of whether to use sharp or used drill bit. Both bits were relatively new
I am getting the windscreen guy to bond mine in, he reckons it will be fine with just that, but mine can stay in place as the clam will lift.
Looking good Nick, thinners with get the fibreglass off your fingers afterwards
I fiberglassed the headlight surrounds into place:
Which seems to have gone quite well. Also did my as sender door which had split where the b pillar meets the main part of the door. I'm not posting a picture of that because I've disappointed myself
Also cut and fitted the number plate lights. These are Peugeot led units. Look good and seem to aim in the right sort of direction.
i used ford transit connect number plate lights they fit the raised area spot on, loads on ebay , ive got a 08 tranny lwb here at the moment i am working on they look the same as well. glad your makng progress keep at it !!
now I have to drill some holes in it. I've had plenty of tips on how to drill lexan but nothing decisive. One guy suggested using a soldering iron to melt a hole which actually sounds like quite a good idea but then what would I use to tidy it up? 
