FS: 2000/1 Spyder, ~175k, Black/Leather, 5-speed/needs engine, great shell, LOTS of good mods and goodies, $5K

Long-time ToyotaNation / Spyderchat lurker - just about first time poster.

Pictures: [I don't have enough posts to attach files yet and the i m g u r link was automatically deleted. I guess, unless there is a mod solution, PM me for the image album link...]

1ZZ-FE, 5-speed, 175K miles - ENGINE DAMAGE, NOT CURRENTLY RUNNING.

One of the first 500 MR2 Spyders - sold as a 2001 for unknown reasons. Per the Toyota dealership records, this engine was the third one swapped into the chassis! Go for a fourth, it's used to it.

What's good: Transmission, clutch (~50K on an ACT), body, a lot of the paint (although there are a few areas that need attention), top, interior, original wheels, new ceramic brake pads, stereo, autox suspension, full race exhaust, PPE true cold air intake with Cap's MAF mod...Basically everything but something internal to the engine. (Starter, alternator, belt system, pulleys, AC etc is also good.)

What's bad: The engine, torn seats ($300 from LSkins), some paint (quoted $3250 from a reputable Maaco for the whole car), the top latches (missing the protrusions - you could remake it with JBWeld or put a screw in, I just never bothered), no underbody plastics.

This was set up for Minneapolis-St Paul autocross when I picked it up, since then I have made several upgrades and modifications. After putting about 30K on her, the engine spontaneously self-destructed on the highway (spewing oil, compression 125/135/60/0) and other than knowing it is NOT a head gasket or an obvious hole in the block I don't have the budget or wife approval factor to do the obvious 2ZZ / 1AR/2AR/2GR swap or even further diagnostics toward another 1ZZ swap.

I don't want to part it out because it was running impeccably well, it's one of the earliest MR2s, and engines are so, so stupid simple to swap. In fact this may be one of the better-appointed swap shells out there, clean & straight. This was my college dream car, I had a wonderful 5 years with her feeling like a rockstar every mile, and the only thing that makes this parting easier is that I know the community will get her back on the road where she belongs.

Since there's no such thing as a MR2 that's not a project car to some degree...
Mods front to back:

• Front bumper professionally painted < 100 miles ago - Toyota 205 black (looks better than the stock 202 black after 23 years)
• Hella Supertone dual horns (custom mounted to stock location)
• H4 LED headlight bulbs, but these are the elusive Haloruler-mentioned ones with the exact light output pattern of the stock H4s.
• superbrightleds.com front turn signal and marker lights
• Slit-style LED running lights
• 2-point Cusco upper front strut tower brace
• Cusco lower chassis brace
• "Screaming Eagle" logo JDM airbag cover
• Sunvisor delete w. "Screaming Eagle" blockoff plugs. Visors included.
• Installed & working cruise control from MonkeyWrenchRacing. Remote isn't installed on the wheel but just needs a new clip from MWR and some time with a Dremel.
• Pioneer head unit from a Scion TC complete w. in-car mic. Bluetooth including taking & making phone calls, AM/FM, CD. (USB if I recall correctly, but the slot's difficult to access.)
• SuperKlasse C's Short Stroke Shifter reproduction installed w. nylon bushings  (the original one, they changed some things in the subsequent revision)
• SK weighted OEM-style stitched leather 6-speed knob. (This is a great additional theft deterrent / mechanic annoyer.)
• Ceramic tinted side & rear windows - WI legal, something like 10% (very mild), <1 yr old.
• Cloth soft top in excellent condition, replaced ~7 years ago. Needs a new top strap - rivets and stretchy fabric cord to make one will be included if I can find them in my parts pile. Some minor corner rubbing, repaired with E6000.
• Dev's chassis stiffener door blocks & silver sill plates w. Lord Takuban's decals on them.
• Picasso Nano Soundstream amplifier, custom sealed-box 6" Massive subwoofer w. remote volume control. Properly fused install.
• Gas strut conversion on hood.
• Superbrightleds.com bulbs & their flasher unit, for very bright flashing brake lights on the high brake light.
• Superbrightleds.com flasher units & custom wiring to convert the rear taillights into 7443 - both on for marker lights, both bright & initially flashing for brake lights.
• VLeds.com bulbs in rear tail, marker, and turn lights. Don't remember the model name but it was the brightest version they had.
• PPE cold air intake, Cap's MAF mod spacers, 2ZZ-GE yellow injectors. Long-term fuel trims were ~-10% to ~12%, right on target.
• 3x newish O2 sensors (<20K)
• TopSpeed header w. custom bung for second bank O2 sensor added by a local race shop.
• TopSpeed catless downpipe
• Che's Lotus-style dual exhaust
• Dev's bar-style rear small grille filler
• Fidanza lightweight flywheel
• New belt tensioner assembly & accessory belt
• Brand new iridium plugs (0 miles - garage installed them for testing without throwing cheap coppers in first)
• 3x new (<5k) Innovative 80-shore urethane motor mounts - fourth is included if I can find it. It's the big one so there aren't many places it could be hiding.
• Spherical bushing upgrade for the shift linkage.
• 3-point Cusco rear strut tower brace.
• Unknown performance springs (purple?) & struts, autox alignment (although they are probably of an age to be replaced)

• Cleaned & protected engine bay a while back, chassis & underbody painted with lanolin to prep for winter driving. Dirt & grime should just wipe right away.
• In the areas where the paint's missing clear coat / down to the undercoat, I painted over them with gold-flecked clear paint out of protection / exasperation / a certain kintsugi ethos. Everywhere else has been kept clean, washed, and with hand-applied wax & graphene coating about every 6 months.
• <5K on current Royal Purple transmission fluid, ~2-3 years on brake fluid (it's probably time, hence the speed bleeders and ATE), ~4 years on coolant, ~1 year on AC evac and recharge.

Goodies included as parts:

• Clutch alignment tool
• Original floor mats in surprisingly good condition (somewhere in my pile of parts)
• Original sun visors
• Original shifter
• Original air intake box & hose
• Original exhaust heat shield (thought I might try to adapt this)
• Main rear heat shield (thought I could save the rear deck paint)
• Carbon-fiber-like 3-gauge pod to replace dash storage compartment door - apparently this is rare.
• Spare stock swaybar (autox rules, handling for me was good enough to not want to bulk up)
• Beatrush underbody diffuser (comes with all hardware and Japanese instructions)
• 4x speed bleeders
• Original airbag cover
• Royal Purple 75-90 bottle
• 2x ATE Super Blue SL6 brake fluid containers (never opened, ~1 year old)
• 5x (!) O2 sensors with life left in them. The previous owner left me with 2 of them, I also later replaced all three on the car as part of some troubleshooting.
• Shin-Etsu grease for top & door seals (last done ~2 years ago)

  Optional goodies:

• Rest of the stereo project. Sheet of Dynamat, panel tools, Toyota trim rings to fit the drivers in the door, Focal midrange & tweeter pairs from Crutchfield. $150 extra.
• Winter tires, 3 years old - $250 for the set.
• If you don't already have a copy of the full Toyota repair manual (BGB), bring a USB stick and leave with one. 🙂

tl;dr, this is a very very well-loved shell with all that's really left to do being an engine. If you go stock, you've already got about all the cost-effective I/H/E boltons. Seats / paint / wheels will bring her back to car-show spec. She's already in autocross spec and handles sideways or gripped as you please. Snellbaard bracing will bring her to light track or really heavy street use. Just about everything has already been tastefully addressed for kind of a New Game+ version. I am available as an information resource before / after the sale (and confess to a keen interest in knowing her fate).

Please feel free to contact me for more info, either here or via text (six zero eight, six two two, zero six six nine) and thanks for looking.