Back On The Road (#4 Josh's 1989 MR2 (AW11) Workout Project)

[@RetraCast]

Sorry again its been so long between uploads. But at least I was able to make this one a long one. I have winter break coming up so hopefully things have a quicker turn around for a bit then!

[@hickslightfoot]

The bottom says "genuine parts" ... my wife is Japanese :) great series by the way, and I really enjoy the great camera work...

[@RetraCast]

Thank you! I’m glad it says that and not something stupid hahaha

[@DGDreference]

Yo I love this series. It's nice to watch your skillset grow over time while you learn more and more about your car. Also, fellow college student and MK1B owner here! :D

[@RetraCast]

Thanks and wish you luck with your car!

[@Slackskillzz]

Dude your videos in the MR2 series are so sick. It's really awesome to see all the effort you put into the car transferred into your efforts editing and filming!

[@RegioGarazas]

Wheels look sooooo good!

[@c.b.2487]

Husband and I are also restoring an '89 mk1 together; hasn't started in about a decade. Your videos are really helpful and inspiring to us. I laughed when you mentioned the fire extinguisher because we talked about getting one too before we start it for the first time. Can't wait for your next video!

[@RetraCast]

Thanks! I hope y’all can get it going! My next vid is going to be a future plans one so there’ll be more detail then, but I’m super excited to get the tune up / daily driver stuff taken care of so I can do more fun custom stuff like the seats next. And about the fire extinguisher, with all the old cars I drive I’ve never once had a car catch fire but you just never really know hahaha. Especially with the sketchy work the last owner seemed to have done haha

[@reneneron2971]

You are doing a good job. I daily a 1985 AW11. It is nice to see a young gentlemen learn about cars and actually do their own work; these are great cars and relatively simple mechanically and electrically. The MR2 community is the best and most supportive group I have ever dealt with, so encourage you to join some of the FB groups. Attend the Bear Mountain MR2 meet in the fall (largest in the country) if you can. On the oil leaks, lots of sources on a 4AgE engine: distributor, cam seals, oil cooler plate, oil cooler lines...nothing that requires a lot of money or an engine "rebuild". Make sure your oxygen sensor is working otherwise engine defaults to open loop mode, pulling timing and hurting performance. Reach out to me if you have any questions.

[@RetraCast]

Thanks! I am super excited to work on it, it’s been super rewarding. Especially now that I got to drive it. When I get the point where I feel very confident in the cars reliability I really want to road trip with the car and visit different meets and maybe even meet some viewers. But it’ll be a bit down the line from now. As for the leaks, I more just said rebuild the engine so I can do a full deep clean and restoration of all the grimy stuff when it’s all taken apart. Vs purely just fixing the leaks. Good note on the O2 sensor too. May add a new one on my tune up list.

[@reneneron2971]

RetraCast no need to rebuild unless you have an issue. Just address the leaks. An oxygen sensor works or it doesn't; if it ain't broke, don't replace it. The ECU will let you know if the oxygen sensor is working or not.

[@reneneron2971]

RetraCast suspension bits and bushings are likely shot as well; it is a 30 plus year old car. Replacing bushings and worn ball joints, steering bushing, etc will keep you busy and pay huge dividends. Struts are also likely shot.

[@xavierjasway2782]

Damn this is such high quality content. I wish there were more videos coming out.

[@antoniorojas8624]

I just bought a 85 MR2 and these videos are very helpful

[@RetraCast]

I wish you luck on yours

[@WarCry389]

90% of the mr2 has that crack on the speedometer's cluster 😪 Glad that you didn't throw away the ashtray's lid because is impossible to find. Protect it with your life! Jajajaja The seats looks sweet! 🤘

[@RetraCast]

Yeah I’m hoping I can repair the crack decent enough

[@jacoblatoria5692]

Congrats on almost finishing! Love the edits

[@Padmast89]

You should have way more subscribers! Really like your videos. Greetings from Germany

[@LinnysLife]

Car is looking good! When it's all said and done let's go for a cruise!

[@LinnysLife]

Also the tire letters last forever, I put two coats on and they're still chillin after 4-5 months

[@RetraCast]

I’ll def be driving non stop once it’s ready haha. Let’s just hope I can keep up

[@RetraCast]

Mine have started to peel a bit. I did some research and I think I just didn’t clean them well enough beforehand. Not the worst thing to redo later though tbh so no big deal

[@LinnysLife]

@@RetraCast always clean with alcohol!

[@umeet4144]

She's starting to look like a real car :D btw watching this instead of studying for an exam.

[@RetraCast]

If your exam is on MR2s, you may be fine then hahaha

[@umeet4144]

@@RetraCast schoom system sucks because there isn't exams on MR2's.

[@elihentai8242]

I wanted to get a t180 celica before i watched your videos but now i kinda want a t160 or an aw11 now, these cars just scream eighties and are stylish af. The aw11 is super rare here in russia so im kinda aiming to get a t160, there's a few cheap ones on the other side of the country but i think ill get it anyway. It's quite exciting to go on a cross country trip to get your dream car.

[@kino1004]

Here in Finland the car marketplace celica section is like 45% t18, 50% t20 and 5% every other celica. And honestly, after these videos I too would pick the t16 despite owning the t18 :D.

[@RetraCast]

I feel it man! Both cars are great and I’m super thankful I can drive both right now. I love the MR2 but I need the Celica for practically since I often carry stuff around hahaha. I hope you find one and a trip would be fun if you get the right one. I was searching neighboring states for my MR2 before getting lucky and one popping up an hour away so I jumped on it. Granted it’s kinda a piece of crap to jump on but I still love it hahahaha.

[@elihentai8242]

@@kino1004 not gonna lie the t180 is kinda sexy too, with those rounded shapes and pop up headlights it looks like a poor man's supra or an FD mazda, which is a good thing despite how it sounds

[@umeet4144]

@@kino1004 oho, joku muuki suomalainen löytäny tän kanavan

[@Carl121Carl]

I recently bought a T160. I too was deciding between mr2 or the T160, but the mr2 is too rare and way more work for tge price. Now I am working on my Celica, so I can get it on the road. I definitely love the Celica, but I still haven't driven it more than 10 meters 'D

[@pedrocalvillo6312]

quarantine made me buy a project mr2, very informative video!

[@RetraCast]

Good luck on yours!

[@mrkazman]

8:00 I could feel your old man's patience wearing thin and his mind wandering over to his angle grinder...

[@RetraCast]

Lol yeah it was terrible hahaha

[@mrkazman]

@@RetraCast he got it done, though. Don't forget to help the old man with the fiddly bits,that's what he made you for.

[@squirrelbong]

nice progress. It's kind of a good thing the passenger seat didn't fit on the driver's side. now you get to sit in the nicer, tighter seat. great job man, and great job with the video editing and stuff too.

[@RetraCast]

Yeah it definitely motivated me to just finish the driver seat rather than put it off

[@inikous58]

Can't wait till the next one...

[@GeorgeStar]

Nice job. I'd like to see the latest update.

[@garo306]

Great work, seats look amazing. Love the mk1 MR2, I’m currently 2zz-ge swapping a 1999 Toyota MRS.

[@MegaEddie45]

Great job man !

[@D3fenderfox]

Cant wait to see what your gonna do next fingers crossed nothing else breaks again🤞

[@martinovitug7427]

Looking great so far!

[@eliseiodagiu5519]

Great Video! loved to see all the progress. I cant wait to see how the outside of the vehicle will look with all the wear and tear fixed.

[@RetraCast]

Yeah I’m pretty excited to repaint it but it’ll be a while since it’s pretty intensive work. But the interior still has some things to take care of too and customize. Either way it’s all gonna look great from what I have envisioned

[@alastairwatson3201]

I think you need to do a video on that 128 3P! I’m restoring one now as a companion to the X1/9 that I’ve nearly finished. PS: washer bottles are good, possibly even a legal requirement. Try driving at dusk or at night with a smeary, hard to see through windscreen.

[@extragroovy735]

Hey man, great video as always. The car looks really groovy even if it stills needs work on it. Keep up the great work!

[@RetraCast]

Thanks man, it does feel really good to make this big leap in progress. Hoping to pick up the pace winter break and with some Christmas money

[@Bredmirror]

Pretty cool!

[@Free--Palestine]

Glad you could get those pens. Car is looking great! Keep up the great work and quality vids

[@RetraCast]

Thanks man, it’s all getting there

[@rockefeller5248]

I love your videos! it's refreshing to see a new style of car project videos. The S13 project videos that are recommended to me and the one I stumbled across becomes generic and cliche.

[@EvilSardine084]

If that's the original 1 stage paint underneath the plasti dip you should try polishing it. Single stage paint will come back to a mirror shine. There's no clear coat to go bad with single stage. :)

[@RetraCast]

Hahaha at first I was tempted to give that a try but seeing as some of it is completely worn through to white I’m assuming it’ll need more than a polish

[@jer4660]

Seats look awesome man

[@toslickj3423]

Man I just know this guy is gonna make it !:)

[@RetraCast]

We can hope hahaha. Just wish I could focus on just car and video stuff.

[@maxsinventions8913]

Repair the radio bezel with acetone on the inside. I have a lil 3d printed inserts I made for mine that glue into it to reinforce it. If the vinyl is cracked I'd get those repro ones.

[@marcosovideo]

Dude, I was thinking of your channel the other day!

[@RetraCast]

Perfect timing haha

[@CedricParker]

Good work, what are your goals for the car?

[@RetraCast]

I plan on making the next video a test drive and also in depth discussion/recap of what I’ve done and what I wanna do still both short and long term. But basically for now I want it to be daily driver ready. Then I’ll do smaller things like interior and hopefully suspension work before I finally do paint and body work. And assuming the engine doesn’t blow up then I’ll hopefully do a rebuild later on as well.

[@raycecomer3613]

Broooo when I worked on my speedometer I forgot to put that thing in the first time too 😂😂😂

[@dustyumbreon5472]

The build is turning out great so far! I was wondering where you got those space patches, they look good.

[@RetraCast]

Thanks! I got them on Etsy. I just searched space patch on there and found them. I believe the shop is officially called “iamtiredofearth” all one word. Should be able to find the shop if you search it on Etsy

[@dustyumbreon5472]

@@RetraCast thanks!

[@elijahmanning1996]

I have a 1990 Miata, i was curious what paint you used to paint the ash tray. It matches the factory black plastic so well

[@RetraCast]

90% sure it was duplicolor vinyl and fabric spray just in black. That’s what I used on the horn for sure but there’s a chance I just used plain black gloss spray paint instead. But I’m fairly certain it was the duplicolor. Edit: the duplicolor would be gloss black not just black. You can buy the stuff at most auto stores.

[@michaellawton2965]

@retracast what is the silver cannister underneath the master break cylinder?

[@itsadiel1861]

We’re did you get those seat covers 🥲

[@dub_tim]

I just recently got a the first gen MR2 but I need parts for it. Where’d u get the parts for this build?

[@RetraCast]

Craigslist, eBay, TwosRUs

[@vinnyj101]

Josh! Your hard work is paying off like crazy. The shots you took of the MR2 outside, it looks so gorgeous! Is there any way you can put a clear protective coat on the tire sharpie paint? Just to extend the life a little longer? Btw, I'm jealous of that blue striped sweater. I don't know how you manage to keep your clothes clean while working in a garage.

[@vinnyj101]

What a rush that drive must've been!

[@RetraCast]

The tire paint doesn’t need any extra stuff on it but is peeling off a little already. I looked into it and it seems I simply just didn’t clean the tire well enough haha. Of all things it’s not the worst to redo though.

[@josebriseno1931]

I would 800 sand it smooth then rattle can paint it with Laq paint and clear it .

[@donttrip2366]

I have a question

[@johnslender5408]

Check out MR2 Australia

[@MrOscarlee830206]

Hey, I really like your work on the MR2 BTW, the kajin written on the bottom of the round patch should be "純正部品", it's missing a "口” in the third character. And the meaning for that should be "Genuine Parts" in Japanese.

[@RetraCast]

Thanks man, good to know it’s not something stupid haha

[@badusername4]

Weird comment , please watch dr berg and look after yourself mate. Great vids loving your mr2 series!