AW11 MR2 Build - "Akemi" Part 8

6/16/09
getting my windshield replaced on thursday morning. found a dude at the starbucks meet that does auto glass. im pretty excited cuz the crack grows an inch every time i wash my car from the cold water

7/1/09
k so today i was trying to replace my front drivers side ball joint and i apparently stripped the threads in teh hubs for the 2 bolts that hold the balljoint on. so now i need to take the hub apart, and teh one on my parts car, then make sure the wheelbearing and stuff on the parts car is good.....ARGH FML

7/15/09
All is well with the world took it to the machine shop and its all fixed

7/23/09
friend of mine cracked my brand new windshield. open the hood too far and the corner hits it and by the time i finished warning him it was already too late
its ok tho cuz hes gonna pay for the re-replacement. and im gonna take a hammer to that corner

8/1/09
installed eccentric t-top guides today. the holes are off-center so it pulls the tops tighter to the gaskets.

9/9/09
ok so I have ordered a new voltage regulator (local dealer wanted $256) for $160 from a guy on the forums

i got 2 new tires because my alignment is SO bad (haven't gotten one since way before I installed my camber plates my front right tire was totally bald. I rotated front --> back and replaced the (now) rear tires with Kumho Ecsta ASX's. I used to have Ecsta AST's on there in 195/50/R15, but the newer better ASX's are 205. This gave me uber fender rub and tore the hell out of my brand new tires, so i took a hammer and beat in the inside fender lip ( i do believe this is called fender rolling???). now so far its not rubbing anymore....and my car looks awesome with the wider rear tires and the fitment looks NASTY

So now I need an alignment, change my oil and filter, and MAYBE two new tires (for the front) to be ready for Bear Mountain on October 10th.

PS. Bear Mountain is the biggest MR2/Celica All-Trac meet on the east coast. This will be my first year attending.
Video from last year:

The 2008 Joe Pearlstein Memorial Bear Mountain Run from Frank Lettieri on Vimeo.


Pics of rear fitment:

9/10/09
got my voltage regulator and short shifter stuff today. installed it all.

the drop plate and 93+ shift lever dont QUIIIITTEEE fit right so i bought a dremel and need to cut out a little bit of the shifter plate in order to be able to get into 1st, 3rd, and 5th. Other than that the shifter is WAY farther down now which is cool

10/6/09
been talking with this guy on the MR2 OC forums. He has a set of wheels that im gonna get from him for $100! theyre 15x6.5, 38 offset. They will probably be my daily wheels and the PCW's will be my autocross wheels since they are wider and have more aggressive offset. I'm pretty excited. He lives in Alexandria so I gotta go up there to get them sometime soon. Probably next weekend, since this weekend is Bear Mountain (HUGE MR2 meet in NJ)
10/13/09
ordered T3 camber plates for the rear. my factory strut top is squeaking really bad and a factory replacement is like $150 WITH the discount on MR2OC. So i figured I'd just go ahead and get pillowball mounts from T3. It's gonna lift up the ride height on the back so I wont have as good fitment. Also the new wheels I'm getting are a higher offset so they will again make the fitment not as good. At least my ride height in the rear will be similar to the front and not so lopsided.

also I just realized i can get 3mm spacers to make the new wheels more flush. jk lol

10/18/09
got the wheels today. I need some lower profile lug nuts for them to go on though...my factory lugs are too freaking huge

EDIT: got some lug nuts from RVAMitchell's dad. Should work. Will have pics up tomorrow if the lugs work.