Restore vs. customize: 90s content

I've always preferred customizing cars to restoring them. I've never owned a car I haven't customized in some way. But after I had originally planned on putting some new wheels on my MR2, I find myself kind of bored with that approach. Here's the car:

There's no good rubber out there in 14" anymore, so I was planning on replacing those AREs with a nice, light set of 16" Enkei RPF1s and good tires. But the more I think about it, the more that idea makes me say "Meh. Another 90s car with new wheels. Boring."

I can't explain why, but the idea of putting stock wheels back on--no matter how bad the tire selection is--is more interesting to me. I find the idea of a clean, original looking car of that vintage much more appealing. Seems as if everything from this era is either junk or totally cut up at this point.

Am I crazy, or alone?

Nope, not alone. If that car is stock and as clean as it looks, I'd keep it that way. Enjoy it for what it is; look for a cool set of period-correct wheels. Even if you go to 15" the difference will be subtle but you will open up your opportunities for different rubber.

In '93, that MR2 went to 15" factory rims. Find a set of those for correct look but keep the 14's on hand for the future.

I have the stock wheels from my '91 that I'd let go really cheap if you're interested.

Personally, I chose to go with the OEM+ option and put a set of factory 15s from a '93 on mine.

Powar wrote: I have the stock wheels from my '91 that I'd let go really cheap if you're interested. Personally, I chose to go with the OEM+ option and put a set of factory 15s from a '93 on mine.

There are certainly better tire options in 15, but I already have 2 complete sets of 91 wheels, so I've got that going for me.

Will wrote: Am I crazy?

Yup.

Customize, cleanly. Keep the parts and you can always return it to stock.

Do what you like. Life is too short to act via consensus.

ebonyandivory wrote: Do what you like. Life is too short to act via consensus.

Seconded for irony.

Alan Cesar wrote:

ebonyandivory wrote: Do what you like. Life is too short to act via consensus.

Seconded for irony.

3rded for irony and troof.

If it were me: I make decisions concerning vehicles based around one mantra, and one alone: Nothing is sacred.

Swank Force One wrote:

Alan Cesar wrote:

ebonyandivory wrote: Do what you like. Life is too short to act via consensus.

Seconded for irony.

3rded for irony and troof. If it were me: I make decisions concerning vehicles based around one mantra, and one alone: Nothing is sacred.

Motion carried and 90's music video youtube link posted for added irony and rad-ness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1AEu2OUuBs

I'm hugely in favor of 'period correct' modifications. 15's and a set of lowering springs would be very appropriate for the car and would be easily reverseable.

There is still quite a bit you can do to a "stock" car to make it better... new bushings, gas shocks, rebuilt engine (and ancillaries) with meticulous machining, and care...

I'll give you $1000 for it , just as it sits and you won't have to put yourself through needless anguish making these far reaching decisions. I know, I know....far too charitable of me.

ebonyandivory wrote: Do what you like. Life is too short to act via consensus.

I'm not looking for approval. I just wondered if anyone felt the same way.

Older restored cars never interest me because there are so many nicely restored 50s and 60s cars out there. If you've seen one, you've seen them all. But for the most part, people aren't restoring 80s-90s stuff at the moment. So when I do see a really nice, original Fox body or something like that, it stands out to me. It seems different. Irony, as some mentioned.

If/when there are lots of restored MR2s out there, then I'll probably be bored by them, too.

Edit: oh, I agree completely that nothing is sacred. See the 57 in my garage.

FWIW, I have a very nice 1991 VW GTI sitting in my garage. Currently , it's 100% original. I even have a good set of BBS RM wheels for it. I'll probably put other 15" wheels on it, just because the BBSs would be pretty tempting to those with sticky fingers. Otherwise I'm leaving it stock because I rarely see one that hasn't been modified a lot.

I also think your MR2 looks great on those ARE wheels.

ProDarwin wrote:

Will wrote: Am I crazy?

Yup. Customize, cleanly. Keep the parts and you can always return it to stock.

Agreed.

Period correct mods are great, I think. Those ARE wheels look pretty rad to me, so I'd rock them. I'm up for customize or modify, but I hate it when people take a nice car and hack it up. Mods that can be easily changed are great--not a big fan of cutting/welding/hitting with huge hammer in order to make a huge engine fit in a small car--if the car is nice. If it's a beater, then by all means have at it!

Alan Cesar wrote:

ebonyandivory wrote: Do what you like. Life is too short to act via consensus.

Seconded for irony.

Explain please?

In reply to Will:

Sorry, my post came out the wrong way. I didn't mean to say you're looking for approval, my bad.

FWIW, I'm of a like mind. I personally would keep as close to stock as possible.

Swank Force One wrote: I make decisions concerning vehicles based around one mantra, and one alone: Nothing is sacred.

In general, I agree with you. But here you have a great 20+ year old example of a car that was pretty nice right out of the box. It's a model that suffers from popularity with a large group of under-talented and over-enthusiastic enthusiasts. If you want to modify one, find a straight shell that was somebody's (or somebodies') project and set about healing the wounds. There should be plenty of redeemable skanks to chose from, without molesting a previously-virgin example.

Duke wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: I make decisions concerning vehicles based around one mantra, and one alone: Nothing is sacred.

In general, I agree with you. But here you have a great 20+ year old example of a car that was pretty nice right out of the box. It's a model that suffers from popularity with a large group of under-talented and over-enthusiastic enthusiasts. If you want to modify one, find a straight shell that was somebody's (or somebodies') project and set about healing the wounds. There should be plenty of redeemable skanks to chose from, without molesting a previously-virgin example.

I prefer my automotive rape victims to be virgins.

Don't think he's talking about radically altering this thing anyways.

I'd probably "ruin" that car, but wouldn't care in the slightest what anyone thought about it, since its my car, and i'd want to have fun with it.

I don't believe that there's a single car in the world that couldn't be improved on, and there's lots to improve on with an n/a 91 SW20.

Will wrote: Older restored cars never interest me because there are so many nicely restored 50s and 60s cars out there. If you've seen one, you've seen them all. But for the most part, people aren't restoring 80s-90s stuff at the moment. So when I do see a really nice, original Fox body or something like that, it stands out to me. It seems different. Irony, as some mentioned.

90s and even some 80s cars are now falling into the "not a classic, not new.. just an old car" category. This is when all the really beat up ones will die and get recycled and the nice ones will keep on chugging along until somebody realizes there are only a few left

First off, I really like the wheels that are on there now. Kinda remind me of the Ronal's people put on their Benz back in the day.

But if you do go with new wheels, pick a wheel size based on tire availability. I am dealing with a different world of old cars than you, but I wouldn't go to 16" wheels simply because they aren't making good high performance rubber in those sizes anymore, better to go to 17" or even 18". YMMV, maybe things are better in MR2 appropriate sizes.

And as far a "ruining" your car, they are wheels for gods sake. They bolt right on or off.

ebonyandivory wrote:

Alan Cesar wrote:

ebonyandivory wrote: Do what you like. Life is too short to act via consensus.

Seconded for irony.

Explain please?

He's creating a consensus.