by "twochevrons" (twochevrons)
Published 04/15/2017 at 15:34
by "twochevrons" (twochevrons)
Published 04/15/2017 at 15:34
Tags: Toyota MR2
; New Zealand
; Road Trips
STARS: 7
One of the benefits of being from a family of car enthusiasts is that I always have interesting cars to drive when I come home to visit. My parents’ daily drivers are a 2004 Alfa Romeo 156 station wagon, and a 1988 Citroën BX 16v, both of which I have greatly enjoyed driving in the past. This time, however, we’re changing it up a bit.
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Some years ago, my brother bought an ‘84 Toyota MR2, but took a trip overseas soon afterward, leaving the car in a friend’s garage. What was going to be a short-term stay became rather more permanent, and so the poor MR2 remained dormant. Now, three years down the line, he’s still off in Europe, and my empty-nester parents are leaving the family home for a place out in the country. Since I hadn’t been back home since the MR2 came on the scene, making a road trip out of ferrying the car down the country to the new place sounded like quite a good excuse for a visit, as well as a way to deal with the embarrassment of having “temporarily” left a car in somebody else’s garage for three years.
The plan is to take a week to drive the 1700 or so kilometers down to the new place, stopping to see friends and family on the way. With New Zealand’s famously twisty roads, it should be quite the drive, both spectacular and a whole lot of fun. The little MR2 should be in its element, though the prospect of driving that far in an an unfamiliar 33 year old car that has been off the road for three years is somewhat daunting. However, no matter how much goes wrong, it’ll be an adventure no matter what.
I set off in a few days’ time. Stay tuned for updates, and probably some posts about my family’s other ridiculous cars. For those who just want to look at the pictures, I’ll be posting photos to my Instagram ( @halkyardo ) as the trip unfolds.
"RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars" (rallydarkstrike)
04/15/2017 at 15:47, STARS: 1
Cool trip, you’ll have a blast in that little MR2! Looking forward to hearing about the Alfa and Citroen as well! :D
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
04/15/2017 at 15:48, STARS: 2
God, I need those wheels in a bad way...
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
04/15/2017 at 15:53, STARS: 1
Omg, I can’t wait.
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
04/15/2017 at 15:53, STARS: 1
I have a set I’ll never use.
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
04/15/2017 at 15:54, STARS: 2
Don’t toy with me.
[Opens wallet]
Continue.
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
04/15/2017 at 16:08, STARS: 0
Have any ideas on how to ship them? I’ve never shipped anything big, let alone four big things and they’re literally in the opposite corner of the country.
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
04/15/2017 at 16:11, STARS: 0
[Winces in pain]
No...
It must cost one billion dollars... I wonder what the options are
"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
04/15/2017 at 16:16, STARS: 0
It should cost ~$150-200 according to Google. An article from 2009 says FedEx for $80
"Out, but with a W - has found the answer" (belg)
04/15/2017 at 17:26, STARS: 0
That looks amazing! All of it.
"Nauraushaun" (nauraushaun12)
04/15/2017 at 20:10, STARS: 1
This is awesome, I’d pay money to be you!
Be careful in that thing in the wet. My later SW20 loves to get sideways. I’ve always suspected mine is on old tires...but yours
definitely
is.
"Adam Stickland" (goldman27)
04/16/2017 at 08:54, STARS: 1
I look forward to hearing about your adventure with the MR2. I’ve longed for the AW11s personally (because finding the SW20s is much more difficult, moreso unmodded and in manual tranny). Do tell me how it handles and such, I’m always keeping my eye out for AW11s on AutoTRADER.ca and Kijiji. ;)
"twochevrons" (twochevrons)
04/16/2017 at 18:47, STARS: 0
Ha, that was the first thing that we did. The old tires were ancient even before it got put away, and made it, to quote “legitimately terrifying” to drive. I’m really looking forward to putting it through its paces – I haven’t driven it much yet, just because the Alfa and the BX are so much fun as well!
"Nauraushaun" (nauraushaun12)
04/16/2017 at 21:27, STARS: 0
Hahaha “legitimately terrifying”!
The...the Alfa and the BX!? So when am I coming to visit :D You’re really all about the cars those Americans can’t get a hold of aren’t you?
"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
04/18/2017 at 17:33, STARS: 0
So damn jealous! Road-tripping a 1st gen MR2 through NZ twisties sounds like a hell of a lot of fun :)
Aren’t there gravel roads in parts of NZ too?