Found my ERA (

[paul]

Looks nice, check the boot floor under the spare wheel, moisture tends to sit there in japan and the paint is worn through from the spare wheel and you can get a circle of rusty holes, also the underside of the bumper mounting seam on the rear panel, again Japanese ones rust there, check the front floors, they tend to use scissor lifts in garages and though the floor may be not rusty, it may be dented and the unserseal and inside sound proofing cracked and once out of Japan they can rust quickly in that area. Bottoms of the doors look normal, have the door cards off as soon as possible clear out and vacum any rust in the doors treat with a dinol, dinatrol supertroll of other fluid rust preventer, then tidy up the bottoms from outside and make sure you seal the doors so no moisture can get from the door area to the door card as this makes the cars absorb water and buckle....tyres again check carefully japanese ones can be hard and often crack once out of japan.

Paul

[G96LUE]

MG metro gear knob is an easy fit and is the correct one. Just unscrew the wooden one and screw on the MG one and job done.
Just being nosy now so whats in the bag in the boot?. I can make out a distributor but wondered what other spares you have.

Before you decide on a respray it might be worth getting a second opinion from a car detailer. They may be able to polish out surface scratches.

[arrian]

Looks like you've found a very tidy car! I wish mine was that good.

[paul]

its not unusual to find a green or red one that has been painted in Japan, the red ones fade really badly and the green ones the clear coat scorches.

Wait till you see it, the Japanese motor trade can be hyper critical about paintwork, and bodywork, often describing a car as having wavy panels, (orange peel) and it is just the factory finish and poor panel fit, and again its the factory finish, toyota at the time were assembling with robots and robotic measuring systems, Rover were assembling with crow bars sledge hammers and by eye....

[Thomas_hmlo]

The car was collected from the seller and it is still in Japan. So, I cannot figure out the exact content of the bag of spare parts in the trunk. Well noted there are still a lot to be checked and I wish I could see the car in person, considering the car is over 20 years old, I think it is not looking too bad.

Paul, I think I saw the green one and the red one you mentioned in Japan used car website.
The red one with a non-original wheel, paint is totally faded. The asking price is not cheap.

The green one looks pretty original, the top coat is badly damaged. That one the Turbo is not functioning anymore. (I used Google to get the Japanese words translated). The price is not too bad at all.

[robr1006]

I think your car looks very tidy, I would be very surprised if it has not had some paint in 22 years and as been stated before it could just be sinkage in the clear lacquer which you may be able to get polished out.

I get the feeling that you want to return your car to standard specification. You probably realize that the wooden door cappings are non standard - they add quality to the interior, but unfortunately removing them will probably leave screw holes. The grab handles on your car are non standard items and the window winding handles are black and should be grey (as should the grab handle and door opening lever.

I know you have mentioned sorting the badging out - I am not sure what the correct bonnet and bootlid badging is for your car - I am sure Paul will tell us shortly.

To be really picky because the car was made from a Mini City the exterior handles and roof trim were originally grey but I do prefer chrome handles. The roof trim goes very brittle with age, black is easily obtainable grey not so.

Finally........ it really lifts a car when you fit shiney new locking strip to the front and rear screens - easy to do as it does tend to discolour after 5 or 6 years.

In your mystery bag of bits - I agree with the distributor and I think the other item may be a fuel pump!

Good luck with the car and please keep reporting how you get on.

[robr1006]

Just had another look at your pictures - you are missing the roof gutter trim completely - you may prefer it without - but it left the factory with it!

Also........... It would appear that there is an Audio Cassette in the storage rack.... I wonder what will be on it?!?!?!?!

[an old original]

I never liked the gutter trim, put mine in the bin after about a week!!!

[Thomas_hmlo]

Expect the car arrive in two / three weeks in HK.

It is my intention to return it to standard look. Items missing such as the roof gutter trim. That is actually look nice to put on but it is a hassle to clean. That trim is a perfect place to trap dirt and water. I will try to find an used pair thou. The wood cappings are not what I wanted but removing them will expose screw mounting hole. I think I have to let them stay.

The replica TURBO bonnet badge is on its way. That is the first thing I will put on - take out the yellow stripe and the Italian job badge.

[paul]

All the Japanese ones I have brought back had chrome exterior fittings, and I think on the Fiche it shows as such as well, I recall talking to Pete years ago and rumour/hearsay/fact suggested that Rover didnt want the ERA to have chrome in the Uk as they were releasing the thirty and it was to have chrome as everything had been satin black or Grey for years at the time, in reality it may be the Japanese are fussier than the UK and just said no to the spec till they got chrome..

Grab handles should be on standard screw holes I have seen those on a few minis I brought back from Japan.

Paul