Hiro

FYI the Altezza RS200 3SGE is the blacktop BEAMS not the redtop (and is designed for RWD layout). The redtop BEAMS (which only has single-VVTi rather than the blacktop's dual-VVTi) is the correct transverse layout and came mainly in the ST202 Celica and SW20 MR2 (but not all models)

It's not a "design fault", cars are not meant to be left with the keys in the ignition for long periods of time. There will always be circuits live at this point (such as dash backlighting, since modern cars have this on all the time now rather than just when you have the headlights on)

Considering you've just proven that what you initially posted was incorrect, yes it does put it to rest.

2002 was the last year of the XV20 and the first year of the XV36 (both came in 3.0L 1MZ form). Being an Altise would make it an XV36. I highly doubt Toyota were selling "test mules" in the first year of production of a new model for an engine that didn't get released for another 4 years in the _next_ series. And the XV36 is a _long_ way from being the "essentially current" bodystyle 1000x more likely you've either you've mis-read the build date or the engine capacity (and the next likely option would be that a previous owner converted it to the 2GR but that raises a bunch of other questions). Did it look like this?

The new Corollas are 5x100

Changing wheel diameter will have no affect on ride height, it is purely down to tyre size (well, technically changing wheel size will naturally change tyre size, but at the end of the day it is the outer radius of the tyre which needs to change and that can be done without changing wheel diameter)

Don't think MWR offer a crank pulley anymore (apart from factory Toyota or generic aftermarket QRP), but I know better than to go for unbalanced billet crank pulleys anyway. Although annoyingly just after I bought these ones one of the guys I know in America pointed out that there's a Dayco overrun decoupling alternator pulley - not really much benefit in power (since it isn't under-driven) but better response changing gears and improved belt/tensioner life since it removes the inertial effect of the alternator when lifting off.

So that's how things stood at the start of this year.....basically nothing has happened since. Still got to pull the shifter cables out of the Celica shell (which requires disassembling most of the dash) along with some of the body harness (for the engine bay fuse box) but in the meantime I've started hoarding parts for the eventual conversion. First things first - some tools, and something to put them in. Been wanting a decent roll-cab for ages but never really had enough to fill it, but eventually got sick of all my stuff being scattered between two separate toolboxes, a builders-bag, and the floor, so I snagged one of the limited edition Mighty Car Mods roll-cab set when they went on special. Knew we bought a hatch for a reason... Then decided it was time to make the swap from Ryobi One+ to Milwaukee, much better tools as well as being smaller (with inline batteries too, much better for engine-bay/undercar work). Got a 1/2" power ratchet, 1/2" stumpy impact wrench and a 13mm hammer drill (for house stuff). Also just picked up a 1/4" hex-chuck impact driver for the small stuff (not pictured) Then came the parts hoarding. First up was a plug-n-play Adaptronic E440d ECU modified by Kaizen Garage, which Jason Purcell had running in his AE82 2ZZ race car. This will allow be to do away with the factory immobiliser, run a bigger intake without the factory MAF (has onboard MAP sensor), as well as tweak lift and redline rpms to my liking (not to mention being able to support bigger cams). Next was a bunch of little bits and pieces to try and spark my motivation again - a 6-speed TRD ball shift knob (from the Tacoma/FJ Cruiser), height perfectly suits the MWR short shifter. Also got the MWR underside WP and ALT pulleys for some extra bling, a 77° TRD thermostat, Speed Source extended slave cylinder pushrod, and an MWR MR2 2ZZ engine mount adaptor. Along with that I also sourced the RH engine mount from a 4ZZ Euro ZZE111, so between that and the MR2 adaptor I should have something close to built-in. Next up will probably be clutch/flywheel, and maybe start looking at cams (but that opens Pandora's Box, because then I'll need valve springs, then might as well get new stem seals, then might as well get new valves, which means the head has to come off etc etc) On, and the Celica shell is a bit breezy now too... by Ian Rigby, on Flickr

Corrosion protection is the whole point of stainless.

In general, mild steel is stronger than stainless steel. Exhausts are usually 409 or 304-grade stainless steel, which has a yield strength of ~200MPa (normal mild-steel tube will be 250MPa)

Why would you think that the speedo had been adjusted/tampered? Over-reading is perfectly normal (and in a lot of cases, required by the law) and 4% is well within the expected toleranec range - current ADRs state that speedos cannot under-read (ie the speedo says 95 but you're actually doing 100) but can over-read by up to 10% +4km/h (so you can be doing 100 but the speedo can read up to 114)

It could be something else in the starting circuit too (relay, battery, wires etc). Unless you can prove that the flywheel is warped without removing the gearbox I'd be checking everything else first (otherwise you could be spending an arm and a leg on labour for something that could be completely fine)

Pretty sure the hatch light is purely for reverse, and the red is just a reflector. The rear corner lights are combination lights covering both brake- and tail-lights (two filaments in a single bulb) along with the indicator. EDIT: Confirmed when I went shopping last night. Parked behind an Ascent and left the carpark behind a Levin (both pre-facelift) and neither had any red bulb in the hatch light (and both had combination brake/tail-lights in the corners). It's different on the facelift models where they have a single-filament brake bulb (in the corner light) and LED light-pipes for the tail-lights in both the corner light and the hatch light.

Properly called a door side moulding but commonly just called the "rub strip"

How do you know it's the flywheel/ring-gear and not just an issue with the starter motor?