1991 MR2 is a Mini Mid-engine Masterpiece

Inherited Love For MR2

For many of us, our love for cars is something we unknowingly inherit from our fathers. And so is loyalty to certain brands. That's certainly the case for this writer. And it's the case for the owner of this fiery red 1991 Toyota MR2. Johne Santos credits his dad for his love of Toyotas. And the iconic MR2 being the very first sports car he ever drove, his deeply rooted affection for the mid-engine Toyota isn't a surprise.

Photos: SuperStreet

Getting Hands-On

And he loves the MR2 so much, that he's currently on his fourth! Another thing he got from spending time with his father was the ability to wrench cars. "[We] just couldn't pay shops hundreds and hundreds of dollars for something we both could do," John recalls about learning to work on cars alongside his dad. And he's gone on to personalize every previous MR2 he's owned.

>>Join the conversation about this '91 MR2 right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Copy and Paste

For Johne, the end goal of this project was simple. To modify it as close to his third MR2 as possible. Number three had a special place in his heart. Sadly, a move from San Diego, CA to Virginia meant he saw no choice but to leave the car behind, selling it to a friend. So since acquiring this one, he's made it a point to replicate the mods on his last MR2. And he's been largely successful.

>>Join the conversation about this '91 MR2 right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Exterior Mods

Visually, the one element of the car's exterior that strongly distinguishes it is the stance. The MR2 is lowered on BC Racing shocks and Techno Toy Tuning control arms. And topping it all off are the Work Meister 3P wheels. Look a little bit closer, and you'll notice the custom-built aero parts. They're all subtle touches, but the front splitter, the side-splitter, and the rear fascia trim all help give the car a stronger stance.

>>Join the conversation about this '91 MR2 right here in the ClubLexus forum.

Custom Touches

On the inside, the cabin features custom-fabricated trim, custom sports steering wheel, bucket seats, and a few other subtle touches. Interestingly, the lowered stance of the car doesn't bother Johne, who feels comfortable driving the car to shows as much as 5 hours away. His experience with the previous MR2 comes in handy in perfecting every aspect of this one, including the ride quality.

>>Join the conversation about this '91 MR2 right here in the ClubLexus forum.

More Power

As is the case with most of us, a project car is rarely considered completely finished. Rather, we look at them as an artistic expression that is in a constant state of evolution. And that's how Johne Santos views his MR2. Although he's pretty happy with the cosmetic state of the car, he feels there's more to be extracted from under the hood. His current turbocharged setup is good for 339 horses to the wheel. But he's looking for at least 200 more!

>>Join the conversation about this '91 MR2 right here in the ClubLexus forum.

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