The Toyota MR2 will always have a special place in my heart. Back when I was a young sprout-about third or fourth grade, I'd say-there was this girl that would babysit me when my parents went out. Her name was April, and she was the type of girl who could make grown men get weak in the knees. Whenever she came over, I'd run and hide under my bed-hey, I was shy OK? Imagine how I felt, a little kid all alone in my parents house with this fine piece of feminine engineering.
The point here is this: when she turned 16, her parents bought her a brand new, first generation MR2 in electric blue. I'd see her all the time driving around town, this hot chick in this hot car, and I'd feel as though my heart was going to explode. I couldn't decide which I liked better, the girl or the car, and I ended up deciding that some day I would have both.
Years have passed since then, and I still have neither. April and the MR2 have done a lot better; she's up North making lots of money as a computer consultant, and the car has seen a good amount of progressive development. MR2 Spyder aside, this car's ultimate performance incarnation was the second gen vehicle; sleek, sculpted and aggressive, with a ferocious turbocharged motor available to match its intimidating exterior, the second gen MR2 was an import force to be reckoned with in the six years it was on the market.
This white, 1991 second gen is owned by Jann Michael Miranda of Glendale, N.Y. He's taken great pains to turn this car into something that looks and feels as much at home on the racetrack as on the mean streets of New York. And oh, by the way, it's still used as his daily driver between home and work.
Speaking of work, Miranda's shop, SPI Powerexcel Inc. in Glendale, N.Y., is the place responsible for tweaking the MR2's 3SGTE powerplant. The engine was completely torn down and split open, then the cylinders were bored out in order to accomodate JE 9.0:1 pistons, which were then linked to stock-sized Crower rods for greater strength. The case was then sealed up, using ARP studs and bolts, then fitted with a factory-spec head-the valves, cams, springs and sprockets are all OEM pieces.
The 3SGTE's forced induction charge has been augmented with a new low friction Garrett T-67 turbine and compressor assembly, which is perched on a custom-built exhaust manifold fabricated from scratch by the talent at SPI. Max boost is set at 18 psi and is monitored by an A'PEXi wastegate, A'PEXi AVC-R boost controller and not one, but two A'PEXi boost gauges mounted in the car's cockpit, one mechanical and one electrical. In order to cool the charge and reduce overall operating temperatures, SPI installed an A'PEXi GT front-mount intercooler.
It's a generally accepted rule that if you augment the forced induction system's air moving capabilities, you're going to have to up the ante on the fuel supply as well. To this end, SPI installed a '94 and up Supra Turbo fuel pump, bigger 550cc injectors and Vortech fuel regulator. An A'PEXi AFC was installed to replace the restrictive factory air flow meter's signal and allow finely tuned adjustments to be made to the air/fuel mixture. All fuel lines, tanks, rails and throttle body remain factory-spec equipment.
Making a crap-load of power is one thing (Miranda rates his powerplant at about 380 hp, courtesy of the dynanometer at Rampage Racing, New York), but it all means nothing if you can't get it to hook up with the pavement. The MR2's power transfer is assisted by a stock 3SGTE transmission and custom SPI clutch. The car's suspension has been beefed up with a complete Japan-spec A'PEXi N1 setup, including N1 springs and matched-rate A'PEXi shock absorbers. Big but lightweight Volk SE37-A wheels and Toyo Proxes rubber, sized 215/35/18 front and 245/40/18 rear, collaborate on the contact patch. Stopping power has also been improved, using A'PEXi slotted discs and performance pads. The new slotted rotors retain the original factory dimensions, so the OE calipers did not need to be replaced or relocated.