You guys probably know I dig MR2s, and I've always had the hots for a 2nd gen car. Looking at prices as of late, I sort of came to the conclusion that if i didn't pull the trigger soon, I'd never be able to, as it looks like SW20s are the next Supra and prices are starting to climb.
So after some research, I made the trip to Jersey and drove this home last Monday:
http://www.primemr2.com/red-91-turbo-t-top-88k.html
I could probably get away with painting the hood and lights, but it's probably getting a full paint job as I think ultimately a quality respray will match best and wear best. Toyota red holds up way better than Honda red, but 24 years is a long time for anything. Aside from that, the car is as clean and solid as it looks in the photos.
I cannot begin to tell you how much the Gen4 swap transforms the car. Driving it back to back with a "stock" MR2 Turbo is like Driving a Spitfire and a NB Miata. The Gen4 drives like a thoroughly modern engine, and the job that the Prime guys do looks as close to factory as anything you'll ever see.
And another shoutout to the crew at Prime. These guys are the real deal, and love them some MR2s.
I love these cars. Nice purchase!
That's definitely sweet! And I love the tan seats. Not only are they getting pricey, but nice ones are hard to find. Especially as clean as that one.
I miss my '91 Turbo almost daily, even though it's been gone about 10 years now. It was my DD for 7 years in the late '90's / early 2000's. I drove it to work, autocrossed it, and even did track days.
You know if you include it in the magazine you are going to make me want to buy another one? In many ways it works much better as a daily driver than my current 370Z/Cooper S combo.
OK, bad news, I just bookmarked Prime's page. I could have done without even knowing who they were! 
Oh man the Gen4 swap takes those cars to a whole new level. You're sitting on a 300whp car!
racerdave600 wrote:
OK, bad news, I just bookmarked Prime's page. I could have done without even knowing who they were!
Yeah, it kind of has that effect, doesn't it? The whole Gen4 thing really seems like kind of a "no downside" proposition. I got over 29mpg on the drive down from Jersey.
And they aren't "grumpy" like every stock ecu gen2 on the planet.
Nice
I'm not sure I'd be painting it though. Factory paint is a huge plus in my book and from the pics it looks very nice.
Swank Force One wrote:
And they aren't "grumpy" like every stock ecu gen2 on the planet.
Yeah. Supposedly the Gen 4 ECU vs the Gen2 ECU is like Xeon vs 486. And with the exception of the cone intake filter, most folks probably wouldn't know the engine bay wasn't completely OEM.
Nick_Comstock wrote:
Nice
I'm not sure I'd be painting it though. Factory paint is a huge plus in my book and from the pics it looks very nice.
Most of it looks nice, but it's thin. It only has so many polishings left before it hits bare metal. And the hood and lights definitely need paint, as the clear coat is lifting bad. The front fenders have been repainted, too, but are holding up well.
So, yeah, I hear ya, and tend to agree, but I just don't think the factory pant has any real life left in it. And I think fixing the obviously bad parts would make the currently good parts not look so good anymore.
In reply to JG Pasterjak:
I kind of hate you. 
Welcome to the low-ish mileage MR2 Turbo club. Got any specific plans for the car yet?
Looks like you got it for a good price, too. While I paid less for my gen 3, I've had to pay twice for several repairs already and still need a non-leaking transmission. Plus, you have the cooler engine 
.
So, pardon my ignorance, but what is the Gen4 engine? What car is it taken from?
Nice. I like the tan leather. I may look at that for my car. Really adds some life to the interior. I may look at that upgrade when I redo my seats.
That Gen 4 engine looks like a great upgrade.
Best place to buy a Gen 4 3SGTE? I'm lookin'.
DeadSkunk wrote:
So, pardon my ignorance, but what is the Gen4 engine? What car is it taken from?
http://www.primemr2.com/gen4-3sgte.html
Great looking car!!! I have one of the first cars to hit the shores here ( 1/90 production date) with a swapped in Gen2. I vow that if the cars rebuilt engine bites the dust, I'm gonna go Gen 4. 260hp is a good start, and the improvements of the Gen 4 (especially oil leaks) is awesome
Made when Toyota still knew how to build cars. Very nice.
Congratulations, nice catch.
Wow, that seems like a nice deal. 260hp in that car? Wow. 
That's an awesome car and the price is astounding considering it has the Gen4 swap done!
I'm jealous.
JG Pasterjak wrote:
DeadSkunk wrote:
So, pardon my ignorance, but what is the Gen4 engine? What car is it taken from?
http://www.primemr2.com/gen4-3sgte.html
Well, there's one more entry to the list of "things I wouldn't know without GRM." I still haven't decided if that's a good list or a bad one. I've always loved the look of that generation of MR2. That's a pretty impressive "heart transplant" you've got there. 
