March 17, 2025, 07:08:49 PM

Author Topic: What do you guys think of the MR2 Turbo?  (Read 1340 times)

Offline FourAces

What do you guys think of the MR2 Turbo?
« on: August 07, 2018, 11:55:54 AM »
I had one of these and man it was just the most rewarding car I ever drove. I've owned 3 Miata's, and 4 MR2's, the MK1 MR2 was basically a street legal Go-Kart, the smell of super old 80's car was actually something that I loved about sitting in the MK1. Gas was $4 a gallon back then, but I could put $20 in the fuel tank and drive at least all week.

That MR2 Turbo, it was a fun drive, I had a JDM 3rd Gen 3sgte with the better 540cc injectors, it was almost like
a 2/3's 2jzgte in quite a few ways. It had a .50 trim turbo kit, upgraded SMIC, big pusher and puller fans on both sides of the SMIC. I had the boost cranked up to 18lbs, an anti-torque bar from the transmission to the engine mount, TRD engine mounts, ATS axle cages, polyurethane inserts, 255 BFgoodrich drag radials on FD RX7 wheels, a cheap exhaust that made the car sound like a god damned airplane everywhere it went, that car was very loud.

I estimate on a cool day it could lay down perhaps 330whp, I dyno'd on a 100 degree day, not ideal especially given that SMIC's kind of suck on hot days, and it put down 303whp.

I stomped a few cars in it, it would spool past a lot of cars that tried to race it. Wasn't super fast, but was faster than a lot of cars out there. I never had the money to do an E85 tune, and rectify the garbage SMIC with something that cooled the intake charge better, if I dick around with those cars again, at minimum I'm getting methanol injection because SMIC's are just best on cold days they're really not the best to be using on a warm day.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2018, 12:07:46 PM by FourAces »

Offline digitalsolo

Re: What do you guys think of the MR2 Turbo?
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2018, 04:17:45 PM »
I ran up against a 500 RWHP MR2 a few years ago that was NASTY.   Gave me a good run in my FC at about 625 RWHP.   Very cool car.
Blake MF'ing McBride
1988 Mazda RX7 - Turbo LS1/T56/ProEFI/8.8/Not Slow...   sold.
1965 Mustang Coupe - TT Coyote, TR6060, modern brakes/suspension...
2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage - Gen V LT4/TR6060, upper/lower pullies, headers, tune.
2021 Tesla Model 3 Performance - Stock...ish.

Offline FourAces

Re: What do you guys think of the MR2 Turbo?
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2018, 06:43:22 AM »
I weighed mine on an 18 wheeler scale, came in at 2700lbs without the driver. I ripped out the A/C to get it down that light, but I had a T-Top model which is the heaviest, the hard tops are significantly lighter.

330whp in a 2700lb car, gotta admit that'll help you get where you need to go in a hurry.

Offline sciff5

Re: What do you guys think of the MR2 Turbo?
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2018, 08:36:22 AM »
Don't overlook the newer spyder models. Lighter, and you can k20 swap them.

Offline jwvand02

Re: What do you guys think of the MR2 Turbo?
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2018, 11:54:57 AM »
I've always loved them, but I feel like I'll never have room in the garage