2ZZ swapped MR2 Spyder - the "Poor Man's Lotus Elise?" 

Too late

In the UK they're cheap. In the US prices have been inflating from around $3,000-10,000 stock in the past year or two (from what I've noticed)

In New Zealand mr2 is really cheap

2zz. Lmao. My mr2 spy set is k swapped

Still time - look at the RX-7 30,000 and higher!

yea mk3 mr2 was complete shit tbh. Also Lotus helped Toyota build the MK1 MR2, it is rumoured to have been an aborted Lotus project that was sold to Toyota.

Just bought a 2001 MR2 to replace my Porshe 914 ... why AC

@@1183newman it's a great car, especially considering the price.

@alternate account it s one of the cars around regardless the price.

@@1183newman The Mk3 was never understood, it came out when big power turbos were popular but the Mk3 is a fantastic handling car. Also, the Mk1 wasn't co-developed with Lotus, as much as I hate to say, because I've had a few Mk1s. Lotus only dialed in the suspension settings and the damping, though Dan Gurney did do the overall development of the handling characteristics which is quite obvious because its still a sweet handling sports car today. Though mine handles like a pig because I haven't changed the 16 inch wheels the last owner put on it, lol

my mr-s came with a 6 speed already when bought it from the previous owner. I drove it for a couple years with the 1zz and last August it rod knocked 149k miles. Just ordered a 2zz swap, super excited for the extra power.

Will 2zz work with the smt transmission? If it will, will there be any problems?

@@aquiblol no sir, your gonna want yo 6 speed swap it. Monkey wrench has all the info on their web s ite

@@nx_Exe oh.. thanks for the information👍

@aquib6673, will it work YES! People have completed the swap with the SMT as well…!

I have a stroked 2zz swapped mk3 with the lotus Elise gearbox and lsd, lowered of BC’s and its the funnest car I’ve ever owned.

Edit: 2 years after making this comment, I just bought a 2001 Celica GTS with the 2ZZ-GE engine. I now have the motor I praised in this comment. Life's a trip 😂

Congratulations! I just got my MR2 spyder and plan on doing the 2zz swap

I mean If it's not boosted and it makes alright torque it shouldn't be a problem but it may not and drop down far enough for the vvt or vvl to deactivate

Or if he had more bars in his MR2. Each one helps.

1 million struts would be so fast.

I guarantee he had no front strut bar. If you lower the car and don't do the strut it handles poorly. Mines tein s lowering springs on koni shocks and I've put 30k miles on without any suspension problems so idk if this guy had his shit maxed out or what

为人民服务Hamster Player nice joke

I worked for Alfa Romeo last semester and got to drive one of the 4cs and man that thing was nuts. I’m still in love with that car!

@@hbproductions1997tm if only it had a manual option. Would've stolen some of those lotus buyers.

@Bob Climax finally someone that speaks the truth.👍

Elise has FAAAARRRR superior suspension.

Oh man I would love to do that comparison, if only I knew someone with a K20 MR-S

I've owned a celica gts and a civic si. I love the 2zz engine but the k20 is just superior in every way

Been done look it up lol

It would be better but it would be waaaay more expensive.

Look at DannyDC2's videos!

@Bryce Czirr it's not the engine that's expensive, the swap is expensive. K20s cost a lot more than 2zz's though. www.monkeywrenchracing.com/product-category/mr2s/mr2shondakserieswap/

ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IFZ5-3VQ31I.html

Probably so people didn’t just buy an MR2 over a Lotus

@@AliasProductions801 that's....actually a really good point.

Its even more pronounced if the intake is near the side vent and you have long tube headers 🥰 i love my 2zz MR2.

I think you're right. With a close ratio 6 speed and set of Ohlins or similar, I bet the MR2 could handle 80-90% as well as the Elise. Right now it's maybe 70%. Subjectively, of course.

The Elise has double wishbones all round and very stiff, light alu chassis. You will never quite get there I dont think.

Rene Neron I have 2zz with 6 speed, have timed 0-60 in 4.9 seconds.

Rene Neron Thanks for the correction regarding 1ZZ vs 2ZZ torque output. The shape of the torque curve makes the 1ZZ "feel" more torquey down low, even if it's not! Regardless, 2ZZ is the infinitely more exciting and appropriate engine for the MR-S.

Zygrene it is a common misconception that the 1ZZ has more power at low rpm. It just falls flat on its face early, so no point to run to the redline. Which you did emphasize in the video.

Zygrene I’d have a 3S-GTE in mine but I’m a MKII and GT4 owner so...

you could clearly hear that it still had the 5 speed box on it. it takes ages after shifting to be back on cam again. on the C64 Gearbox with good shifting at redline you can stay within the powerband. on the 5 you are way out. Even for the 1ZZ engine the 5 speed box was a bad choice and luckily Toyota figured that out and replaced it with a 6 Speed box (not sure if also in the US but in Japan and Europe the facelift models got the 6 Speed. be it a slightly longer 6 speed than the 2ZZ 6 speed box. We often replace the 5 speed with the facelift 6 and it already transforms the car even with a 1ZZ engine.

vvtli ;)

LI

Li-ft kicked in yo

Who even cares when it's in a go cart that weighs 1700pounds and was designed for a circuit race track. Non car guys would talk shit

skrewracing *VVTLi*

Imagine an LS swap

Its done now. Tis very good tog car

Yeah Jesus that guy spent way too much

The Mod hmmm, what did you want to hear? Curious :)

This was great! I do wish there was a review with 2zz mrs (with coilovers) vs Elise. I get it that he didn’t want a harsh ride but still I feel like it would be a better comparison. Don’t get me wrong I love this video man! Keep the good content coming man!

The MR2 looks so much better in black, silver, or a dark green, dark blue, etc. White is a terrible color for this car. Makes the car look blocky. Check these out: www.google.com/search?q=toyota+mr2+spyder&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiAl7OLocTiAhWEdd8KHVbvB4QQ_AUIDigB&biw=1920&bih=937

Or you could buy an mr2 and swap a 2zz and get the porche 918 looking body kit and even turbo the 2zz for less than an elise costs

But it will never handle like the Elise without the Aluminium chassis and double wishbone suspension all round.

Bracing seems to be a priority on the Toyota , most jump into Coilovers where a suspension refresh and some lowering springs work very well. Plus the sway bars. My S2 111S on an average tyre like a Toyo T1R or Continental Premium Contact does not outperform my MR-S on AD08R.

That's part of it, yes. The Lotus is also much lighter with a stiffer chassis and suspension so the turn in is more crisp.

black nindo A k20 swap is far more work than an 2zz swap. The 2zz is a pretty good engine, so I'm not sure the extra work is worth it. And that's coming from a honda fan.

I hate to say it, but you're right. I had a 2005 Acura RSX Type S and that K20 was one of the funnest NA engines I've ever driven compare to others. I currently have a 2002 Celica GTS, and you just can't compare a K20 to a 2ZZ. The K20 will spank it, just what it does to the 05, 08 mustangs. The Celica GTS was made to compete with the Acura Integra GSR though. Overall the Celica GTS is a fun car to have there isn't too many aftermarket options on the Toyota end compare to the Honda scene, that's why both these two guys own a Honda themselves.

k20 isnt the answer... it wasnt the answer for the sw20 mr2... it will be less of an answer for the mr-s

@Sergio Aguirre 2gr 1500hp.... could maybe be done but thats a full parts build and bore out to 3.7L. Its not always about being a dyno queen though. Its about what suits the chassis. If you really wanted power out of a 4 banger the B18 is better. 😂

@Sergio Aguirre no it isnt theres an 1100+ kswap mr2 with a dogbox doing the 1/4 mile in 8.8 sec THERES A 573 HP GEN3 3SGTE FOING THE 1/4 MIKE IN 8.9 SEC WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? DO YOU USE CRITICAL THINKING?

I'm in NorCal but making a trip to LA in a few weeks. Please shoot me an email at zygrene@gmail.com and we'll make it happen!

Where is that review?

Lots of info on that too!

D4ydream3rD3vin Yeyeye Devin chiu

No idea how he spent so much. Bought the car for 2k and spent 13k+ for a 2ZZ swap? Sounds ridiculous.

To keep weight balance the same as k24 would make it rear heavy, just watch mrs touge best motoring

I may be reviewing a turbo 1ZZ MR-S soon :)

@@Zygrene okay, you got me aboard with that!

Prodigious 909 digimon3

I bought an MR2 new in 2001 and a Honda S2000 new in 2002. Both fun but the S2000 is currently still sitting in my garage and I sold the MR2 long ago.

how much did you get it for

Only if you keep the 5 speed. It does not with a 6 speed

R/T Tuning, wrong. I've driven the Celica GT-S and the Lotus Elise.. It does with the 6 speed as well. I remember hoping they'd fixed it for the Elise, but no. Same as the Celica. You can even see in this vid, in the Elise, he shifts at the 8200RPM shift light, but falls off cam every time. Like at 2:00 . Might be able to stay on cam if you run it a few hundred revs passed the redline, never tried that though, might be a fuel cut.

@@bliglum True maybe in stock form. I've had a 6spd, 2zz Spyder for about 8 years and I never fall out of lift at full boil but I also run a PowerFC and a higher than stock redline by 400 rpm.

@@bliglum It's been a loooong time since I've driven a stock 2zz Spyder.

-R/T Tuning "higher than stock redline by 400 rpm." Ahh yes, that would do it! Should have come from the factory that way, or with a lower switchover point. Or both!

Elise comes with coilovers as standard, with double wishbones, much lighter and a much better chassis. You'd never make the MR2 out handle an Elise.

Agreed, though I've driven an Elise on stock suspension and the MR2 with Koni shocks still feels a lot more compliant