2000 Toyota MR2

The AEM intake was already in place and Tajo saw no need to change it. Instead, he opted for a TRD JDM header, custom-made Spugen Exhaust, a "top secret" downpipe kit, a ported and polished throttle body, and a custom-made intake manifold. After all that engine work he decided to crank up the car's ability to maneuver and handle corners. A friend of Tajo's had sold his own MR-2 and was willing to sell him the parts he needed to complete his suspension, including a TRD front and rear member brace kit, a TRD sportive sway bar kit and a TRD short shifter with a custom-built billet direct shift kit. Tajo then purchased a set of front and rear JIC lightweight aluminum strut tower bars and added a new TRD clutch kit and Cusco 1.5 way limited slip differential. The guys at Rotora in City of Industry, Calif., set him up with their big brake kit that includes a 13.1-in drilled and slotted rotor with four piston calipers. Tajo had the piston calipers painted "Vic Red" to match the body. With a set of Rotora race pads and steel braided lines, the brake system was complete.

After all his time and attention, in the end, Tajo had the same problem he started with-shitty wheel clearance. Tajo corrected it, for the fourth time, by replacing his wheels with a new set of 17-in Volk Racing se37k on Kumho Ecsta tires. After that, Tajo wanted his MR-2 to stand out at the shows, so he painted some under-the-hood parts and chromed his strut bars, header shield, muffler shield and the engine cover vent. He hit some interior parts with chrome too, for that extra bling-bling! With custom projector headlights, Lotus Elise tail lenses, a carbon-fiber hood and cover and custom vinyl graphics, Tajo easily catches your eye as he slides into the car show scene. As president of Team FluX, in Los Angeles, Calif., he attends most shows in Southern California and hits some of the good ones in Nor Cal. In 2003, Tajo's MR-2 Spyder took third place for 2-Door Mild at HIN Del Mar, Calif., and Best Mild Car at the Onlineshowoff car show. At Hollywood Park Autocross he scorched the quarter mile at 98.7 mph in 14.0 seconds. He also turned in a lap time of 52 seconds. It took two years and almost $40K to finally achieve his dream. So what do you do when you can't get the car you really want? If you're Tajo, you make a car better than the one you wanted; you make it a dream-and you color it custom.

Tajo particularly wanted to acknowledge and thank Motor FX Autoworks; Kimberly Nakano at Indyflux.onlineshowoff.com; the guys at Kreative Auto Interior; Kool Kustoms Autobody-especially Vic and JR; Loren and Franco at Rotora; Vince at Iforged Wheels; JamesY. at K&N Filters; Lucky and Diane at Hose Techniques, and especially the whole crew at Team FluX.