Toyota's 80-series Mark II is steeped in legend
This one has been handcrafted by the Mechanical Stig for ultimate driving enjoyment
The Toyota Mark II is a generational drift machine and motorsport superstar.
Starting life way back in the 1960s, it wasn’t until the 90s when things got spicy and the chassis became synonymous with sliding. This car started life as a painfully standard and beautiful one-owner car with 60,000km – you can see the original listing here.
Then it was over to Benny’s Custom Works, who conducted a no-compromise build. Benjamin Neal, made famous by collaborating with Mighty Car Mods on their major builds is called the ‘Mechanical Stig’ for a good reason.
Given the car’s interior and bodywork remained original and mint, he focused on its guts. A naturally aspirated 2JZ-GE 3.0-litre straight-six was given a tickle and fitted with a custom-made set of individual throttle bodies and handmade tuned-length headers.
A Haltech engine management package was installed by ‘Wired By Dave’ and controls the show alongside plenty of Hypertune products. Adding to the appeal is a six-speed clone of Toyota’s R154 transmission, which provides this N/A monster with ideal gearing to perform.
The execution, quality and time put into this car make it unique in the truest sense. Head to the Benny’s Custom Works YouTube channel if you want to deep-dive on how the car was built, or scroll below for a full build spec list.
Get ready – it’s an essay.
The car pictured – 1991 Toyota Mark II Grande
This Toyota Mark II was built in October 1991 and is an ‘Grande’ trim level.
Its original 1G-FE straight-six has been replaced with a 3.0-litre 2JZ-GE from a Lexus GS300. The cylinder head was modified to raise the compression and fitted with custom Kelford camshafts, Kelford double valve springs, and a changed VVT drive to allow the valves to fully open. A new Aisin water pump was fitted, all new seals, a Gates Kevlar timing belt, new tensioners and bearings and a Goleby’s dip stick kit.
A 50 mm individual throttle body setup is controlled by a BMW e-throttle motor. A Haltech R3 controls the show and talks to a Haltech wideband, a Haltech GT-R COP kit, Haltech fuel pressure and oil sensors, and even a Haltech reverse camera. A Haltech digital dashboard wears a custom skin to replicate the original Toyota digital dash, which is epic!
The engine is fuelled by Bosch 550cc injectors, and a Hypertune cam cover connects to a Raceworks catch can with -10 fittings. Tuff mounts supplied the engine mounting kit. Schembri Motorsport fabricated the artful exhaust headers and tig welded them to perfection. A custom SP muffler was made to suit the car.
A new genuine Denso air con compressor ensures you’ll both look cool and remain cool. The engine’s cooling system was refreshed front-to-back, including a new radiator.
The driveline includes a six-speed transmission based off a Toyota Aisin R154, which was inspected and adjusted by Gearbox Express, and it transfers power to a Toyota G-series rear differential equipped with a Torsen LSD and a 4.11 ratio, using MX83 CV shafts and a tailshaft. Ke conversions provided the pedal box setup, and a genuine Toyota dead pedal was fitted to keep it looking factory-fresh.
The footwork consists of custom-valved Shockworks coilovers and an impressive set of genuine Autostrada Modena wheels in a staggered 17×8/9 configuration, complete with all original hardware, waffle clips, and coins; it is remarkable that these wheels still retain all their original features, which are now hard to find.
The interior was further enhanced with a new genuine Nardi steering wheel in matching brown leather, and you’ll find an OEM handbrake console, rare factory cup holders and plenty of other genuine goodies.
Standard features retained from the original car include digital climate control with cool electric pop-out buttons, a Pioneer tape deck with Dolby amplifier and projector fog lights.
This vehicle was purchased as a one-owner car from Tokyo, Japan, and comes with a Toyota service history. It was auctioned graded 4.5B. The base vehicle (seen here) was a 9/10 car condition-wise and remains that way today.
Quick facts
- 1991 Toyota Mark II Grande
- 64,000 KM – genuine
- Originally a Grade 4.5b one-owner car
- ‘2JZ-GE’ 3.0-litre straight-six engine
- 50mm induvidual throttle body setup with Bmw E throttle motor, uni filter socks and shield
- Six-speed manual transmission
- 4.11 ratio LSD diff
- Fully re-wired by ‘Wired by Dave’ with the Haltech catalogue
- Working air conditioning
- Oem stainless weather shields
- Engine bay re painted BMW Marrakesh
- Guards rolled front and rear
- Cisco kids JZX81 GT style front lip
- Cisco kids Jzx81 Yamaha edition style boot lip
- Aerocutt cooling panels
- Raceworks Washer bottle, Raceworks Rad overflow and oem charcoal canister mounted in front bar void
- AC Converted to R134A, ice cold, all oem AC lines scrubbed and brush finished with scotchbtite
- Front cross member blasted and painted 2k metallic black, all other engine bay brackets/ components also painted same metallic black Stainless nuts, bolts and washers used throughout the bay, Nickel coated high tensile bolts used in underside / suspension of vehicle
- New bonnet gas struts Original plastic under tray still remains
- Extensive wire tuck in engine bay, OEM fuse box relocated, full custom engine harness by Wired by Dave
- Brakes Series 2 Master cylinder
- R33 GTST calipers front DBA BA falcon
- front discs Hel braided lines front and rear
- Suspension / steering Braced rear subframe (still rubber mounted)
- Bcw 20mm adjustable rear swaybar kit
- Shockworks coilovers (custom valved)
- Cusco strut brace front Jzx81
- OEM power steering lines with Pirtek replaced soft line
- New power steering pump with billet pulley
- Kelford double valve springs
- Kelford custom grind NA Cams Reduced VVTI advance to allow for full lift at all advance positions
- New Aisin water pump
- All new seals Gates racing kevlar timing belt
- All new timing belt pulleys and tensioner
- Ross billet timing belt tensioner bracket
- Golebys dipstick kit
- New drive belt and drive belt tensioner
- Bosch 550cc injectors
- Hypertune billet rocker covers
- Raceworks Catch can with twin -10 lines
- All breather lines/ balance lines Raceworks AN
- Tuff mounts engine mount kit
- Schembri custom shop one off stainless headers and full stainless tig welded exhaust
- Custom SP Mufflers mid muffler and rear muffler
- New Genuine Denso JZA80 AC Compressor
- Ross crank balancer Golebys 160A Denso alternator conversion
- Alloy radiator
- Schembri’s Custom radiator fan shroud with 2 genuine Spal fans
- All new cooling system hoses and clamps
- Toyota G series 4.11 rear differential with Torsen LSD
- 6 speed R series transmission with short shifter (Inspected by Gearbox Express, Toyota input shaft, 4th gear synchro and input shaft bearing also fitted)
- Xtreme organic hd clutch kit with hydraulic concentric throw out conversion
- MX83 tailshaft / CV Shafts / stub shafts
- KE Conversions clutch pedal box and brake pedal
- Haltech R3 Haltech
- UC-10 Haltech Single channel wideband
- Haltech R35 COP setup
- Haltech fuel pressure sensor
- Haltech oil pressure sensor
- Haltech reverse camera ( displays on UC-10) 4×2 Haltech keypad
- Flux3D custom keypad mount and cluster surround
- Oem GX81 Grande trim in 9.5/10 condition
- Oem brown handbrake centre console and handbrake (floor reenforced with plates to accommodate floor mounted handbrake)
- Oem floor matts Brown leather shift boot
- New brown leather Nardi
- Black likewise ghost shift knob
- Black Likewise shift plate on dash
- Rare factory cup holders LED Flare in interior clip
- Oem Toyota Key + 2 spares
- Japanese de-registration paperwork and auction paperwork available
- Vehicle comes with compliance
- Vehicle comes with three months NSW registration
- Vehicle comes with a NSW roadworthy
On the back of the economic bubble, the Mark II's annual sales volume for 1990 exceeded that of the Corolla, becoming the top-seller in Japan for the first time in its history.75 years of Toyota, Toyota Japan
