It started with
a rough Golf GT.

It started with a 1988 Volkswagen Golf GT. It was in rough shape, but it was mine—and a few small modifications were enough to get me hooked. Buying parts for that Golf led me to Tito Toro, the owner of Evolution in Toronto. That introduction changed the direction of my life. Beyond the cars, Tito became a mentor and the father figure I never had. That connection quickly grew into a friendship that has lasted almost a lifetime.

I eventually started working for Tito at Evolution, doing VTEC Honda engine swaps. From there, I progressed to working on all kinds of cars and building countless projects over the years. Evolution was my home for 23 years. It was where I developed my skills, and where my obsession with building cars kept growing. After those 23 years, I left to open my own shop: MGMT Autoworks.

My second car was a 1989 Honda Civic Si, which is no longer in the collection. Then came CODE RED.

I also owned the “one that got away”: a 1986 Ford Mustang LX coupe. Getting rid of it remains one of my biggest regrets with cars. Perhaps one day, another Fox body will join the collection.

The collection continued to grow with my Jetta build and, eventually, the Acura NSX I had worked toward owning. It grew gradually as I kept working and moving forward.

My first Lamborghini was a 2005 Gallardo. Owning it was a huge accomplishment when I thought about that rough Golf and how far I had come. During that first year, I also acquired the Z06 from a client who was finished with the project. Then, a year after I bought the Gallardo, it caught fire. Losing my first real exotic was heartbreaking—especially knowing how much it had taken to get there.

A year after the fire, I had saved a little more and was able to acquire the Huracán. That car meant a lot after the loss of the Gallardo. Today, it is L8TALWYS, with its own story of going from black to Verde Mantis and continuing to evolve.

EGEV came into the collection around 11 or 12 years ago, when a friend was going through hard times and needed the money. I bought the Civic without really knowing what direction I would take it. That changed when I got my Tesla in 2017. I quickly came to believe that electric vehicles were the future, and I became deeply involved with Teslas. Turning this Honda into an electric car felt like a fitting way to bring those two interests together.

About four years ago, I also found the 1973 Alfa Romeo as a barn find. Bringing it back into good shape will be a huge project, but it is one I am looking forward to. Santos Collection is the story of these cars and the years of work behind them—from that first Golf to the builds still waiting for their next chapter.