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| STEVE WILSON |
| 1994 TOYOTA SUPRA TURBO |
| 6 SPEED |
| RED/BLACK |
| HIGHLAND, CA. USA |
 EMAIL STEVE |
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| 11 photos |
| 2760 words |
| May 5th '03 |
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GENERAL:
In 1994, I realized a lifetime dream of becoming the proud owner of a fine sports car; ironically, it was the year of the birth of my first child! At that time, my requirements were simple…I needed to have adequate leg room and head room…basically, I needed to be comfortable. After all, this was to be my everyday vehicle. As a 6 foot 5 inch man, I knew comfort was going to be a rare find in a sports vehicle. My quest lead me to consider all of the impressive sports vehicles available that year, including the Mazda RX7, Nissan 300 ZX, Porsche 911 and 944 as well as the Toyota Supra.
The Toyota Supra seemed to fit the bill on style, leg room (the best leg room of them all) and performance. I opted to buy the naturally aspirated model rather than the twin turbo model simply based on cost during that time, the naturally aspirated costing $38,000.00 versus the twin turbo costing $50,000.00. That decision in 1994 has lead to what many have called an “impossible dream”, the challenge of converting my naturally aspirated Supra into a high powered street driveable single turbo Supra.
The story of this conversion is the story that I have wanted to share with so many of those who ask the question: “Can I take a naturally aspirated Supra and convert it into a turbo Supra?” I had asked myself this question many times and gotten the answer that I should sell my naturally aspirated Supra and just buy a twin turbo. Initially, I thought I would take this advice to heart and I sought to look at the option of buying a twin turbo Supra, but found that they were extremely hard to get, costly, and to convert it into a high powered Supra would cost a significant amount of money. This advice that I initially took to heart led me on my mission to go against the grain and make the conversion. I would not be satisfied with just converting from my 220 horsepower naturally aspirated Supra to a 320 horsepower twin turbo. I wanted at least 500 rear wheel horsepower.
My true understanding of the potential of this vehicle’s power came about when I went to the 2001 Las Vegas Supra Show where I saw many high powered Supras. My hope was to learn of the many conversions that had been done before and the turbos that had been added to the naturally aspirated engines. I was very disappointed to find out that this challenge was rarely, if ever, done and most people or owners that I had talked to about this did not have much advice for me. At Vegas 2001, I met Kenneth Henderson and his beautiful black twin turbo Supra, which I would later find that we live only a few miles away from each other and he had worked with my dad in San Bernardino for a number of years. I had the opportunity to ride back to our hotel with him when a Shelby Cobra 427 decided that he would try to challenge us as we cruised back to the hotel. I was shocked at how the acceleration of this Supra quickly overtook and overpowered the Shelby Cobra 427 (twice!), and as equally impressive was the smooth ride of this vehicle having the new Tein RA coil over suspension system. After that experience I was convinced that I would create a high powered, well balanced, fun to drive vehicle with the naturally aspirated Supra that I had owned for many years.
| ENGINE:
The original 220 horsepower 2JZ-GE motor, with 5-speed transmission, would be completely removed and replaced with a JDM 2JZ-GTE motor with a 6-speed Getrag transmission. I thought it would be easy to obtain these two essential elements to start the conversion. What I found was that they were extremely difficult to get but, with patience and the help of SP-Engineering, I was able to obtain a JDM twin turbo motor in excellent condition with good compression in each cylinder. I picked up the motor from SP-Engineering, as it was initially planned to be used by another customer who just decided not to go through with the project. I wanted to have some hands-on experience with this motor and decided I would completely strip the it down to the block before sending it back to SP-Engineering for final assembly and reconstruction of the motor. With the help of my nephew, Vincent Randle from VR Racing, we stripped the motor down, painted the block red to match the vehicle, polished every part that we could, mocked up and reassembled the engine and presented it back to SP-Engineering for completion, reassembly, and installation.
The next challenge was to find all the parts I would need to do the replacement. My goal was, except for the engine and tranny, to avoid used parts. I was trying to maintain the Toyota reliability (a complete list of all of the parts needed for this swap is listed below). With a 15-20% discount from Toyota, I still spent $6,500.00 in parts. But this was just the beginning; the Turbo system would need to be decided on.
I remember so clearly sitting down talking with Ken Henderson and Alex Shen. We discussed the options available for my 2JZ-GTE motor. As Ken would say, “it’s just like choosing an entrée from the menu of a fine restaurant”. The obvious choice, for me, was the TO4R turbo. The craftsmanship and look of this turbo, along with its ability to meet my short (500rwhp) and long-term (700+hp) goals, made it an optimal choice.
The kit was complete, with downpipe, wastegate and an extremely well designed and gorgeous manifold. Jet hot coating gave a magnificent luster and finishing touch to my engine compartment.
| DRIVETRAIN:
The next challenge was to get a 6-speed transmission. The 5-speed transmission can be used, but the difficulty was obtaining a proper clutch that could handle the power that I was expecting to obtain. There were none available. A 6-speed transmission would be essential along with the appropriate clutch. I found that this used transmission was even harder to get than even the 2JZ -GTE engine. SP-Engineering, again, came through for me, as a customer had sent back their transmission to Toyota for repair. The car happened to be under warranty. So, they received a brand new transmission and the one that was sent back had been remanufactured by Toyota and came back in a Toyota crate. I was able to purchase a remanufactured transmission for $2200.00 (unbelievable).
| FUEL:
The JDM 2JZ-GTE motor comes with small 430 cc injectors. It was necessary to do an initial upgrade to the U.S. OEM 550 cc injectors to achieve the initial conversion. Also, it was important and necessary to add a high performance fuel pump to deliver the necessary fuel to my new turbocharged engine. I then upgraded to the HKS 720 cc injectors with stainless steel fuel lines, a second HKS fuel pump along with its fuel pressure regulator. This allowed my vehicle to meet the initial prerequisite of 700+ horsepower for T04R.com organization membership. Of course, I realize, this only gets me in the door! A Vein Pressure Converter (VPC) along with a Graphic Control Computer (GCC), and rom tuning of the Toyota twin turbo ECU allowed precision control of the fuel delivery system. Further enhancements include an HKS twin power type DLI ignition amplifier.
| ELECTRONICS:
The HKS EVC 3/ATM (atmosphere) boost controller is no longer marketed by HKS. It is extremely sophisticated as it is designed to adjust to changes in elevation automatically. This boost controller was initially designed for the Pikes Peak Rally where elevation changes without appropriate adjustment in boost control can result in power loss. A GReddy exhaust temperature gauge and boost gauge in place of the clock and air conditioning vent provide information as to the car’s safe running condition. This placement allows good visibility and gives the appearance of being factory installed. It was also necessary to upgrade to the twin turbo tachometer.
| BRAKES/CHASSIS:
For me, the logical thing to do was to upgrade my naturally aspirated brakes to twin turbo stock brakes. I initially thought I would follow the crowd and go with the Brembo 13+ inch brakes until I read an article in Car and Driver magazine which named the 1997 twin turbo Toyota Supra the best in 70-0 braking. The automatic Twin turbo Supra was praised for its braking capability of 70-0 in 149 feet. It out performed a Ferrari F50, Porsche 911 turbo, Dodge Viper GTS and Audi A8 4.2 Quattro. Prior to the installation of the new brake calipers, I had them custom painted to match my vehicle and added the chromed letters: “Supra MD”. Finally, I added drilled and slotted rotors and Goodridge stainless steel brake lines.
The chassis was stiffened by a custom painted NA aluminum strut tower brace in the front, a Cusco aluminum strut tower brace in the rear and a Do-Luck floor brace, especially important with the custom intallation of a one-of-a-kind sunroof for the car. The bracing allowed the Tein HA 16 way adjustable coilovers, with pillow mounts, to provide high performance handling and a very smooth ride.
| WHEELS/TIRES:
Dazz Matiz rims, which took three months to arrive from Japan, were my first upgrade. Ironically, I learned my set was the last set to ever be imported from Japan. The rims have a distinctive polish and diamond cut 7 spoke pattern. The front rims are 9 inches wide and the rears are 10 inches and wrapped with Pirelli P-Zero Rosso asymmetric tires (245/40/18 in the front and 275/35/18 in the rear). These extremely quiet tires require some warming up to get the appropriate grip needed for 600+ rwhp.
| INTERIOR:
It is usually difficult to surpass the OEM quality…but in the case of Recaro SRD seats, they do just that. They are extremely comfortable and allow more headroom. I also replaced the OEM steering wheel with a black leather Momo “Race” steering wheel, with hub adaptor, which allows for continued use of the cruise control function. An aluminum spacer by Sparco was added for appropriate arm positioning. The brushed aluminum finish of the spacer adds an eye catching contrast to the black interior. I personally replaced the original tan carpet with OEM Black carpet… “It was fairly easy”. I also added Momo clutch, brake and gas pedals as well as a Skyline GTR shift knob. The stereo system was upgraded with all Clarion components, which includes a 815RX 7” touch screen with CD player, DVD player (with driver’s side visor controller), and a separate six-changer CD player and TV tuner. The entire rear seat was removed to accommodate a custom speaker box. The box contains (2) 10” 500 watt Clarion sub woofers powered by a 1000 watt Clarion digital amplifier. All factory speakers were removed and upgraded to Clarion speakers with separate tweeters with built in crossovers powered by a 480 watt Clarion amplifier. Both amplifiers are nestled where the back seat originally was and black matching carpet was used to cover the custom amplifier and speaker box. | EXTERIOR:
In 1994, at the time of the initial purchase, a custom sunroof was installed by American Sun Roof Company. The motorized sunroof tilts up and slides back for venting. Although unique, in this rare hardtop, I have thoroughly enjoyed the addition of the sunroof. In 1999 the car was painted a slightly darker red than the original color. The front lip and the side skirts were custom painted to match. This gave the car the appearance of being lowered. Phillips 6000K HID headlights were also installed and allow excellent visibility when traveling at stealth speeds at night. | PERFORMANCE:
For me, it seems impossible to explain the feeling of driving a vehicle with 700+ hp. For most car enthusiasts, it is equally difficult to comprehend that a street driveable vehicle with cruise control, A/C, stereo and a silky smooth ride can produce such monstrous power. “The conversion of a NA Supra to a Turbo Supra is a waste of time and money!” But I experienced first hand the reality of this conversion. I recall the amazing power transformation of my 220 hp bone stock NA Supra gliding me 40 miles down the freeway to SP Engineering and then my converted 481 rwhp beast that body pinned me back home. What an experience! I remember my hands shaking after driving the car home that day. With additional tuning by SP Engineering and 93-octane fuel, my car produced 501 rwhp at 1.4 bar. Utilizing 100-octane fuel allowed my car to produce 512.1 rwhp at 1.4 bar, as officially documented in the April 2003 edition of Turbo Magazine. But, my unofficial dyno was 538 rwhp. For some reason, the dyno graph from Skunk Racing would not print out. For those who saw my car on the television program Super 2 NR in January 2003, you will remember the editor of Turbo Magazine, Evan Griffey; he was surprised by the 538 rwhp that my car produced. On April 14, 2003 after adding a second fuel pump, stainless steel lines and HKS 720 cc injectors, my car dynoed 559 rwhp. I was 36 rwhp short of my goal ( 700 hp to the crank; 595 to the wheels), the smaller JDM cams (224 intake; 233 exhaust) were maxed out! How can 559 rwhp be disappointing? It can only be disappointing if you chose to separate yourself from the rest to be a part of the best…found at To4r.com. HKS 264 intake and exhaust cams immediately replaced my JDM cams and on April 28, 2003, the impossible dream became a reality, my turbo converted NA Supra belted out 632.7 rwhp and 575.3 lb-ft at 1.7 bar of boost. What is really impressive, in my opinion, is an all stock internals motor, except for the 264 cams, generated an additional 73 rwhp at the same level of boost (1.7 bar) as the earlier 559 rwhp dyno run, a testament to the power-producing potential of the HKS 264 cams.
The final modification was to change my 4.27 ring and pinion NA differential to a 3.73 TT (auto) differential with a TORSEN LSD. This change was made to accommodate the big increase in power to the rear wheels and to keep the car pointed straight when all I’m seeing is red mist. The 4.27 differential was not easy to give up, in spite of the poor gas mileage and the reduced top speed. The extremely quick spool up (500 rwhp at 4000 rmps) can only be described as my son would say, “ That’s Radical”!
| THANKS:
I have completed my goals for now, but, I know they will change in the future. I challenge those with Supras to continue to set goals for their vehicles. Because, the FUN is not when the goal is achieved, the FUN is the process of reaching towards your goals and all the people that help you along the way. Thank you to my wife Alesandra, my nephew Vincent Randle of VR Racing, my friends Ken Henderson and Mark Witkowski, and the crew at SP engineering, Alex Shen, Rex Kieu and Jason Reinholdt. | EXTRA:
Toyota 2JZ-GE to Six-speed Manual 2JZ-GTE Conversion Parts:
- 2JZ-GTE Motor
- Getrag 6-speed Manual Transmission
- New Clutch (Blitz Twin Disc)
- Factory Twin Turbo ECU
- Factory Injector Resistors with Brackets
- Factory Igniters
- Factory Crank Angle Sensor
- Factory Coil Packs
- Factory Engine Harness
- Factory Gasket Kit
- Factory Oil Filter Housing and Hoses
- Factory Belts, Timing and V-Ribbed
- Factory Power Steering Pump
- Factory Water Pump
- Factory Radiator Hose
- Factory Charcoal Canister
- Factory Cruise Control Cable
- Factory Shifter Brackets, Shaft, Retainer Assembly
- Factory Transmission Mount
- Custom Drive Shaft
- Front Half for Getrag 6-Speed Transmission
- Rear Half for NA Rear end with 4.27:1 Ring and Pinion (Now Auto TT R & P)
- Factory Clutch Cover
- Factory O2 Sensor
- Factory Intake Manifold
- Factory Plenum
- Factory TT Tachometer
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PARTS LIST:
| ENGINE:
HKS TO4R full turbo kit
Veilside Teardrop Titanium Exhaust
GREX Metal Head Gasket (1.2 mm)
ARP Head Studs
GReddy 3 Row Intercooler
GReddy Pulley Kit
HKS Twin Power DLI
DENSO Spark Plugs
HKS Super Sequential Blow off Valve
Jet Hot Coated Turbo, Intake & Exhaust Manifolds and Downpipe
Jun Adjustable Cam Gears
PWR Aluminum Radiator
SP Engineering ROM tuned / Remapped ECU | FUEL:
HKS High Performance Billet Fuel Rail
HKS 720cc Fuel Injectors
HKS Fuel Pressure Regulator Two HKS In-tank Fuel Pumps
Earl’s Dual-Layer Steel Braided Lines
Earl’s Accessories, Fittings and Stainless Steel Hose Clamps | ELECTRONICS:
HKS Turbo Timer
HKS EVC Atmospheric Boost Controller
HKS Vein Pressure Converter
HKS Graphic Control Computer
GReddy 52 mm Boost Gauge
GReddy Exhaust Temperature | DRIVETRAIN:
Blitz Twin-Plate Active Clutch | BRAKES/CHASSIS:
Tein HA 16-way Adjustable Coilovers with Pillow Mounts
NA Aluminum Strut Tower Brace (Front)
Cusco Aluminum Strut Tower Brace (Rear)
Do-Luck Floor Brace
Goodridge Stainless Steel Brake Lines
Custom Painted Front and Rear Twin Turbo Brake Calipers
Slotted and Drilled Rotors, Front and Rear | WHEELS/TIRES:
Dazz Matiz 18x9 Front; 18x10 Rear
Pirelli P-Zero Rosso Tires 245/40/18 Front and 275/35/18 Rear | INTERIOR:
C’s Short Shifter
GReddy 60 mm Peak/Hold Fuel Pressure Gauge
Recaro SRD Seats
MOMO “Race” Steering Wheel with Sparco Extension and Boss Hub Adaptor
MOMO Foot Pedals
Skyline GTR 6-Speed Shift knob
Clarion 815RX 7 Inch Touch Screen with CD player
Clarion DVD Player with Driver’s Side Visor Controller
6-Changer Clarion CD player
Clarion TV Tuner
Clarion 1000 Watt Digital Amplifier
Clarion 480 Watt Amplifier
5x7 Clarion Front Speakers with Separate Tweeters
6x9 Clarion Ridge Speakers with Separate Tweeters
(2) 10 Inch Sub Woofers in Custom Box
| EXTERIOR:
American Sun Roof
Custom Mesh Front Grill |
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turbo: HKS TO4R
pistons: oem
rods: oem
head: oem
cams: HKS 264
boost: 24psi
injectors: 720cc
pumps: HKS x2
fmic: GReddy 3-row
clutch: Blitz twin
nitrous:
rwhp: 632 (dynojet)
circa 743hp at the flywheel
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