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Any Supra fans? 8-)

Iron Chef

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Rest in Peace
26 Feb 2003
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Yes--as you may have guessed from my profile,I am a huge fan of these sleek and sexy Japanese sports cars. They have recently become more affordable (especially out on the West coast) although one can still expect to pay a hefty price especially if you're planning on importing one. In America, Supras were available up until 1998. What makes the Supra so special? Well, it's all about the engine... You see, the 2JZ engine is considered a monster in the auto world, especially in terms of tuning and performance upgrades which if done properly, are able to unleash in excess of 900 hp (although expect to drop some serious cash if you go that route).

I was first mesmerized by the Supra when I was in Japan and was fortunate to make acquaintances with several amateur street racers who gave me an inside glimpse into the world of street and track racing, as well as drifting. Interestingly enough, like so many young Japanese women have preoccupations with spending all their money on the latest fashions and or accessories, these guys dumped ALL their money under their hoods so to speak. I've been hooked ever since and have continued to follow the scene even though I am no longer in Japan atm. In fact, I am probably one of the only American ALT's in my area (at least that I know of) to actually own and drive a new Toyota while there lol. *shudders at Shakken and compliance fees*

Unfortunately here in America street racing per se has a negative connotation to it and it's reputation outside of a few dedicated areas (West coast/Bay area primarily) has resulted in amateurish reckless driving in pedestrian filled areas often times resulting in tragic accidents and it should be noted that I do NOT condone this type of behavior in any way shape or form. There are certainly enough abandoned, deserted, and generally wide-open venues to race if one takes the time to become familiar with the local scene. And if all else fails, you can always pay a few bucks to test your machine at a dedicated track facilty open to the public.

At any rate, I just thought i'd post a few links of a few examples of Supras for my fellow enthusiasts:

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/auto/article/0,12543,423014-2,00.html

Built by Keith Ta who owns the Speed Force Racing tuner shop in San Diego this is a perfect example of what one can do when the sky's the limit (1200 hp!?! yikes!) There is also an especially sweet street legal 600+ hp Civic at this site that has to be seen to be believed...)

http://www.toyota-supra.com/toyota-supra-racing-gallery.htm

Here are some really nice pics of high-end performance modified Supras not for the faint of heart 8-p

StreetRacing.org - The Legend

This site is THE dedicated online community for racing enthusiasts and gearheads alike (of which I am also a member btw). A great meeting place to show off your cars, ask for advice, or plan and coordinate meeting spots if your in the area. Definitely more geared for imports although all makes and models are covered.

👏 :D 👏
 
Great car.
Guess there are not many speedbumps around where you live. :D

Not much fun to own a car like that (or any car for that matter) overhere in Holland with all the import-, ownership- and fueltaxes.
Those make up about 60% of the total owning and driving costs. :(
 
I hear ya there man. It's ridiculous how outrageously high some of the costs can add up to no matter how you cut it 8-(
 
Thought i'd take the liberty to add some Supra pics. All of the following vehicles have been modified with custom VeilSide body-kits btw ("aero-fashion"). In case anyone is not familiar with the company, they are a top-notch outfit out of Japan that focuses on performance tuning in addition to specializing in a wide variety of custom molded body-kits (not only for Supras but a wide range of sporty vehicles).

www.veilside.com (In both English and Japanese)

These first three pics most closely resemble mine (in fact they are identical) and are fitted with the Veilside CI full-fiberglass kit available for JZA80 '93-98 models (mine being the '97 RZ TT).

The following U.S. prices for the CI kit are typical but may fluctuate slightly from time to time.

Front Bumper Spoiler C-I $834.00
Side Skirts $592.00
Rear Skirts $223.00
Rear Wing $592.00
Rear Wing (Carbon Fiber Center Flap) $718.00
Aero Mirror Type II $290.00

All pics courtesy of Veilside (as soons as I get a digital camera i'll be sure to post mine)
:D
 

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Side view of the same car as above...
 

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The next four pics are actually from the CII kit and equally as stylish imho...
 

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Top-down view of the CII...
 

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Another view of the CII (very sharp)...
 

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And the final pic, a side view of the CII...

As you can see, i'm clearly in love with my car (maybe that's why i'm still single, but I digress...) 8-p.
:D
 

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It's a vacuum-cleaner... :)

Veilside are brilliant. I especially liked what they did with the Mazda MX5.

I've done some exterior tuning with one of my previous cars, but i'll never do it again. The price/satisfaction ratio is not high enough for me. If i'll ever spend money on tuning, it will just be engine-tuning.
 
I agree. Some of the work they've done on other models is just plain jaw-dropping. And you're absolutely right about engine-tuning being top priority. I just wish I had the cash to do all the modifications under the hood, heh. 8-p
 
"tune the engine, not the body"

Umm... why would you assume I haven't? Actually, i've already put over 10K under the hood which for most casual enthusiasts is a lot more than they can afford. If you'd like an itemized breakdown i'd be happy to give it to you although considering most members don't really seem to be gearheads per se, i've not gone into specifics nevertheless i'd be MORE than happy to talk shop if you'd like...

Re: the "french jacky" comment, I really don't see how that's warranted at all. It's completely clean without any silly graphics or decals ala "The Fast and the Furious." There are no obscenely shaped spoilers or fins as well as no gaudy colors or striping. Even the rims are pretty solid. And yet you still think it looks wack? I guess we most definitely have a different opinion of what a messed up ride looks like...

I posted the pics merely to showcase some of Veilside's great work for those who may not be familiar with the company. If you don't like the look, that's all fine and good--but please DON'T assume I don't know jacksh*t about tuning my own car when it comes to priorities just because I chose to highlight the CI body-kit in this thread rather than performance tuning...
:)

*edits* Sorry, if I came off as abrasive... I take pride in my car, nothing personal.
 
don't take it so seriously :sorry:

in fact i like the front of the car like on the pics 🙂

it's just that the rear wing is too big (meine Meinung nach). that's it ;)

in the past i wanted to tune my polo too, but it became too expensive for minor modifications (wider tires and an テカttinger preparation for the engine 75->95 hp), so even if i didn't do it, i am part of this movement too

and since i don't have such a large tank, this would have be a viable thing to do (i already consumme 7-8L/100km with a 40L tank :eek: )
 
"i already consumme 7-8L/100km with a 40L tank"

I only get about 17/24 mpg (city/highway) on an 18.5 gallon tank with the manual, while the automatic gets close to something like 19 or 20/24 I think for the same model. In actuality though, it seems like I get even less. 8-( The fact that the curb weight is around 3200 lbs. running on 17" tires with a weight distribution of 51/49% probably has something to do with that. I know there are other ways to increase mileage (marginally) but I guess I can live with what I get for now, heh.

Re: the rear spoiler, it's made of a revolutionary hollow-bead resin/aluminum alloy that's actually 20% lighter than conventional material from what I understand. It really helps to optimize weight distribution and can generate up to 60 pounds of downforce for added high-speed stability (a definite must). In reality it's not as big as it looks, although I hear what you're saying. 8-p
:D
 
well, if this spoiler works :p 👍

btw i pay $1 for 1L of super 🙂 , so the consumption is quite an important factor here :D

but i didn't know the weight balance was so important 🙂
 
$1 per L? Ouch... Actually, if memory serves I used to pay about 90+ yen per liter back in the late 90's so I guess that's not too bad. I always use premium octane and that's always been pretty expensive here as well. Re: weight distribution, it might not be an issue for most cars but with the Supra's low center of gravity and excessive fuel consumption it's definitely a hindrance (albeit minor). 8-(
:)
 
Sure can't argue much with over 1g of handling force. I bet your car can corner as well as it goes straight.

I think the stock look is the most beautiful, but Veilside bodykit is nice too.

LOL if you want to improve your gas mileage, drive like a granny and avoid spooling the turbo. That totally negates the fun of having a supra, though. Depending on your tires' max air pressure capacity, you might also want to run more air to maximize mileage, though you also make you wear your tires down prematurely~
 
"if you want to improve your gas mileage, drive like a granny and avoid spooling the turbo. That totally negates the fun of having a supra, though"

LOL, well put. :cool:
 
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