Shape Shifter
Text By E.K. Cozzene
Photos By Shaun Carlson
Veilside Body Armor And Dupont Chameleon Hues Make This Supra Hard To Miss
The Toyota Supra twin-turbo moved to the head of the class when it was redesigned for the 1993 model year. The swoopy coupe's 3.0 liter 2JZ-GTE inline six boosts 11.6 psi from twin CT12B turbochargers and puts 320 lively horses to the flywheel. The CT-12B is a fairly small turbo and even with Toyota's trick sequential system it wasn't long before everybody was tweaking these cars. The first method of operation was converting to straight twin-turbo output. Later, bigger turbos and a gaggle of huge single-turbo systems hit the market. As far as styling goes, there are few body shapes that photograph better than the Supra and with an aero package, suspension drop and a set of trick wheels, the Supra is one of the best-looking cars to ever dominate the street.
James Belamide of San Bernardino, California wanted his 1997 Limited Edition Supra twin-turbo to be a standout. Knowing this is a tough task, James laid out a plan of action that would address every aspect of the car. However, the most dramatic statement would be made in the style category. The most significant of these mods can be seen on the sheetmetal. Dupont's new Chameleon paint, which has enough color shifts to scramble retinas in less than 20 seconds, changes color depending on the angle of the light. The length of the car can reflect blue, purple, copper and green all at the same time, or a combination of these hues depending on the angle of the light in relationship to the viewer. The paint scheme was laid down by Estorga's Auto Body of Long Beach, California. Adding to the lustrous Supra is a full-boogie body kit from Veilside, one of the more innovative body kit designers in Japan. The kit features front fascia with aggressive side cooling ducts and a uge central duct that screams "intecool me." The Veilside side skirts continue the hard-core styling theme while the rear wing really sets off the Supra's tail. The kit sports the original Veilside badging. To add further appeal, James bolted a custom vented Combat fiberglass hood on the car in place of the stocker.
The Nuformz fully-polished intercooler looks right at home in tile center of the Veilside front fascia. The Veilside kit includes side skirts and full Veilside badging.
To solidify the look and impact handling prowess, a mean-spirited 19 inch wheel-and-tire combination was bolted onto the Toyota. A pair of 19x10 Blitz Technospeed Z1 wheels and grippy 295/35ZR-19 Yokohama tires provide grip on initial launch. The front is adorned with 19x9 Technospeed Z1s and Bridgestone rubber. The wheels look tucked thanks to a set of Eibach Pro-Kit springs and stopping power has been enhanced with a set of OEM cross-drilled Brembo brakes, carbon kevlar pads and SMC steel-braided brake lines.
One could permanently scramble his or her retinas looking at James Belamide's Chameleon-colored 1997 Supra twin-turbo Limited Edition. The paint, a Dupont product, can take on many hues depending on the light.
The
R.S. Akimito intake and polished intercooler piping are both functional and aesthetically
pleasing. The wick will be turned up under the hood and we're anxious to see the
results.
The engine sports a number of upgrades
including an R.S. Akimito intake system, SARD adjustable blow-off valve, HKS Super Drager
exhaust and a pristine Nuformz polished intercooler. Plans call for a Big Twin turbo
set-up and additional electronics.
Under the hood, the CT-12B turbos are retained in their factory sequential mode with boost pressure increased to 15-16 psi. To fend off detonation a Nuformz custom front-mount air-to-air intercooler is on call. The fully polished intercooler features an APEX core originally destined for a Skyline GT-R. On the induction side of the 2JZ-GTE is an R.S. Akimoto intake system that has been polished and fitted with a high-flow filter. The exhaust side of the in-line six uses an HKS Super Drager system to expel combustion byproducts. Boost control
The interior has been spruced up with a trick carbon fiber dash, Momo Daytona Carbon 3 steering wheel, Veilside shift knob and a host of HKS and GReddy gauges.
The
rear wing finishes off the car in the same agressive manner found throughout the body.
is under the command of an HKS Electronic Valve Controller IV (EVC IV) while a SARD adjustable blow-off valve guards against compressor surge between shifts.
Inside, the interior has received a number of little tricks that add to the Supra's performance aura. A 60mm HKS boost gauge is joined by EGT, oil pressure, oil temperature and water temperature readouts from GReddy. A wild-looking carbon fiber dash inlay serves as an appetizing background for the Momo Daytona Carbon 3 steering wheel that James uses to keep the Toyota on the straight and narrow. There are still big plans in store for this shape-shifting Supra. At the top of the list are a Big Twin turbo set-up from Fastrax and additional electronics from HKS as well as a few more secret modifications. We plan to follow the tuning of this car all the way to the dyno. Stay tuned.
The Source
Blitz U.S.A.
4879 E. La Palma Ave., Ste. 206, Dept. THP
Anaheim, CA 92807
(714) 777-9766
Bridgestone
One Nashville Park, Dept. THP
Nashville, TN 37214-2228
(615) 391-0088
Eibach Springs
17817 Gillette Ave., Dept. THP
Irvine, CA 92614
(714) 752-6700
Estorga's Auto Body
3250 Airport Wy., Dept, THP
Long Beach, CA 90806
(562) 426-2639
Greddy Performance Products
Vanderbilt, Dept. THP
Irvine, CA 92618
(800) GREDDY2 or (714) 588-8300
HKS USA, Inc
2355 Mira Mar Ave., Dept. THP
Long Beach, CA 90815
(562) 494-8068
http:/www.hksusa.com
Momo USA Inc.
2100 NW. 93rd Ave., Dept. THP
Miami, FL 33172
(305) 593-0493
Nuformz
8491 Vicara Or. Dept. THP
Alta Loma, CA 91701
(909) 989-4273
Racing Sports Akimoto
P.O. Box 804, Dept. THP
S. Pasadena, CA 91031
(909) 985-2383
Yokohama
601 S. Acaria Ave., Dept. THP
P.O. Box 4550
Fullerton, CA 92634
(800) 423-4544 or (714) 870-3800
www.yokohamatire.com