DirefulEvo

Hey guys! I'm a very new owner to my Lexus SC300, it's a '95 and I am the second owner. Being an older man who bought it new, this car has seen very soft use its entire life so I am very excited to have such a clean vehicle.

While this is my daily driver for now, my plans for this car are to increase horsepower either with an engine swap, or boosting the stock 2JZ-GE engine found in it with a NA-T build. I've done exceptional amounts of research into this- I simply need to apply my knowledge now.

However, what matters more to me, honestly, than the power my car generates, is how well it is translated into the ground. I come from a background of several Lancer Evolutions, and those cars drove on rails. It was addictive to see just how far I could push the vehicle before the tires began to chirp (hint: it was pretty damn far).

I'm not much of a drag racer. I think low quarter mile times are awesome but what I really value in a car is the complete package: speed and handling under high stress conditions. Tight cornering is a drug to me, and when I take this vehicle to events, I would prefer to be participating in things such as road racing circuits and autocross- things that test the car and driver's ability to brake, turn, and corner efficiently and precisely.

Now, I know the easy answer would have been to purchase a vehicle that comes from the factory with augmented capability to do these things, such as an M3, or 240sx, for example. I'm not really known for taking the easy route with anything, and I truly just really, really enjoy the styling of these cars, especially with a nice set of wheels and a quality body kit. Absolutely gorgeous, timeless machines. Not to mention overall Toyota engineering is utterly fantastic, so surely engineering based off of original Toyota design certainly has an advantage.

On top of scouring these forums, as well as Supraforums and others for information about the engine, I have been trying to find more knowledge regarding suspension and brake setups for these cars. From what I have gathered, nearly all of the Supra suspension bits are simple bolt-on jobs for these cars, with the notable exception of a couple rear-end bits, such as rear sway-bar end links. Obviously the Toyota Supra TT is an icon in the tuning world, and has been used for a plethora of platforms, from road races, to drag races, to drifting even I'm sure, therefore the aftermarket for this car is astronomically huge. Naturally, this fact lends itself nicely to us SC owners, as many of their parts fit our cars with little hassle, however with the exception I noted earlier with some rear-end stuff.

Correct me if I'm wrong (really just tear me apart, the more critical and thorough in your response, the better, guys- I have read a LOT but a lot of the information here is scatterbrained and vague) but for some of the rear-end bits that are NOT cross-compatible with these platforms, they can be MADE to be compatible with the conversion of the subframe from the SC300 to the Supra TT, which is another one of those bolt-on, easy-peasy jobs, perhaps with some modification.

In my quest to turn my SC300 into a nimble, capable car in the twists and turns, is it advisable to simply overhaul my suspension with OEM supra parts, and from there add aftermarket bits to really hone in the suspension? Or is it really a lost cause with our 3500lb luxury "boaty" (as it's been described more than once) coupes?

This will be a slow, methodical build to be sure, because I like to do things right the first time, hence all this research I have been doing the past few weeks. However, if it is simply a lost cause to really turn this car into a track beast, perhaps I would be better-served counting my coins and saving up for a different platform such as an M3. Would be a damn shame, I truly enjoy the styling of this car, inside and out.

Any advice is welcome, ladies and gentlemen. Please, by all means, steer me in the right direction (no pun intended) with the goals set forth. I don't mind driving a stiffer, harsher ride- in fact, I rather dislike the cushion-y feeling of the stock SC suspension, coming from so many Evos. Anything that could assist me in turning this car into a cornering monster, is a welcome suggestion by this one.

Thank you very much for any helpful advice! Also, trolls are welcome too, since, you know, the new guy needs his initiation flogging. :P

Blkexcoupe

iTrader: (8)

These cars can be made to handle great, but you'll find that due to the age of this car as you modify it and push the car harder more problems will appear. This will be true for any old car, so you'll have to look at the cost of OEM and aftermarket parts to make your decision if this is the right car for you to build.

You can start with the simplest mods like quality coilovers, wider wheels, sticky tires, and better brakes.

If I was starting over with a new SC and looking for a nice handling street car, then my setup would be like this:
- Feal 441 coilovers
- Prothane front and rear polyurethane bushings
- Superpro steering rack bushings
- Enkei NT-03+M 18x9.5 + 27 front 18x10.5 + 30 rear
- Michelin Pilot Super Sports 245/40/18 front 275/35/18 rear
- Supra TT front and rear brake calipers
- Supra TT Project Mu brake pads
- Supra TT rotors (any will work, DBA if I feel like spending extra)
- ATE brake fluid
- Whiteline front and rear supra tt sway bars
- TMS solid rear supra sub frame mounts (for the sways)

The OEM arms provide plenty of adjustment and work great for a street car.

DirefulEvo

Hey man, thank you very much for the response! I very much appreciate it, as well as the quick, concise advice provided therein.

I'll certainly take a gander at those parts. Certainly an excellent starting point- thank you!

I'm very aware that older cars have a tendency to start degrading, especially after being modified and beat on further than what the OM intended it for. But hey, that's why we're car enthusiasts, right?

My intention for this vehicle is to completely revamp it from the ground-up. Because I'm the second owner and the first owner used it as intended (a luxury cruiser) and beat on it little, the vehicle seems to still be extremely sturdy and well-maintained. However, as the car ages, obviously parts need to be replaced.

Nothing is intended to remain stock in this car for me. I want to replace everything I can with better, newer parts to keep it running for a long, long time.

On that note, while I'm here... Are there any suspension-specific parts that are known to be common failure points on these vehicles? I know that Toyota really manufactures solid, sturdy cars that will run forever with the right care (there's a guy running around with a million mile SC4!!) but I live in Hellinois, where the winters are harsh and the roads are caked with salt. Before I do anything at all to this car, I intend on giving it a multi-point inspection and replacing anything that looks even mildly worn or beat up. It is my stout opinion that you need to have a sturdy base car to really build anything significant on first. Again, this car has been babied its whole existence, so I'm not too afraid, but I am a thorough, detail-oriented (admittedly somewhat ****) person and would like to get to wrenching anyway.

I want only the best for my timeless brother to my favorite car ever manufactured, the Toyota Supra, and so I appreciate any advice to point me in the right direction to taking care of my baby.

If the classic guys can keep their 60's-70's icons alive and well, it is my full-bodied intent to keep my 90's icon running well, as long as I am able to turn a ratchet.

Cheers, guys!

Blkexcoupe

iTrader: (8)

If this is true, then your options are replace everything with all new OEM arms or Figs engineering arms for oem replacement. If you want more angle for drifting, then the wise-fab suspension setup or figs engineering pro angle kit are your two options.

The most common wear item would be the bushings on the front LCA (that's why I recommended doing all the bushings). If you have the cash to spend, then I would recommend changing the arms to get new ball joints too. Changing the arms will give you another 100k out of the LCA. Changing the bushing only extends the life and you wait to see if the ball joint ever fails.

The inspection sounds like a great plan to start your build. That last sentence tells me your build is going to be very expensive, but it should be fun.