The new ride.

I just picked up this 92 SC400 from the Original Owner. 46,907 Miles currently. Has anyone gone down the T56 route? That's going to be the next move before any handling or FI mods.

 

Welcome!! Beautiful car.

Yes there are T56 kits for 1UZ's, i just saw a grannas racing post mentioning they're coming out with a bellhousing and trans mounting kit.

Great idea especially if you're goal is 600+.

 

Wow that thing looks museum quality on the exterior, would love to see the interior too!

Congrats on such a find and good luck with your plans 🫡

 

hello and welcome to clublexus!

 

Thank you! It was my grandfather’s, he was the original owner. The interior is spotless besides some cracking on the center vent trim and window switch.

I don’t want to ruin the car with crazy mods, i think it’s a beautiful example that should be well cared for and appreciated. The only thing wrong with it is that it’s an automatic! I know it’s a great transmission, but if I have a V8 RWD Coupe, I want it to be a manual.

I’ve seen countless posts about transmission swaps, but not a lot about the Tremecs specifically. I want to keep the build “pure” and avoid a Nissan/non-Toyota transmission, unless it’s a Tremec (go big or go home!)

I know there are Supra options, but I’d rather just buy a new transmission from the manufacturer over paying supra-parts prices or have to deal with the hassle of finding someone to do a rebuild on one.

In the meantime, I want to do some maintenance. My grandfather always had this thing dealer serviced, and I’ve done my research on things to lookout for. Can anyone tell me how likely these issues are and if I’m missing any?

• Lower Control Arm Bushings
• Lower Ball Joints
• Power Steering leaks causing alternator issues
• coolant reservoir cracks
• Dash and HVAC/Radio Backlights
• Speedometer/Needles
• Door Hinge Sag
• Window Regulators

This seems like a great forum and I’m excited to join you all! Thanks for your time and help today!

 

Gorgeous example, looking forward to following your journey - and more pictures!

 

Looks like you've covered most of the major things!

I might add the ECU to the list since it's a 92 and it's not getting any younger! Just something to keep in mind if you ever have any related issues.

Along the lines of window / electrical stuff, the telescopic wheel can also be more prone to failure than some other things. I've turned mine off just so that it's not moving more than it needs to. But if anything, apparently the DIY fix isn't too bad.

Thankfully, pretty much everything on that list either has OEM parts still available (dealers, eBay, Amayama) or high quality aftermarket solutions (FIGS and other companies have you covered for the suspension stuff. Tanin has you covered for instrument cluster / climate control / ECU issues. A hose shop can take care of the power steering lines).

I've had a 92 for about 2 years now and haven't encountered any unexpected maintenance issues other than a cracked radiator, a power steering leak, and an oil leak from the driver side valve cover.

Have fun taking care of the car, it's one that will reward you greatly for it!

 

Wow, that thing looks mint! Congrats. Those must be pretty rare because I can’t remember the last time I saw one.

 

Aside from wheels and detailing and a few other tweaks any mods would be criminal IMO. Will devalue the car and probably make it worse.

 

That’s a very nice car! Absolutely stunning. I don’t know much about the T56 manual swap but the CD009 6-speed is popular on these cars now. On the SC400’s I usually see the W58 from the SC300/NA Supra or the R154 from the JDM Soarer/Supra.T56 or CD009 would probably work.

You could check with Quantum Auto. They build kits for the manual transmission swap on SC400’s and have a lot of 1UZ stuff. One of the OG SC400 guys from back in the day, Red Phoenix, worked with them to swap his SC400.

 

Awesome SC to start with!! will be really fun with the manual transmission.
T56 is a solid choice. Cd009 has compromises in fit and shift quality in an SC, the R154 has compromises in holding power above 600 and tail housing seal leak issues etc...
The T56 will pair and install the nicest, but it is the most expensive. Do pay attention to the rear end ratio, for some of those transmissions you likely want a different ratio in the rear end.

 

Thank you! Since posting I've also found out about the V160. Apparently it's the most ideal manual to put into the car (Getrag too). Better to take my chances rebuilding a V160/161 or going for a brand new Tremec?

 

This is super helpful, thank you! Appreciate you helping out a newbie.

 

If you can get your hands on a v160 and find a place to rebuild it without paying a small fortune then that would be a good option.
Generally speaking these days even a core v160 is going to cost more than a T56, hence why most people go straight to doing that now.
Unless you need to keep a supra turbo original, it is not going to be worth it. Even if you shell out the small fortune they can still break and have synchro issues.

Better to go with the transmissions that are still available on the shelf like a T56 magnum swap.
Once you pay for the kit if you do somehow break that transmission you can just swap everything over to a new one and it wont cost another fortune.

The most cost effective while keeping to the originality of the SC is the R154.
Try and get a newer one from a soarer, I wouldn't waste time rebuilding a worn out one it won't be cost effective unless you have a knack for rebuilding transmissions.

 

That’s what I thought at first until I seen some custom SC400s. If he was going to sell it in a few years, I’d say keep it original. But you only live once. As someone who’s built lowriders and had other custom vehicles in the past, custom is always more fun.