Take a Closer Look at This Crazy Ferrari 458-Powered Toyota 86
Perhaps the wildest engine swap in history makes one heck of a drift car, too.
Heart Transplant
It was all the way back in 2016 at the SEMA show when pro drifter Ryan Tuerck pulled the covers off one of the craziest builds the world had ever seen - a Ferrari 458 Italia-powered Toyota 86. Tuerck and his crew ditched the car's stock 2.0-liter four-cylinder powerplant in favor of a sweet-sounding 4.5-liter V8, which was a process that proved quite a bit harder than they probably though it would be.
Photos: Ryan Tuerck
Overcoming Challenges
The 458 is a mid-engine car, of course, so moving the V8 to a front-mounted configuration in the 86 presented quite a few challenges. But now, with custom headers and exhaust, it's a proper flame-throwing beast. The setup wound up producing around 560 horsepower at the wheels, which is more than enough for this little sports car.
Photos: Ryan Tuerck
>>Join the conversation about this crazy 458 swapped 86 right here in the ClubLexus forum.
Showing Off
The end result is a car that'll never fail to make anyone do a double-take. After all, this is a Toyota that sounds like a Ferrari - and what's crazier than that? Tuerck recently showed off his wild machine in this cool video from the Hoonigans, in which he talks about the build with photographer and YouTuber Larry Chen.
Photos: Ryan Tuerck
>>Join the conversation about this crazy 458 swapped 86 right here in the ClubLexus forum.
And Idea is Born
The car, which Tuerck affectionately refers to as the GT4586, was born out of the drifter's desire to build something truly crazy. He originally ditched the idea of installing a Formula 1 engine in the car because of the prohibitive cost, but a supercar powerplant was the next logical choice.
Photos: Ryan Tuerck
>>Join the conversation about this crazy 458 swapped 86 right here in the ClubLexus forum.
Overcoming Problems
The Ferrari V8 is a DOHC, 90-degree design, which means that it's extra wide. The engine also utilizes a rather tall intake, which necessitated quite a bit of fabrication to the wiper tray, which was cut out so the throttle bodies would fit, and also provide a clear path for the intake piping. On the plus side, it looks ultra-cool, too.
Photos: Ryan Tuerck
>>Join the conversation about this crazy 458 swapped 86 right here in the ClubLexus forum.
Transmission Problems
The other big problem here was the transmission. The stock Getrag 7DCL750 dual-clutch 7-speed unit in the Ferrari is computer-controlled, and reprogramming it to work in this application would have been an extremely complicated process. So Tuerck and his team opted to go with a five-speed sequential gearbox from Fortin Racing instead.
Photos: Ryan Tuerck
>>Join the conversation about this crazy 458 swapped 86 right here in the ClubLexus forum.
Dream to Reality
Perhaps the most amazing thing about this Ferrari-powered 86 is that it went from concept to reality in mere months. It's a true testament to the engineering prowess of Tuerck's team, not to mention the racer's vision. But that's one of the many reasons why we love the automotive enthusiast world so much - if you can dream it, chances are, somebody's going to do it.
Photos: Ryan Tuerck
>>Join the conversation about this crazy 458 swapped 86 right here in the ClubLexus forum.
For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.