Dream cars are rare breeds. They can incite bench racing, daydreaming and lusting. Even though you're sitting behind the wheel of your own daily driver, these rides are the ones you pretend you're driving on the way to work. To the worldwide automotive industry, there are Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsche Carrera GTs. For us, there are Toyota Supras, Acura NSXs and Nissan Skyline GT-Rs. Obtainable enough to catch a glimpse of them on the road or at a show, but not obtainable enough for actual ownership.
These are the cars everybody jostles to pick first when they grab a controller for Gran Turismo. Obviously fan favorites. Sometimes 2NR has to feed the dream. Having previously built an incredibly sick turbocharged, 3S-GE-powered IS 300, Oscar Ramos knew his 1993 Toyota Supra had to be just as show stopping. Scouring the land for the perfect combo, Ramos found the blank slate he was looking for. The only downside? Lots of dents-it was practically a junker. The perfect situation for a resurrection.
Tackling the Toyota head-on, Ramos pulled the existing motor in favor of a newly built one. Assembled by R1 Motoring of San Gabriel, Calif., the 2JZ-GTE inline-six no longer makes use of twin turbochargers. This Supra makes use of the incredibly difficult-to-source Powerhouse Amuse GT30 single turbocharger kit, thanks to some big favors called in by Bulletproof Automotive of Gardena, Calif. Resting on top of a Powerhouse Amuse tubular exhaust manifold, the kit makes use of the HKS 3037 turbocharger. Even more impressive is the fact that Ramos has the only Powerhouse Amuse kit in the United States. Usually only installed in Japan by Powerhouse Amuse, the kit requires so many supporting mods and details that the techs only feel comfortable doing the work in-house.
Fitted with an HKS head gasket and cam gears, the motor still uses stock internals and no head work. Breathing through an HKS air intake, the 3037 turbo exhales into a Powerhouse Amuse downpipe and out a 3-inch Powerhouse Amuse Titan exhaust system. After being smashed though the turbo's compressor side, hot air rushes into ARC intercooler hard piping and through the ARC front-mount intercooler-unless the ARC blow-off valve has anything to say about it. Adjusted by an HKS fuel pressure regulator, our California 91-octane piss juice pumps out of a Walbro fuel pump and into an HKS fuel rail, before blasting out of the HKS 800cc injectors.
Cooling duties fall to the ber-expensive and high quality ARC radiator and cap, which will run you more than you want to imagine. Other engine additions include the Cusco oil catch can, Optima battery and ARC oil cap. The intake manifold isn't aftermarket; it's stock Toyota, polished for the show scene. Running off of an HKS F-Con V Pro tuned by SP Engineering, this Supra makes 370 wheel hp at 17.6 psi of boost.
Although final tuning hasn't yet taken place, Ramos didn't build his car to be a 1,000-wheel hp dyno queen. This is a street car, so Ramos doesn't have to make as many compromises as a peak-power car would. A wide powerband is held with an ACT twin-plate clutch and pressure plate that spins a Kaaz limited-slip differential. No six-puck race clutches, more than 200 revs of useful boost and Ramos still enjoys this car on the way home.
What strikes you most on first glance are the gold Volk TE37 wheels, which work perfectly with the Lexus RX 330-sourced Crystal White paint job. Covered in 235/35-19 and 265/35-19 Toyo T1-S tires, the TE-37s stretch 8.5 inches wide in the front and an impressive 10.5 inches in the rear. In contrast to many other Supra owners, Ramos only rolled his fenders to avoid rubbing issues with the TEIN Type Flex suspension; he didn't do any other flare or fender work. Hiding behind those Japanese rollers is a set of binders from the big time: a six-piston front Project Mu brake kit with 14-inch, two-piece slotted rotors. Roughly $3,400, these brakes cost more than some cars.
With the exquisite white and gold color scheme and a touch of Project Mu tint, the shape of the body was attacked. TPR Autobody fit the Border Type-I front bumper and side skirts to the car and finished repainting the chipped front mere hours before this photo shoot. The rear bumper remains stock, although a Top Secret carbon-fiber lower diffuser with wind generators was fitted. This mod list sounds simple enough on paper, but shipping parts from Japan meant a three-month lead-time to finish the body.
Although Ramos doesn't drive this Supra to work everyday, it still remains a street car. As such, all mods were chosen for both practicality and cleanliness. A pair of leather Bride ERGO seats hold the occupants in comfort, while a simple Alpine head unit upgrade lays out some smooth tunes. Like touching Japan itself, the driver interface has been upgraded with JDM style. The Top Secret steering wheel and ARC shift knob help Ramos wring the living hell out of his Supra, which he can watch on his 60mm Dfi-Link Meter BF oil temperature, water temperature, oil pressure and EGT gauges. Cut into the dash along with the gauges, a GReddy turbo timer and electronic boost controller are only a touch away. Final interior touches include the Bride floor mats, tweed headliner, carpet and, of course, the JDM flare near the front passenger's feet.
With an expertly assembled collection of modifications most of us can only dream of owning, Ramos has built himself a bona fide dream car. You may be driving an economy compact, but you know you want this Supra. Try to keep reality and fantasy separate though. Don't go and sell all of your worldly possessions to build your own Supra. For a cool $60,000 Ramos might consider giving you the pink slip to his baby, built and ready to drive. Make sure the check doesn't bounce.