Lexus SC300 - Triumphant Return

While the majority of the T78 kit's install process proved to be a straightforward affair, fuel supply and management tasks reminded Chen of the pains in undertaking a project as experimental as this. Like its 2JZ counterpart, the 1JZGTE engine uses a side-feed fuel rail in stock form. When increasing fuel flow, most 2JZ tuners have several options available to convert to a top-feed fuel rail, allowing easier positioning of injectors as a side benefit. Unfortunately, 1JZ tuners don't have this luxury. The easiest way to overcome this obstacle, Chen found, was to have a custom side-feed rail CNC'd to accept his new 800cc/min injectors and the flow of two in-take Walbro 255lph fuel pumps that feed them. Equally as much of a P.I.T.A as the fuel delivery system, is its accompanying management system. As far as he searched, Chen couldn't find a stand-alone fuel management system dedicated to his 1JZGTE/SC300 automotive cocktail, so an A'pexi Power FC, intended for the JZA80 Supra, was eventually adapted to work.

"This is as far as it goes," Chen laments, laughingly, "I want to be able to drive this car and enjoy it for what it is." In the time that has passed between this writing and the completion of the SC's build, nothing has changed with the car. And we doubt anything will, anytime soon. "I'll take it to the track soon, just to see what it can do," Chen says, "but just for fun-its not a track car. I'm finally getting to put some miles on it now, and I can't get enough of it. I want to be able to drive it everyday."

He tells us his goal from the start of the project was simply to create a clean, potent street car that he can enjoy daily. With the unrivaled blend of practical luxury, subtle JDM-inspired style, and powerful performance his SC has come to embody, we believe him; it's clear Chen has accomplished his goals, and to a degree few will ever match. But what we suspect, though he hasn't said it, is that what he was really after by building this car, was a way to reclaim something he'd nearly lost years ago: the passion he felt in his first days as an enthusiast; when being such was about camaraderie, discovery, and recreation, rather than competition and victory. What's most impressive about Jeff, even more so than the car he built that's presented on these pages, is that he was able to find that balance between passion and restraint that comes with the realization of having nothing to prove, while recapturing the simple enjoyments that are so fleeting for many of us as we strive for progression in this game.

Head to the message boards at www.importtuner.com to chat about this feature Vehicle

Name.Geoffrey Chen

Age.Young At Heart

Hometown.Los Angeles, Ca

Occupation.Top Secret

Hobbies.Building Dope-Ass Cars

Build Time.Long Enough

Feedback.Top Secret

By Eric Kieu

Enjoyed this Post? Subscribe to our RSS Feed, or use your favorite social media to recommend us to friends and colleagues!