By now, I,'m sure everyone is dying to know which all-wheel-drive subframe and rear end is shared with the Scion tC chassis: the Toyota Caldina. Sold exclusively in Japan, the Caldina is Toyota,'s take on a sporty wagon, but more importantly it was offered as an optional all-wheel-drive in certain trims. Using the Toyota Caldina transverse engine and drivetrain would have been relatively easy, but where,'s the fun in that? Since weight balance and distribution were key factors for the build, the decision was made to take the factory engine and drivetrain setup and run it longitudinally. We could have just chopped the firewall to make room for the engine and transmission, but it isn,'t allowed in the Formula D rulebook. Working around this posed quite a problem. It was a herculean task that Gary Castillo of Design Craft Fabrication was up for, especially since he had worked with RS-R in building the Honda S2000 years ago.
For the transmission, we went with a G-Force five-speed with a custom bell housing. The housing bolts up to the motor and is specifically designed to run a tiny 7-inch Tilton triple carbon clutch to help clear the firewall tunnel. And with the engine position changed, we had to scrap the Japanese driveshaft in favor for a new one and have new mounts fabricated.
One of the biggest questions we asked ourselves was which motor should we go with? Discussions about the proper powerplant for the tC led to weight, which then led to balance, resulting in the selection of the 3S-GE Beams motor. Stroked to a 2.2L, controlled by an AEM EMS unit, and boosted by an HKS GT3037 turbo, we estimate power at 400 hp. We,'re also running a Tom,'s dry sump kit to lower the engine as close as possible to the ground, while providing additional clearance for the transmission.
As unique as the car was going to be in the drifting world, we knew we couldn,'t go with a run-of-the-mill body kit. With the help of KC Chow at APR Performance and a widebody kit creation by an undisclosed designer, the fenders and quarter panels come out an additional 2 inches on each side, and the exhaust system exits the center of the rear bumper. The dry carbon doors, hood, roof, and trunk, were all made specifically for this project.
Suspension is obviously handled by RS-R coilovers, along with other custom pieces to help dial-in the handling characteristics of the vehicle. But suspension performance is utterly useless without a good set of wheels and tires. Toyo R1R tires are mounted on Enkei RPF1 wheels, and braking power has been significantly upgraded with Project Mu brake calipers and rotors. Now rocking a widebody stance, wheels in the front run 18x9.5 with an +18 offset on 245/40/18 tires and 18x10.5 in the rear with a +15 offset on 265/35/18 Toyos.
Interior features include a Stack display to watch the rpm, boost, oil pressure, water temperature, and fuel pressure. Sparco seats and harnesses are used to ensure driver safety, along with a Sparco shift knob and steering wheel; all of which have been custom-mounted so that the seat can be pushed back from the factory location to improve the tC,'s weight balance. Behind the driver seat is the dry sump oil tank, and behind the passenger seat is the fuel cell.
Taking a car like the Scion tC and converting it to a rear-wheel configuration may sound as simple as swapping the drivetrain, engine, and subframes, but drifting it competitively is a different story. Only time will tell how this car will do throughout the series. With Ken Gushi as our driver, and with Scion and Toyo on board, we like to think we have a damn good chance. Wish us luck and I,'ll see you at a Formula D event soon.,"