| JAKE HERRON |
| 1994 TOYOTA SUPRA TURBO |
| 6 SPEED |
| RED/BLACK |
| LIMA, OH. USA |
 EMAIL JAKE |
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| 11 photos |
| 1421 words |
| December 2nd '03 |
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GENERAL:
Like many people on this site, I have liked fast cars for as long as I can remember. I, however, grew up in a “domestic-only” family. Some of my previous cars consisted of several Mustang GTs and Trans AMs. It wasn’t until I took a sales position at a Honda/Toyota dealership that my eyes were opened to the Supra. At the time, I owned a ram-air trans am with several popular bolt-ons and a 200 shot of nitrous. A local guy in town traded in his 94 supra with over 190,000 miles to me. It was the first one I had ever seen in person. I had always heard about them, but there are just not many in this area. I saw the wide tires on the rear and I laughed to myself and wondered why he would ever need 275s on the back of a 6 cyl. I would soon find out why.
The car had only a few basic mods so I decided to take it for a drive. Needless to say, I fell all the way in love. The car surprised me with its wonderful combination of acceleration, handling, and stopping ability. It pulled harder than my worked over V8!! (off the juice) The annual Auburn auto auction was that coming weekend. Without hesitation, I sold my TA that Saturday at the sale and my search began! After some seriously dedicated and frustrated searching, I found my car. It was a 94 6-speed red Supra that had a straight, accident-free body. I drove the car back to Ohio from Maryland and immediately started modifying her a bit. I started with the BPU mods as soon as I got back, which really made the car pull hard. I managed to put down 403 rwhp with just basic bolt-ons. What an unbelievable power difference with just minor mods.
I live smack dab in the middle of Ford country. (We have a plant right here in town.) As soon as I started bringing the Supra around instead of the Trans Am, everyone wanted a piece of my in-line six. That didn't last long at all. A few guys with Mustangs and Camaros got an education and the challenges stopped. The constant search for more power and the tips I learned exploring t04r.com have helped shape my car into what it is today. Check back for updates on my set-up as they happen…. I am far from done with this car. I’m having more fun every day that I own the car and am always looking for something else to do to it. |
ENGINE:
Like a lot of guys here, my engine is pretty much stock. Amazing stock build quality for the power levels we are reaching. I decided to go with the T04R kit because I drive the car daily, I wanted quality parts and HKS is known for quality. I also wanted a very streetable kit with big top end power. I couldn’t be happier with the T04R… Smooth as silk around town and crazy when you get on the gas. I went with the GReddy 3-row FMIC because I have seen a lot of guys running huge power through them and still allowing great airflow to the radiator. I chose to run dual HKS SSQ BOVs because I love the sound of them at high boost. People can hear me shifting blocks away in town.
While we’re on the subject of sound, I decided to go with an open wastegate set-up on my car. If you have never heard an open wastegate, click on my race video elsewhere on this page. The sound really freaks out the guy next to you. It’s absolutely hilarious. As long as you’re driving at normal speeds, and using a normal amount of throttle, it is quiet as can be. The loud V8 that pulls up beside you thinks he has a chance. As soon as you hit 4000 rpm at full throttle, the wastegate opens and all hell breaks loose. I love how the car feels and sounds like it has a double personality! I also have the GReddy Power Extreme exhaust for its nice deep, powerful sound without being raspy and obnoxious. Since I work at a Toyota dealership, I try to use TRD parts as often as possible, so I run the TRD upgraded clutch. The drivability with this clutch is great and it really holds the power well. |
FUEL:
I decided to go with the proven dual in-tank OEM pump setup, -6 AN braided steel fuel lines, and GReddy 720cc fuel injectors. The GReddy injectors sit in an HKS billet high-flow fuel rail. I wanted a system capable of 700 rwhp and great idle quality for daily driving. I couldn't be happier with this set-up. It's very efficient, and I haven't had a single problem with it. |
ELECTRONICS:
For now, I have stayed with the stock ECU and I run the standard piggyback electronics. They consist of the GReddy Profec B boost controller, the HKS Vein Pressure Converter (VPC), and the Apexi S-AFC II. The S-AFC II is so easy to tune on the dyno and it is very consistent for daily driving. These components have been great but I will probably be going with the AEM EMS set-up soon. |
BRAKES/CHASSIS:
The Supra brakes are simply amazing. I have not skimped in this area. I just haven’t seen a reason to upgrade yet because they are so efficient and fit my driving habits well. I have added a front TRD strut tower bar and a custom roll cage for chassis stiffness and safety. I went with the Volk Racing AV3 18-inch wheels because I think it is a very clean looking and well-built wheel. Volk Racing is also known for making very light weight and very strong forged wheels. Even the huge 18 x 10s on the back are a lot lighter than most smaller wheels. Power hits the ground through a set of Nitto 555 extreme performance tires. |
INTERIOR:
I do show the car some even though I drive it daily. I really enjoy the show scene; there are a lot of nice people and some great events to go to out there. I did a few things to the interior to try and stay competitive. I replaced the stock black leather seats with red Sparco Torino seats. The whole theme of the car is red, black and silver so I had the roll cage painted a custom silver to match. The sub and amp are also compliant with the theme of red, black and silver. I had a custom system in the trunk but have since relocated it to the back seat so the rear can be easily accessed to make future changes to the fuel system. I like the stereo a lot better in the back seat area. I can still use the trunk to haul things and I think it does a better job for weight distribution and handling to have the stereo inside the wheel base of the car. The local stereo shop here in town removed the bottom of the rear seat and fabricated a custom integrated box that looks like Toyota meant for it to be part of the car. |
PERFORMANCE:
So far, I have turned the wheels of the dyno to the tune of 629 rear wheel hp and 549 rear wheel tq. This was done when it was 83 degrees outside and 90 % humidity. I’m very happy with these numbers with this set-up since I'm still on STOCK CAMS, an unopened engine and especially since my car has just over 120,000 original miles on it! Since it is a daily driver, I would also like to add that I average 20 + mpg on the highway. Not bad for a 700 + Horsepower car. |
EXTRA:
Suspension is next on my list of things to do. I'm still deciding which way to go (Eibach or full coilovers). I am leaning towards the Tein Flex kit so far. I also plan on adding a set of HKS 264 cams as well to up the horsepower just a little bit more. It is my goal to build a car with the best combination of acceleration, drivability, ride quality and handling. I think the Supra is one of the best platforms out there to do this with. |
PARTS LIST:
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ENGINE:
HKS T04R Turbo Kit with .96 A/R Polished and Swain Coated
HKS Manifold
HKS GT Wastegate
HKS SSQ BOVs (2)
GReddy 3-Row FMIC
Denso Iridium Spark Plugs
HKS Intake |
FUEL:
GReddy 720cc Fuel Injectors
HKS Fuel Rail
Toyota In-tank Fuel Pumps (2)
Aeromotive Fuel Pressure Regulator
Braided Steel Fuel Lines |
ELECTRONICS:
GReddy Profec B Boost Controller
HKS Vein Pressure Converter
Apexi S-AFC II
HKS Turbo Timer
HKS Fuel Cut Defender |
DRIVETRAIN:
TRD Clutch |
BRAKES/CHASSIS:
TRD Strut Tower Brace |
WHEELS/TIRES:
Rims: Volk Racing AV3 18-inch wheels, 18x9s, 18x10s
Tires: Nitto 555 Extreme Performance, 235/40/zr18, 285/35/zr18 |
INTERIOR:
Sparco Torino Seats
Custom Roll Cage
Custom Sub
White Face Gauges |
EXTERIOR:
AB-Flug Hood
Bomex Side Skirts
Wings West Front Lip |
