Supras. Any good for working on...

Are you kidding? A stock twin turbo supra is stupidly fast! And as far as supra's go they are solid as a rock, like most toyota's, just look for comman faults with any car mate.

There aren't many twin turbo supras available at reasonable (to me) prices though so I'd be going for a none turbo model. Waste of time?

Get a bi-turbo if possible with manual gearbox, leave the outside and exhaust like they are. Wheels can go 1 inch up, too big becomes tatty.

If the engine is stock: learn to drive with 330 HP and bald rear tires and in

6 months get new tires and a 100 HP-upgrade.

In that way you get two new cars in 6 months time.

Take care of your driver's licence ;-)

Yes but a modified one is even fatser, drives even nicer.

Most bang for buck on this side of the universe.

Bulletproof too, so a stockish Supra becomes a rare find. Even more rare if it's equiped with the manual gearbox. Up to 520 HP (coming from 330) everything stays Toyato-together.

A friend, swore until 9 years ago by Lancia (yes hard to believe), took the bi- turbo Supra (silver color, black interior) from the company's computer wizard as replacement car when the Lancia was yett again in repairs.

Never collected the Lancia, bought the Supra from the wiz-kid, still drives it even being entitled to a new car. The Supra has the 450 HP-kit, it's over

250.000 km now, doesn't see the garage except for regular maintenance and every 70.000 a new clutch, purrs like day 1. Heavy on the rear tires for some reason :)

Tom De Moor

go insanely fast,

mate has a oldy style supra before the nicer shape came about, chipped and a small boost hike, runs over 300bhp close to 400bhp i think and it's his daily driver too. says it's comfortable and quick and he can't find another car like it and he's had it for bloody years too. had it for 6 years ish i think and only replaced a shagged water pump! as well as the oil changes and tyres (big power eats them a bit) there solid

What about the NA models. are they as good? Manual turbos are very expensive (Auto turbos are expensive too) but normal injection models start as low as £600 - £700. Standard wheels are 16" aren't they?

I'd have to get a road angel fitted straight away ;-)

Thanks for the reply. The more I look into the Supra the more I can feel myself wanting one.

I've been looking at models from G to J (not sure what model that is) and they're all pretty high mileage too - well into the 100000's - not been to see any physically though, yet. The feedback I'm getting from here and the info I can find on the net point to a reliable, relatively cheap, fun, fast car. Hmmmm, can feel some money burning a hole in my pocket!

most are talking about the last shape supra, which are not cheap, the G reg vintage are 3.0 Straight 6 N/A or Single Turbo charged, with imports reaching a 2.5 straight 6 twin turbo,, its a whole different kettle of fish to the last shape supra.

What kind of Supra?

My personal favourite is the MA70 (86.5 to 92, I prefer the post 88 facelift model widebody). They're very easy to work on /for a 1980s 'Supercar'/ - please not that I don't consider the Supra to be a supercar, but it has some very serious engine technology in it.

They can rust, usual places are rear arches and inner rear arches, plus boot floor.

Worst problem - especially on Turbo models, but on all of them to a rather greater extent than other cars - is the blown head gasket. Having said that a correctly retorqued and serviced 7M-G(T)E is a tough engine. It was designed to be bulletproof, but then the factory didn't torque the heads properly. Idiots.

Cheap upgrades from the US for 4-pot calipers and such. Suspension is expensive to sort properly.

If you want fast and fun, get a UK-spec pre '91 Turbo Manual. Be quick, there are about 400 left on the roads. Mine is a 3.0 N/A. Auto and I love it, but it's by no means a fast car and they're big and wide; the Sera has taken over shopping duties since my third-car parking space is tight as hell and the Sera takes three turns as opposed to 8 or more to get the Supra in tidily.

I don't like Mk IV Supras - but they're very similar; more engine complexity with VVTi models, more power across the board, more expensive, and IMO more common, especially imports - but they do mark the point where the Supra could legitimately be called a supercar.

Richard

If it's decent and non-auto, expect to pay at least £1,500. Any less, run away unless it has disclosed, obvious and fixable defects.

I paid £1,500 for my '89 Auto. Sometimes I wonder if I paid too much, then I read about other people's expensive Supras (and look at them), okay, mine is faded a little, but it's not rusty and it just sailed through the MOT needing only brake pads.

G-J is, IMO, the nicest MA70 era.

Richard

I wouldnt call that a supercar, its a touring car, the newest one is sportier but by no means super...

Yep. Lardy and slow.

Twin Turbos is the only way. Go drive a few, you'll end up saving the money for as long as it takes for a twin turbo. Mates just did a 9.4s 0-100... (overboost...)

Just spotted this in autotrader:

1991 TOYOTA Supra 3.0i Twin Turbo

H reg. 11 months MOT, very clean, just serviced, full electrics, alloys, full leather, nice clean car. £1,350 . ono.

In article , depreso snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com=20 spouted forth into uk.rec.cars.modifications...

That will be a series 3 (big bruiser cruiser) loverly car, but can look=20 a little dated. I think it was arround 93-94 that the later ones=20 happened wasn't it?

--=20 Carl Robson "Sorry Sir the meatballs are orf" (The poster formerly known as Skodapilot)

In article , snipped-for-privacy@none.com spouted forth into uk.rec.cars.modifications...

small boost hike, runs

comfortable and quick

I looked at a 1990 Series 3, but decided I couldn't afford the fuel or license risk.

And a 2.0.

Only in terms of the initial expense and the power output and relative complexity of the engine. The MA70 is still a very complicated car with a sophisticated suspension setup.

Richard

Christ, I'd be surprised if my N/A auto hits 60 in that time ;)

Richard

Import, of course. Which means silly insurance generally, especially if modified, and they're a real PITA to get bits for because of the age.

If you're looking at imports then the best thing to do is find an Aerotop - then you're getting something genuinely different.

Richard

It's an MA71(70) (I can never remember what the MA71 is, maybe it's the Aerotop body). Anyway, it's an import, it's not the Mk IV biturbo, and they do go for that sort of price on account of 'not being the Fast 'n' Furious' Supra. Innit. Personally, I'd be spending £2,500, looking for an Aerotop, and reading mkiiisupra.net forums /very/ closely indeed.

Richard

The price.

They're *crazily* expensive to buy - infact, they hold their value so well, that they're stupidly overpriced these days :/ (ten grand for a 10-year old big-power car is just loony)

Parts are expensive too, and sometimes (very) hard to get hold of.

If money's no object, then they're great cars - head gasket is the only real weakness that I know of.

If you're talking about the old Mk3s, then none of the above is relevent - they're available for pocket money these days, so just run it till it dies, then buy another.