Hey guys my name is Tom, I'm a 21yr old male living in Queensland Australia. For some time Ive been trawling through the various supra forums for sometime reading for info and to decide what car i might like to buy (mk3 supra of course 
) and decided that i should sign up at supra mania, as it has been the best source of mk3 info in my travels.
Early this year (2009) I started working full time as a psychiatric nurse since finishing my degree in late 2008. With the extra income i could afford the rare and elusive Turbo A variant of the mk3 supra that i had been salivating over during my student years. Surprisingly i found a fine example for a good price in Sydney which is over 900km from where i live. A good friend of mine and I decided to make a road trip in my trusty RA-65 Celica to pick up the turbo A. And then he and I could "super Toyota team special stage" our way home along all the winding highways that would make up the journey back to my city called Toowoomba. The seller was knowledgeable enough and I was happy that the car was a genuine Turbo A from the example pictures on the ad etc.
The trip to Sydney was excellent Having rebuilt the 22r-e engine in the Celica about 30,000km ago, my proud little RA-65 could prove its worth. traveling at highway speeds of 140kmph for extended periods of time all the way to Sydney with little break.
The Turbo A upon inspection was in good condition. all body panels are free of dents and warps. although the paint was fading on the roof and it looked like someone had glued a number plate on the front bumper at some stage and had torn paint off when being removed. The 7m-gteu was impressive. and sounded like god humming Metallica One in an empty pool hall (that's a good thing). The seller of the car worked at Lexus in Sydney and was selling due to having a company car. He told me that the car had been imported by TRD in the late 80's and it was used as a pace car. The second owner was a guy who worked in parts at Toyota who bought the car off TRD after finding it sitting at the TRD warehouse unused. The 2nd owned rebuild the engine (about 2004) and did many upgrades, ill go into detail when i get around to doing a buildup thread. This 2nd owner was going to enter the turbo a into the targa Tasmania road rally but never did and instead sold it to the 3rd and current owner who worked with him at Toyota. Stated power output was 355rwhp @ 15psi.
All this story seemed fine to me. Truth or otherwise i still wanted the car as i was planning to do rebuild for forged internals etc so it didn't have to be in awesome internal condition. I did basic checks, paid for the car and got a bite to eat. and then Graham and i began the long journey home.
The car drove like a dream. solid gruff idle. strong button clutch. ridiculous acceleration. not too laggy. This was a good day.
200km into return journey. DISASTER!!! slowing down from a medium pull through 4th gear i heard the worst noise that any car enthusiast could hope to hear...... the unmistakable death orchestra of rod knock, ohh fuuuuuuuu%*#$@!! I thought to myself flashing my road trip buddy in the Celica with the high beams to signal something was wrong. Upon inspection of fluids it shows that the engine had consumed all of its oil!!! (later found to be caused by lifting head gasket and or / blown seals in turbo). Thus began the long hours of calling tow trucks waiting and driving without sleep until we made the next 350km to Tamworth where i could get some z's at a mates house. Lesson learned, tow trucks cost a lot of cash. there goes the new paint job. The next day consisted of sleep and then a rescue from my old man with rented Ute and car float for the last half of the journey home. Good old dad.
So that was tragic. Upon tear down on the engine it was found that bearing in number five has spun on top of itself.
really messy.
Also the crank was worthless from being warped during bearing failure. but nothing that couldn't be replaced rebuilt. Since then i have been going through the long process of sourcing parts and getting engineering work done and then rebuilding (with a 2nd engine failure 40km into wear in, caused by jammed oil pump relief valve causing starvation at idle) forcing a 2nd rebuild mid year. Currently the car is in turbo shop having custom manifold and dump made up for my shiny new garrett gt3540r turbo. Fingers crossed...
Perpetual state of my car since purchase
Poor neglected jelous Red dragon left out in cold
Completed bottom end. (1st rebuild)
1mm oversize stainless steel valves. big ass springs and titanium retainers from Brian Crower. Got valve train?
Something missing? note oil filter relocation, awesome braided lines and pink Exeddy semi cushion button clutch.
In process of 2nd rebuild. turbo just sitting there. this is that stage where it looks good before all the ugly bits have to go on
This is just before it went off the the turbo shop where it is currently for manifold and dump fabrication.
Work equips on 255 rubber
Baby got back
This is a url to my photo bucket. these pictures are mostly of tear down and first rebuild. i haven't posted more recent ones but hope to do so doon.
http://s578.photobucket.com/albums/ss228/Heafalore/
Thanks tons for the awesome forum guys i hope i can share my experience with all this to contribute back to the group that has given me so much.
ps- i somehow managed to spell beefy wrong in my name.... is there any way to change that?
) and decided that i should sign up at supra mania, as it has been the best source of mk3 info in my travels. Early this year (2009) I started working full time as a psychiatric nurse since finishing my degree in late 2008. With the extra income i could afford the rare and elusive Turbo A variant of the mk3 supra that i had been salivating over during my student years. Surprisingly i found a fine example for a good price in Sydney which is over 900km from where i live. A good friend of mine and I decided to make a road trip in my trusty RA-65 Celica to pick up the turbo A. And then he and I could "super Toyota team special stage" our way home along all the winding highways that would make up the journey back to my city called Toowoomba. The seller was knowledgeable enough and I was happy that the car was a genuine Turbo A from the example pictures on the ad etc.
The trip to Sydney was excellent Having rebuilt the 22r-e engine in the Celica about 30,000km ago, my proud little RA-65 could prove its worth. traveling at highway speeds of 140kmph for extended periods of time all the way to Sydney with little break.
The Turbo A upon inspection was in good condition. all body panels are free of dents and warps. although the paint was fading on the roof and it looked like someone had glued a number plate on the front bumper at some stage and had torn paint off when being removed. The 7m-gteu was impressive. and sounded like god humming Metallica One in an empty pool hall (that's a good thing). The seller of the car worked at Lexus in Sydney and was selling due to having a company car. He told me that the car had been imported by TRD in the late 80's and it was used as a pace car. The second owner was a guy who worked in parts at Toyota who bought the car off TRD after finding it sitting at the TRD warehouse unused. The 2nd owned rebuild the engine (about 2004) and did many upgrades, ill go into detail when i get around to doing a buildup thread. This 2nd owner was going to enter the turbo a into the targa Tasmania road rally but never did and instead sold it to the 3rd and current owner who worked with him at Toyota. Stated power output was 355rwhp @ 15psi.
All this story seemed fine to me. Truth or otherwise i still wanted the car as i was planning to do rebuild for forged internals etc so it didn't have to be in awesome internal condition. I did basic checks, paid for the car and got a bite to eat. and then Graham and i began the long journey home.
The car drove like a dream. solid gruff idle. strong button clutch. ridiculous acceleration. not too laggy. This was a good day.
200km into return journey. DISASTER!!! slowing down from a medium pull through 4th gear i heard the worst noise that any car enthusiast could hope to hear...... the unmistakable death orchestra of rod knock, ohh fuuuuuuuu%*#$@!! I thought to myself flashing my road trip buddy in the Celica with the high beams to signal something was wrong. Upon inspection of fluids it shows that the engine had consumed all of its oil!!! (later found to be caused by lifting head gasket and or / blown seals in turbo). Thus began the long hours of calling tow trucks waiting and driving without sleep until we made the next 350km to Tamworth where i could get some z's at a mates house. Lesson learned, tow trucks cost a lot of cash. there goes the new paint job. The next day consisted of sleep and then a rescue from my old man with rented Ute and car float for the last half of the journey home. Good old dad.
So that was tragic. Upon tear down on the engine it was found that bearing in number five has spun on top of itself.
really messy.
Also the crank was worthless from being warped during bearing failure. but nothing that couldn't be replaced rebuilt. Since then i have been going through the long process of sourcing parts and getting engineering work done and then rebuilding (with a 2nd engine failure 40km into wear in, caused by jammed oil pump relief valve causing starvation at idle) forcing a 2nd rebuild mid year. Currently the car is in turbo shop having custom manifold and dump made up for my shiny new garrett gt3540r turbo. Fingers crossed...
Perpetual state of my car since purchase
Poor neglected jelous Red dragon left out in cold
Completed bottom end. (1st rebuild)
1mm oversize stainless steel valves. big ass springs and titanium retainers from Brian Crower. Got valve train?
Something missing? note oil filter relocation, awesome braided lines and pink Exeddy semi cushion button clutch.
In process of 2nd rebuild. turbo just sitting there. this is that stage where it looks good before all the ugly bits have to go on
This is just before it went off the the turbo shop where it is currently for manifold and dump fabrication.
Work equips on 255 rubber
Baby got back
This is a url to my photo bucket. these pictures are mostly of tear down and first rebuild. i haven't posted more recent ones but hope to do so doon.
http://s578.photobucket.com/albums/ss228/Heafalore/
Thanks tons for the awesome forum guys i hope i can share my experience with all this to contribute back to the group that has given me so much.
ps- i somehow managed to spell beefy wrong in my name.... is there any way to change that?
Last edited:
