Collection of great mkiii performance articles

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origionally posted by Shawndude:

The following articles were taken from Google cache. They used to be located at this address: www.cpinternet.com/~lellis/rls10.html

They are posted here so they will not be lost forever, if the original website doesn't come back up. I have not seen these anywhere else on the web.

-Super Supra Shootout : 300+ Horse Supra Turbos You Can Build (July, 1988 Turbo & Hi-Tech Performance).
-SupraSonic : Stock & Modified Toyotas Go Head-To-Head in Our 150+MPH Test (July, 1988 AutoTech).
-Samurai Gunslinger Looking For a Showdown : CarTech Supra (July, 1988 Motor Trend).
-Kamikaze Supra : A 300-bhp Turbo Upgrade From CarTech (October, 1987 Automobile

UNLEASING SOME SERIOUS POWER FROM TOYOTA'S HEAVY HITTER
1988 brings the Toyota Supra owner one of the most extensive lists of aftermarket performance options available to any import, and with excellent reason. . . it responds!

STAFF REPORT
Since it's introduction as an '86 1/2 model the flagship of Toyota, the Supra, has received a varied reaction from enthusiasts. On the one hand, the inline 6-cylinder, 3.0-liter with 4-valves per cylinder offers as smooth and fluid a transition of power as this writer has ever driven and reflects a welcome inprovement from the earlier 2-valve, 2.8-liter unit. On the other, in naturally aspirated trim the 200-horsepower and 185-ft/lbs of torque do nothing to mask the increased weight of the new chassis.

The '87 model brought power hungry Toyota buyers a new choice in the form of the intercooled turbocharged model. With 230-hp and 245-ft/lbs torque the new Supra Turbo rewards the driver with enough power to motivate it more than 3500 lb mass to consistent 7.0 sec 0-60 runs and low 15 second passes in the mid 90's through the quarter mile. With our stock '88 test model we witnessed a best time of 6.89 in the -60 proving it close to a second quicker than our tests of the stock Nissan 300ZX Turbo.

Subjectively, acceleration aside, the biggest improvement we witnessed in playing with both versions of the car was the massive increase in mid-range torque. This torque adds flexibility to highway driving and means dropping down a gear is just not required in most maneuvers, except those beyond the limits of prudent social/moral behavior. Unfortunately those of us without the pressures of a conscience still find the performance envelope to be less than hoped for on the world's first inline six, 4-valve per cylinder, intercooled turbo engine. (NOTE: we have found with the Supra, they take several thousand miles to get broken-in and we have noted differences in zero-to-sixty times of several tenths of a second between a stock Supra with less than two thousand miles and one with 15,000 miles on it).

In terms of chassis, the stock Supra is equipped with what can only be referred to as, "THE RIGHT STUFF" with the only unequal legth A-Arm suspension from Japan. To set the record straight, there as few production vehicles that can lay claim to this state of the art race car chassis technology, those coming to mind are, Porsche's 928 S-4 and some of the new Mercedes line. Again though, the state of tune in the chassis is more refined than ready and eager. For a more detailed look at the base Turbo Supra, see the January 1987 issue of TURBO.

In both the engine and the chassis, the excellent foundation found in the base Supra Turbo makes upgrading the performance both reasonable and a relatively easy task. As far as engine performance goes, five manufacturers, Borla, Cartech, HKS, and Spearco, Turbo Accessories (Going) and TRD (Toyota Racing Development) offer a variety of components to enhance engine performance. The most reasonable first step being a low restriction exhaust system as independent testing has shown that the back pressure from the standard system is approximately equal to boost pressure at about 5800 rpm under full load.

EXHAUSTING STUDY
The stock exhaust has three basic points of restriction, first on the turbine discharge tube there is a pre-catalyst, second at a bolted flange placed in the area of the clutch bell housing there is the main converter and at the rear of the car a massive muffler. Before modifying our car we sought out and found baseline back-pressure info from tests conducted during the development stage of one of the aforementioned manufacturers.

The tests showed that at stock boost pressures of 6.8 psi, the total system restriction is 6 psi. The restriction brakes down to 3 psi in the front of both converters together and surprisingly, a like amount is found in front of the muffler. This means that for a change, a smog legal version using the muffling properties of the pre and main converters coupled to an ultra low restriction muffler can allow for impressive gains in both response and overall horsepower. Our hat is off to Toyota's cat, which several aftermarket manufacturers have noted is one of the best found on a Japanese car to date.

Looking at the eight different exhaust systems from four different manufacturers can be complicated, but with the help of Pacific Coast Performance in Santa Ana, California and their 500-horse Clayton chassis dyno we were able to get some power readings on some of the systems.

BORLA makes two different systems, both of T304 stainless steel construction featuring a lifetime warranty. Both Borla systems employ 2.5" diameter mandrel bent tubes and a single 2.5" inlet, dual 2" outlet drilled core muffler. Borla has been using the drilled core technology the longest of the various competitors. Cartech and HKS both use similar mufflers and say they do so to allow for the greatest available flow area within the limited space. Looking at Borla's two systems, the first starts after the cat and the other, as tested, includes a new headpipe without the pre-cat, as well as a main cat by-pass. Our initial testing on the unit was performed with the main cat in place and showed a 30-horse gain at the rear wheels at 5000 rpm with no other modifications. In later testing, with the Cartech intercooler, on both the dyno and at the drag strip we enjoyed a slight improvement with a cat by-pass in place.

CARTECH makes the widest variesty of exhaust systems with four. Included are bold mild stainless steel systems and both are available in legal (after the converter) and "off-highway" (turbo outlet to rear bumper systems). Like the Borla and the HKS versions, all Cartech systems bolt together in the stock locations and employ stock hangers and are built using 2.5" diameter mandrel tubes. Cartechs mild steel versions use two side by side steel packs at the rear of the car, while their T-304 units use a Borla muffler, utilizing a 2.5" inlet size with two 2.25" pathways and outlets. It should be noted that the Cartech version had slightly longer outlet pipes in back of the muffler which would prevent any discoloration if a body kit such as the Kaminari unit shown is employed. The T-304 stainless, using the Borla Muffler and 2.5 inch tubing system was tested with both converters in place (horsepower for the Cartech unit was not tested independent of other modifications).

HKS manufactures one system which is a fully aluminized 2.5" competition system starting right at the turbo going to a straight-through muffler in the position of the factory main converter and continuing back to an HKS single 2.5" inlet by dual 2" outlet aluminized muffler. The HKS system can be installed with or without (for racing use only) the cat. Our chassis testing has shown that bolting on the competition systems (no cat) from the various manufacturers averages a 35+ horsepower increase to the rear wheels at 5000 rpm with no other modifications. The HKS system proved this out with a dyno verified 36 total rear wheel horsepower increase in our tests.

 

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SPEARCO PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS markets one system, an aluminized unit which starts at the back flange of the cat and uses 2.5" mandrel bent tubing joining to a low-restriction Walker Super Turbo muffler which shows a marked reduction in back pressure from the factory system. The Spearco unit is the only system using the reverse flow muffler technology and is also the only system exiting the car with just one chrome outlet.

It should be noted with the horsepower gains on all of the tested exhaust systems that the boost pressure did increase slightly, about 1 to 2 psi due to the lower backpressure. This also allowed the turbo to spool-up faster. Our conclusion: if your performance budget is limited and you are only going to be able to make one modification to your Supra, a performance exhaust system should be the first item on your list, and with eight different systems from four different vendors Supra owners have a very good choice of product and pricing levels.

INCREASED BOOST
There are several devices available to turn up the boost on a Turbo Supra, ranging from Spearco's simple bleed-off set-up using a "T" fitting and a hose, to different manual boost control valves including the HKS (Electronic Vavle Controller) and Cartech's newly updated QCBC (Quick Change Boost Control). The factory has built in a fuel cut circuit which shuts things down at between 11.4 and 13.7 psi boost, depending on load and volume of air through the air mass sensor. So unless you are planning on getting real serious and defeating this device, stay under 11 psi.

HKS offers two boost control systems, a conventional dial-a-boost and their new "EVC". A complete description of this unit will be found elsewhere in this issue, so we won't go into detail here except to say that it is slick.

CARTECH offers another choice in electronic boost control units, the new second generation QCBC along with a version of the venerable old dial-a-boost. For the Supra the QCBC includes a modified factory cruise control switch that mounts in the changepocket on the left side of the steeling wheel. The QCBC gives the driver a choice of stock, or a pre-set high boost pressure and defaults back to stock every time you turn off the ignition, keeping parking lot attendants from going into hyperspace with your new Supra. A mere touch of the switch by the knowing owner flips you back to warp drive, which on the test car from Cartech was set at 14 psi. We have to give Cartech some credit to responding to our criticisms, as the new QCBC shows a marked improvement in control from earlier units and functioned as well as the EVC, although without quite the flexibility.

SPEARCO offers a simple bleed system which is set at 14 psi with the FCBC and works quite well for its price, making the choice in boost control units almost as broad as exhaust systems, and again with a large variation in price depending on how sophisticated you want to go.

TRD uses their own pre-load system on the wastegate itself, which not only holds the wastegate closed longer to obtain the desired boost pressure, but by applying this additional pressure holds the wastegate firmly closed, allowing a slightly faster time to boost.

Taking the boost up a couple psi from the stock 6.8 psi would be a good second step for a Supra project.

HIGH BOOST PRESSURES
If you want to go for the gold, and can figure out the acronyms, there are two devices on the market which will allow you to by-pass (or move up) the Toyota factory fuel cut point, allowing you to exceed the fuel cut point ; HKS offers a FCD (Fuel Cut Defencer) and Going (Turbo Accessories) builds the FCBC (Fuel Cut By-pass Circuit), both of which increase the factory fuel cut off point.

Here a word of warning must be inserted. In doing some of the research for this article we received some conflicting, but important information. In talking to HKS, TRD, Turbo Accessories and Cartech, it was unamimous that while adding a fuel cut device would allow the car to exceed the factory fuel cut point, operation at those pressures without fuel enrichment and reductions in temperatures could lead to detonation and engine damage. Depending on who we talked to, the word extended had different meanings, but the bottom line was that it will cost SERIOUS BUCKS to replace the engine. Our recommendation is that if you are going up past the factory fuel cut point, add fuel enrichment for lower thermal stress.

Conflicting somewhat with the above statements, our chassis dyno testing of Turbo Magazine's own project car, showed 8% to 9% CO up to 12 psi and no signs of detonation. This car, however, is equipped with a larger Cartech intercooler. Conversely we have had quite a few reports of detonation at pressures as low as 12 psi. Again to be safe, a good recommendation would be to add a fuel enrichment device when going to boost pressures over 11 psi.

HKS's method of fuel enrichment is the "PFC F-CON" which is a "piggy-back" type computer that plugs into the car's computer and lengthens the signal to the injectors under the boost. This unit has a fuel curve programmed into it to work with the Supra, but also includes a manual dip switch, allowing some fine tuning.

CARTECH offers a secondary fuel pump and fuel pressure regulator which starts adding in additional fuel pressure on an appropriate curve after a pre-set boost point. While this attacks the problem from a different angle, it works well, as even when running at 14 psi the car was still showing 9% CO with no sign of detonation on the dyno.

GOING incorporates a circuit into the FCBC that holds the injectors open longer (close to 98% of the duty cycle) at boost pressure exceeding that of the factory fuel cut. In some of our testing we foudn that while the system worked well on the street/track, it put out almost too much fuel under maximum load on the dyno, making it almost a failsafe to 14.7 psi.

INTERCOOLER UPGRADES
The factory intercooler leaves little to be desired with regards to both pressure drop and cooling effectiveness. When we ran our first dyno tests on the Supra (TURBO Jan '87) we thought the restriction at higher boost pressures was actually in the turbo, but in conferring with Cartech, Spearco and HKS it was found that the stock intercooler itself was a major contributor to the problem. Testing at Cartech showed the stock intercooler to have a 3 psi pressure drop a 6.8 psi and a whopping 4.3 psi pressure drop at 9 psi. In other words, the turbo had to do the same work and therefore, produce heat as if it was run at 13.3 pounds of boost, while the engine itself was only seeing 9 pounds of boost.

All of these intercoolers are similar in size except that the Spearco unit also employs slightly larger diameter tubing in some locations going to and from the intercooler.

The only intercooler we were able do to an actual before and after test with on our own car was one of the units from Cartech. At stock boost pressure we found an 11-horsepower gain between the stock and Cartech intercooler. While this gain was actually measured at the stock (8 psi w/exhaust) boost pressure, it should be noted that intercooler efficiencies are best tested in a real world or street environment with actual air flow across the core. Previous testing on the Cartech intercooler showed a 7/10 psi drop at 6.8 psi and 1.10 psi at 14 psi which basically agreed with our dyno runs. In addition to actual pressure drop, Cartech testing of the intercooler showed 89% efficiency vs. 68% on the factory unit. With the similarity in intercooler upgrades, it would be safe to say that any one of these would be an almost mandatory option if you are starting to go for serious boost.

TURBO UPGRADE
Already a popular item in the Japanese performance aftermarket, turbo upgrades for the Supra are just now becoming available here in the US.

We have tested the HKS turbo kit for non-turbo Supras which uses a Garrett T04B, and while this car is a little on the lazy side below 3000 rpm, when the bigger turbo gets in full motion at about 3600 rpm, it hits like a sledge hammer. In fact, during our dyno testing one of these combinations put out 320-hp to the rear wheels at 5500 rpm. Cartech is now doing a compressor upgrade on the Toyota turbo, using a new compressor wheel and machinging out the compressor housing. At the present time these units are being sold on an exchange basis only, but a pattern for a new compressor housing is underway and may be available by the time this article reaches you.

In driving a car equipped with the Cartech upgrade, it is noticeably stronger on the top-end than a comparable car with the stock turbo, but does not suffer the low-end loss of the T-4. During our quarter mile testing the Cartech car with the compressor upgrade was running about 5 mph faster through the quarter than the exact same car without the compressor upgrade. The strange thing was that the car with the Cartech compressor upgrade was actually running almost a mile per hour faster than the HKS car with the T-4. This was also verified by the dyno which showed it putting out 330 horsepower to the rear wheels @ 5000 rpm... this is serious horsepower.

BOOST FOR NON-TURBO SUPRAS
HKS offers their Turbocharger kits in three different stages ranging in boost pressures from 4.3 psi up to 12.0 psi. "Stage 1" is a non-intercooled system featuring HKS "PFC F-CON" electronic fuel management system, the "Twin Power" and "EGC" electronic ignition system, a cast iron exhaust manifold that allows the bolt up of a Garrett T04 turbo with a water cooled bearing section and a remote racing type HKS wastegate, a compressor by-pass vavle and an HKS boost guage. "Stage II" allows boost to be raised a couple of psi and includes a 3mm head gasket, as well as a full exhaust system.

The big gun from HKS is their "Stage III" system which includes a new set of injectors and a different prom for the "F-CON" in the "Stage I," a large intercooler and plumbing, a heavy duty clutch pressure plate and disk, an oil cooler and a "VBC" (non-electric) variable boost control. We tested one of their "Stage III" "killer kits" for about a week, including some strip time, and as mentioned earlier, it is strong. Using the large Garrett T-4 turbo with a lowering of the naturally aspirated car's compression ratio by use of the thick head gasket, doesn't give quite the low-end of the smaller Toyota unit, but mid-range and top-end get quite serious. Dyno testing showed a maximum of 320-horse to the real wheels at 5500 rpm and quarter mile speeds were in the 106.88 mph range running at 13 psi.

Cartech offers a complete intercooled system for the Supra 3.0, as well as for the '82 Supra 2.8. The Cartech system for the 3.0 features the Cartech fuel pressure regulator and high-output Bosch pump, an Autotronic Controls, MSD and Turbo Timing Master electronic ignition system, a cast iron exhaust manifold to which a T04 with water cooled bearing and a Rajay remote racing wastegate, a massive 26" x 12" x 3" air to air intercooler, a compressor by-pass valve, a K&N low restriction air filter and a VDO boost guage. This allows the capability to safely run 9 psi of boost. Although Cartech's fuel system is good to 11 psi on 92 octane they suggest the conservative 9 psi setting. They, however, do offer properly prepared engines with ported heads and forged pistons if a higher level of operation is desired. In dyno tests independent of ours at Texas Turbo the Cartech system has produced bhp to over 300 at 8 psi.

 

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HANDLING IMPROVEMENTS
During our testing we were able to try out several suspension combinations on different vehicles, in addition to the one we had prepared at TRD. For our project, TRD recommended and installed the same system proven on the track by their cars in the Escort series, which facilitates changing the shocks and springs while retaining the stock bars. The new high-performance gas shocks from TRD are designed to work with the factory TEMS system, and in fact the installation came with a switch mounted in place of the change box, that allows you to set the TEMS to the full firm mode at all times. Normally the TEMS computer, which monitors steering angle, brake system hydraulic pressure, road speed and throttle position will not go to full firm unless certain circumstances require it. TRD utilizes sport springs with both a 40% higher rate and a two-inch drop. Although the overall ride became very stiff, stiffer than perhaps a casual unthusiast might enjoy, the overall handling characteristics were vastly improved. In addition, a superior "on center" and "straight line" stability feel was present. The only problem we encountered was that of light srcaping of the aero kit on some steep driveways.

The Cartech suspension package used specially would springs manufactured for them by Suspension Techniques that dropped the car 1 1/4-inch with a 12% higher rate which seemed to eliminate the scraping in some of the same situations.

The Cartech system utilized to manually adjust Tokico shocks which during our testing were set to the firm mode. We had some split emotions between the one and two inch drop springs, with the older staff members favoring the one inch and the younger favoring the slightly stiffer two-ich. Here personal preference enters in.

In addition to this package, Suspension Techniques also manufacturs a wide variety of suspension components for import and domestic vehicles including their own Supra package with 28 mm front and 24 mm rear anti-sway bars working in conjunction with front springs that deliver a 25% increase in rate, and rear springs that increase the spring rate 27% over stock. The S/T suspension system lower the Supra about 1 1/2" from a stock counterpart. S/T has long been a suspension supplier for serious performance enthusiasts.

AERODYNAMICS
Two companies offer complete aero kits for the Supra, Kaminari and A.S. Auto Meccanica (D.P. Motorsport). Both our red project car and the white Cartech factory turbo used the Kaminari kits, while the burgundy Cartech car with the full turbo kit used the D.P. Motorsport unit. Both are quality units, constructed of hand laid fiberglass, and unlike a lot of the copy-cat body kits, each enjoys their own unique styling. Some of our staff liked the Euro-look side effect of the D.P. while everyone liked the rear of the Kaminari. The Kaminari seemed to be slightly thicker fiberglass than the D.P. and fir better than any kit we have seen recently. Taking advantage of Kaminari's color matching program we received a front spoiler, side skirts and a rear lower skirt painted to a fantastic match. Next we found that the panels supplied replaces the factory bumper covers front and rear and bolt-ons at the factory locations, this made for a tight and tidy installation that has no hint of being anything short of factory quality.

The change in the car's overall esthetic appearance with the aero-kit is really dramatic and the silver BBS 3-piece wheels contrast the red car in a way that can only be described as fantastic. In addition, these wheels helped trim some pounds off our slightly overweight sportroof version of the Supra. As can happen with a two-inch lowering, we did have to watch some driveways at speed, but that is part of the game. We noticed the white car with only a one-inch drop had less problems with steep driveways.

WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD
To test out some of the different performance combinations we went first to Carlsbad Drag Strip near San Diego, California. Before getting into the speed and ETs, you have to remember one thing about the wonderful suspension of the Supra... it was not designed for drag racing. All of the cars showed excessive "wheel hop" if a hard launch was attempted, so the cars were basically driving off the line at a point slightly above "bogging" before getting the pedal down. We had some serious tires on some of these cars, including 245 Goodyear Z rated "S" compound , Yokohama AVS, and Bridgestone RE-71s, all tires known to be sticky, but once the boost went up on launch, excessive wheel spin and accompanying hop were incurred, so the major number we were looking at was the speed, which reflected the horsepower, vs the ET which basically in this case was a test of launching. Now with the excuses out of the way...

The Turbo Magazine project car featuring Borla exhaust, Cartech intercooler, HKS EVC, Going FCBC, TRD's shocks and springs, a set of Bridgestone RE-71 tires on BBS 3-piece alloy rims and a Kaminari aero package ran a best of 103.25 miles per hour, with ET's in the low 14 seconds, with a best of 14.36. This car dyno tested at a constant maximum of 295-horsepower.

The Cartech project car which featured Cartech's own stainless exhaust with both cats in place, FCBC, upgraded intercooler, QCBC, and the Cartech compressor upgrade. This car also featured Cartech suspension and Goodyear 245-45/225-50 "Z" rated "S" compound tires ran a best of 13.54 at 107.14 and interestingly enough on one run, ran up against a stock GNX being tested by Turbo City and driven by Tom "Mongoose" McEwen. While the "Mongoose" did not waste any time leaving the line and as well ahead of Cartech's Todd Gartshore, who got a fair launch and "reeled him in," passing him well before the lights and surprising a lot of people. This car dyno tested out at a whopping 330-horsepower.

This HKS project car was a non-turbo fitted with their Stage III turbo kit as listed above, stock suspension, Hayashi 3-piece wheels and Yokohama AVS 245-45 rear/225-50 front tires. As mentioned earlier, this car was equipped with a T-4 turbo and launching took some practice to keep from either bogging or full-out wheelspin/hop. It ran a best speed of 106.88 with ET's in the high 14's, best of 14.64. This car dyno tested out to a maximum of 320 horsepower, showing the correspondence between speed and horsepower between this and the Cartech car.

The fourth car, an HKS upgraded factory turbo car with an intercooler upgrade, EVC, FCD, PFC F-CON, and exhaust system was equipped with stock wheels and Toyo 600 C1 225-50 tires. This car tested at LACR (Palmdale, CA) the following week and ran a best of 104.43 (corrected), and a best of 14.41 before frying the clutch. This car was dyno tested at 260 rear wheel ponies at 10 psi of boost. We were unfortunately unable to obtain a higher setting than 10 psi on the dyno due to loading problems, however, calculating from what our other test vehicles had done at similar boost pressures and verifyiing this with miles per hour figures at the strip, we can safely say that the actual power at 13 psi to the rear wheels would be a minimum of 285 and a maximum of 295 hp.

CONCLUSION
On the surface, the supple line of the Supra and adult appeal of the car full of the newest in technology may not strike fear into the hearts of Corvette, Mustang GT, Grand National or other mavens of big inch engine lore, but with the help of the goods outlined herein - it should. As mentioned, due to the independent rear suspension, the Supra was not designed to be a drag strip car, but a full-fledged luxury grand touring vehicle, which it accomplishes well. The fact that one of our test cars ran in the mid-13's at 107.14 and then went on to be radar clocked at a top speed of 157 miles per hour in the exact same trim a few days later is, however, a testament that a properly prepared Supra is a car to be reckoned with in any situation.

 

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SupraSonic : Stock & Modified Toyotas Go Head-To-Head in Our 150+MPH Test (July, 1988 AutoTech).
By Peter L. Albrecht and C. Van Tune

The Toyota Supra has come a long way since its humble beginnings. What began as merely a gussied-up version of the Celica in 1979 has blossomed into a fine example of a contemporary luxury/sports car, outfitted with the necessary power, styling and creature comforts to make it a strong competitor in the boulevard car wars.

One of the most appealing aspects of the new Supra is that it is able to bring all this to market at a price obtainable by mere mortals. If you shop right, and don't go crazy with the option list, you can pick up a new Supra Turbo in the mid-twenty thousand dollar range.

But, there will always be those who long for a little more. A little more power ; a little more handling ; a little more sex appeal. This is where the aftermarket tuners come into play. There is a lot of sophisticated equipment being developed that can turn the basic Toyota into a veritable Corvette-eater for not too much additional green.

Such was the reasoning behind this test : To compare a stock 1988 Toyota Supra Turbo to the best project cars the automotive aftermarket has to offer. We will look a 0-60 mph and quarter-mile performance, evaluate the wider wheels and tires in 60-0-mph braking distances, and then put the pedal on the carpet as we run them up to flat-out top speed.

ENTER THE CONTESTANTS :

1. Stock Supra Turbo 5-speed (red).
2. Cartech-modified Supra Turbo 5-speed (white).
3. TRD-modified Supra Turbo automatic (black).
4. TRD-modified Supra Turbo 5-speed (red).

Of these modified, only the one from Cartech can actually be considered as coming from an aftermarket tuner. They are an independent company that specializes in boosting the performance and handling of Japanese and American performance cars, and are based in Dallas, Texas. TRD, on the other hand, is not in essence an aftermarket company. Their full name is Toyota Racing Development and, as such, are an arm of Toyota Motor Corporation of Japan, responsible for building, maintaining and developing the components for Toyota's racing vehicles in the States. TRD does, however, sell a wide variety of performance products to the general public, and is in the process of establishing retail stores in various locations across the country.

Accompanying their respective Supras during our test were Todd Gartshore of Cartech, Dale Garber of TRD and Michael Mucklin of the performance products firm HKS, who supplied product to the TRD cars.

Cartech Supra
The Cartech makeover begins with a Garrett AiResearch T04 turbocharger with separate wastegate ; claimed efficiency is in excess of 72% compared to the 55% of Toyota's in-house turbo with integral wastegate. The compressed air passes through a Cartech intercooler, again much more efficient than the factory heat exchanger. Cartech claims 80-90% efficiency, with only 1 lb/sq. in. pressure drop at stock boost presure, compared to the factory's 68-70% and 3 lb/sq. in. pressure drop.

High efficiency translates into less waste heat. And that's the secret of running high boost ; if the efficiency goes up, boost can go up without increasing charge temperature which can cause detonation. Cartech adds their "Quick-Change Boost Control" (QCBC) which allows the driver to toggle between the factory boost setting of 7 psi to the maximum of 14 psi, and adds a fuel pressure regulator to make sure the fuel flow through the injectors will keep up with the added air flow.

The finishing touch on the powerplant is a mandrel-bent 2 1/2-inch exhaust system feeding twin high-flow resonator tubes and exiting through a pair of 2 1/2-inch tips. The system retains the stock catalytic converters, and Cartech estimates output at 365 bhp with 13 psi boost. (We ran 12 pounds of boost during our testing.)

Cartech also adds suspension mods, including upgraded Tokico shocks, Suspension Techniques 28-mm front and 24-mm rear anti-roll bars in polyurethane bushings, and 1.25" lower (12% stiffer) springs, also from Suspension Techniques.

Outside, Cartech offers an aerodynamic package by Kaminari, consisting of front, side and rear skirts and upper decklid spoiler. Cartech claims that the package decreases front end lift at speed and adds to stability.

TRD Supras
A strikingly similar tack was taken by TRD. The engine mods are the work of HKS Performance Products of Torrance, CA. Their Stage III equipment includes an HKS electronic fuel-management system, turbo boost and optional exhaust-gas temperature guages, an electronic variable boost-control system, and a free-flowing exhaust system which uses 2 3/8-inch mandrel-bent pipes. Catalytic converters are not used. The HKS system retains the stock Toyota CT-26 turbo, now running at 14 psi boost compared to the factory's mild 7 psi. HKS claims 330 bhp for the Stage III trim, compared to the Stock Supra Turbo's 230 bhp.

Where Cartech offers their QCBC, the TRD cars feature the HKS Electronic Vavle Controller (EVC). This includes a cockpit-mounted control module which has two pre-selected boost levels in addition to the normally available boost, plus a manual boost knob that allow up to 150% of the normal boost for some car applications, although this won't work (or, not for long) on the Supra. A row of LEDs on the EVC displays the boost pressure. The HKS installation included their Turbo-Timer, which allows the engine to idle even after the owner has locked and left the car, to keep oil flowing through the central bearing while the shaft is turning in order to avoid coking. Letting the turbo cool down before shutting off is one of the most effective ways to increase turbocharger life ; a gradual warm-up and avoiding full throttle when cold also helps, as do frequent oil changes with a high-quality lubricant and filter.

The red TRD Stage V car was a prototype, using all of the features of Stage III trim plus some important new additions. The key component is a larger Garrett AiResearch T04E turbocharger. Added to this is a new cast iron exhaust manifold with a fitting for the HKS wastegate. For this installation, a higher fuel flow rate is required, so higher-capacity injectors are installed, along with a reprogrammed P-ROM for the injection computer. The car we tested also had a prototype Stage IV intercooler. HKS claims 78% efficiency and 1.5 psi pressure drop at 15 psi for their intercooler, similar to the numbers for the Cartech unit. Maximum boost was 16 psi, and HKS claims a power output of a staggering 430 bhp at 6200 rpm.

Both TRD cars were equipped with TRD springs (lowering the car by 2 in.), as well as struts and shocks which use the stock Toyota T.E.M.S. cockpit-adjust feature, and harder bushings. The Kaminari styling package was installed on both cars, and really serves to improve the Supra's intimidation factor. The black Stage III car used the 4.30 final drive from a stock normally-aspirated Supra, instead of the 3.91 ring-and-pinion used on factory Supra Turbos.

 

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All of the modified Supras came fitted with larger-than-stock rubber for improved high-speed stability as well as increased traction. Whereas the stock car wears 16x7-inch wheels shod with Goodyear Eagle VR50 radials, sized 225/50VR16 front and rear, the Cartech Supra wore Momo allow wheels (16"x7" front, 16"x8" rear) and Goodyear Eagle ZR45S tires (225/50ZR16 front, 245/45ZR16 rear). As a contrast, the black TRD Stage III Supra was fitted with their own line of wheels (notice the Porsche 959 look) manufactured by DP. These are 16x8 inches front and rear, and a stuffed inside of Yokohama AVS 245/45VR16 radials. The red TRD Stage V Supra wears Bridgestone RE71 radials (225/50VR16 front, 245/45VR16 rear) riding on 16"x7" and 16"x8" (R) Enkei alloys.

The Test
We packed our new state-of-the-art electronic testing gear, a radar gun, two ice chests full of survival food, and made the 200 mile trek from Los Angeles to Mrs. Orcutt's driveway in the California high desert (see sidebar for details). Once at the 4.1-mile arrow-straight stretch of weathered asphault, we donned our race helmets and began the challenge.

The stock Supra was the first up. With good low-end torque but an unwillingness to rev much beyond 5,500 rpm, it recorded a two-way best 0-60-mph time of 7.44 seconds, and a quarter-mile time of 15.80 sec/89.40 mph. The car felt smooth and stable, with a strong pull in the upper mph ranges. With all the manual transmissioned cars in our test we avoided throttle-on power-shifts, since the Supra's somewhat weak shifter forks have been known to fail.

Next in line was the Cartech Supra, and the improvement in horsepower and torque was immediately felt as we smoked the tires away from the starting line. Several passes were necessary before me mastered the technique of just the right engine rmp and amount of clutch slippage for the best launch. That translated into a 0-60-mph time of 5.93 seconds and a two-way quarter-mile best of a strong 14.27 sec/102.80 mph. The supple exhaust note and turbo whine on hard acceleration is a delight, luring you to keep 'er down farther and farther as you watch the speedometer needle disappear off the scale. This car is so smooth it's amazing ; partly attributable, Todd Gartshore tells us, to the RedLine synthetic oil they're using in the engine, gearbox and rear end. Whatever it is, we like it!

The black TRD automatic car was eagerly watched by all, since it the the first time a clock was put on a non-manual transmissioned Supra. TRD when the car was quick, but had no real numbers to back up their seat-of-the-pants feel. At the starting line, we soon found out that a quick launch was not an easy thing to get. Brake-torquing the converter in the transmission was necessary for a fast getaway, but too much preloading resulted in slower times. This was due to the transmission fluid heating and thinning upon application of boost (the car being held back against the brakes). The best times were recorded when the car was staged, quickly brought up in engine rpm against the brakes, then immediately accelerated away. Still, this is a heavy car to get rolling, and the automatic's three gears plus overdrive does give up performance to the five-speed manual. However, its -60 time of 6.04 seconds and a quarter-mile best of 14.62 sec/96.90 mph hardly qualifies it as a slouch.

The red TRD Stage V Supra is a surprisingly quiet car. Even with its tremendous horsepower and large turbocharger, it merely whooshes away from the starting line and fades into the heat haze at the far end of the road. Once behind the wheel, however, the car's personality is altogether different. The way this machine pulls is uncanny, accelerating as hard in fourth gear as it does in second. It winds through the gears like a two-stroke dirk bike, making the driver grab for the next gear almost before he has recovered from the last one. Slamming the boost gauge to the far right at an indicated 15+ psi, the Stage V Supra rocketed from 0-60 mph in 5.78 seconds, and on down the quarter-mile to a two-way best of 14.16 sec/104.60 mph.

We next went to the braking test, to allow the engines a bit of cool-down time before the top-speed runs. Not surprisingly, the brakes on all the Supras proved very good, thanks in part to the excellent ABS system that is optionally available from the factory. The stock Supra stopped from 60 mph in 139 feet, with some fade encountered after the third consecutive stop. The TRD Stage V car required 140 feet, and its Stage III counterpart needed a similar 141 feet to get a halt. The Black Stage III, however, found the metal-comp pads to its dislike, and retaliated by marrinf the left-front brake rotor. By contrast, the Cartech Supra stopped flawlessly in 133 feet.

With engines and drivers sufficiently cooled down, we began the top speed runs. As with the acceleration tests, the times and speeds were averaged from the two best runs in each direction, to cancel the effects of road grade and wind (if any). Again, the stock Supra went first, requiring a foot flat on the floor for only about three miles to obtain terminal velocity of 142 mph. At those speeds the scenery goes by very fast, but the car remained quite stable, only wandering a bit from side to side above 140 mph. Coolant temperature readings never varied from middle of the scale, and oil pressure stayed strong.

The black TRD automatic car was next. With the increased horsepower, we felt it prudent to leisurely accelerate from rest to approximately 90 mph (to keep boost pressues low and intercooler temps down), then hit it hard from that point on up. our first two runs past the timing traps produced a less than exciting average of 137 mph. Certainly not what we had estimated, and five mph slower than the stock car.

Since the intercooler was still quite cool at the end of the run, we chose to run it wide-open from the instant we left the starting line. Still, acceleration above 130 mph seemed strained, although the boost guage read strong. Coolant temps were in check, and oil pressure was constant. The average : 139 mph.

We moved the traps further down the road and went for another assault. Again, acceleration above 130 mph was a casual affair. We made our return run and talked with the technicians. After hearing everyone's thoughts, we agreed that the fluid in the automatic transmission must be heating up and allowing slippage after the application of so much constant boost. Since the car was only running the stock transmission cooler, this certainly seemed like one area an improvement could be made. The last run was the best, however, and the times stand at 141 mph.

 

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We next pulled to the line in the Cartech Supra, which we knew would be a strong performer. Again, we used the technique of not accelerating fully until past 90 mph, to keep unnecessary heat out of the engine. Even upwards of 100 mph, acceleration was still rapid, and we were surprised when the tach needle pulled all the way to redline in fifth gear and bounced off the rev-limiter before we were even at the timing traps. To save the motor we feathered the throttle the last few thousand feet, then brought it across the line at maximum speed. After duplicating our performance on the return run, we gladly accepted the top speed report of 156 mph. At those speeds the car was stable, capable, and a total blast to drive.

The final test of the day was in the TRD Stage V 5-speed. Actually, it was in a pre-run speedometer calibration pass (at 150 mph, with plenty of power still in reserve) that the car fell out of health. After that run, the car came back to the starting line missing on one cylinder, black smoke emanating from the tailpipe. HKS's ace mechanic Yoshimasa Yoshioka quickly gave the car the once-over and found the number-one spark plug showing all the signs of piston meltdown. The cause was traced to a faulty wire on the fuel injection harness, causing intermittent fuel flow. The right amount, or even some excess amount, is important to all of these engines for cooling when operating on full boost. Had the injector been totally inactive, not much would have happened. However, with some fuel getting through, a lean-burn situation occured and that cylinder quickly and violently overheated. A freak condition, and not attributable to the power increase gained by HKS and TRD, but it meant the top speed test was history. Our educated guess - based on the car's strong quarter-mile runs, and the Cartech Supra's ease of running to redline in top gear - would be that the TRD Stage V car should top out at the same rev-limiter restrained 156 mph. With taller final-drive gearing in each car, it would be fun to see which is truely fastest.

Overview
So in the final ananysis, what do "tuner" versions of the Supra Turbo offer? In short, for a comparatively low additional cost to the base car, stunning power increases over stock are available. And used with discretion, cars benefitting from the tuner's attention should not be any more troublesome than the basic car.

When you really think about it, 400+ horsepower is race car territory ; and it is being produced from a box-stock inline six cylinder with a turbo. There is no lumpy idle, no rough running, no overheating, and essentially no change from the civilized nature of the production Supra - until the loud pedal is held down. Then, it's Corvette-and-Porsche stomping time.

Today's Toyota Supra Turbo is a GT car in the best tradition ; in many ways it's the Japanese equivalent of the Aston-Martin - what the British call a "gentleman's express." And the power offered by the super-tuned versions tested here will allow gentlemen (and ladies, for that matter) to express themselves more quickly than ever.

Editor's Note:
Our performance tests were conducted at an elevation of 1,900 feet above sea level, on a 68-degree day. The National Hot Rod Association uses a system of correction factors to mathematically approximate what a particular car's quarter-mile performance would equate to if run at sea level. These figures as pertaining to 1,900 feet are : multiply elapsed time by 0.9783 ; multiply trap speed by 1.0227.

These factors were not used in our data, because they are intended for normally-aspirated engines which have a power loss of 3% per thousand feet (ICAO standard atmosphere). Turbos with convensional differential-pressure wastegates lose only about 2% per thousand feet of elevation, whereas the Porsche 944 system uses a combination of knock sensors and absolute pressure cells which can, under ideal conditions, maintain sea-level power to above 6,000 feet. Further complicating the correction factors is the fact that turbo engines are effectively normally-aspirated when off boost.

1988 TOYOTA SUPRA TURBO
GENERAL
Price (base) ......$23,760
Price (as tested) $25,157
ENGINE
Type : In-line six, turbocharged & intercooled
Displacement : 180 ci (2,954 cc)
Horsepower (est) : 230 @ 5,600 rpm
Torque (est. lbs/ft) : 246 @ 4,000 rpm
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission type : 5-speed manual
PERFORMANCE
0-30 mph : 2.6 sec
0-60 mph : 7.4 sec
Standing 1/4-mile : 15.80 sec/89.40 mph
Top speed : 142 mph

CARTECH SUPRA TURBO
Price of Modifications (Installed) :
Engine components : $2,955.00
Suspension equipt. : $1,015.00
Kaminari kit, painted : $2,195.00
ENGINE
Type : In-line six, turbocharged & intercooled
Displacement : 180 ci (2,954 cc)
Horsepower (est) : 365 @ 6,000 rpm
Torque (est. lbs/ft) : 390 @ 4,000 rpm
Max boost : 13 psi
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission type : 5-speed manual
PERFORMANCE
0-30 mph : 2.4 sec
0-60 mph : 5.9 sec
Standing 1/4-mile : 14.27 sec/102.80 mph
Top speed : 156 mph

TRD STAGE III SUPRA TURBO
Price of Modifications (Parts Only) :
Stage I (exhaust system) : $459.95
Stage II (variable boost control) : $569.95
Stage III (fuel maneagement system) : $629.95
Kaminari body components (painted) : $2,195.00
ENGINE
Type : In-line six, turbocharged & intercooled
Displacement : 180 ci (2,954 cc)
Horsepower (est) : 330 @ 5,600 rpm
Torque (est. lbs/ft) : 353 @ 4,000 rpm
Max boost : 14 psi
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission type : 4-speed overdrive automatic
PERFORMANCE
0-30 mph : 2.4 sec
0-60 mph : 6.0 sec
Standing 1/4-mile : 14.62 sec/96.9 mph
Top speed : 141 mph

TRD STAGE V SUPRA TURBO
Price of Modifications (Parts Only) :
Stage I-III equipt. : $1,659.85
Kaminari body components (painted) : $2,195.00
Prototype intercooler : $850.00 (est)
Garrett T04E turbocharger : $1,600.00 (est)
ENGINE
Type : In-line six, turbocharged & intercooled
Displacement : 180 ci (2,954 cc)
Horsepower (est) : 430 @ 6,200 rpm
Torque (est. lbs/ft) : 460 @ 4,000 rpm
Max boost : 16 psi
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission type : 5-speed manual
PERFORMANCE
0-30 mph : 2.4 sec
0-60 mph : 5.8 sec
Standing 1/4-mile : 14.16 sec/104.60 mph
Top speed : 156 mph (est)

 

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CARTECH SUPRA, Samurai Gunslinger Looking for a Showdown
By Rick Titus: Photography by Scott Dahlquist

Delivered in his usual soft tones, Cartech's public relations director, Todd Gartshore, recited from the passenger seat : "Let's turn right here. . . fine . . . now go ahead and get on the throttle fairly hard, oh, and just for fun, hit the 'quick change boost control' switch."

First call : Hello, NASA? This is Motor Trend magazine. Yeah, listen, there's somebody you need to meet. His name is Corky Bell. He's the president (and mad scientist) of a company called Cartech out of Dallas, Texas. Right . . . frankly, we think he might be a big help in designing your lunarcraft powerplants. Why's that? 'Cause he just sent us a Toyota Supra Turbo that goes ballastic in about six seconds!

Second call : Hello, Toyota? This is Motor Trend. No, don't hang up. Hey, listen, we need to order some parts for one of your test cars. No we didn't crash it. Actually, we need some headrests, we keep bending 'em. Why? Because this puppy keeps trying to rip our heads off.

Third and final call before heading back on the open road in this cross between a 3rd-degree black belt and a saddle-sore Texas Ranger : Hello, Department of Motor Vehicles? This is ... well, never mind who this is ; just wanted to know where to surrender our driver's lincense, 'cause you're going to own it by day's end anyway.

Over the last few years, we've had everal opportunities to test-drive a number of Cartech's projects, and they have consistently left us with the same impression - clean, well-planned installations with engineering development to deliver the kind of performance and driveability Cartech's PR people say they do. We know before we ever drive one that it'll go like hell and set new standards for aftermarket excellence. So sanitary are Cartech's modifications that, in one instance, the biggest tip-off to its presence was that its quality exceeded that of the original vehicle's manufacturer.

Cartech has tweeked everything from Bimmers to Mazdas, and recent performance development includes design work on Rob Dyson's IMSA series 962 GTP Porsche. The Supra, however, was the first "fully packaged" Cartech tester we've driven.

For the Supra, Cartech performed all the standard turbo mods, which, in this case, included a Cartech-designed compressor wheel and housing. The QCBC (quick change boost control) unit allows the driver to adjust the boost from the stock factory setting of 6.7 psi to Cartech's allowable maximum of 13 psi. Cartech's replacement air-to-air intercooler bumps heat exchange efficiency of 70% in the factory unit to a vastly improved 90%. This unit sits in the stock location and has less than a 1% psi pressure drop. Finally, there's a free-flow exhaust system aft of the converters.

From there, Cartech worked with Suspension Techniques and Tokico Shocks to develop a suspension package that would match Goodyear's 225/50ZR "S" 16-in. fronts and 245/45ZR "S" 16-in. rears. Mounted on Momo 16x7.0-in. and 16x8.0-in. wheels, the entire suspension system proved the Supra's second strongest asset.

With speed and handling spoken for, a sleeker appearance comes from Kaminari's "off the shelf" bodt kit. Bottom line for the total package : $7500. Outcome : We'll let the numbers speak for themselves, and the numbers get serious in a hurry, starting with 320 hp at the rear wheels. Now 320 hp rolls off the tongue pretty easily, but when it rolls off the tires, it gets really exciting. For instance, quarter-mile times ran in the low 14s, with trap speeds at just over 100 mph. Standing-start to 60 mph in 5.5 sec, with 70 mph showing up at 7.5 sec. Skidpad testing netted an amazing 0.95 lateral g! High-speed stability and point-in is wonderful. There's a mild steady-state understeer, but with a little effort in the form of a small squeeze of the right foot, tire-smoking oversteer is instantly on tap. Goodyear's stickiest "S" compound tires work well, no surprizes there, but can be overheated quickly in prolonged power slides. Transient demands proved little labor for the Supra, as it willingly heads in whatever direction it's asked. All this responsiveness from a vehicle whose ride quality is like that of Europe's leading touring sedans.

One of the first faults we look for in a car of this nature is real-world driveability. Cartech's Toyota Supra Turbo never misbehaved. The already comfortable and sound Toyota Supra package is only enhanced with its newfound performance and handling. It's clearly a car you can drive on a daily basis in bumper-to-bumper traffic and not have to sweat blood worrying if its going to overheat, backfire, or break in half on the expansion strips. But, be forewarned, this unit tends to bring out the killer instinct in everyone who drives it. You start to feel like the only guy in town with a loaded gun. You head turns from side to side, looking, hoping to take something on. Humiliate something. One thing's for sure, Cartech's Toyota Supra Turbo package gives a whole new feeling to "Oh, what a feeling."

TECH DATA

Cartech Toyota Supra Turbo

POWERTRAIN
Vehicle configuation - Front engine, rear drive
Engine configuation - Inline 6, DOHC, 4 valves/cylinder
Dispacement - 2954 cc (180.3 cu. in.)
Max. power (SAE net) - 350 hp @ 5600 rpm
Max. torque (SAE net) - 346 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
Transmission - 5-sp. man.
Final drive ratio - 3.91:1

CHASSIS
Suspension, f/r - Independent/independent
Brakes, f/r - Disc/disc, power assist
Steering - Rack and pinion, power assist
Wheels, f/r - 16 x 7.0 in. front, alloy, 16 x 8.0 in. rear, alloy
Tires, f/r - 225/50ZR16 front, 245/45ZR16 rear

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase - 2596 mm (102.2 in.)
Overall length - 4620 mm (181.9 in.)
Actual weight - 1665 kg (3670 lb)
Fuel capacity - 70 L (18.5 gal)

PERFORMANCE
Accelerationm, 0-60 - 5.5 sec
Standing quarter mile - 14.4 sec/101.3 mph
Braking, 60-0 - 128 feet
Lateral acceleration - 0.95 g

BASE PRICE - $22,800
PRICE AS TESTED - $30,300

 

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KAMAKAZE SUPRA, Excitement is blowing in the wind: A 300-bhp turbo upgrade from Cartech. by William Jeanes

Dallas - This 300-plus-bhp Supra isn't really a suicide place, but there is no denying the effect of the devine wind blown by its turbocharger. As your toe nears the floor mat, an irresistable urge to pull back on the stick and then execute a series of low-altitude snap rolls overcomes you. The only thing we've recently piloted that gives as strong an acceleration rush is the elevator in the World Trade Center.

Corky Bell's Cartech designed, developed, and installed the turbo system on this 1986 Supra. Turbocharging is Cartechs specialty, and they do it carefully and well.The firm also installed front, side, and rear skirts designed by DP Aerodynamics, and a polyfoam deck lid spoiler, also by DP. Goodyear S-compound gatorbacks were mounted on sixteen-by-seven inch Ronal R9 alloy wheels, front and rear.

Cartech further modified the Supra by adding spring from Suspension Techniques, a move that both stiffened the ride and lowered the car about 1.5 inches, and - in the proud tradition of project cars - ensured that the air dam will scrape when you traverse minor pavement undulations. Thicker front and rear anti-roll bars, also from Suspension Techniques, were installed.

Those enthusiasts who are of the Q-ship persuation would not have altered the ride height or the exterior, of course. We tend to share that bias, so we'll concentrate on the turbocharging and let the photos tell that story.

Corky Bell, a short, soft-spoken former club racer, sums up his firm's turbochanrging goals this way : "We want to offer greater reliable horsepower than any Supra turbo ever offered for public use." Bell also aims for 80,000-plus-mile turbo and engine durability and seeks to accomplish this through some sophisticated thermal load and fuel system management. "Our component quality," Bell adds, "is as good or better than that of the original equipment." Last of all, according to Bell, Cartech promises superior drivability throughout the engine's operating range.

To guage the car's driveability and durability, we spent a long Saturday of Texas driving at the wheel of a 1983 Supra belonging to David Curd, a stout and genial Texan who's exactly the kind of enthusiast we write this magazine for. (Note by Lane : This '83 Supra owner is a relative of the guy I bought my CarTech Supra from!)

"It has 54,000 miles on it," Curd told us, "and it still runs like a rocket." He spoke the truth. Abruptly putting the fuel to his inconspicuous Supra (no exterior modifications) caused it to twitch its rear end like Sister Kate before settling into a straight-line zoom. Curd is an electrical contractor and an enthusiastic scuba diver who wants no more than the ability to ruin afternoons for Porsche drivers. After 54,000 miles, he still gets his wish - often - and has done so with no more out-of-pocket operating costs than he would have experienced with a stock Supra.

The newer Cartech Supra, perhaps without the exterior flashiness, would be a sensational car to own. And, considering its performance level, not an incredibly expensive one. Were you to start out with a $19,800 Supra and have Cartech add the turbo only, doing tires, wheels, and other modifications yourself, you would add just under $5000 to the Texas economy. A factory turbo would cost about $24,500 and is rated at 230 bhp.

For the extra $5000, your new Supra would be equipped with an intercooled turbo system comprising more than 225 individual components and able to provide a usable 8 psi of boost - not to mention 300 ponies - without making the Toyota in-line six imitate a Claymore. And, for you clock watchers, Cartech claims 0-to-60 times in the 5.4-second range.

The turbocharger used is a Garrett AiResearch T04 with water cooling, to which is applied a Rajay adjustable waste gate. This combination is further buttressed with a compressor bypass valve that reduces pressure buildup when the throttle is suddenly closed. A fuel pressure regulator designed by Cartech is added in series to the existing fuel pressure regulator, and the stock fuel pump is replaced with a 132.5-psi unit.

Two recommended extras are the dash-mounted quick change boost control, and an air conditioner cutout that shuts down the compressor when the turbo is under boost. These two items, including labor, will add $320 to the overall tab.

The dash-mounted boost control takes the form of a rocker switch located at the driver's left fingertips. At full boost, you enjoy the heart-pounding 8 psi, and at the low boost setting of 4 psi, you risk only mild fright.

All the emissions control gear remains effective, meaning that you will not face the disgrace of owning an illegal automobile. Warranty, however, is another matter. In the event of a failure, you'll find the warranty certificates in your wallet - they'll be the ones with Benjamin Franklin's picture on them.

Is all this worth the expense? Well, yes, especially if you enjoy making Porsche owners - and most Corvette owners - reach for the Pepto-Bismol. Of course, it may make the hair on your neck stand up in the process.


http://www.rstack.com/autoxs/autoxs.html

Supercar Comparo: Clash of the Titans


This is one of those comparisons some of our staffers have always dreamed of. One of significance. One of excitement. One of anticipation. But mostly one of fun. We felt the time could not be more appropriate. With the Japanese and American automotive markets at the threshold of a new era, the American sport GT/luxury/sport-utility buyer has an incredible plethora of choices, all of which define new standards of automotive excellence.

We gathered together, loaded the test equipment, located our vehicles and headed for LA. If you haven't guessed by now, the automobiles in question are the Toyota Supra Turbo and the Pontiac Catalina Safari Wagon. Two more worthy adversaries there are not. The Toyota, in its stunning Arrest-me-Red exterior, is borrowed from a Real Estate Accountant from Newport Beach. Judging from the loaner's demeanor, the Toyota's speedo has probably yet to see triple digits. The Pontiac was located in South Orange County through an estate sale. With it's Crest toothpaste-blue exterior, matching interior, and National Rifle Association stickers proudly adorning the windows, it became all too clear which car was more prepared for the next few days.

Almost 3500 miles were accumulated on the odometer of each vehicle over the course of their two day stay with us. Both cars were put through an extensive analysis of daily commuting, track test time and just general toodling around. Each car both shined and fizzled out as they were put through the paces.

The test began at our Laguna Hills test facility in Orange County where we subjected them to our usual procedures; acceleration, braking, cornering, slalom, skidpad, etc. The Supra dominated in acceleration, braking, cornering, slalom, skidpad, etc. We noticed that the tail swung out almost at our will in the Supra, though it would occasionally get away from us, prompting observers to scream "He's out of control!" We never got the tail to swing out in the Catalina, as we weren't ready to invest in putting a full roll cage in the car.

After accumulating 1000 miles on the odometer of each vehicle during our track test time, our mission of selecting the finest machanical gladiator of the roadways swayed somewhat toward the likes of the Toyota. But the real test of how a car will meld with the soul of some poor, unsuspecting customer is out on the road. Not just any road, but on the height of automotive worship that scars much of the land in this vast desert: the LA freeways.

Our standard 2,500 mile trip started at 4 a.m. on a bright, clear Southern California day. The temperature was a perfect 72 degrees, winds were light out of the southwest, and visibility was 1.2 miles in haze and smog. Both cars started without a hitch, and we hit the road in search of some great food, fun, folks, and times.

The twisties were invigorating at 4:20am. At "The 405/605" junction, we could feel both cars hitting the limits of adhesion, the Supra screaming in the carpool lane at 120 and the Catalina warping in the right lane at 58, just seven miles behind the Supra. We finally met up at 6am at the Santa Monica Omelette Parlor; the Catalina had the pleasure of getting bogged down behind a jackknifed tractor trailer on "The 405". Our growling stomachs told us it was omelette time. We walked up to the restaurant, salivating greatly at the thought of 4 eggs, ham, chili, and... the restaurant is closed Monday. It's Monday.

 

[shaeff]

Distraught, we rounded up and decided on The Pantry in downtown LA: always open, always good. We hit "The Santa Monica Freeway" at 6:20am. The Catalina proved to be in true form here: thanks to the Catalina's awesome merging "scare" power, the Supra was left behind in the dust (or, actually, the smog.)

The rest of the 2,500 mile trip was similar: we would drive through a traffic jam, arrive somewhere, find out that it had moved or just closed, drive somewhere else in a traffic jam, and hopefully accomplish just one goal set for the day. By the end of our journey we were weary, exhausted, and grimy, but we were also not exhiliarated, not happy, and generally just very cranky thanks to terrible traffic and our inability to plan well enough to actually get someplace meaningful.

Perhaps the most memorable part of our trip was the 9 hour jaunt to Las Vegas. We were looking forward to a speedy, open road drive through the open desert. Alas, it was Sunday, so we spent most of our time following a pack of 79 cars, motorhomes, pickups, jet skis, and the like in the left lane at 80 mph. The Supra showed its prowess, though; at these higher speeds it could slice through the gaps like a hot knife through whipped margarine. The Catalina could only threaten, but we discovered that Las Vegas weekend drivers are a hardy bunch. We topped off our experience with dinner in Bob Stupak's Stratosphere Tower, the tallest building in North America, where we had a delicious spicy chicken and other mysterious fixin's for just $49.95.

The Catalina was completely at home driving 15 mph, or even 45 mph, on "The 405". This silken, purring machine proved quite agile and effective at cutting people off. When those tough LA lawyers in their Mercedes saw the Catalina veering in front of them, they kept a wide, wide berth. The Catalina's lack of prowess at high speed actually made staffers more comfortable that traffic was moving sluggishly. Only one small nitpick: one staffer complained incessantly about "smog headaches", apparently related to the lack of a recirculation button on the climate control. We were able to dump this cranky staffer off just east of downtown LA, and we're happy to report we haven't heard anything from him since.

The Supra's speed, agility, high performance, and it's superb high speed feel proved to be its biggest downfall. Upon the open freeway, staffers would find themselves screaming at the traffic, since it prevented them from using the Supra's great capabilities. One staffer actually gouged one of his own eyes out while driving on "The 405" at 5pm. Nobody can tell the difference now, thanks to a glass eye. All staffers felt frustrated, angry, frazzled, saddened, and cranky when behind the wheel of this car in any amount of traffic.

We found the cure for the Supra's problem: take a different road. By driving from Santa Ana to Los Angeles via Palm Springs and Victorville, we found we were at peace with the open road, even though it took at least 4 hours to get anywhere.

We had the fortunate occurence of helping a staffer's friend move from Newport Beach to Corona, about an hour's drive. After driving two round trips with the Supra jam-packed full of clothes and other miscellaneous stuff, we turned to the Catalina to finish the job. In the last trip, we moved a stereo, big screen television, a nighstand, a futon, 3 bicycles, 1 motorcycle, a Miata, and a refrigerator in the Catalina. We had a great feeling of joy and pride in driving the Catalina at it's finest down "The 55" into the mountains (at 8mph in traffic, of course.)

Our staffer is happy to report that the Catalina fits well on a flat bed tow truck, and even better behind a regular chain tow truck. We found the Supra did an excellent job of transporting the Catalina's driver behind the tow truck to the repair shop. AAA could not have been more helpful, though we scorn their policy of only permitting three free tows per year.

So after a long test of these cars, both on the track and on the road, we were suitably impressed with both cars, though for greatly divergent reasons. The Supra was the hormone streaked adolescent, the wild stallion, the F1 racer (with no earplugs required), the great and glorious red beast which begged to be flogged.

But what machine would we choose for our ultimate experience of automobile ownership? Which machine would we revel in driving through tight mountain passes, yet be able to pick up the kids at Little League later that day? Which beast could satiate our every mobile desire, to live life to the fullest?

The Supra has its advantages, to be sure. It is a joy to drive on the open road, at speeds so far over the legal limit that we can't imagine the cost of being caught doing so. It has an ergonomically perfect interior: everything is exactly where it should be; perhaps our only slight nitpick, to make this the ultimate, benchmark, supreme, God-like interior would be to have more directional map lights. It has a racy engine, which pelts you to the seat when engaging the turbo, and it has the looks to match. And yet our object of passion still had its glaring dark side: in the real world, where every other car in the universe is strategically poised to make its way in front of you wherever you might be trying to go, the Supra became the iron maiden of the highway. There's not enough space to take people; there's not a supreme panarama out many glass windows to see every turn of events around you; and most importantly, real world driving conditions make it a frustrating heartache to be driving this machine at a tiny fraction of its capabilities.

While the Catalina could not match the Supra in pure, unbridled, brutal driving force and speed, it had so many shining bright spots that we came away truly dazzled and impressed. Ask the staffer who moved his belongings in just one trip across the California landscape. Ask the staffers who turned the Catalina into the rolling fun wagon, full of happy people comfortably cruising to their destination. The smooth drivetrain, the snappy, thrusting pickup, and the cloud-like ride could not be touched by any other vehicle. It was a comforting vehicle to drive in the real- world vagaries of freeway traffic and lines of stoplights. While the ergonomics were not quite perfect, the center armrest made the driving position complete and comforting for the long haul. The open, airy interior reminded many of the better days of Hondas, as you can see nature in its great splendor from every angle in this car. This was the most balanced of the two machines, the one that might not be the first choice to flog on the cliffside road thousands of feet above the ocean, but the one that would be the car for everything for everyone. We could not be more impressed with this fine piece of automotive art.

Which automobile is the best here? It was truly a close contest, but we can say there is a definite automotive world benchmark, the true victor, the one and only choice that could be made. It is the big blue wonder that will take us into the 21st century and beyond.

After a cunning high speed takeover, the Catalina bows gracefully into turn 8 at the Laguna Hills test facility.

The Catalina dash, with its black on white square analog gauges, shows a deviation from the norm that we don't often see. We like the dead-center horn and the confidence inspiring "Radial Tuned Suspsension" decal.

After gorging ourselves to the point of having to sit on the sidewalk to rest, we take the opportunity to capture some of the more lusty curves and angles of our vehicles

The Supra dash, with its perfectly placed black on white circular analog gauges, is completely functional, yet not so overly high-tech that you feel like you're landing a 747.

Both cars show considerable body roll in tight corners, though here at turn 4 at the Laguna Hills test facility the Supra is going three times as fast as the Catalina.

Both cars have very large, impressive engines. We have no idea how they work.






PONTIAC CATALINA SAFARI WAGON
Vehicle type: Front engine, rear wheel drive, 3+3+3 passenger, 5 door wagon
Price as tested: $1200.00
Price per pound: 24 cents
Options on test car: Custom baby blue exterior/interior with hand stitched naugahyde seating surfaces and leather wrapped steering wheel, faux inlaid wood dash
Standard accessories: Full gauge package excluding fuel gauge (fuel gauge simulated by writing mileage on a post-it at each fill up and sticking it to the dash)
Sound system: Sony CDX-5080 pullout AM/FM CD player, 4 speakers
Engine
Type: 8 cyl. thruster
Displacement: 403 cu. in.
Redline: we don't want to know
Emissions controls: Yes
Dimensions and Capacities
Wheelbase.... 0.0000027 light years
Track, F/R.... 0.02 hectometers
Length........ 214.7 inches
Width......... n(cx)i, i=2f(g)
Height........ 9 fathoms
Curb weight.. 2 1/2 CRX's
Fuel capacity. Hopefully enough to get to 7-11
Interior
Front seats... bench
Rear seats.... bench
Rearrear seats aft-facing bench
Seat adjusts.. headrest up and down
Gen. comfort. poor fair good excellent
Fore&aft supt poor fair good excellent
Lateral suppt. poor fair good excellent
Suspension
Front.......... Cushy as a ride on the Love Boat
Rear........... The Love Boat is actually more jolting
Wheels and tires
Wheels........ Pontiac Safari "Cool Baby!" ed.
Tires.......... Provide ample audial feedback when cornering P185/90NOR (rated 55 mph)
TEST RESULTS
Acceleration
0-30........... 3.8
0-60........... 9.9
0-90........... tomorrow
0-110......... airborne off cliff
Top speed..... 111.111 mph
Braking
70-0 mph always at impending lockup ................ too long
Fade........... phenomenal
Handling
Roadholding (1.6mi skidpad) ................ .92g - .92i
Turning circle 99(3pi) mi.
Fuel economy
EPA city...... 20
EPA highway. 28
AutoXS obsvd 7
Interior sound level, 80mph at impending disintegration ................ You can tell exactly which valve is clacking with crystal clear precision

 

[shaeff]

TOYOTA SUPRA TURBO
Vehicle type: Front engine, rear wheel drive, 2+2 passenger, 3 door coupe
Price as tested: $17,250.00
Price per pound: $5.17
Options on test car: Targa top, leather interior, automatic transmission,arrest-me-red paint
Standard accessories: Driver ball blower/nut cooler
Sound system: Cassette system, not a CD player, sigh!
Engine
Type: Toyota 7M-GTE 3.0 Liter dual overhead cam 4 valve per cylinder inline 6 cylinder air to air intercooled turbocharer with Toyota TCCS port fuel injection system, etc.
Displacement: A lot smaller than 403 cu. in.
Redline: 7000 RPM
Emissions controls: See attached diagram
Dimensions and Capacities
Wheelbase.... 102.2 inches
Track, F/R.... 0.028516 acres
Length........ 0.00000000163 parsecs
Width......... 27 Ohms
Height........ .75 Roberts
Curb weight.. 1739336 milligrams, US RDA
Fuel capacity. 140 pints
Interior
Front seats... Dual buckets
Rear seats.... Iron maiden
Rearrear seats Not!
Seat adjusts.. 4 way adjustable headrests, power lumbar, 6 way power fore and aft, up and down, side to side, unidirectional angular tilt seats
Gen. comfort. poor fair good excellent
Fore&aft supt poor fair good excellent
Lateral suppt. poor fair good excellent
Suspension
Front.......... Firm
Rear........... Lets you whip that tail out at will
Wheels and tires
Wheels........ 3 warped rims, 2 curb shots, peeling chrome finish. Oh, What a Feeling!
Tires.......... Really big, expensive, and sticky P225/50VR16
TEST RESULTS
Acceleration
0-30........... 2.4
0-60........... 7.1
0-90........... 16.0
0-110......... 13.9
Top speed.... Cruise control may or may not set at 132mph on I-15
Braking
70-0 mph..... Thanks to the airbag, you never have to worry about "braking"
Fade........... Yeah, we're getting a bit tired
Handling
Roadholding (300ft skidpad)
................ No! The tread has to hold out another 10,000 miles!
Turning circle At least in this car, measured in feet, not miles
Fuel economy
EPA city...... 18
EPA highway. 24
AutoXS obsvd 58
Interior sound level, 80mph ................ just turn up the... cassette player... waaaaaaaaah!




Ratings & Subjective Evaluations*
Performance
SUPRA
CATALINA

Engine.......................
9.9
8.7
Supra screams; Catalina thrusts not unlike a Pratt & Whitney
Gearbox.....................
9.5
3.7
Catalina automatic is abrupt and lacks overdrive
Steering.....................
9.4
10.0
You could steer the Catalina with a feather, it's so effortless
Brakes.......................
8.5
6.6
Supra stops better; Catalina squeals less
Ride..........................
8.0
9.9
Catalina will float over craters on the moon
Handling....................
9.8
8.4
Catalina's 40 degree banking angle impedes driving the twisties
Body Structure...........
9.0
9.3
Only GM could load that much steel on 1 frame; Supra is also solid
AVERAGE..................
9.2
8.1

Comfort/Controls
SUPRA
CATALINA

Driving Position...........
10.0
1.8
Supra: wondermous. Catalina: school bus-like
Controls.....................
10.0
0.7
Supra: perfect. Catalina: perfect, ah, horn location
Instrumentation...........
8.4
9.7
Analog clock straight in front of you; it's always the right time for Catalina
Outward vision............
7.8
9.2
Catalina provides a full view of people staying the hell out of your way
Quietness..................
3.7
7.0
Supra's giant tires make giant noise
Heat/vent/AC..............
9.9
2.6
Ball-blowers make every driver comfy in both cars
Ingress/egress............
6.2
9.9
Catalina interior is so large and easy to get in, you can park a Miata in it
Front seats.................
9.8
9.9
Supra's buckets are great, but Catalina's seats provide ultimate comfort
Rear seats..................
1.2
9.4
Supra's rear seats are for serious S&M sessions only
Rear Rear seats...........
0.0
10.0
Keeps passengers further from frontal impact
Luggage/Loading.......
5.7
10.0
Move to a new house in the Supra; can move the house in the Catalina
AVERAGE..................
6.6
7.3

Design/Styling
SUPRA
CATALINA

Grille..........................
9.5
8.6
Catalina has a vulptuous grille with big, sharp, pointy teeth
Exterior styling............
9.6
9.8
Ah, the joy of right angles! The Catalina any day
Exterior finish..............
9.4
9.6
The Catalina's rust spots add the individual touch
Interior styling.............
8.4
8.6
We just can't get enough Naugahyde
Interior finish...............
8.9
9.1
Faux wood in Catalina adds class. Is this not a Mercedes brethren?
AVERAGE..................
9.2
9.1

Editor's Ratings
SUPRA
CATALINA

Editor #1 favorite.........
2.4
10.0
"Catalina stole my heart!"
Editor #2 favorite.........
3.6
9.7
"Supra a hot performer, but Catalina is obviously the better car."
Editor #3 favorite.........
10.0
0.0
"Of course, the Toyota. Oh, What a Feeling! Great financing now..."
AVERAGE.................
5.3
6.6


SUPRA
CATALINA

OVERALL RATING
7.6
7.8

* Ratings are average of 3 staff member's choices; cars are rated on a 0 to 10 scale, 10 being best. 1 staff member may or may not get a kickback from Toyota, but the results are of course still accurate.