The sz's best upgrade route?

[alex h]

Does anyone know of an SZ (NA) that's been upgraded with a 3S-GTE engine?

Now I know the JGTC Supra used to have one and Top Secret made a Supra with a 3S-GTE - but has any "normal person" done it in the US or Britain?

Surely it would a) rule over turbo charging an NA (which some people think is a good idea http://www.mkivsupra.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif ) b) it's lighter for better power to weight / cornering.

Surely its too good an idea to get an SZ with a blown engine and stuff a 3S-GTE into it http://www.mkivsupra.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif ??

[Martin F]

Errr did somebody say a blown 2JZ-GE http://www.mkivsupra.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif?http://www.mkivsupra.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif??

Probably as rare as a UK6TT ! http://www.mkivsupra.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Interesting idea, but i really wonder whether cost wise it would work out cheaper than turbocharging the NA. There would probably be a lot of fabrication needed for engine mounts and transmission. Then which (or what) ECU would you use ?

Also to get the performance somebody would probably be expecting from this upgrade i'm sure it would have to be more than just a stock 3S-GTE.

[tlicense]

Not only fitting the engine would be a problem but it's also a transverse 4, trying to get a box to go to the rear wheels might be a headache.

[Nathan]

Not as hard as you'd think. The Toyota Altezza uses the 3S-GE series engine longitudinally.

Nathan.

[Chris Wilson]

To get any serious power out of the little 2 litre would demand mega boost and none pump fuel. The Japanese GT cars use a race version of the 3SGTE unit known as the 503E engine. It was quite radically different to the production engine, and first appeared in Dan Gurneys All American Racers IMSA GTP cars. It made a genuine 1000 BHP in qualifying trim and boost. 700 plus in race trim. This engine forms the basis of the GT series engines in the Supras. They, like all the cars in the Jap GT series, are totally and utterly radically different to a road car, with only a limited amount of stock bits demanded by the regs, which are lengthy and very complex. For this reason most cars run a 2 litre 4 cylinder. Another example of how the regs work are the Skylines, which run as 2WD cars, with a rear transaxle.

There is at least one complete 503E engine in the UK, probably more. There are loads in the US, and one could probably be bought, less management, for under 10K UK pounds, in running order. http://www.mkivsupra.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif