My cousin Marilyn had one of these Supra’s in High School, and although she about ruined it crashing into stuff and running it out of water, I loved it. The flares, the seats, the torquey Inline 6, all of it was cool. And that was weird for me since I’ve never really been into the modern stuff, even back then. My dad worked at Toyota when I was a kid and I always liked the Celicas that came just before as well. The 1978 to 1980 models were cool, but these 1981-1986 models, that included the Supra, were just begging for big power. So why is it that most people aren’t doing LS swaps in these suckers? I know there are some, but they are just begging to be Pro Touring machines as far as I’m concerned and I wish there were more out there.
The inline 6 took up way more room than an LS or small block would so why doesn’t everyone stuff one in these suckers?
Would you think one of these is a cool Pro Touring machine with a V8 swap?
Sorry I stopped reading when those two letters L and S turned up. There are in fact many other motors such as the Nissan Skyline and even the later turbo Supra motor that would fit in a treat. But that would take brain power wouldn’t it Chad?
I agree with CHMG… (wow). That six is capable of as much useful hp as an LS and it’s all Toyota.
One reason I could think of is because the second gen Celica’s looked far, far, better. Like a mini ’69 Mustang. LS? WTF is that? A Supra motor would make more power and be more tractable on the street!
Personally I would do a LS but with older Lexus V8’s in the junkyard, I would try that swap. Just can’t stand the sound of the buzzin half dozen.
Easy, smog laws basically make late model cars out of the question in California. This straight 6s can make big power, now need to swap anything.
I’ve had a ’90 or-so Supra sitting in my “private reserve” yard for years and have had the V8 thought many times. Slammed, flared, a naturally-asp. 350 with some rumble on the cheap or an LS if there were money in the bank (needing to be smog-legal I’m afraid), would make a wonderful daily driver for the commute fight as well as weekend trips through the hills. ‘Way more space than a ‘Vette but smaller than most other cars which is a good thing. All I need is a couple beers and to start looking at that thing and there I go thinking about it again.
Why not many people would do it? Those Supras were some of the best cars of their time for sure and unlike -say- a Vega, the original motors were good enough that people don’t see the need to change. And then if you did, why not just get a Camaro?
It’s kind-of a tribute to just how many really great cars there are around these days, that such great potential as a Supra/V8 idea goes mostly unrealized.
because Toyota,Nissan/Datsun,ECT are dirty words here in Detroit
I like these things, think they look better than the later generations.
However, I like the sedan/wagon version (effectively) of this car the Cressida. I kinda agree with the comments about putting an LS in there. Sure there are lots and they do make power but there are lots of 1UZFE V8’s out there as well and since you have to buy motor mounts anyway, why not get one of those. However, I would put a 2JZ-GE VVTI NA motor in there. I’ve seen drifting Cressidas, drag Cressidas, and VIP/stance Cressidas; I’d like to see a Pro-Touring Cressida.
I would love to build one of these, and I would twin turbo LS it just to watch the haters reaction.
Buuuuut here in Australia these things have already approached “modern classic” status, and therefore anything cheap enough to use as a base for a project is really beyond saving; while anything good enough to use isn’t cheap enough.
Lucky us, here’s the car in the lead photo, two grand, what a deal. Yeah we see them for 6-8K also. https://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/d/1985-cilica-supra/6274403975.html
I have no issue with a V8 Swap, even if its an LS.
Chadburt channels his inner Brian France and goes ricer on us. At least build this steaming pile of month-old sushi with a Lexus/Tundra V8 ….
The Toyota Supra already has everything needed for “Pro-Touring”. Nothing else is needed.
I’d drop a Toyota v8 in it.
Reason 1 threw 20 RUSTED away 20 years ago, I sold the last one we could find with a rust free front clip in 2003 on ebay.. Guy came from Wisconsin to Ohio to get it. I kept the wheels and seats. Car was hit so hard in the right rear corner the unistructure was dragging the ground, the roof buckled. Car only have 55 or 60 thousand miles.
The Celica GTS has the same independent rear suspension, just a 22R or 22RE I-4 from 1978-1986.
A regular Celica GT or base has a live rear axle.
my last Celica GTS I ran as a tough truck in 1998. got 6th place because 5 sand rails had entered. All jump way better then a car. I also broke my ankle when the firewall folded back as I held the throttle to the floor. that was Hara Area Trotwood/Dayton Ohio fall monster truck show 1998.
Because they rusted into oblivion in about five years. Haven’t seem one alive in two decades.