Option — Shōwa Car Tuning & Buyers Guide (2000 Edition)
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About this issue
180 available scans from Option — Shōwa Car Tuning & Buyers Guide (2000 Edition), in right-to-left reading order. Japanese OCR and English translation drafts are available throughout. Drafts have not received exhaustive image proofreading; unreadable source remains recorded in the archival data.
Page 146 — English draft translation
Takahashi’s style is to make original exterior and audio parts from aluminum sheet. He bent the side steps over a guardrail to create the curves, then used a utility pole to shape the subtle radius—an ingenious one-off. He made the rear wing, subwoofer enclosure, diffuser, and even the paint job himself. Work that would cost a shocking amount at a professional shop can be done very affordably at home. A great DIY example!
The 1G runs out of performance, so a displacement increase is one option, but the cylinder block is not especially strong. A perfect build could be reasonably quick, but it would require a pile of one-off parts and is not practical for the cost. If you are buying a car to make it fast, simply choosing a 1J is much cheaper. Cooperation: Top Secret, 1285 Miyako, Chuo-ku, Chiba City, Chiba 260-0001; 043-232-5221.
Captions and page details
…this kind of tuning… [headline fragment].
L
Enjoy DIY bodywork with small-scale fabrication!
The center of the bumper was cut out and covered with mesh. This also helped stabilize coolant temperature.
Even the body, painted “Mariana Blue Pearl,” was done at home with spray cans for only ¥30,000! Takahashi does everything himself and deserves a DIY award… [caption continues].
Keeping the stock rear wing, he joined aluminum sheets to make custom supports. Cushioning material was fitted where they meet the trunk for a tight installation. Naturally, the under-diffuser below the bumper is homemade too. A bold modification like this takes nerve on a new car, but with a 70-series you can go for it!
…let’s give him that award!
A 1JZ-to-2JZ build ran a 12.263-second quarter mile!
A 1JZ modified to 2JZ displacement with a T78-33D turbo at 1.8 kg/cm² boost. It is a drag car: 18 kg/mm front springs, but soft 4 kg/mm rear springs to gain traction off the line.
With a build like Tsubosaka’s using a T78-33D, it is relatively easy to get major power. More than 600 PS is readily achievable, and with the right gearing it can run at a top level in either drag racing or top-speed events.
ZTRUST
Tsubosaka says he will next aim for a sub-one-second head… . Yokoyama of Garage Fuku SPL (077-6167-2980) says, “He still needs to practice his starts.”
For a 70-series Supra with a 1JZ, the bottom end…
…can achieve performance comparable to a Supra. Increasing displacement to 3… [text continues].
…by converting to a Z-series… [fragment].
1aD
Displacement… [fragment].
JZA70/MA70/GA70
It is not suited to a high-rpm build. A torque-focused tune is the best approach! (7M).
Given the 7M-GT’s characteristics… [fragment].
No matter what pistons or cams you use, it is difficult to tune an RB26DETT to make power by revving extremely high. Therefore, when tuning a 7M, it is better to focus on increasing mid-range torque. A setup that comes on strongly from 4,000 to 6,000 rpm can perform as well as the latest machines!
An oil cooler is essential! (M… [caption continues].
Troubleshooting.
Photo shows a Z32 application.
Weak points / tuning troubles.
Even with the same modifications, the way you drive…
Stock heat-range plugs can cause misfire! (1… [headline fragment].
Oil-temperature peaks depend on how the car is driven. Use 120°C as a reference; if temperatures regularly exceed that, install an oil cooler. Remember that once engine oil has been exposed even once to very high temperatures (for example, 150°C), it loses its lubricating function.
With the stock clutch, you may get only six months! (1JZ).
Even with only increased boost…
Unless you are deeply attached to it, it is safer not to get involved!
Even at this tuning level, the stock clutch lacks capacity. Even a skilled driver can wear it out in about six months. If it starts slipping, do not replace it with another stock clutch; upgrade to a twin-plate or better. It may seem expensive, but over time it offers better value.
Hard driving goes hand in hand with high rpm.
Higher boost also raises temperatures throughout the engine. The same is true for spark plugs working in extreme heat. Stock heat-range 6 plugs (NGK numbering) may fail to spark properly at high rpm. A colder heat-range 8 plug is usually preferable, but repeatedly switching the engine on and off while it is warming up can foul the plugs.
Because it is originally a 2-liter engine, the range of compatible turbos is limited…
(1)
…use it.
144
Photo shows a Z32 application.
YSR, 1163-2 Onoji-cho, Machida, Tokyo 195-0064; 042-736-2007.