Back in the early 2000's, when import and sport compact drag racing was hitting the main spotlight, several race teams were experimenting with Toyota's Supra 2JZ-GTE powerplant. Whether it was in their Pro RWD drag car or their Street Tire class Supras, the 2JZ seemed to be the engine to beat when it came to making plenty of reliable horsepower. Even today, Titan Motorsports has shown just how great the 2JZ can be in their Scion tC drag car which is currently lapping 3's in the 1/8th-mile repeatedly.
What many didn't know however were that those same teams were also experimenting with other Toyota powerplants, perhaps to find a leg up on their competition. Another main reason was that they knew sooner or later 2JZ-GTE's would be hard to come across. The Supra was no longer in production and sooner or later the engines were bound to be extinct. Even though that day still hasn't come, those teams thought ahead and many of them did indeed test with larger power plants, mainly the 4.5L Landcruiser motor. Its inline-six design was similar to the Supra's 2JZ-GTE and many figured this 1FZ-FE would take forced induction well.
But at the end of the day, the Landcruiser power plant never became a necessity for many drag teams, already having plenty of success with the potent 2JZ. This doesn't mean that the dream has died, and for some aspiring enthusiasts there are still Supras being built out there with the idea of sporting a large 4.5L under the hood.
Here is one that has recently surfaced, sporting a gigantic turbo ready to be unleashed. It is worth noting that this project looks to be out of Japan (Ed.: It's actually from Russia), with the right-hand drive and barely visible R34 Skyline GT-R in the background of one of the photos. While the engine conversion is crazy all on its own, photos reveal that this Supra has also received an AWD conversion, possibly making it one insane straight-line bullet. Hopefully more will be revealed on this car and it doesn't become another Internet superstar that never sees the track.
More:
Custom AWD Toyota Supra Boasts Turbocharged 4.5L Landcruiser Motor on AutoGuide.com
Custom AWD Toyota Supra Boasts Turbocharged 4.5L Landcruiser Motor
Linear Mode
