I want to build a literal MK4 supra on a lexus sc300 chassis with a fiberglass body
Posted by Ok_Working3398@reddit | projectcar | View on Reddit | 56 comments
I got this idea as a way to still get my dream car and flip the bird to the market. It involves having an exact replica of a MK4 supra body being plopped onto a shortened lexus sc300 since they are kind of the same car mechanically. I would like to hear your thoughts on the matter. Cheers!
Ghost17088@reddit
There is no way you put this together for less than what it would cost you to buy a beat up Mk IV and restore it.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
I dont really have any other options because even crappy MK4s aint cheap. Most of this will be made from used or junkyard parts to keep it cheaper
Ghost17088@reddit
Do you actually think this is going to be cheaper in any way? Where exactly are you getting the body from?
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
here is the main shell for one, so a fiberglass body for this does exist.
Ghost17088@reddit
That literally answers zero questions. Nobody said they didn’t exist.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
possibly from a company in florida called USbody. I have been going back and forth with them for a while now, but if that falls through, there is a company in canada called SupraRR who works with a company called Toronto Turbo. after pricing everything out the whole build would be $15k to $20k all in considering it will use a twin turbo Vortec 4200 from the junkyard and having very minimal wiring since it will mostly be a track car.
Poil336@reddit
Man you almost had me until this. You're going to use a chassis that came with a 2j, build a replica of the most famous car that uses the 2j, is arguably only popular because the 2j, and then use an old trailblazer engine?
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
blown up 2j is $800 or so, a running 2j is $2k or so. a running 4200 is $250 to $500 and can make way more power by just slapping turbos on it than a stock 2jz while not ever having to open it up. on 13 psi it made 580 crank HP on stock everything, aside from the intercooler and turbo manifold.
this old trailblazer engine kicks the 2j's ass in every way with less upgrades and money spent.
Nivlac57 on youtube has gotten one of these to run 8.8 second quarters on a mildly built big single setup
Poil336@reddit
You know man, trying to do something like this on an obscure platform is the fun kind of stupid that I can support. A fiberglass body is a massive stretch, but you should definitely go do some kind of more realistic atlas build.
Still super lost on why you call a Supra you're dream car to the point that you'd consider this and then not use the engine though
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
like i said earlier the power per dollar for the 2j isn't there anymore. the power per dollar for the Atlas is far better with fewer to no internal mods. It isn't my dream car actually. I don't have a dream car. i just thought by framing it that way I would get more curiosity and input, because everyone I told this idea to didn't quite understand what I meant. I am not trying to shitpost or screw with anyone. I really want to do this someday.
overindulgent@reddit
I love when someone says “just slap some turbos on it”. Or anything similar. Like it doesn’t then need $500 worth of fuel injectors and $1k worth of stand alone ecu, among other things, to make work.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
oh yes it does, just takes too long to explain the intricate bits
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
it will not be a drift car
skylinesora@reddit
If you think the crappy mk4 are expensive, then give up on your build now.
RiftHunter4@reddit
You could probably buy a decent Mk4 for the cost of a decent fiberglass replica. You can get non-turbo JDM Supra's for under $50k all day. It's the LHD models that cost a fortune.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
I want it even cheaper than a jdm non turbo and i want LHD without hacking a jdm one up. and the go fast bits are not cheap anymore. decent mk4s where i am at cost a fortune and i dont wanna pay those crack smoker prices.
No-Locksmith-9377@reddit
This is spoken by someone who obviously doesn't know about fiberglass work. This project will be the single biggest PITA ever.
You are going to need to buy a supra to make the molds at the very least.
You would be do much better off just swapping a soarer or anything.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
nope, the main shell already exists so i wont have to mold one. I would be using a carbon hatch, hood, doors, front fenders, and front bumper
No-Locksmith-9377@reddit
Oh my sweet summer child. You dont realize how much work you have for yourself.
I'd literally rather get a second job for 2 years and just buy a supra than do what you think will be easy.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
I know it won't be easy. The price would be even higher in 2 years anyway so all that saving would be moot. And I would rather screw something up myself and know what it was, than undo someone else's screwups and not know what else they did.
No-Locksmith-9377@reddit
You need do a small fiberglass project, and see just how much work goes into making it perfect.
No offense, you need to probably fail at a dozen small fiberglass projects before you understand. There isna reason nearly no one does it.
Any shop that actually does professional fiberglass work, only works on boats because it isnt worth working on cars.
You should talk to a body shop and just get a general quote on hours. This could be several thousand hours.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
you are correct, i dont know about fiberglass work. but there is a company in canada that actually makes fiberglass bodies for these and i am in talks with a company called USbodysource in florida about possibly making bodies for these. they are doing feasibility studies at the moment.
lunarc@reddit
Before you even tackle this, try working with fiberglass in any capacity. Even if you get to the place where you can buy the kit, you need to understand how difficult it is to work with this material to get it perfect.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
this project wont happen for a long time anyway and by then it might be made. but good point.
ConsistentType4371@reddit
This is the dumbest pipe dream I’ve ever read here, and there are a fucking ton of pipe dreams.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
you can thank the scum who drove up prices for this. theres a lot more where this came from
ConsistentType4371@reddit
How are people scum for driving up prices? It’s a popular car. You can either afford it or you can’t, no reason to be so salty about it.
But also find a new project, this shit is literally never happening bud.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
they arent scum when it is still reasonable to the common person, but when it gets ridiculous like it has been, it makes a lot of people salty. look at collector car feed on youtube, saltiest people i have seen when it comes to this.
ConsistentType4371@reddit
I will never understand caring that much. It’s a car.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
yep neither do i and yet here i am
Careless_Steak9668@reddit
Why? Why put on a fiberglass mk4 supra shell? It will be flimsy and cheap looking. Why try to make a mk4 supra clone but then put in a atlas engine? Why not just use a 2jzge that it came with. How do you plan to "shorten" the subframe? How do you plan to attach this fiberglass shell to the subframe and have it being structural?
I am not trying to judge or be a jerk. I also do stupid shit. This is actually something that I have experience in and have done. But I use actual metal and not garbage fiberglass. I have put a 1977 Toyota Celica GT onto a supra unibody and lengthened it 5" to fit and widened it 6" in.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
the sc body will be cut off of the floor and the floor will be shortened by cutting it down and re welding it.
the 2jzge power per dollar isnt there anymore with all the hype surrounding it and the atlas kicks the 2j's ass in the power per dollar department when turboed.
It will have a roll cage and a tubular front end to hold the body on as well as being epoxied and gorilla glued to the floor.
the reason for fiberglass is because it is lighter and the company that actually makes it splashed it off a real supra and looks pretty good.
Careless_Steak9668@reddit
Cutting the unibody floor in half and welding it together will actually destroy the structure. This isn't the same as cutting a frame and shortening it like you would a truck frame for whatever vehicle body you want. You are better off lengthening the body that you are dropping on to fit onto the unibody. You can easily lengthen the body in the front fenders and hood area to get what you need to fit. Match the rear wheel well with the back tires on the unibody and then see how much you need to stretch the front. Also this fiberglass shell is going to be super flimsy because you are cutting out all the existing unibody what is behind the body panels if you are keeping only the floor (cars are two-three layers of metal). When I do this I rebuild all the inner unibody panels as well after I drop on the body. Like I said I am not talking out my ass I actually do this stuff.
Careless_Steak9668@reddit
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
but then it would be ruined and look awful, thanks for those extra pointers, i still have a lot to learn with this kind of thing. i wasnt really thinking when i said using a roll cage only. i had completely forgot the other bits. Thank You very much.
Careless_Steak9668@reddit
If you are actually able to do this kind of work you will then be able to pull off a stretch in the front no problem and noone will be able to tell that you even did it.
Here is the underside of the stretch I did on the hood. I extended the inner rib structure so it's strong as factory. I extended my hood and front fenders 5" to fit the supra since a 77 Celica is a small car. Anyone who sees the car can not tell any of that was done.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
or maybe taking a little out of the front for a space frame front end because the sc structure sticks out more than the supra
Careless_Steak9668@reddit
Cutting the front end off and making a tubular front end would work and would be way better than cutting the unibody floor in half. You would know for sure when you square up the rear end with the shell and unibody like I said before. When you square up the rear you will know when the front wheels end up with the body. Do you know what the wheel base is of the supra and the sc300? That will give you a rough idea of how it will all work out.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
Thanks man
Careless_Steak9668@reddit
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
didnt B is for build do what i am trying to do but with an r34 gtr body onto an r35 and he shortened the unibody by 7 inches i think
Careless_Steak9668@reddit
Then he ruined the unibody. That floor is your structure. If you mess that up it's going to twist or brake in half. Hell with a fiberglass outer skin only it's for sure going to twist and snap those floor welds off. You are removing all of the structure and then the only structure you gave left you are going to cut in half.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
your probably right about the youtuber thing, fuck those people who drove up the prices. If it werent for them, I wouldnt even consider this.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
and fiberglass is the only way to get a body for this
lightingthefire@reddit
You don’t need to be experienced in welding/cutting or fiberglass as long as you have decent gorilla glue skills.
You got me on this one bro, LOL :)
rudbri93@reddit
i feel like this could get...flimsy. how much of the sc300 do you plan on keeping?
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
i will be keeping the entire floorpan and firewall. it will have a roll cage installed and a space frame front end.
rudbri93@reddit
ahhh ok thats what I was thinking. basically build a vette-cart out of the sc300 and then hang body panels off of that. buy the 40lb reel of solid core welding wire.
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
And copious amounts of epoxy and gorilla glue
rudbri93@reddit
the pain in the ass is gonna be making the molds. hard to do without having the panels handy to build off of
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
there is a company in canada that makes them, but if that doesnt work I will 3d print the body in sections and use resin and truck bed liner to strenghthen it
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
Spot on!
TotalmenteMati@reddit
Do you mean making a supra lookalike out of fiber glass on the Lexus chassis? Or cutting up a supra body and dropping it on there
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
Supra lookalike out of fiberglass
BooobiesANDbho@reddit
Just get a sc300 and build the 2j
Ok_Working3398@reddit (OP)
the sc300 i was looking at is a complete shitter and I think this would be an interesting project