Supra questions.

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NissanNiNjA2nd

Senior Member
Since I have to the realization that several of you are walking talking automotive dictionaries.....


I have a friend looking into a 1990 supra turbo..... I know nothing about the cars, but I have driven and checked it over.

You would not believe the entire car as NO rust on it. NONE! ANYWHERE

I took part of the rear interior checking for it.


So I would just like to know, what should I check out for him and are there any good or bad protions to these little matchboxes? besides the fact that they weigh more than my suburban.........
 
Headgasket is the only thing that can go wrong with these. Check the fan speeds on the Logicon as Toyota never could a resistor pack right. Then go to the back of the car, and the panel of steel that the taillights are in, push it in. If it moves then the welds have rusted out. Since you got in the trunk, open the two fender compartments (The storage at the side) and put a paper towel in there. Look for water. Trunk seals are rarely taken care of and tend to leak. That is the start of rust in the MA70.

Remove the targa top, if so equipped, for your drive. What I do is tape a string to the front windshield and then to the back roof, on the outside. As you drive, look for the string to get slacker or more tense around corners. If the car has TEMS make sure it's running TEMS equipped struts and watch how they work.

Avoided modded cars. You can't mod a Supra like you do with a Honda. The aircones and fart cans tend to actually kill the performance of the car. Inspect the wires and hoses around the turbo for cracking or even burns from the turbo. Make sure all gauges work.

Under the hood look at the steel on the unibody. Look for holes. The passenger side fender well usually starts this rust. The mudflaps (a large piece of plastic) harbor water, and the wings rust under the post.

Other than that, if you get these problems, it's not a complete loss. Just make sure a rust-free car is truly rust free. Most of the US has rust-free Supras.

And is this a triple-white edition? White trim and the like ?
 
Lol my friend just bought one and week later the HG blew. Its very expensive to, at least thats the ones he tried to find were expensive.
 
an HK$ Headgasket can cost over $500, and a normal can be $300. The Felpro HG would be the best bet.

And it's a 20 hour project, so having a shop do it will cost you into $1500 or more.
 
Might as well get the ARP headstuds while your at it too. Just as extra insurence. Was actually looking at a nice blue 91 Turbo way before I got my Civic. Price was right, and I had the money, but my dad told me it was too much car for me. Yeah right.

A few months back, I was looking at turbo RWD cars and seriously considered buying a MKIII. But then I looked at what the services bills are like, and what can go wrong. I kept the Civic.

Was also looking at Starions, but found out they have a propensity to burst into flames.
 
Yeah, Supras are not for the weak walletted.

Starions do ignite like a dusty zippo, but everyone I know that has owned one has regarded them as awesome. If you simply take care to keep the turbo cool, then you shouldn't have problems. Keep that fire blanket on the turbo and you should be ok (And keep your injectors clean, use high octane consistently and don't advance it too far... all this leads to hotter exhaust gases).

Fieros burst into flames as well..(In a stark instance of irony) But the owners don't let that stop them.
 
I'd still sway towards the Starion. As much of a Supra fan that I am - the MKIII seems way too problematic for me. I'f I could find a rust-free MKII....thats a different story.

But for the Starion - out with the SOHC, in the 4G64.... :ph34r:

Chris could help with that swap.
 
Yes, it doesn't even weigh more. (7MGTEs are fucking huge). The Lexus V8 bolts in, but requires an automatic (Toyota never made a manual for the V8 series)

Scratch that, their is a rare JDM trans for the Soarer V8. I have no idea what it is or how to get one.

For the Ford swap though, contact NWOR (Northwestoffroad.com) and buy their bellhousing kit, oil filter relocator and low-profile exhaust manifolds. From there you'll need low-profile intake manifold and the mounts. NWOR may offer the mounts now, but I doubt it (They do the complete swap for Toyota Trucks). It's a 25 step process, but you're basically getting a wider and stouter Mustang with better interior, better transmission and independent rear. Think of it like a modern day Pantera. (Also, the Ford 7.5 inch rear drops in the Toyota pumpkin)

OH and use the W58 trans for the NWOR transmission to 302 kit.
 
Quoted post[/post]]
I'd still sway towards the Starion. As much of a Supra fan that I am - the MKIII seems way too problematic for me. I'f I could find a rust-free MKII....thats a different story.

But for the Starion - out with the SOHC, in the 4G64.... :ph34r:

Chris could help with that swap.

yeaaah buddy. the wiring in that swap would be horrible.
 
Only Australians seem to be able to take an old car of a make and simply drop a new motor of the same make into it. Observe the 1968 Toyopets with 3SGTEs in it, clean install with no visible wires.
 
there is only one engine that belongs in an MKIII

and thats a 1JZ


just like the 2JZ belongs in the MKIV. same thing.

also... some people convert their NA MKIIIs to turbo, and just badge the trunk, so make sure if its a turbo, that it has the headlight squirters, as they were on every single turbo model. and not available on NA models.
 
I would rather drive a turbo converted Supra NA than the Turbo anyway. In some years, all Supras had headlight washers and in others none did. Not definate enough.

A Turbo Supra deletes the Alt gauge and adds the boost gauge in it's place. In later years the LSD was optional on the NA, standard on the Turbo. Um... outside of checking the VIN I can't think of another way to tell the difference. And ultimately, if they did a good job of building a turbo - why complain. Cheaper insurance for you.

The 7MGTE must be avoided in a daily driver. The timing cover will tell you that though. Otherwise a homemade turbo installed on a 7MGE would be my preferred way.
 
Quoted post[/post]]
there is only one engine that belongs in an MKIII

and thats a 1JZ


just like the 2JZ belongs in the MKIV. same thing.

also... some people convert their NA MKIIIs to turbo, and just badge the trunk, so make sure if its a turbo, that it has the headlight squirters, as they were on every single turbo model. and not available on NA models.

Hooray! I'm an import fanatic and absolutely MUST do everything the hardest and most expensive way possible! YAAY!
 
[buzz lightyear] youre mocking me arent you? [/buzz lightyear]
 
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Just make sure a rust-free car is truly rust free. Most of the US has rust-free Supras.
yea my friend has a 89-90ish turbo supra. bought it "rust-free" and it ran like a champ. its still runs like a champ but it had visible rust on the outside a few months later.
 
Went and checked all of the things listed over and found a few problems.

He bought the car for....... a case of beer and a bucket of chicken wings.

:laugh:

Its a black 90 Turbo targa.

450rwhp is the project build... He picked it up this morning and the work on it already started

doing work on the head and block and putting back a MHG and studs.

its... preeeeetty.

I ran it a little, the car ran AMAZINGLY well, which kind of surprised me.... then I REALLY got on it..... when I was driving the fact that the car happens to weigh as much as an suv kindof slipped my mind.

turns.... OOPS.
 
Oh come on it's not that heavy. It's not what you're used to - but shit dude it's a GT car.

Did you slide off the road into the woods ?
 
Quoted post[/post]]
Oh come on it's not that heavy. It's not what you're used to - but shit dude it's a GT car.

Did you slide off the road into the woods ?
......NOOOOOOOOOOO! :dry:



.......maybe. :ph34r:












actually just into another lane and had to correct it back. It was like driving my van all over again... rwd boat.

needs bigger tires. :laugh:
 
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