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Hi from China - with a question


Tee from China

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Hi All, just a quick hi from sunny China. At present no motor as they don't have Supras here![sAD][/sAD]That's why I going to be back in Blighty sometime next year - China is great but no fish and chips and NO SUPRAS !!! Have been checking out the Supra scene and there is so much good stuff around and lots of fantastic suppliers[GRIN][/GRIN].Have a big dilemma though - what to start with! I have already decided on a Supra Mk4(goes without saying) and it will be a tintop(don't like the Aero personally) but from there gets difficult as for the following:

 

do I go for a pre facelift or post? VVTi or not? manual or auto?

Tiptronic? standard or already modded?widebody or stealth? in-yer-face or discrete? single or twin turbo?600bhp or 1200??

show or go? weekend warrior or daily runner?are Recaro's worth having?

 

I have drawn up a wish list(4 pages!!) of what I would like but could do with some useful input from those that know as to which way to jump - have a all-in budget of 50,000(pounds) over maybe two years - any help/advice welcomed!!

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Hi and welcome to the club.

 

Where abouts in China are you, I'm a Brit living in Hong Kong, been here over 10 years now.

 

With your budget, you could get what ever you desire Supra wise, as they are very cheap to buy now. The late model VVTi Supras are quite rare in the UK, as the laws were changed a couple of years ago restricting the importing of the VVTi model.

 

Stick around and check out the for sale section to get an idea of what is available for what prices. There are a few Traders also on here, that may be able to help source you what you want.

 

Personally the all show Supra doesn't interest me, a stylish, well set up street weapon would be my choice, ie. not straight line power, but a Supra with decent power (not extreme power, but useable street power of around 550hp) with great road handling.

 

cheers

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Hi and welcome to the club.

 

Where abouts in China are you, I'm a Brit living in Hong Kong, been here over 10 years now.

 

With your budget, you could get what ever you desire Supra wise, as they are very cheap to buy now. The late model VVTi Supras are quite rare in the UK, as the laws were changed a couple of years ago restricting the importing of the VVTi model.

 

Stick around and check out the for sale section to get an idea of what is available for what prices. There are a few Traders also on here, that may be able to help source you what you want.

 

Personally the all show Supra doesn't interest me, a stylish, well set up street weapon would be my choice, ie. not straight line power, but a Supra with decent power (not extreme power, but useable street power of around 550hp) with great road handling.

 

cheers

 

Hi Just moved to Taizhou last month

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Why bother with a Supe if you've got 50K mate - I suppose China is as cheap as chips to live so you won't have much to pay out!

Suppose because a Supra is very tunable and I can get 'more bangs for the bucks' as our american cousins would say. Plus what could I get that would give a big smile for the same money with out big overheads and maybe not a DD?

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The sort of info I need is which stroker kit is the best?,HKS,JUN,PHR,Titan or Suprastore? Which is better? GT2835's or GT3037's or GT3240's For singles how does a T51R compare with a T78/88 - value wize? Walbro pumps? a 341 or 342? - twin or triple? Inlet/surge tanks? whose do you recommend/use?Is the VVTi as tunable?Tiptronic - all it's crack up to be?LSD's? Kaaz or TRD?, standard front seats or Recaros? Using CF for doors,bonnets and tailgates - worth the money? durability issues? Body kits, TRD,Veilside or Abfug (the Zefi:r is my favourite at the mo - see pictures) Wheels? - make, size etc 20's 19's or 18's ?? These sort of things are what I need so that I can compare - read all the dealer hype -" X" = ours uses this whilst "Y" doesn't - or "ours is the best money can buy" sort of things - I want to now from 'end users' - customers not suppliers/manufacturers who obviously will say theirs is the best! Know what I mean? Cheers

Zefir.19.jpg

Zefir.11.jpg

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Hi all, sat down the other nite and did a complete spec list of what I want - came to nearly 7 pages on the computer !!! So started an Excel 'wish list' with suppliers and costs and got a 'little' shock when it bottom lined at over 57K - and that is not all the costs such as a re-trim or re-spray, V.A.T fitting costs and a base to start on !!!! So to keep within the 50K budget I set myself will have to'scale down' the spec or buy second hand - either an already converted motor taking advantage of someone else's hard work/money and change the things I don't like or buy S/H bits - found a company on eBay last nite with lots of goodies such as a complete tuned engine, a T78 kit and also an auto to manual conversion and a quick run on the old calculator came up with just under 10K and maybe an offer for the lot maybe less. Also found a nice NA for just over 4K so cound make a good base for around 15K then add the other bits off the 'wish list' as and when - plus I found a nice well speced black 95 TT with a nice 500BHP motor plus associated mods and running on 19's for 16K. Then there is the top end where I continue with the 'plan A' - but would move the budget nearer 70K which seems a little "excessive" - any comments??? TTFN

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This is what I would do:

 

Buy my car and ask Chris Wilson to build you an engine and fit a single using one of Arnouts cast manifolds - mapped by his Motec guy.

 

He'll build you a *proper* engine and you'll have a car you can *really* drive and not have trailered to shows, or in the workshop being fixed every five minutes. This will come well under your budget.

 

I was planning to do this myself, and was looking for a *genuine* 550BHP, but since taking a contract in Japan my plans have changed. I've bought an R34 and it looks like I'm going to be here a while, just can't justify having two cars, one of which I never use. The Supra is currently in dehumidified storage and I'm looking to sell when I'm back in December for Christmas.

 

Here's a brief spec and some pictures:

 

http://www.angelfire.com/ultra/nickmartin/Supra.html

 

If you don't like the kit, then arrange for GVN coachworks to remove it and fit another or the standard front bumper if you wish, which I still have.

 

You obviously have the money to do things properly, and in your position this is what I would do. For the record I have no financial arrangements with Chris, I just respect his opinion and highly recommend his work since I started using him, over 6 years ago.

 

It doesn't sound like you know what you want from your car though, i.e. responsive road/track car or big power drag beast. Decide what you want and then take the spec from there. Just remember that many cars advertised have highly inflated power figures.

 

PM if you'd like more details on the car.

 

Whatever you decide, with your budget you can afford to do it properly and have the finest example. Take your time and consider your options carefully.

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This is what I would do:

 

Buy my car and ask Chris Wilson to build you an engine and fit a single using one of Arnouts cast manifolds - mapped by his Motec guy.

 

He'll build you a *proper* engine and you'll have a car you can *really* drive and not have trailered to shows, or in the workshop being fixed every five minutes. This will come well under your budget.

 

I was planning to do this myself, and was looking for a *genuine* 550BHP, but since taking a contract in Japan my plans have changed. I've bought an R34 and it looks like I'm going to be here a while, just can't justify having two cars, one of which I never use. The Supra is currently in dehumidified storage and I'm looking to sell when I'm back in December for Christmas.

 

Here's a brief spec and some pictures:

 

http://www.angelfire.com/ultra/nickmartin/Supra.html

 

If you don't like the kit, then arrange for GVN coachworks to remove it and fit another or the standard front bumper if you wish, which I still have.

 

You obviously have the money to do things properly, and in your position this is what I would do. For the record I have no financial arrangements with Chris, I just respect his opinion and highly recommend his work since I started using him, over 6 years ago.

 

It doesn't sound like you know what you want from your car though, i.e. responsive road/track car or big power drag beast. Decide what you want and then take the spec from there. Just remember that many cars advertised have highly inflated power figures.

 

PM if you'd like more details on the car.

 

Whatever you decide, with your budget you can afford to do it properly and have the finest example. Take your time and consider your options carefully.

 

Hi Nick, thanks for the advice and suggestions and will certainly check out your motor and if I decide will pm you. And yes,I certainly will take my time and decide on my choices before 'jumping in'

 

Have only recently heard the name Chris Wilson - even more surprising as he's not that far from my hometown back in the UK.

 

Maybe it's because I have been here in the PRC for so long and up till last week I always logged on to the Aussie Supra forums !

 

OK, I suppose being honest with myself I don't really want/need more than 600-ish rwhp as at my age it may give me a brown interior - which I don't really want!! and perhaps maybe a usable and sometimes daily driver that will give me a bloody great grin every time I take her out - having said that I am a bit of an extro as I was well into the 'custom look' during the late 70's (V6 Mk2 Cortina,jacked rearend,big slot mags and fur interior etc)and as nobody else apart from one guy in Oz has - as far as I know fitted the Zefi:r kit and the fact that Envy can suppy one cheaper than the official exporters for Abflug in Japan and in my eyes it make the supe even sexier and is different to the usual kits most go for without the S900 / Veilside Fortune 03 look(and expense).

 

The next problem is colour as if I used that kit a dark plain colour would not do it justice! So I think I will probably go for the 'show with the ability to go - if needed' look.

 

Still can't decide on twins versus single or the manual/auto/tiptronic issues yet.

 

BTW if you suggest a max wheel size of 18's - how wide / low for practicality/usablity?? (Abflug recommend 225/35 frt and 315/30 rears)

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Having had the kit on there for a number of years I'd stick to the factory bumper and skirts. Kits are such a PITA to be honest, the fit and finish will never be as good as the factory and the only thing going for them is the look. Depends what you want from the car though :)

 

I think 550-600bhp is more than enough for a road car, more than this and you compromise reliability and usability.

 

I use (18*9) with 245/40ZR18 front, (18*10) 275/35/ZR18 on the rear. Gives near perfect to stock rolling radius and no clearance issues.

 

The twin vs single and manual vs auto vs tiptronic has been discussed many times, all the info is just a search away.:)

 

Single turbos are more popular - more choice, more simple and cheaper.

 

I owned an auto Targa before buying my manaul and would never go back. The auto is very nice to drive, but it's just not for me. I've always preferred manuals though. The Tiptronic didn't blow me away either, just felt like driving an auto but with the buttons on the steering wheel.

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Should I wipe my arse with blue toilet paper or yellow?

 

Is this thread a joke?

 

Silly question as everyone knows blue leaves a stain! And anyway I get the servant to do that!

 

Why a joke? If you had 50/60K to spend on a motor wouldn't you do some bl**dy research too. Like buying a house - the more you know the better choice you make ! Or am I wrong? I'm trying to find out what people are using / don't like or would by if they had the dosh!

 

With so much good/bad stuff out there I want to have what I consider the best for me - once I have had the chance to get past the BS that some dealers trot out - so sorry if you think this thread a joke - you didn't have to read or reply!

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