Formula D Pro 2 Supra Build - Part 2

Fabricator and driver Dan Burkett is off to a solid start in building his 1995 Toyota Supra to pursue the 2015 Formula Drift Pro 2 Championship. At this point the short-term goal continues to be prepping the car for paint, and to that end the operator of RAD Industries and 2014 Top Drift runner-up is marking items off his checklist at a steady pace, completing most of the basic chassis prep and roll cage, adapting and girding the rear sub-frame for the stout Winters quick-change rear, etc. Taking a look at the 2JZ power plant is probably as good a point as any to kickoff part two.

Formula D Pro 2 Supra Build - Part 1

See All 33 Photos33

Behold the beast that will motivate this beauty. Assembled by S-Tech Motorsports, what you can't see is the Brian Crower stroker kit that lengthens the 2JZ's stroke from a stock 86mm to 94 with a steel billet crankshaft and Carrillo rods. Coupled with 87mm bore CP aluminum forged pistons (stock bore is 86), displacement goes from 3.0 liters to 3.4.

10 Keys to Building a Competitive Drift Car

See All 33 Photos33

The mill has been further enhanced with Deatschwerks fuel injectors, Nuke Performance fuel rail and filters, and a Future Fab turbo manifold (in anticipation of some Turbo by Garrett goodies on the way). The goal here is 800 horsepower according to Burkett, which given the parameters seems like it should be achievable.

See All 33 Photos33

See All 33 Photos33

See All 33 Photos33

Protecting the engine are items like the custom coolant neck that replaces the water pump; you'll recall the pump is now electric and sits at the back of the car along with the radiator setup. A Driftmotion thermostatic sandwich plate helps manage oil temps, and a Treadstone Performance Engineering intercooler lies nearly flat just in front of the motor thanks to more tubing (of course as a charge cooler, the heat exchanger is more for efficiency than engine protection).

Engine power is routed to a G Force GSR four-speed racing transmission from Race Tech Services (RTS), similar to ones used in NASCAR. It took a bit of work to get the gearbox to mesh; for starters the roof of the Supra's transmission tunnel had to be raised slightly for clearance, which Burkett accomplished with 20-gauge sheet metal. The bell housing comes from an A341E four-speed trans, the slushbox that came with the turbocharged automatic 2JZ-GTE, while the adapter plate mating engine and gearbox is a product of Excessive Manufacturing. Finally, helping secure the G Force is a custom rear brace outfitted with a GM hardened polyurethane transmission mount.

See All 33 Photos33

See All 33 Photos33

See All 33 Photos33

The cabin is beginning to look more and more like a proper race car. Before the motor was dropped in, Burkett picked up and installed a new steering rack, which is actuated by a custom column that runs up through the firewall to a Sparco steering wheel and quick-release hub. For some adjustability, the column passes through a Heim joint that is bolted to a slotted piece of plate welded to the crossbar behind the dash. The dash itself has also been further modified with a piece of aluminum sheet metal replacing its center section.

See All 33 Photos33

See All 33 Photos33

See All 33 Photos33

Sparco seat side mounts have been bolted into the car; additionally, Burkett has created some custom aluminum dimple died foot plates that will get secured at some point. The side mounts will support a Circuit driver seat and EVO II US passenger seat.

Burkett has also essentially completed installing the rear firewall that Formula D expects all cars to run. He and his team created and installed framing for the sheet metal, and the wall sections have been secured via Nutsert threaded inserts and button head Allen bolts.

See All 33 Photos33

See All 33 Photos33

See All 33 Photos33

Behind the rear firewall Burkett has added a few more items to the trunk; a Derale Power Pack shroud with dual SPAL fans now pulls air through the radiator and sends it out via custom ducting. Dan also fabbed up a nice little tray for the ATL fuel fill cap, which he bolted to one corner of the hatch. The ATL cell was also dropped into its new home.

See All 33 Photos33

See All 33 Photos33

Project partners Race Tech Services sourced the Wilwood brake calipers and rotors from Arizona Performance (A-Z-P), who makes a caliper bracket kit for the Mark IV Supra. Up front are multi-piece slotted, vented 13-inch rotors with six-piston calipers providing resistance; in back, Burkett is using two sets of four-pot binders on 13-inch slotted, vented discs. At the pro level, many cars run a dual rear caliper system - one each for the foot and hand brakes - for the sake of safety through redundancy.

See All 33 Photos33

See All 33 Photos33

See All 33 Photos33

RTS also came through with the Wilwood brake and clutch pedal set, and since he didn't need the factory master anymore Dan went ahead and closed off its hole in the firewall with a block-off plate. As for the hydraulic handbrake, Burkett installed a long-ass rally-style Era 1 hydro lever, which is secured to a base he welded onto the side of the trans tunnel.

See All 33 Photos33

We close part two with a couple of modifications Burkett made to the booty end of the Supra. While it's been there for a while, we should point out that Dan fashioned a jack point out of tube centered under the rear. And rising up from the rear hatch is an APR Performance GTC-300 rear wing to give the car's ass a modicum of down-force.

See All 33 Photos33

NEXT TIME: Dan works on widening the Supra's front fenders; ACT sends over a beefy clutch; plus with any luck the Garrett turbo should be in.

PROJECT PARTNERS-none of this would be possible without the generosity of: Team RAD, ACT Clutch, Aero Tec Laboratories (ATL), APR Performance, Battle Version, Anthony Borrelli at OC Welding, Brian Crower, DeatschWerks, Driftmotion, The Driveshaft Shop, Feal Suspension, Future Fabrication, Megan Racing, MILCO, Nuke Performance, Optima Batteries, Performance Tube Bending, PurOl, Race Tech Services (RTS), Sparco, SPA Technique, SPAL USA, Treadstone Performance Engineering, Turbo by Garrett, and STR Racing.