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Photography: Wes Allison
Arizona-born gearhead, Brian O'Connor knows the feeling of the malicious, speed-induced grin. He wears it every time he retires to his quarter-mile-poobah throne. Brian got his jollies dispensing "justice" with the zipper-popping '94 Supra you see on the pages before you. Quite simply, this rolling, petrol-swilling labor of love leaves no stone unturned in its single-minded quest to raise our understanding of tuning nirvana.
The Supra's initial assault on the senses arrives in the form of a Candy Orange Lamborghini Diablo paint layer courtesy of Quigley's in Lake Forest, California. One-off Troy Lee graphics add a nice touch to this orange menace. This shocking hue of paint is applied over a Bomex front spoiler, rear and side skirts. The Supra's exterior is finished with a TRD composite hood and an aluminum bi-plane wing. The visual impact would be incomplete without the requisite "fullness" of the Supra's wheelwells. To this end, the wheelwells are stuffed with 19-inch Racing Hart M5 wheels that are wrapped in massive Yokohama AVS rubber.
Brian couldn't just leave well enough alone with the showy exterior. This Supra has to back up its intimidating looks with a generous helping of oats under the hood. A stout package from the factory, the Supra's turbocharged six-cylinder has been upgraded in nearly every conceivable way. The list of high-performance knickknacks reads like a "who's who list" of all things mechanically desirable. Most of the credit for the engine's "big stick" must go to a custom-built T-66 ball-bearing turbo. This monstrous compressor force-feeds the six cylinders through a massive GReddy intercooler, and counts on an extra 100hp nitrous boost for additional power. These wild ponies are all harnessed through a trick sequential shifting Getrag six-speed box.
The choicest engine electronics and monitors, from the likes of HKS and GReddy, add to the mission control feel of this rocketship-like Supra. The rest of the interior is, of course, unlike that found in any other road-going car on the planet. Inside the passenger compartment of this shuttle, we find Viper blue suede upholstery by Stitchcraft, Sparco Pista seats, steering wheel, custom carbon fiber...Damn, I've soiled myself again.
Brian drives the parts truck and wrenches at Harry's Pro Shop, where the vehicle also serves as a rolling testament of just what the right combination of balls, the aftermarket, and some dedication can do to a car. Brian's Supra keeps some fast company and he enjoys spinning the tale about several chance encounters with other wicked 10-second machines. Brian plans to descend upon the NIRA circuit next year in this orange missile after converting it to pure race trim.
OWNER: Brian O'Connor
HOMETOWN: Tucson, Arizona
DAILY GRIND: Head flunkie at Harry's Pro Shop
RIDE: 1994 Toyota Supra turbo
UNDER THE HOOD: 3.0L DOHC turbocharged inline-six with mad balls; using a Turbonetics T-66 ball-bearing turbo, Q-trim compressor built by Performance Factory, Turbonetics Delta II wastegate, RPS stainless steel, HPC-coated custom header, NOS 100-shot system, AEBS turbo downpipe, GReddy front mount intercooler, GReddy Power Extreme exhaust system, GReddy Pro-Fec B boost controller, GReddy power pulleys, GReddy oil cooler kit, GReddy Airinx intake, GReddy cam gears, Apex blow-off valve, G-Force Engineering racing ROM, Powerhouse Racing port and polished throttle body, Powerhouse racing port and polished cylinder head
STIFF STUFF: Eibach coilover system, Eibach sway bars, Energy Suspension polyurethane bushings all around
ROLLERS: Dazz/Racing Hart M5 19x10s and 19 x12s wrapped in Yokohama AVS S1’s 285/30/19 rear and 255/35/19 fronts
STOPPERS: Stillen/AP Racing 14-inch front-slotted and cross-drilled rotors with six-piston calipers
OUTSIDE: Lamborghini Diablo Candy Pearl Orange paint by Quigley's in Lake Forest, CA, squirted onto a Bomex front spoiler, rear and side skirts, TRD composite hood, APR aluminum bi-plane wing
INSIDE: Stitchcraft Viper Blue suede upholstery, Sparco Pista racing seats with custom-matching fabric, carbon-fiber dash trim by Trimmasters, MFS custom-built rollcage, Sparco steering wheel, Sparco harness
ICE: GReddy turbo timer, GReddy Pro-Fec B boost controller, GReddy boost, EGT, oil pressure and water temperature gauges, HKS Vein pressure converter, HKS Graphic Control computer, Clarion VRX 8271 TV/CD changer controller with remote, Clarion VMA6481 6-inch wide screen with second monitor in passenger airbag, Clarion VMA9181 5.5-inch TV monitor in trunk area, Clarion DSP9300 digital sound processor, parametric EQ/surround sound, Clarion CDC 635 CD changer, Clarion SRS 1691 6.5-inch separates, Image Dynamics 6-inch separates, two 12-inch Image Dynamics woofers, two Phaze AudioTD1500 Tube Driver amplifiers, 1 Phaze Audio475 Tube Driver amplifier, Sony PlayStation, custom-built electric-blue neon tubes for sound system backlighting, Minolta VHS-C camcorder, all by Audio Options Torrance, CA
PROPS: To all my peeps who kept an eye out for free parts for me and, of course, to the Lord Jesus our Savior
