SC400 weight vs. Supra weight

[WDoherty]

Last year i weighed my sc400 and got 3780 pounds with a half tank (not sure about the half tank or not). Anyway, i do live in rural west texas and this was at the dump so its accuracy is arguable. I beleive the advertised curb weight was somwhere in the mid 3500 range so this weight seemed quite high. I think the supra tt advertised weight was somewhere in the mid 3400 range. The car is shorter and has fewer gadgets so i'm curious if anyone had weighed one themselves. If so, please post, and also others who have weighed their sc400's. Bottom line, is there a significant enough weight and size difference to prohibit the sc's ability as a sport car. My car is stock, but would an sc with appropiate suspension and power mods be able to handle as well or similiarly to a supra? Also, an actual sc300 weight would be nice, its advertised as lighter, but i've seen comments on the forum that the 1uz-fe is lighter than the 2jz-ge.

 

[V8TOY]

i had my car weighed at 1530 kg's its a sc.

 

[cribbj]

MKIV Supra's weigh between 3250 and nearly 3500 lbs, depending whether they're NA or TT, manual or automatic, sport roof or coupe, etc., so they're definitely in the porker category like the SC400.

I have one in the lightest category, a coupe with an NA motor & 5spd, before it was converted to single turbo motor and 6spd. I weighed it last year and have misplaced the record from the scales, but IIRC it was around 3480 lbs with 1/2 tank of gas and a 190 lb driver.

I also have one in the heaviest category, TT, with A/T and sport roof. I need to have this one weighed just for a comparison. The other one definitely "feels" stiffer, and more nimble than this one.

John

 

[turboandrew]

I have a goal to get my Supra to about 3150 with driver. Hopefully having the 1UZ will help a little bit.

 

[Red Supra]

I have a goal to get my Supra to about 3150 with driver. Hopefully having the 1UZ will help a little bit.

3120....Sounds like it's going to be stripper!

 

[turboandrew]

Actually I want all creature comforts in this car. Here's the plan so far:

Stock weight 3475
reduction -301.5
reduced weight 3173.5

Weight savings

remove spare tire & tools -43.5
swap RPS flywheel -20
remove rear seats -35.5
remove tow hooks -7.5
1UZ motor swap -75
whipple supercharger +25
TRD sway bars +8
swap hawker PC680 battery -20.5
swap downpipe -15.5
swap exhaust -10
Swap front seats -38.6
Tien CS coilovers -19
light wheels -24
Remove trac control ECU -1
Light front brakes -24.4

 

[SCV8]

The SC handles quite well with minimal suspension upgrades; I have the actual parts from someones Supra TT (springs,shocks, rear bar), along with a performance alignment, and some fat tires/wheels.
This makes for a fun daily driver that won't scrape over speed bumps, curbs.
It was the easiest course of suspension upgrades I have yet to experience, and gave me more time to tune the engine.

 

[jibby]

You can get a carbon fiber hood for your sc400 and that will reduce 45lbs of weight, and also reduce the weight in your wallet as well.

 

[jibby]

Wow did it all hook up well on your sc400? I just bought two new lower control supra arms for my 1992 sc400, I am running eibachs and tokimo springs and shocks and I don't think my car handles as well as a supra tt, I guess I should have went with the Supra shocks and Springs and I still might. Are those coilovers on the supra's?

 

[WDoherty]

Wouldn't the eibach's and aftermarket shocks be firmer and provide more dampening than stock tt hardware?

 

[cribbj]

Most of us with Eibach's find them bone jarring, and they do little for the car except lower it, and make it look better.

They're just a "transition" mod on the way to a good set of coilovers, like the Tein CS's that Andrew listed. We have several Supra owners that run the CS's and like them a lot.

I've still got them (Eibach's) on my '97 Supra and as soon as I can divert some resources from the other project, I'll put CS's on that car.

John

 

[turboandrew]

BTW, those light brakes I listed are also an upgrade in size: 14" wilwood rotors and wilwood 6 piston calipers. I am amazed at how much less a brake system can cost if you shop it yourself in components. The only thing I thinK I am missing in my brake parts list are the aluminum rotor center section/adapter (1lb each?) and the calper bracket adapters (~1 lbs each). Still would save ~20 lbs on the front of the car and have much better brakes. Or, if the stock Supra brake size is good enough for you, Wilwood has a 12.9x1" rotor that combined with calipers, etc, should shave off ~35lbs.

 

[jibby]

That's what I would think but I have driven both and I think the supra would handle slightly better, perhaps because it is lighter, I do not know, that is why I was inquiring.

 

[jibby]

Well said and a true statement, tein coilovers are on the way, and the eibach's are going on ebay.

 

[SCV8]

The roadrace crew next door over on a supra website couldn't get any better lap times from the Eibach springs vs. stock.
Everything will swap between the cars, I did the oem stuff because I'm cheap, and it works well enough for the street. If I had 600-800 hp, I'm sure that would change.

 

[jibby]

I figured the Supra stock suspension would not out perform the Eibach's, my Eibach's create a stiff ride, my car handles pretty good, as well too bad it is not stick shift. The only Problem with Eibach's is you lose alot of suspension clearance so you bounce alot and can bottom out on a dip. The lexus is no longer a luxury ride that is for sure. Very stiff, and creates a one inch drop. So I think the Supra stuff is the way to go.

 

[WDoherty]

I wonder what the spring rate rating is on the Eibach's and stock TT. Suprastore.com has a variety of springs for supra, wonder if any have a spring rate sutable for sc street use?

 

[jibby]

Good question WDoherty, teins coilovers adjustable is the premium choice, period. Also the most expensive. Don't know what the spring rate is. I would assume you can find out by logging onto their websites.

 

[SCV8]

Yup, the Eibachs are just not stiff enough for the height they have put the car/suspension. The good stuff is much firmer, like 100%+ vs. the 15-30% of the eibachs.
The benefit of the oem TT springs is that they have some travel as well as a 15% increase in firmness over stock SC, which allows for better all-weather driving for those who commute. The bare minimum sport suspension.
Some popular Supra spring rates are listed over on MKIV.com, in the technical article section I believe.

 

[jibby]

I guess you broke it down and are should be satisfied with your supra swap suspension. Good choice at probably a good price. Quick story basically because I have nothing else to write about is I just was just our riding tonight testing the handling effects of the eibach's and tokimo's (I can never remember the spelling of these blue shocks, (tokimo I think) I handle the road pretty well with the 9.5 rimd and tires I am running on, it does corner well, about as good as my friends Infinity G35.

Does anyone now how much horsepower or 0-60 times the New BMW 745 is because this is like the third one I destroyed tonight on my way home, for some reason I attract those cars with my sc400. However about two months ago I think an NBA player driving the same type 745 BMW but lowered black with fat rims and tires and had to be equipped with nos/turbo's/ or most likely supercharged gave me an excellent run for my money and was very much neck and neck with my 475hp sc400. I was suprised. I think he was too. The two other stock ones were much slower, I just had to tell this story, I am a 37 year old kid enjoying my fast ride that is it, and don't be bagging on my story all you 500hp+ supra's etc.. who race tracks and all, I am not their yet, but getting closer. Peace people!.