96 LS400 2jz gte race car

[v8huntr]

Hello,

I have not been there for sometime but I'm back with new project in mind. Well, I have owned 96LS since new and now it has 220k miles. Engine runs perfectly but it needs new trans, a/c and few other things needs to be fixed and after 11years i'm tired of driving this car. So, I am thinking about making it into full race car. Please feel free to put your thoughts on this project, such as parts etc...

My idea of LS race car.
Strip the car to shell and acid dip and tub the rear.
2jz gte built motor
toyota built auto or Th400??
AEM EMS
My fuel system put together

 

[cribbj]

IMO you're going through a lot of trouble and expense to make the LS into something it's not, and you'll still need some additional big ticket parts that you haven't covered, like good brakes and a tough diff/drive shaft.

Why not sell the LS to someone who can appreciate it for what it is, then use the money to find yourself a TT Supra with a salvage title (wrecked & repaired) and build your racecar from that? You'll already have the 2JZ motor, you can sell the V160 tranny at a premium, it'll have good brakes, the LSD rear end, etc.

Supras with salvage titles sell for less than half the going rate.

Good luck whatever you do!

 

[JamesN]

I have seen an LS with 2jz gte making 900 rwhp. It is a rare and super expensive project. The guy spends way over 30K dollars to make his LS move fast. I give him mad respect to do what he did but in my opinion it is a waste of the motor and chases. LS are not made for racing and it will never perform as well. To me if I want to build a race car I would get the old Datsun 240zx and put a build 2jz in it. Now that power to weight ratio. But in the end it is your money and your car. Do what you wish with it.

 

[WDoherty]

why???????

 

[Thermactor]

i'm going to supercharge my '96 LS with 245k on it, without doing anything to the engine. Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead! I want at least 300rwhp before I'm done. Now you in your case can definitely go ahead with the 2JZ-GTE, the sky is the limit with that engine, it's only about how much money you can spend on it

 

[v8huntr]

first, i can do this because i have chassis for it. Most people think LS is not a good chassis to start but i disagree. It is not much more than supra in weight. LS is about 3800 and supra is 3600. LS has much more to take out and it has very rigid chassis. It also has lots of rear room for back half tubing. Also, lots of room in engine bay to do fab all IC pipes and run any size turbo.

 

[Thermactor]

first, i can do this because i have chassis for it. Most people think LS is not a good chassis to start but i disagree. It is not much more than supra in weight. LS is about 3800 and supra is 3600. LS has much more to take out and it has very rigid chassis. It also has lots of rear room for back half tubing. Also, lots of room in engine bay to do fab all IC pipes and run any size turbo.

actually the weights are a lot closer than you think; the 2nd gen ls is supposedly 3650lbs and the supra around 3500lbs.

the ls is indeed an awesome platform to get a lot of power from and i'd die happy (slight exaggeration) if i see a stock looking 2nd gen LS with 1000hp

 

[Death By Bass]

"A SPEC" 1996 LS400 (least features, therefore lightest model) weighs in at 1670kgs...

"RZ-S" 1996 Supra (turbo, manual, not many features I dont think?) weighs in at 1490kgs...

thats 3680 pounds VS 3285 pounds...

thats a pretty big difference actually...

 

[Thermactor]

"A SPEC" 1996 LS400 (least features, therefore lightest model) weighs in at 1670kgs...

"RZ-S" 1996 Supra (turbo, manual, not many features I dont think?) weighs in at 1490kgs...

thats 3680 pounds VS 3285 pounds...

thats a pretty big difference actually...

i don't think that there would be a big difference between the lightest LS400 and the heaviest LS400, feature wise, because they pretty much come LOADED from the factory. And The MkIV Supra never weighed 3285 pounds, it has always been AT LEAST 3400 lbs.

 

[v8huntr]

Anyway, there is lots of weight i can take out of lexus compare to supra. i'm sure taking out 500pounds of lexus would not be hard thing to do.

 

[jibbby]

Mr. Lex himself has a decently fast LS400....Single turbo and it moves...The tranny limits the car to 400whp.. That's a big road block in any 400 Lexus...

I would look to save cash and aquire some luxury and get an SC300 or SC400 which shares the exact subframe as the Supra and almost weighs the same...

 

[Death By Bass]

i don't think that there would be a big difference between the lightest LS400 and the heaviest LS400, feature wise, because they pretty much come LOADED from the factory. And The MkIV Supra never weighed 3285 pounds, it has always been AT LEAST 3400 lbs.

no, the supras dont weigh that much... its a common belief that they are heavy, when they arent really at all...

I can link you to a page, with a dozen or more people who have all had their supras weighed, and none come anywhere near weighing as much as an LS400...

shall we?

if I can find it... lol

http://www.supraforums.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=33720&highlight=weigh

and to list off a few...

1414kgs -
1560kgs - 3440 pounds
1485kgs -
1480kgs -
1435kgs -
1400kgs - 3090 pounds
1460kgs -

now, some of those numbers may not actually be right... but only ONE, heaviest one there is over 3400 pounds... the lightest, is over 300 pounds less (ofcourse, it has weight reduction) however, you can see, that the average is around 1450kgs... which last time I checked was 3200 pounds...

 

[XR8tt]

Which engine is heavier ?? Add another 100 odd Lb to the Lex with 2J motor ??? If you want to GO for it!!!
The is a 2J powered Cresida down here that hauls well at drags etc....