Supra Vs SC400

[Lextreme II]

No its not a race. I just need suggestion on which shell to get for my Project Lextreme. Should get a high mileage SC400 (93) for about $4,000-$5,000 or should I get its brother Supra (93 N/A) for about $10,000 more. They both are very similar. What do u think?

 

[cribbj]

David, you ought to be able to find a high mileage NA Supra for a lot less than that.

Predictably, I'd vote for the Supra. Why?

1. Easy to upgrade to TT brake calipers, rotors, and aftermarket rims.

2. Deeper wheel wells (I think), so easier to stuff bigger rubber in there.

3. Slightly lighter - an NA hardtop with 5spd should run around 3250-3300 lbs, IIRC

4. You can't go wrong with the Supra's 6spd drivetrain; it'll take anything a ?UZ motor can dish out, including high boost and/or NOS. Granted, if you buy a 5spd NA car, you won't be getting all the good bits that come standard with the 6spd package, but you can always pull them off a wrecked 6spd, and there's no lack of those. And you'll have the comfort of knowing they'll bolt right up.

5. Although it's not a Lexus, it certainly fills the bill better for a maxed out, "extreme" performance project.

Hmm, would it then be called your "Sextreme" project, instead of "Lextreme"? That might be a hard sell to wifey :veryhappy

John

 

[KazeSupra]

Supra.

This is the project that I'm starting this fall. Look out for me 2007!!!...hopefully...

 

[Lextreme II]

Hmm, would it then be called your "Sextreme" project, instead of "Lextreme"? That might be a hard sell to wifey :veryhappy
John

"Sextreme"...... trust me... a new porn site is coming up very soon by someone..... Matter of fact if you type in Lextreme in google. Half of the hits would porn site.

Anyway, I love the Supra look and never know.....

 

[JamesN]

Sextreme project huh? Ohh the wife gonna love that :slap: . Anyways, the Supra body is very stylish and well built. SC is more comfort and a slight more roomy I think. I would have a hard time choosing the 2 car. Either one is fine David, as long as you make it go.

 

[Anaema]

Supra, i think the two seater platform is lighter(although its still heavy by my standards). looks alot better too, it has the GT-300 widebody, and all kind of other goodies!

 

[rarson]

I'd actually love to build a 1UZ Supra from an N/A MkIV, but honestly, being currently on Guam, the only place I've been able to shop for prices is ebay. And there's actually no N/A Supras on ebay currently. Even when there was, they were rediculously expensive (thank you TF&TF). It's made me reconsider building a 1UZ FD3S instead.

But if I could find the car for the right price, I'd do it. Definitely. I love the SC too but the Supra is just my kind of car.

 

[Lextreme II]

Few cons about supra shell.

1. 6-8k higher then SC400
2. Higher Insurance
3. Higher chance being stolen.

 

[hnknrob]

id want a mk4 supra shell, but im a little partial because i think its one of the most beautiful cars ever built. although an sc is still high on the list.

 

[SCV8]

The Supra is a very good looking car, but I've always been a fan of sleepers.

 

[KazeSupra]

^^

I'm exactly the opposite. I think MKIV Supra, 1UZ, 5.5-6.0L, Twin turbo, Carbon Fiber S900 Widebody, true dual exhaust...mmmm...

To each his own I guess. I say go with which one you like. It's your car

 

[YZFR1]

The Supra is a very good looking car, but I've always been a fan of sleepers.

What he said........

 

[Lextreme II]

Few cons about supra shell.

1. 6-8k higher then SC400
2. Higher Insurance
3. Higher chance being stolen.

Let me put the pros and cons for both cars:

Supra Pros:
1. Very Handsome
2. Unique
3. Wow factor
4. Great after market support
5. Handles better (due to greater aftermarket parts)
6. Easier to convert to manual (Supra comes in auto or manual)
7. Might be faster due to lighter body then SC400 or better gear ratio
8. Proven upgrades tract record
9. More sporty or bad ass look
10. Can attend both Supra meets/race and Lexus activities

Supra Cons:
1. 6-8k higher then SC400
2. Higher Insurance
3. Higher chance being stolen.
4. Harder and cost more to replace body parts (due to low number of production)

That is all i can think of. Perhaps someone can add on to the list by copy and paste the list.

 

[WDoherty]

i have the same problem myself, i have always wanted a supra and instead go the sc400. I think my next car will be an sc300 na-t 5 speed or an na supra. The thing is, it is hard to find the supras, especially newer ones, and the cost is ridiculous. But, the main thing on this is weigh, i think you'll save at least 250lbs with the na supra and this could be substantial to the sporting experience. Another thing is the wheelbase, the sc feels too long for me to cut corners easy and fast enough and having to turn the wheel alot. Essentially, manuverability. Of course if you spend the same amount of dough on the sc, you will probably have a faster drag car, based on the extra money spent on mods. hard decision, do you want a sport car or a luxury drag car.

 

[Toysrme]

I think the same problem applies to both. The timeless joke says it all.
Q: How fast is a 450bhp, 600bhp, and 900bhp Supra?
A: They're not. They all run a 12s 1/4 mile.
Not that my car could run a 12s 1/4 mile, but the joke serves it's purpose.

You might as well get the SC400. It's cheaper, bigger & better made. That, coming from someone that doesn't like SC's. (I know, ya I said it LoL!) The SC is so porky tho...

The SC is a better choice IMHO, purely from the $$$ standpoint. It's lower cost, lower cost to own & by the time you take a descent condition, old SC & upgrade it to whatever buying the Supra would have been. You've got a lot faster car too.

It's a hard choice. SC, but it's close.

 

[Pro]

SC if it's cheaper - $6-8k extra for a shell that works just as well as the cheaper one means you could sink that money into the engine for the SC and have an animal on your hands...

 

[Toysrme]

That's pretty much how I see it. With the price difference you can put the SC on a diet, put a pretty good suspension in there. Then build an A/T, or swap an M/T that can actually handle some serious power.

The way I see it, with the proliferation of the JY Turbo movement / n2o... Making power has become the cheapest part of building an all-around car.

 

[WDoherty]

Its sad that the shell of a supra is so expensive, especially for a car that is still going to be anywhere from 9 to 13yrs old. You might try this. One time in early college when i was set on getting a supra i searched in different ways and once came across a couple of supras, one a flood car and another a theft recovery (engien run out of oil). Neither ran, but i believe they were both going for around the 5-6K and they were twin turbo 6 speeds. It sounds to me this is going to be a serious project so you would run an aftermarket ecu anyhow(especially if it was a flood car). If you could find a twin turbo like this, you would already have a getrag (worth at least 2500), the twin turbo lsd, tt brakes, tt axles and you'd have the car. This could be a lot of work, especially a flood car as you might have to take every functioning bit of the car apart and get the dirt/sand out, but this is a possible way to make this happen affordably. Its really hard to impossible to cut the weight on the sc, you also can't change its sheer size. I was in traffic a minute ago and saw a 350z in front of me and a thunderbird next to it and the thunderbird looked like a bus next to the z and i know my sc is around the same size.

 

[WDoherty]

david, check this out. http://www.autosource.ws/NOW/SUPRA7.HTM
it is an n/a and a flood car, but hey only 5500. like you needed a working ecu and engine anyway.

 

[jibbby]

Another blast from the past ----------



Supra and Lexus aren't speed demons even with big horse power...Weight, traction and gearing slow these power houses down...

The Supra's with 900bhp run in the 12's???? That's pathetic...That's just sad and a testiment on how poorly the weight is being transferred to allow the rears to grip... I don't understand it.... I have seen one SC400 (TT) sporting 430whp break into the 11's and was pretty much in stock form. (built tranny)..I have seen an SC300 (5 speed) break into the 10's in an Aussy made video.... I am sure that SC300 was worked over to make that track time (don't know the details on the SC300)...