BUILD: GORILLA INDUSTRIES SUPRA

– Words: Ryan Lewis. Photos: MJ Digital.

Here’s one that you may remember. Shane’s Supra has featured on T-LD twice in the past, both times with an up-to-date snapshot of the car’s build progress. You might think then, that it’s about time we revisit and show the car in a ‘finished’ state, but anyone who knows what projects of this sort are really like will know that’s never possible. We’ve seen Shane take his quick, neat street car and gut it out, add aero, stuff big rubber under it and go racing, but that wasn’t the end of the story. Shane fell deeper into the racecar hole, so here’s the state of play as it stands.

For those who have never seen this car before, a sharp click of this link will reveal exactly what we’re on about. That feature was around the point when things got serious and Shane really turned his attention to lap times. The car had been tracked plenty before then, but it was still primarily a street car until the balance tipped the other way.

The most obvious addition since then is the race livery, a surefire way to make any car stand out in the crowd. Shane is actually planing to tone it down so that he can drive the car on the street again. The Supra is still road registered, but all those graphics are a little too red-hot for his liking. “I miss the black look,” says Shane. “It will still have our logo on it, but more subtle, more like a street car.”

Under the bonnet the 2JZ is largely unchanged, save for a retune on 22psi which clocked 370kW at the rear treads. “I’ve just ordered some 272 cams from GSC. I don’t need more power I just want that lumpiness at idle,” Shane laughs. “The cams I’m getting are recommended for a massive turbo, but shouldn’t hurt bottom end. I just want the sound!”

Those front quarters are Ridox items, seen last time in their raw state but now painted to match the body. You’ll find a set of Rays CE28s under them more often than not – 18×9.5+18 with 265 section Hankook Z221s. Shane does still have the TE37s we’re used to seeing for the street, but “I’m too lazy to change them most of the time!” he says with a smile.

Down the fat end Shane has plans to add TRD wide body guards to bulge it out even more. “It should look factory; a cleaner look, more presentable, but I can run some big rubber.” Right now he’s got 18×10.5+28 CE28s on there with 295 Hankook Z221s, but ideally he’d like a bit more tyre to get the power down.

In fact keeping the tyres in good contact with the road has been a real issue for Shane, so much so he’s fitted an aftermarket traction control system to assist. It’s called Race Logic (as used in Koenigseggs) and should help Shane push the car quicker this year.

Supras are well known for their tough factory drivelines, and it’s only now that Shane has finally decided to upgrade the standard torsen diff’ centre with an aftermarket unit. “I’m about to order an LSD, thinking Carbonetics 1.5 way. We’ll see.” Solid diff’ cradle bushes are on the way too.

“I’ve got a carbon boot to go on because you can have them for WTAC now. For the street I’ll run the standard boot with a smaller wing. I’m looking at the Abflug one, more of a ducktail thing.” You can tell how much Shane misses driving it on the road, and a lot of thinking is going towards letting the Supra lead a double life.

Icing on the cake is coming in the form of titanium control arms from new sponsor, Mark’s Engineering. “I’ve also added Ikeya Formula upper control arms for a little bit more front camber,” says Shane.

“I took the car on a big Supra cruise the other week. When I got home I had a headache for three hours. No carpet and no back seats makes a huge difference to the cabin drone. I actually do miss having an interior,” Shane confesses.

Still, he wouldn’t change it. Shane’s real thrill comes out on the circuit and as long as lap times are improving, he’s happy. “With the new AD08 control tyre I’m looking to do a 1:43 at WTAC this year. Breaking into the 1:40s on semis is the other goal.” Watch this space.