Toyo Tires Topic special
24.10 .2019
R tire manufacturer Toyo Tires is traditionally one of the largest exhibitors at SEMA. No wonder, since the Japanese rubber bakers are particularly popular in the US tuning scene. Toyo will also be omnipresent at the 2019 edition, which will take place in Las Vegas from November 5 to 8. Of course with its own stand and the well-known, prominently placed and labeled passages. But also with well-known testimonial faces, whose most famous professional lateral drivers include Ken Block and YouTube and tuner legend TJ Hunt. In addition, the English artist Benedict Radcliffe will present his latest wire-made car sculpture at the Toyo stand.
Porsche 964 as an off-roader
However, thanks to Toyo at SEMA, the project vehicles (according to company information are there are more than 30 innovations) are also impressive. One of the highlights is the Baja 911 from Russell Built Fabrication. Until recently, company founder TJ Russell was responsible for production at Singer Vehicle Design, but wanted to take a different approach: namely to combine the esteemed Singer design with off-road elements and thus make the 911 a real off-roader. For this purpose, he has transformed a 1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabrio into the Baja 911, which looks robust on the outside, but still has a luxuriously equipped racing cage interior including air conditioning and navigation system.
Toyo Tires
Russell Built Fabrication converts a Porsche 964 Carrera 4 into an off-roader.
The 964 Carrera 4 already has all-wheel drive, which is why Russell was able to concentrate on the chassis on the off-road side. The over 30 inches of travel would be the most realOff-road vehicles look good. The 7x15 inch Fifteen52 Integral Gravel wheels are covered by Russell with Toyo Open Country A /T (All Terrain) II tires. The air-cooled 3.8-liter boxer comes from Rothsport and should develop a good 100 hp more than the production engine, which would correspond to around 350 hp. They should have an easy job with the 911, which has been slimmed down by around 180 kilograms. The reason for the weight loss is the extensive use of composite materials in each body part. At the beginning of 2020, TJ Russell wants to start small series production of the Baja 911.
Offroad Bronco meets Breitbau Lancer
The 1971 Ford Bronco from Defconbrix is a completely different off-roader. Behind it is the tuner, adventurer and influencer Sean Jennings, who has already built several off-road vehicles. Now it was the turn of the classic Bronco, which was given a chalk-colored Porsche paintwork at the beginning of the six-month project and, in contrast, an interior with red (suede) leather. In addition to a coilover suspension, the Bronco received the five-liter Coyote V8, which is used in the Mustang GT, for example, a modern six-speed and a new transfer case. Here, too, the 9x18 inch JohnR steel rims are covered with Toyo tires, but this time with the R /T (Rugged Terrain) version of the open country tires.
The connection from the terrain to the road manufactures the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V by Rowie Landicho and Dennis Aquino. The right-hand drive, built in 1998, presents a wide body kit, a roll cage and a set of Recaro RS-G bucket seats from the Ralliart Edition. The two-liter, four-cylinder turbo gasoline engine gained strength thanks to a new charger from 280 to 456 hp and from a maximum of 373 to 515 Newton meters. The 10.5x18 inch rims come from Rays and the Proxes R888R tires in the 295/30 ZR18 format are of course from Toyo.
Toyo Tires
Wide jaws, powerful engine, big wheels: the Evo V by Rowie Landicho and Dennis Aquino presents classic Japanese tuning.
Toyota Supra with 681 PS and 847 Nm
Japan and wide body? Then the Supra project by Daniel Song andJonny Grunwald looks wonderful. In just 45 days, the duo gave the new Japan sports car not only a 17-part Pandem widebody kit, but also a generously dimensioned GT rear wing. In addition to a KW variant 3 coilover kit, the Supra received new stabilizers, strut bars and other components. Here, too, Rays rims (this time in 10 and 11x19 inches) form a harmonious combination with Toyo Proxes R888R tires.
Song and Grunwald placed a Brembo GTS brake system behind the front wheels. This is also necessary, after all, the new turbo, carbon air intake, optimized cooling system, downpipe, titanium exhaust and other tuning measures boosted Supra motor 681 hp and maltreats the rear wheels with up to 847 Newton meters. Inside the Supra received a roll cage, Recaro Pro Racer RMS bucket seats and Takata racing belts.
Ferrari F355 with widebody and biturbo
But it is even wider, like the Ferrari BB355TT from Button Built proves. The F355, built in 1999, is painted in the original Ferrari racing color 'Azzuro la Plata', which some Scuderia racing cars wore in the sixties. The body kit, which has been supplemented with various splinters, wings, rear diffuser and new rear-view mirrors, cites Ferrari GT racing cars of newer generations, and the rear design of the BB355TT is intended to be reminiscent of the legendary 288 GTO.
Toyo Tires
Button Built pushes the 3.5-liter V8 of the Ferrari F355 to 608 via twin-turbo tuning PS.
Button Built is also based on the supercar from the mid-eighties when it comes to engine tuning. The tuner uses two Xona Rotor turbochargers, including wastegates, blow-off valves, exhaust manifold and intercooler, to inflate the 3.5-liter V8 five-valve engine with a factory-installed capacity of 381 hp to 608 hp. The lowering by air suspension means that the 11x19 inch front and 15x19 inch Rotiform OZR rims at the front and Toyo Proxes R888R tires of the dimensions 285/30 ZR19 at the front and 345/30 ZR 19 at the rear disappear deep into the wheel arches. New in the interior are the roll cage, the seats with carbon backrest shells, six-point seat belts and digital displays.
1,700 hours of working time for the Ruffian Mustang
Another American car icon is missing: the Ford Mustang. TheRuffian Mustang by Californian Chris Ashton is based on a 1970s Fastback model and is intended to be reminiscent of the racing cars that were in the Trans Am series at the time. The look is correspondingly clean: the Mustang has lost almost all of its chrome and instead received new fenders, spoilers on the front and rear, as well as air inlets and outlets. The olive green paintwork is once again a Porsche color, while the racing stripes are based on the design of the legendary 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302.
The fact that the engine is from General proves that Chris Ashton is not a brand fetishist Motors comes from: The LS3-V8 with 634 hp was used, for example, in the Corvette and received, among other things, a new air intake system. The coilover kit from DSC Sport works with adaptive dampers and connects to the 11x18 inch at the front and 12.5x19 inch at the rear, which Ashton has - how else could it be - Toyo Proxes R888R rubbers in 315/30 ZR18 format front and 345/30 ZR19 rear. In total, the conversion took more than 1,700 hours, some of which were also used to install a roll cage and air conditioning.
