Will Kwok's Supra: Proving the Platform’s Potential

Inspired by Jackie Ding’s success in the A90 Supra, Will Kwok ditched the exciting but overheating Civic Type R for a Supra of his own. There really was no honeymoon phase, either. One week after picking up the car, he was back to work; he took it to Sonoma equipped with only a set of wheels, a set of AP Racing front brakes, and a set of A052s. This first set of modifications set the stage for what would be an exploration into the potential of the new Supra’s chassis.

But it wasn’t quite to his liking. WIll prefers a car that borders on oversteer, and the stockish Supra wasn’t willing to point in a predictable fashion. When it did oversteer, it was usually accompanied by a great deal of bouncing—which usually happened in the quicker sections and, therefore, caused a lot of sphincter clenching. Not the best way to experience an expensive luxury-sports car. Most of the time, however, it just pushed. But the mostly benign balance worked well enough for the first few track days to reacquaint himself with a rear-wheel drive vehicle. He’d cut his teeth in an S2000, but that was a long time ago.

With a set of JRZ RS Pros and 295-section tires at each corner, he’d quelled most of the understeer issues and tailored the car a little more to his liking. Now, with a healthy amount of oversteer, his transition from FWD to RWD was just a fun process. It also freed up a little focus for deploying the car’s moderate amount of power—which would diminish towards the end of a session.

The heatsoak was pulling power. With the nightmarish image of his Type R catching fire still vivid in his memory, he needed to take whatever steps needed to drop the engine temperature. Currently keeping the car cool are the following:

• C&R LTR

• C&R primary radiator auxiliary radiators

• CSF Transmission Cooler

• Verus Turbo Heat Shield

This kit still didn’t quite fix the problem, as long sessions with an ambient temperature of more than 85°F would be ended with a little power pulling. What finally solved the issue was an AMS Intake Manifold which, in Will’s words, “solved the bottlenecking.”

The car was then reliable, quick, capable, and fun, so Will relished this phase. If there was any reluctance to move onto the next phase of the car’s development, it was because the next set of modifications would very likely sour the handling he’d finally achieved.

He was not wrong. “We knew that once the aero came in, we would kind of need to start from the beginning again,” he said. His fears were confirmed when the first outing was dogged by massive understeer—far worse than what he’d dealt with when the car was nearly stock. Even a massive splitter didn’t resolve the understeer issues caused by the new aero kit.

So began many tedious days of dialing it in. Stiffening the rear spring rate was a start, but the real changes weren’t that easy. Gary Yeung of Elite Performance performed the challenge task of dropping the rear subframe to install a rear swaybar. They don’t exactly make it easy modifying the new Supra.

“I know I sound like an overachiever, but I really wanted this thing to be on rails, and it just wasn't at that point,” Will confessed.

The car was just about perfect, but not quite up to his lofty standards, so “we bit the bullet and bought a set of MCS 3-way adjustable coilovers.” With a set of AP Racing brakes in the rear, they achieved the desired entry rotation they were after, but now with the added grip of a painstakingly refined aerodynamic package.

At this point, a rewrap was in order. Will added an INGS+ rear rear bumper and skirts before wrapping the whole thing in Inozotek Midnight Purple.

At this stage, they’d accomplished their first aim: to see what the chassis could do. It’s done a 1:48 at Sonoma in Will’s hands, and a 1:44 in Gary Wong’s—and that was with stock power. Well, maybe the intake made a little difference, but with 385 horsepower at the rear wheels, it’s far from a powerhouse.

Just imagine what this eggplant colored monster is capable of when the B58’s able to take a bigger lungful.

This wouldn’t be possible without: Ed Ahn, Gary Yeung from Elite Performance, Gary Wong, Son Vo from Zero Auto Factory, Dave Muy from 219 Auto Parts, and Jackie Ding from PHD

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Engine / Performance

• C&R - Supra LTR

• C&R Primary Radiator

• C&R auxiliary Radiators

• Eventuri intake and duct

• Akrapovic Exhaust

• AMS Charge Pipe

• Verus Turbo Heat Shield

• Titan Supplemental Fuel System

• AMS Intake Manifold

• CSF Transmission cooler

Suspension/Wheels:

• SPL Front Lower Control Arms

• SPL Adjustable Front Caster

• SPL Rear Toe links + Eccentric Lockouts

• SPL bumpsteer correction kit

• SPL Rear Traction Links

• SPL Rear Upper Lateral Links

• SPL Front Swaybar endlinks

• TE37 Squared 18x10.5” +35

• AFE Power Front Sway Bar

• FC - a90 - steel stud conversion kit - 80 mm

• AP BBK 9660 – Front

• TItan 7 Lug nut M14x1.5

• Cusco Rear Power Brace

• Cusco Front Brace

• Verus Master Brake Cyclinder Brace

• AP Rear BBK Rear CP9450/365mm

• CP9450 Pad Tension kit

• CP9660 Pad Tension Kit

• Visconti Billet Ride Height Sensor

• Zero Auto Factory (Son Vo) Roll cage

• MCS 3 Way

• Advan GT 18x10.5 +35

• Yokohama A052 - 295/35/18

Exterior:

• Spage x PhD Rear GT Wing

• Spage x PhD Front Splitter

• Spage x PhD Front Lip

• Spage x PhD Custom Wing Riser

• Spage x PhD End Plate V2

• Verus Dive Plant Kit – Top canard

• Verus Engineering Rear Diffuser

• Verus Rear Differential Cooling Plate

• RaceSeng Front and Rear tow hooks

• A91 Supra Stripe Kit

• Evasive EVS Fenders

• Verus Engine dress up kit

• Varis CF Hood

• SUPRA STAR CF door handle covers

• Goldenwrench Red Billet Gas cap cover

• ING+ Side Skirt

• ING+ Rear Bumper

• Varis Lower Canard

• AMS ECU Cover

• EVS Mirrors

• F1 Style Supra 4th Brake Light - 20+ Toyota Supra - SMOKE

• Verus Carbon polyweave side splitter kit

• Ed wrapping services - Inozotek Midnight Purple

Interior:

• F80 Macht Schell

• Recaro Sliders

• Recaro Pole Position

• Weathertech Floor Mats

• Cusco Harness Bar

• Schroth Rally 4 ASM

• Proclip Angled Mount Item: 855595

• Magic Mount Pro XL

• EastcoastSupra custom steering wheel w/ shift indicator

• Autotechnic Carbon shifter paddles

• Antigravity H7 / 60AH Battery

• Supra Weathertech badges

• Rexpeed passenger Side Carbon Interior badge

• Weathertech Black Trunk Liner

• A90 Supra Replacement Start / Stop Button - Red - IND

• KMP Drivetrain Solutions Wheel + Quick release