The car before the conversion began,
still completely stock all around

"1jz vvti (320hp rating)-(toyota supra engine.....2500cc single turbo)
more stright line preformance. (more lag due to one single turbo)
60-90,000bhat. due to japanese regulations, these motors are ran-
ked as 280hp but actually do produce more"

"the jz toyota engine can withstand upto 600whp on stock internals
so the potential is very high, their are cars in thailand and the states
that push alot more than 1000whp easily"

my e36 316i motor that was removed from the car
101bhp standard

"...they produced a special version - 1JZGTE VVTi which has only 1 turbo.
This motor has enormous torque output - 378Nm at 2400rpm and 85% of
that available at 1500rpm"

"The 1JZ have heads by Yamaha whereas the 2JZ have heads by Toyota.
Guess which ones are better - of course the 1JZ, unless you are building a
monster equivalent"

This pic was taken just after the engine has been delivered at Scorpion in Welkom
280bhp standard, limited by Japanese specs
Next to the engine, the R154 5-Speed Supra gearbox

 "VVT-i 1JZ-GTE cranks out the regulation 206kW at 6200 rpm with 378Nm at an incredibly low 2400 rpm. This is a 2.5-litre engine that drives like a V8!"

The engine's top cover has been heavily damaged in the import process

"...voluntary 280hp limit, real hp?.."

Three weeks into the conversion, my new 1JZ in place, the head cover was removed to have another one made.
Electric fan to keep the lump cool is also installed

"performs f-a-r better then the older twin-turbo variant" 

TiAL Blow off Valve for that "whoosh"
in between shifts and to save the turbo on the long term

 "the Dual Over Head Cam (DOHC) 24 valve cylinder head designed by Yamaha is made of aluminum alloy"

Gotech Pro X was fitted, the unit tested faulty, was sent in to Gotech,
came back and was still faulty, this minor problem set me back another 3weeks.
The unit was later on replaced by a T-Bo fuel management system

              The T-Bo system that was fitted          

"the vvt-i single turbo six with a 5-speed manual is easily
the most potent, forget about the 1UZ V8 and the 1JZ twin-turbo"

13weeks after the conversion begun
the VVT-i solenoid is still on a 3month backorder from Japan 

 as I am now running on the low-lift cam, current power figures aren't very impressive
172kw and 369nm
power figures to raise to an estimate of
220kw and 410nm
once the VVT-i is working

"with a strong output down low, under normal driving the single turbo VVT-i feels like a highly tuned 5-litre V8, but then it winds tight out so a 7200rpm cutout"

Been driving the car for two months now, still no problems, the fan belt was replaced because of an irritating noise, and plugs has been changed. No electrical or mechanical faults, still running smooth!!

5months later and the car has only eaten a few tanks of gas and a propshaft.
Had to install a new propshaft as the old ones universal broke and I still had 800Km's to go,
with that broke another one and creamed the center bearing

4February - The solenoid for the VVT-i system finally arrived

Sandblasted the top engine cover

(Right) Fitted some mags, TSW Look 3

11March 09

Well, there goes another propshaft...
Fitted a JDVD 3000  DVD\CD\MP3 Player,
2x 6"kenwood 3-way speakers to a 600w Starsound Chrome amp
2X Starsound 12" Subs powered by a Starsound 2500w Monoblock

The whole dial setup has changed to a 6-cylinder BMW
The tacho meter is now accurate as well as the speedo guage that
can no go bit more than the standard 316i 220kmph.... 260 just looks so much better!

Roof lining was ripped out and a new one has been installed.

Ignition coil upgrade has been done  

Installed a new set of angel-eye headlamps

03/07/2009
Replaced front disks and padds allround,
removed front numberplate and had strips on the bumpers resprayd

Installed new thicker core intercooler