TRD all the way?

[Swillz]

Looking to modify a '99 Solara. I was looking for a turbo charger but can't seem to find any that are made for the Solara, so a supercharger it is. I'm also looking to replace the exhaust, suspension, air filters, clutch, etc. I'm looking for performance. I don't care about looks or sounds, just performance. So I ask you, fellow Solara owners, is complete TRD modification the best way to mod my car for performance or should I also be looking at other performance companies? Any advice or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

[Ryan]

looks like it, the trd Supercharger is the probably the best modification for our Solara's if you are more interested in power try in too look for jpp headers and ypipe and if you are more serious for power i suggest upgrading you fuel management and engine internals to up the boost of your supercharger

[JoeB]

If you don't care about the looks and want speed, I'd get a different car. You'll spend SO much money trying to make the Solara really fast. You can't go over 5.5 - 6.0psi without building the bottom end of the engine. The pistons wont take it. Even at 6.0psi, you'll be low 14s best. -JoeB

[TRD_solaRa]

If you don't care about the looks and want speed, I'd get a different car. You'll spend SO much money trying to make the Solara really fast. You can't go over 5.5 - 6.0psi without building the bottom end of the engine. The pistons wont take it. Even at 6.0psi, you'll be low 14s best. -JoeB

hahaha don't gotta get a brotha down now JoeB . . . lolz nah nah.

Well if performance is what you're looking for . . . there actually is a couple "turbo kits" coming out for our car, but they are STILL IN DEVELOPMENT. So if you get the TRD Kazuma Supercharger, that would be the first start outta anything. Then you should look to get either an SAFC-II or replacing your intake to an Injen SRI or gutting your exhaust system for a better and more non-restrictive one ("aftermarket").

There are numerous ways of goin about fixing up a car's perfomance . . . but there aren't that many more TRD aftermarket performance parts that would be much better for our cars than the "other" aftermarket parts. Hope this helped a little.

[adam2562]

do either TEIN or JIC coilovers for suspension so you can adjust to ur specific needs...

[s e y t o n]

If you don't care about the looks and want speed, I'd get a different car. You'll spend SO much money trying to make the Solara really fast.

my thoughts exactly.. just take a look at the racing section.. countless threads titled "disappointed 1/4 mile times"... the solara just isnt a race car. i personally bought mine for looks and cuz its practical.

but swillz, we need more info. im assuming youve got a v6 5 speed. your budget and goals would be helpful info.

[Swillz]

If you don't care about the looks and want speed, I'd get a different car. You'll spend SO much money trying to make the Solara really fast. You can't go over 5.5 - 6.0psi without building the bottom end of the engine. The pistons wont take it. Even at 6.0psi, you'll be low 14s best. -JoeB

I wish I could get another car. I'm not saying that I don't care at all how my car looks or sounds. I just rather have performance then a cosmetic car. I was trying to get myself a skyline but Motorex was asking to much for conversion. In all honesty this car is being given to me by my mother. A hand me down, if you will. I got a budget of about 5 - 7 thousand dollars to spend. So even if I traded the Solara in I still won't be getting a car much faster.

On to the speed issue. You say, even with mods, I'll be running low 14s at best. Now are numbers based on Solaras with superchargers? From what I've read there are 2 people on this site that have their Solaras turbo charged. I wonder what other mods they have done and what their times are, if they have any. I'm fortant enough to have a cousin who knows a performance shop owner. Now the owner owns a Escalade and recently built a turbo kit for that Escalade to give it more power. Now my cousin, who is an avid perforance addict, tells me they may be able to build a turbo kit for the Solara. Everything is still up in the air and nothing is written in stone. All these mods I want to do to the Solara won't be for at least another year due to my involvement with the Armed Forces. So I will keep you all posted in future when the day does arrive.

[Turbosolara]

If it will be really helpful if you can specify your car year, engine, and transmission.



I think there is one turbo solara left, which is mine....the another one in hawaii i hear it was not running well and it was sold. (not sure)

If you want, you can just buy off my car for $15000, it had done many many things and runs like new. I am selling my car because i am done with modding cars. my next car will be ES300 =) .

It still has plenty of rooms to power up. if you would do hybrid motor of 5SGTE, you could get as high as 700HP. people had done this already
http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showt ... orsepoweri

Everyshop can build a turbo kit, but the real question is...HOW MUCH DO THEY KNOW ABOUT THE CAR? there is no universal way to set up turbo (beside domestic and hondas), every brand has something diffcult to deal with (ECU, map sensor, fuel system, knock sensor, strength of block & head, design of cam ...etc). Thats why you dont see every car is boosted.

I am not saying it is impossible to build a turbo kit for solara. but you just have to done research first before you deal with it. you also have to ensure that you can source a specialist to help when you need it (in this case, a guy who experienced to deal with newer toyota cars 1998+).
For example, my turbo was first done by a shop that didnt know jack about newer toyota and the result was disappointed. but with my own research, trial and error, and helps from professions (installers from XS engineering, SP engineering, Toysports, consultation from Signal Auto and dynotunning at Autolink), my turbo kit finally done and complete, with reliable power and everything still functional. The whole process took me 3 years and 7G total.

But of course if you can build the fastst boosted solara, that will be cool too.

[JoeB]

Low 14s are for Solaras with SCs. I'm not sure about the turbos. I am only aware of the I4 turbos. Even still Most moded Camry/Solaras are running low 14s and a couple high 13s but even 1 of them broke. I don't think there is any way to get into 13s safely without building the bottom end. The pistons just wont take it. Then, there goes your $5-7K just on the bottom end. -JoeB

[Swillz]

Maaan, I my work cut out for me. I don't know the exact specifics about the car. What I do know off the top of my head is that its a 1999 Solara, automatic, V6. Thats all I know at the moment. I post more details when I get the info. Your right about the turbo kit, anyone can build one. I'm not sure how much the performance shop knows about Solaras but I'm guessing not a damn thing. I mean really, who mods Solaras? Not being a wise ass but these cars, from what I'm slowly discovering, aren't the most mod friendly cars there are. Good news though, these guys got a year to slowly get off their asses and figure some crap out cause thats when I'll be modding the car. Anyways, its off to Google to do some much needed research.

**EDIT**
I love the censorship this forum has.

[Yanks0114]

In all honesty, if you don't see it around the three main toyota forums (here, teamsc3.com, toyotanation.com), its going to be a custom job and it'll be big bucks

Stick to the proven path
TRD S/C
Suspension
Exhaust
...eventually you learn to accept the fact that its hard to modify the solara. I kinda like it because it keeps it unique

[HKSV6SLE]

thank you Joeb and yanks.....at least someone is finally saying the truth ...that the solara no matter how nice of a car...is hard to modify and will never truly be a sports car.

[Turbosolara]

thank you Joeb and yanks.....at least someone is finally saying the truth ...that the solara no matter how nice of a car...is hard to modify and will never truly be a sports car.

are you saying i am bullshiting?