Happy Motor Day!
I woke up at 6am on a Saturday, but gone was the usual feeling of grogginess that leads to hitting the snooze. Today was Motor Day! I jumped out of bed, slammed my coffee, cranked through my workout as fast as possible, and got on the road to meet my Revgasm-ing friend Josh at Taco Bell for a nice hearty breakfast. On the way to Taco Bell my head was filled with thoughts of that VVTI 1JZ-GTE I had taken a look at a couple weeks prior. Then I noticed that on this 10° winter day, the sky seemed bluer, the remaining green looked greener, and I could feel the clean winter air rushing into my lungs with each breath. I felt alive with excitement.
Many of us know the feeling. Purchasing a new engine is a glorious day for any car nerd. It’s the day when the most important part, the heart of the beast is procured. It’s a mental dichotomy of nerves and a head filled with “what if” thoughts, combined with an 8 year old’s excitement for a new toy. The engine represents the largest step towards creating the machine we desire.
After Josh and I had both inhaled a Breakfast Crunchwrap and four sweet balls filled with white sauce, we jumped in our cars and headed to Chicago JDM, a local engine and JDM parts importer. The shop is uniquely located directly across from a Canadian rail yard, and conveniently about 20 minutes from my house. When we arrived to the brick building, we met James who helps run day to day operations at Chicago JDM and he took us back to the motor which was already pulled out and prepped for my taking. The rubber lines are still glossy and flexible, the wiring connectors look brand new, and even the nooks of the block were clean enough to eat off. I couldn’t believe this was my new baby. We scooped it up with an on hand fork lift, and backed Josh’s truck into the loading dock. As soon as those forks were removed, the feeling of accomplishment washed over me. I love taking the next step in any project, but especially when this was the biggest hill to climb to get this car back on the street.
Josh and I unloaded the engine event free, and I jumped to showing off my new Tomei MX8280 tErbo and Expreme outlet pipe. Thanks to Nick @ Touge Factory for the Tomei bits! Unboxing the turbo is a glorious event, and reminding me of why I prefer to spend just that little bit extra for a top quality part. Every single fastener, 4 wastegate springs, all lines, and even a fire sleeve, is laid out nicely in the first box. Then comes another layer of foam padding and the turbo shines through a thick plastic bag. The Tomei emblem on the compressor housing seems to glow with the ambient light, while the billet compressor wheel just screams for a healthy gulp of summer air.
A few more months remain before Final Bout Gallery, and the Supra will be a changed machine, ready to do battle…and have some fun with friends!
