This Lexus SC300 Has Supra DNA And 672whp For The Price Of A Hatchback

So, you want a boosted 2JZ making over 600bhp to the wheels, mated to a five-speed manual that turns the rear tyres? Sounds like you want an A80 Toyota Supra turbo with some mad mods, but unless you’ve $50,000 or the ability to turn a burnt-out shell into a blazing orange 10-second car, you’ve got nothing but pipe dreams. Or do you?

Enter the Lexus SC300. No, it’s not a Supra. But it’s pretty damn close. The SC is bigger and heavier, but underneath you’ll find most of the same components. More importantly, under the bonnet you’ll find the same 2JZ engine in non-turbo guise, connected to the same five-speed manual transmission. The potential for something wickedly awesome is there, and for many reasons that don’t really matter, as SC300s sell for cheap - usually well under $10,000 in good condition with no mods.

This 1997 SC300 currently selling in Florida for $16,000 has mods. Lots of mods. And by lots, I mean 672 horsepower to the rear wheels. That translates to roughly 800 horsepower at the crank for the deliciously low price of $16,000.

Explain to me again why anyone would chuck $50,000 for a Supra when you can build a Godzilla-killing SC300 for less than a third of the cost? That’s a loaded question obviously - as capable as the SC300s are, there’s still the aura of having a bona-fide Supra turbo. But I’ll be honest in saying that, if my goal was to build a bonkers Supra, I’d have a very hard time convincing myself to not go with a much cheaper SC300.

That being said, there are some notable hiccups with this SC that might turn you away despite having more horsepower than a new Hellcat. For starters, that monster motor isn’t a 2JZ - it’s a 1JZ-GTE with a single Borg Warner turbo and a host of other upgrades. The source of this specific engine isn’t listed, but 1JZs did duty in a range of Toyotas including the A70 Supra and JDM Soarer, for which the SC300 is clone close. And the transmission isn’t the familiar five-speed, but rather a six-speed ripped from a Nissan 370Z. Yes folks, the swaps are running aplenty with this FrankenLexus.

Other mods include a one-piece driveshaft, Tein coilovers with electronic control, TT brakes, 15-inch (yes, 15-inch) Race Star drag wheels in the back with 17s up front. It also has a welded 3.26 rear differential, with another 3.26 diff (presumably not welded) included with the sale.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say this SC300 was designed to live life a quarter-mile at a time, but I see no reason why you couldn’t ditch the drag radials for something a bit more laterally savvy and go Tokyo drifting. Before doing that however, spend a couple hundred bucks on some new front seats. I guess with all the cash spent on engines and custom tranny swaps there wasn’t enough left over to mend some torn leather.

There’s just a few hours left on this buy-it-now eBay auction, and as I’ve watched it the last couple days the seller’s lowered the price $1000 dollars to its current $16,000 figure. Yes, it isn’t quite as true to the A80 Supra as it used to be, but the heartbeat is still Toyota. And in case you forgot, it makes 672 horsepower to the wheels, which is enough to topple the vast majority of cars you’ll encounter in your daily travels. And you can have it now for the price of a new entry-level hatchback.