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Has anyone attempted to swap a Soarer Rear-Steering system into a US-spec car?
I understand it's mostly a gimmick/novelty, but it's a very interesting function (That also probably has no part support).
I'd love to know if its been attempted at some point, and what all goes into that system.
It is a very interesting early application of 4WS for sure. Unfortunately it is so rare (only 873 examples were ever produced for Japan only in the Soarer UZZ32 Active) and the UZZ32's are so highly sought after that this is not the kind of swap anyone is likely to try. You would have to cannibalize a valuable '32 Soarer just to get the parts as Toyota no longer stocks them.
It was more gimmick/novelty in the sense that one very rich customers ever bought the Soarers so equipped and thus probably never pushed them too hard. And the system is computer controlled in tandem with the hydro-pneumatic suspension that only the '32 Soarers got. Handling is actually said to be very impressive as an overall system in the '32 Soarers and some owners in Australia and New Zealand have even supercharged their '32's to push the limits of what the hydro-pneumatic suspension + 4WS can do.
But swapping all that hardware into a regular Soarer or SC will be a tall order. There might even be special subframe differences at the rear just to mount it all up. And then there is the issue of how to control the system outside of a genuine UZZ32 Active chassis with its unique ECU.
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For how most people tend to set up SC's and Soarers be they NA I6's, turbo I6's, NA V8's or turbo V8's there hasn't been any concerted desire to transplant a '32 4WS system into a regular chassis. It wouldn't be of much use in a drifting scenario for instance.
It is nonetheless a GREAT showcase of technology circa 1991-1996!
It is said to be night and day different as a driving experience between the two extremes of the smooth flat cornering power of the V8 automatic UZZ32 Active Hydro-Pneumatic + 4WS and the raw, violent fun of the turbocharged JZZ30 5-speed manual + LSD.
It is a very interesting early application of 4WS for sure. Unfortunately it is so rare (only 873 examples were ever produced for Japan only in the Soarer UZZ32 Active) and the UZZ32's are so highly sought after that this is not the kind of swap anyone is likely to try. You would have to cannibalize a valuable '32 Soarer just to get the parts as Toyota no longer stocks them.
It was more gimmick/novelty in the sense that one very rich customers ever bought the Soarers so equipped and thus probably never pushed them too hard. And the system is computer controlled in tandem with the hydro-pneumatic suspension that only the '32 Soarers got. Handling is actually said to be very impressive as an overall system in the '32 Soarers and some owners in Australia and New Zealand have even supercharged their '32's to push the limits of what the hydro-pneumatic suspension + 4WS can do.
But swapping all that hardware into a regular Soarer or SC will be a tall order. There might even be special subframe differences at the rear just to mount it all up. And then there is the issue of how to control the system outside of a genuine UZZ32 Active chassis with its unique ECU.
...
For how most people tend to set up SC's and Soarers be they NA I6's, turbo I6's, NA V8's or turbo V8's there hasn't been any concerted desire to transplant a '32 4WS system into a regular chassis. It wouldn't be of much use in a drifting scenario for instance.
It is nonetheless a GREAT showcase of technology circa 1991-1996!
It is said to be night and day different as a driving experience between the two extremes of the smooth flat cornering power of the V8 automatic UZZ32 Active Hydro-Pneumatic + 4WS and the raw, violent fun of the turbocharged JZZ30 5-speed manual + LSD.
Back in the day, the Japanese magazines put a UZZ32 up against R32GTR, NSX, GTO, Supra and the like and it beat all of them on all season tires in a tight road course. Even with the open differential. The even compared the 5 sp 1JZ LSD car compared to the Z32 and it smoked it easily with barely a screech while the 1JZ car was sideways blowing the tires off. I have seen videos of a UZZ32 autoX like a crazy madman across curbs and not losing traction. They ride like a Rolls Royce so I have heard. And have no roll, squat, dive or shimmy in transitions.
I have researched these extensively in the early 2000's and I read about the Aussies putting slicks on a UZZ32 and going to a Porsche/Ferrari event smoking all of them easily. It was embarrassing. Too bad Toyota never adopted or improved this tech to the US cars.
I have always dreamed of owning a LHD UZZ32 myself. I would add a OS Giken Super Lock LSD and a Eaton R2650 Supercharger and electric hydraulic pump for the hydraulic active suspension. With some 285mm slicks up front and 335 in the rear, that might be a competitive Time Attack Vehicle after a lightening weight re-distribution and corner balancing and some aero tweaks. Considering 3UZ's in New Zealand can hit 600WHP N/A this car would come out of nowhere and be ultra competitive. It's cost effective too. The best part is the studs to mount the system are on the USDM cars. My car has them. I have really thought about doing this myself and importing them isn't too hard as long as you can find a working one (hardest part). You might be able to ship the hydraulics to AUS, where the only shops that work on this system are located.
It would take a lot of time and careful planning, but man would it pay off.
Back in the day, the Japanese magazines put a UZZ32 up against R32GTR, NSX, GTO, Supra and the like and it beat all of them on all season tires in a tight road course... It would take a lot of time and careful planning, but man would it pay off.
Shid man, you're making me want to take over this endeavor for real. That looks amazing.
I hate how we never get any of the neat toys the domestic cars got in the States. Just from looking at that video I saw the touch screen radio, the active suspension, and a rear wiper blade?!
I could use a rear wiper blade, Its genuinely hard to see out the back of my car when water is on it, lol
Shid man, you're making me want to take over this endeavor for real. That looks amazing.
I hate how we never get any of the neat toys the domestic cars got in the States. Just from looking at that video I saw the touch screen radio, the active suspension, and a rear wiper blade?!
I could use a rear wiper blade, Its genuinely hard to see out the back of my car when water is on it, lol
Thats some epic info man, thank you
The UZZ32 is the first car in the world with projector headlights, first with touchscreen nav. It was far ahead of it's time with 4WS and hydraulic suspension. Back in the day they cost $110K in 1991. That is eye watering expensive even back then. Cost of pioneering innovation. It is an engineering marvel that Toyota spent over a Billion $$ making. Mclaren didn't come out with their hydraulic suspension till 20+ yrs later. And Millennials call the SC a POS LOL. This is the car that should have LHD Supra Turbo 6MT prices IMO. The Supra just isn't that special compared to the UZZ32. Even today there is nothing like it before or since.
Actually all the JDM cars had rear wipers. It was not a UZZ32 thing.
The UZZ32 is the first car in the world with projector headlights, first with touchscreen nav. It was far ahead of it's time with 4WS and hydraulic suspension. Back in the day they cost $110K in 1991. That is eye watering expensive even back then. Cost of pioneering innovation. It is an engineering marvel that Toyota spent over a Billion $$ making. Mclaren didn't come out with their hydraulic suspension till 20+ yrs later. And Millennials call the SC a POS LOL. This is the car that should have LHD Supra Turbo 6MT prices IMO. The Supra just isn't that special compared to the UZZ32. Even today there is nothing like it before or since.
Actually all the JDM cars had rear wipers. It was not a UZZ32 thing.
Is there any documentation on whether the rear wiper would fit on a US Spec car? Cause thats a mod I would do for the goofs.
Craig,
Thanks for the information That is one of those things you dream about but you can't find out information about, to read about to be able to dream more like when are you going to new Ferrari. Thanks again,
Bill
GloriousSC has certainly done his own extensive research on the UZZ32 and feasibility of swapping the parts!
However with only 873 ever made I think it would be quite difficult to take on a project like this. Since you would need an entire UZZ32 donor car and since they are that rare to begin with I think it would make more sense just to find one for sale and import it to the U.S.
The one component that cannot be swapped over is the UZZ32 steering rack since it is RHD. Between all the cars made on that assembly line the steering racks in order of fastest to slowest are: UZZ32 Active (RHD only) > All other Z30 Soarers (RHD only) > All SC300/400's.
The USDM Supra MKIV LHD steering rack is marginally faster than LHD SC racks to a totally negligible degree. JDM Supra MKIV RHD steering racks were faster than their USDM counterparts. Since German, Austrian and Swiss market Supra MKIVs were made in LHD it is possible that the steering rack ratios on those variants were faster than the USDM MKIV steering rack ratios but I have zero data to back that up... I'm just theorizing about it since usually Euro cars have shorter steering ratios. It is probably the case that those limited LHD Euro market MKIV Supras had the same rack ratios that the USDM and Canadian models got.
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Anyway... everything else from a UZZ32 Active Soarer should theoretically swap over. Including the rear windscreen and rear wiper (which ALL 91-00 Soarers got). But there is also substantial body harness wiring that would need to swap over from one chassis to another and in some cases get extended in some areas. Then the EMV touchscreen might need some custom interface wiring needed for the USDM A/C system control.
They are truly amazing examples of the highest level of engineering of any Toyota model produced at that time. If it were me and I were determined I would just try hard to find and buy one, import it and modify it with the parts GloriousSC outlined above. For collector insurance value alone I think it would be best to keep all that hardware in the original UZZ32 chassis.
By the way, most service and rebuild services for the hydro-pneumatic suspension system only exists now with specialists in Australia. Even within Japan I believe what few '32 owners who wish to overhaul theirs get redirected to the Australian specialists. They remove their worn out components, send them overseas to Australia for the repair work and those parts are then shipped back to Japan for reinstallation.
I'd have to argue against the projector headlamps, they were offered on the 1986 7 Series BMW. For custom applications, they were on the 1981 Audi Quartz, while a single projector bulb (called a "Superlite") was available on some Dodge models as a highway light aid. Going back to the earliest cars, Hella actually had a projector housing for acetylene lamps back in 1911. Dodge Super-Lite
Photon440
This is real interesting information. I own ( with several other BMWs) an "85 5 series BMW so I missed out on the good headlights by one year.
Thanks for the information.
Bill
I love that particular video. The Soarer 2.5GT manual with LSD drifting around that track with the boaty Buick soft stock suspension with its tires wailing and moaning as they try to find grip... all backed by early 90's smooth jazz music. Perfect
03-26-23, 09:09 PM
SC300 - Rear Wheel Steering
