Top Fuel's Supercharged JDM FT-86
Modest performance upgrades and cosmetic mods take the lightweight and capable Toyota FT-86 platform to the next level.
Top Fuel
Top Fuel has been a household name in the aftermarket realm for decades. Headed by founder Yasuji Hirano, the company has been building a solid reputation with strong roots in racing. Since being established all the way back in 1984, Hirano's shop has been a steady force in the world of drag racing. And they've made their presence felt in other avenues of motorsports in recent years as well.
Photos: DSport Magazine
Toyota FT-86
The shop has been known for their Honda creations, most notably their turbo S2000 hillclimb machine. But they're always looking to bring their expertise and craftsmanship to the latest and greatest products on the market. And in this particular case, the Toyota FT-86 is the recipient of Top Fuel's performance upgrades.
>>Join the conversation about Top Fuel's FT-86 right here in Club Lexus.
Approachable Porject
The result of a successful collaboration between Subaru and Toyota, the BRZ/FT-86 platform has proven to have quite the performance potential. Hirano's goal with the project was to extract as much of the performance as he could with simple, non-invasive bolt-ons. With that idea in mind, the work started with upgrading the suspension.
>>Join the conversation about Top Fuel's FT-86 right here in Club Lexus.
Getting the Upgrades Started
Top Fuel products manage the suspension duties with this build. Hirano's team equipped the car with Top Fuel adjustable dampers with 10kgf/mm springs. The brakes were the next set of items that received an upgrade. The factory brakes give way to Endless four-piston, forged monoblock racing calipers, and larger two-piece rotors.
>>Join the conversation about Top Fuel's FT-86 right here in Club Lexus.
Body Kit and Aero
The larger brakes also necessitated the addition of larger wheels. The cool-looking 19-inch staggered Advan wheels were decided on. An Ings+1 N-Spec body kit gives the car a more aggressive look, and the exterior upgrades are rounded off with that Voltex Racing carbon-fiber rear wing, which helps provide downforce onto the rear axle.
>>Join the conversation about Top Fuel's FT-86 right here in Club Lexus.
Supercharged
And this 86 will need all the downforce it can get. Under the hood, more bolt-on action can be found. An HKS GTS7040L Supercharger adds 10 pounds of boost, bringing the vehicle's output to 266 horsepower and 197 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. Top Fuel's build demonstrates the aforementioned potential of this platform and serves as encouragement for owners to take advantage of what the coupe has to offer.
>>Join the conversation about Top Fuel's FT-86 right here in Club Lexus.
For help with your repair and maintenance projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.