Most engine swaps we’ve come across involve an old car or a fairly used car, then a heart transplant with a more powerful engine. But this one is different – a brand new Toyota GR86 with a 2JZ engine, brought to the limelight thanks to Larry Chen on Youtube.
So how new was this Toyota GR86? Well, it was only four miles from the factory. According to owner Jeff Woodruff, he had trouble finding the specific GR86 for his new project. After finding one, he specifically instructed dealers not to drive the car. In fact, there were no license plate holes when he picked up the car.
After driving the GR86 home, Woodruff immediately swapped out its 2.4-liter boxer engine for a 2JZ-GE engine from a Lexus IS 300 sedan. He didn’t even drive the car or for a quick run at the cafe, which is pretty cool if you ask us.
The 2JZ-GE engine is fairly stock, and Woodruff had no trouble installing it in the engine bay. There were a few tweaks needed for the drivetrain, but he said there was plenty of wiggle room. Speaking of transmission, it uses a Toyota W-series manual gearbox from a Mark IV Supra.
For engine power, Woodruff said the 2JZ sends 500 horsepower to the wheels using pump gas
Although this is the first GR86 with a 2JZ engine in North America, it is not the first in the world. In fact, Woodruff admitted that he was inspired by Daigo Saito, who built two drift cars in Japan with the same setup. Both Saito builds come with Pandem aero kits from Tra-Kyoto, which Woodruff also took inspiration from for his build.
