The Supra Restoration Project is a challenge taken on by the students who are the future

A record 660 custom cars gathered at the Osaka Auto Messe (OAM) 2024, held at Intex Osaka from 10-12 February 2024. Among them, we found a fully original and in good condition Toyota 3rd generation 70 ‘Supra’. It is as beautiful as if it were a new car, but why is it on display here?

The body has been rusted off and restored, and all parts have been cleaned

When we asked about it, we were told that the vehicle was restored in just 40 days by students studying car maintenance at the Toyota Automotive Engineering College of Kobe as part of their coursework. Photographs of the car in its original condition were also on display, showing that it was in a rather battered state. The restoration work must have been very difficult.

First, the engine was dismounted and all the interior parts were removed, then the body, which was originally white, was cleaned of all rust, the body with holes was repaired by cutting and joining steel plates, and the car was repainted not in its original colour but in its image colour of the time, wine red. Incidentally, as the body was restored with all parts removed, the paint was applied to the engine compartment and even to the underside of the body.

The base vehicle is a 1989 GA70, so the engine is a 1G-GT 2L twin turbo. The engine was unloaded and each part was cleaned, and the characteristic intake pipes that extend symmetrically to the intercooler and the surge tank were polished to a shiny state.

The interior was freshened up with various innovations and techniques

We opened the door and were shown inside. Those who knew the car back then will know that this wine interior faded quickly in the sunlight, with the seat shoulders and other parts turning white. This Supra’s seats were no exception and were badly faded, but the original colour has been reproduced by re-dyeing the fabric itself using ‘Somay-Q’.

All the cracked dash has been restored, and the texture of the period has been recreated with surface irregularities and paintwork. Even when viewed quite closely, this dash looks as good as new. All other plastic interior panels were also restored and painted to give the interior the look of a new car.

Finally, as a present from the teacher, the cloisonne SUPRA emblem on the nose tip was fitted with a new one, reproduced by GR Heritage Parts. Thus the 70 Supra, much older than the students, was revived.

translated by DeepL