It’s spring time and it’s time to introduce a new segment on REVIZE.BLOG called “MACHINE CHECK”. It’s essentially an interview with the owner of cool car(s) and a photo gallery of said cool car. This one’s special because this features a dream car of mine and the person who owns it is pretty coo’ hehe.

Without further ado, this here is a 1994 Toyota Supra MKIV JZA80. It’s owned by my good friend, Kou Lo. For some context, I met Kou in 2023 and he made a huge impact on my life. With his knowledge and wisdom, he helped me make smarter decisions in how I continue with my life and formulate a philosophy with automotive repairs. We both worked at a local Honda dealership. He had a long tenure and achieved high status as a Honda Master Technician. When we met, I was new to the automotive industry and started off as a lube technician. In this industry, you’re the “FNG” (or f*cking new guy), “lubie”, “part-timer”, “express kid”, and more. During my novice days, I always gravitated to Kou because 1) he’s super nice and honest, 2) he’s Asian, 3) he loves Honda’s, and 4) he has a MK IV Supra!

Acquiring the Car

Kou is the 3rd owner of this well-kept and maintained Supra. He first noticed this car in 2010 on the Supra forums. He was in the market for a MK IV Supra but couldn’t find the right one. The examples he checked out were missing very important maintenance items and/or overlooked minor issues that required relatively simple fixes. 2 years into his initial search, the same Supra dropped to a price that he couldn’t turn down…

Just before we get to the engine bay, the vehicle was slightly modified prior to Kou owning it. This Supra is a 94-model which comprised of the 3.0L twin-turbo charged 2JZ engine. Mated to the engine is the 4-speed Automatic transmission. Unfortunately, I didn’t picture much of the interior but it has it’s combination of black leather, faux wood bits, and tan leather seats.

As you can see, the original twin-turbo setup has been replaced by a single turbo. Kou shared that the previous owner “needed more top end power. [He] would race other enthusiasts on the road and at the start, he’d have a gap between him and the opponent. Once they got higher up in speed, he noticed that’s when the opponent would catch up”. Eventually the previous owner shrugged his shoulders and listened to the advice of Supra owners on the Supra Forums: go single turbo and get a tune.

Engine Bay Breakdown

• Precision 6766 Turbo
• Greddy Boost Controller and Turbo Timer
• HKS Blow-Off Valve
• 880cc Fuel Injectors (with upgraded fuel pump)
• Megan Racing 3-inch Downpipe
• Invidia 3-inch Catback Exhaust
• Mishimoto Radiator
• Custom ATF Cooler

What was life like when you acquired it?

I asked Kou this question mid-way into our conversation. “It was a f*cking struggle. But it was worth it haha”, he replied. He shared that during this time, he was working at the Honda dealership. He was married and had his first child years prior. On top of acquiring the car, he also recently acquired his home too. However, is doesn’t end there because he was also helping his family with finances. At this time, anyone would think “wow, everything seems to be aligned. You got a wife, a kid, your dream car, and a home!”. Despite the financial pressures, Kou persisted and in the end he expressed enthusiastically that it was all worth it.

Over the course of his 13-year ownership, he hasn’t changed much on the car besides the suspension and the exhaust. Before he had the 3-inch Invidia Catback exhaust, the car came with a 3.5-inch Apexi Catback exhaust. He replaced the Apexi due to an exhaust leak. The car, lowered on Rev9 coilovers, caused the Apexi exhaust to scrape on the road thus a hole formed in the piping.

Besides residing in the garage for its life, Kou likes to occasionally bring it out on spirited drives with his kids or race his nephews with their newer and faster toys. He’s not entirely sure of the numbers the engine outputs but he remembers everytime he sees his nephew(s) in his rear view mirror. I personally haven’t had a ride in his Supra but I hope one day I will. I mean I had the chance but I was just happy to picture it LOL. I already felt honored to document his car so I’ll leave it at that!

As for turbo supporting mods, he kept the Greddy boost controller and turbo timer. On the A-pillar, he has Greddy gauges to monitor boost. In his words, “everything’s all 90s”. In other words, it’s all period correct for a 90s Japanese Sports Car. He’s kept it that way simply because if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!.

If I were to sum up Kou’s philosophy with this car, it would be “enjoy it while it lasts”. You could spend a hefty amount of money to upgrade things here and there but that’s not the case with Kou’s Supra. Good power + Signature looks = Good times. It’s all that you need in a car. Cosmetically, the car sits stock besides the lower ride height and Invidia muffler. Furthermore, it retains the original “TT” or twin turbo wheels.

I never thought I’d have 2 of my dream cars right next to each other. This was a moment where the inner child in me was GEEKED! The MK IV Supra was the first car I fell in love with thanks to Gran Turismo, Fast and Furious, and Max Orido. When I discovered how much the MK IV Supra costed as I got older, it just seemed like a dream I could never obtain. It became a forgotten dream to be honest… According to Edmunds, current listings of 1994 Supra’s are around 6-figures…

I don’t have much else to add other than this car is amazing. The 90s truly was the Golden Era of Japanese sports cars and tuning. Kou’s Supra sits in this timeless state and you can’t help but appreciate what Toyota (and other car makers) was doing.

I want to give a big, special thanks to Kou for allowing me to feature his Supra on the blog! It meant a lot for me to come visit him and chat for a couple hours. I often joke around about Kou being the Yoda to my Luke Skywalker. To say I learned a ton from Kou would be an understatement. I can’t say it enough – THANK YOU KOU!

I hope to make MACHINE CHECK an ongoing series for REVIZE.BLOG! If y’all enjoyed this MACHINE CHECK, please let me know~ If you have an interesting car that you don’t mind being featured on this blog, contact me via e-mail or my social media links. Thanks for sticking around and I’ll see y’all in the next post. This is JVZY from REVIZE! We up!