It seems highly unlikely that a single person can run a performance shop, build a 9-second race car, compete as a top driver in sanctioned drag-racing events nationwide, and still have time to pursue personal ventures. Kenny Tran does just that because Kenny is all about cars. People unfamiliar with our scene may mistake him for Jet Li, martial arts guru and international superstar, but those in the know will recognize him as the owner and pilot of one of the fastest front-wheel drive Hondas on the scene today, with a pocket full of 9-sec. timeslips to prove it. He is also the proprietor of Jotech Motorsports in Garland, Texas, one of the leading performance shops in the region. All of this amounts to the simple fact that Kenny can do whatever he wants, and he does, so you can rest assured that any car that falls into his hands is likely to kick your ass and mop the floor up with your battered remains. Kenny's '95 Supra show car proves it.
This Candy-Apple Red car was initially built for show-to show customers what his shop is capable of and to show you that "show" and "slow" are not synonyms. Make no mistake-this car looks good, but that's only if you can get it to slow down long enough to gawk at it.
Sitting in the driver's seat of Kenny's Supra is a surreal experience. The first thing that catches your eye is the color-matched dash treatment, contrasted by the white-faced gauges that stare at you from every angle. The factory speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, and coolant temperature gauges occupy relatively stock locations, although they are much more noticeable after the AC Autotechnic EL whiteface treatment. Practically the entire GReddy 60mm lineup occupies space on the center console and the modified glovebox: Boost, EGT, A/F ratio, oil pressure, and oil temperature keep Kenny more informed than the CNN news ticker. An additional Halmeter Air-Fuel monitor ensures engine stoichiometry.
Since Kenny's car is driven daily in the baking temperatures of Texas, retaining the air conditioning was a necessity. But, if you look closely, you won't see the climate controls. That's because he managed to have those controls shoehorned into the armrest-how's that for fashion and function? Since the only smoking Kenny does is with his Pirelli P-Zeros, the ashtray/lighter combination was scrapped in favor of a stealth-mounted shift light. All in all, I'd have to say that this one of the cleanest and most functional interiors that I have seen in a long time.
As if driving this monster Supra wasn't enough fun, Kenny had the foresight to install a killer multimedia system to provide tunes and TV shows for those long rides along Interstate 20. At the heart of this system is the Alpine IVA-C800 Control Unit. It plays CDs, it controls the entire audio system, it slices, it dices, and it makes you breakfast in the morning. Turning battery power to boom is the job of the Phoenix Gold amplifiers and the DynAudio component speakers, while in-flight visual entertainment is provided by the Alpine DVA-5205 DVD player. Imagine watching "Days Of Thunder" in this wingless jet while cruising the highways and byways of Texas-"Cole Trickle goes high! Cole Trickle goes high!" All of the stereo work was expertly handled by Audio Innovations in Plano, Texas.
When I think of Texas, I think of oil and cows, so it didn't surprise me to see that the factory interior was scrapped for some dyed cowhide of the suede and leather variety. The red theme was covered by the suede seating area, a texture useful to avoid slippage from spirited driving and moist derrieres, while the black motif rounded out the rest of the interior and various accented amenities. I don't know where the oil comes to play in my "Texas" analogy, but then again, I don't know a lot of things, like what Kenny did with the rest of the cow after his seats were made. Perhaps you could call the re-upholsterer, Leather Trim Unlimited, to find out that information and to see if you can't score yourself a side of beef or two.
There's a saying that says everything is big in Texas, and this car is no exception. To paraphrase Sir Mix-A-Lot, "Kenny's got back!" No, I'm not talking about how he reaches over his shoulder to get his wallet out of his back pocket-I'm talking about the Supra. It's a Jenny Craig nightmare: He had New Concept add 4 inches to the car's hips and 2 inches up front by massaging the factory metalwork. A custom rear spoiler was then designed and integrated into the factory sheet metal and various skirts and accouterments from Erebuni, Rod Millen, and WiseSport were loaded, locked, and made ready-to-rock. The final swollen body was then sprayed with 11 coats (that's ten plus one to grow on!) of PPG Candy Apple Red by New Concepts Autoworks in Plano.
Texas is a big-ass state. It's the biggest in the contiguous United States. Getting from El Paso on the west side to Dallas on the east side is an all-day driving affair. Kenny decided that if he ever had to make that trip, he would make it fast. So, he tossed the factory twin turbos and bolted-up the GReddy T88 turbo kit. If you've never seen a GReddy T88 turbo, then you don't know the meaning of the word "big." It's bigger than my belly after a two-hour visit to the local Chinese buffet, and that's pretty damn big. Much like a visit to the Chinese buffet, something had to be done about the increased amount of exhaust gas produced by the bigger turbo, so Kenny threw in a set of HKS 272 degree camshafts and AEM sprockets for fine tuning. These valvetrain components produce dramatically better results in gas expedience for the 2JZGTE motor than any amount of Pepto-Bismol does for me. A GReddy Airinx filter system keeps out dust and those pesky Texas mosquitos, while a custom 3-in. downpipe and Tanabe Racing Medallion exhaust complete the exhalation equation. RC 720cc injectors and an HKS Fuel Rail provide the juice, while an SX Fuel Pressure Regulator keeps everything under control in the upgraded -8AN fuel lines. An immense GReddy four-row intercooler chills the massive intake charge. The rest of the motor is inherently stock, but the Tran Man still managed to spin the wheels of Fastech's Dynojet to the tune of 650 horses-that's enough for Kenny to start his own horse ranch, as if he wasn't already busy enough. It's rare enough to see a street car making that much power, much less a street car whose primary purposes are transportation and display. But if anyone can do it, the Tran Man can.
Speaking of trans, the stock transmission still has the unfortunate duty of transferring all the power to the drive wheels, aided only by a TRD clutch. TRD also supplied the thicker front and rear swaybars to help the APEX shocks and Eibach springs keep this Big Mama under control. In case he ever wants to stop, Kenny added a set of Powerslot rotors and TRD brake pads to the four corners, although he should probably think about investing in a trunk-mounted parachute with all the horsepower lurking underneath the custom vented-hood.
You know what they say about guys that have big feet-they wear big socks. That would explain the massive 335/25 tires in the rear and the equally daunting 245/35 tires in the front-both pairs are wrapped around 19x12.5-in. (eek!) and 19x9-in. Racing Hart C2s. Can you say "bloated?" That's what this gargantuan beast of a car is-unequivocally, undoubtedly, and unmistakably large, in every way possible. And that's a good thing.
With "big" being the key word for this Supra, it helps to have everything under control, especially the orchestration of the internal combustion. A host of electronics assist in this department. Kenny's car utilizes a GReddy Profec A, an HKS VPC, an HKS GCC, and an XS Engineering ECU, so D.F.A. (don't fuck around!) Even with the internally stock engine, this car is fine-tuned for crazy pump gas antics and will make quick work of many of the commuters on Garland's roads, while keeping the motor safe and secure so no one will be able to say "Ohmigod! They killed Kenny's motor!"
Kenny Tran is the Man that Can, but he wanted to ensure that credit was given where credit was due. He is especially thankful to the entire staffs at Jotech Motorsports, New Concepts, and Audio Innovations. "Without these guys' help and dedication," he says, "this project wouldn't exist. They stuck with it and made a fantastic car all around." I guess it would only be good news to them that Kenny is making more plans for his Candy Apple Red wildebeest.