The “Fast and the Furious” movies have created some of the most iconic figures in the automotive enthusiast community, both human and machine. Sometimes, our affection for the hero cars of the franchise exceeds our admiration for the characters and the actors who portray them. These “hero cars” continue to be celebrated through reproductions and tribute builds in the community, captivating audiences at various events such as roadside gatherings and Cars & Coffee.
Many of us are curious about the origins of these hero cars. Although some were nothing more than superficial decorations, others were true labors of love that originated as more than just props for the movies.
Apart from Dominic Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger, very few cars in the “F&F” franchise have the same allure as Brian O’Conner’s Mk IV Toyota Supra. But was it a genuine car or just a product of movie magic? To address this question, we once again turn to Craig Lieberman, who provides a fascinating and intimate account of his work on “The Fast and the Furious.”
As technical director for “The Fast and the Furious,” Lieberman oversaw the sourcing and production of its cars from the lowliest filler vehicles right up to the main characters (if you will). The story of Brian’s Supra, on the other hand, hits a little closer to home for Lieberman.
That’s because it was his.
Lieberman had diverse taste in cars, building everything from early Datsun 240Zs to some American muscle machines. His first encounter with a Supra opened his eyes to the potential of the car as a tuning platform, and he decided to build one.
He bought a Mk IV Supra and got to work. His base car was a 1994 factory twin-turbo Targa top with a manual transmission. It started out white, but he later had it refinished in Mazda’s (yes, Mazda’s) Competition Yellow from the FD RX-7. But first, it went into the shop for what was referred to as “Basic Performance Upgrades,” or BPU.
These BPU came courtesy of GReddy, from which Lieberman sourced the Supra’s front mount intercooler, intake, full exhaust and Profec B boost controller. A set of 650cc Denso injectors rounded out the performance upgrades. Lieberman turned to Stillen for the body kit and slapped on a set of OZ wheels to round out the look.
Over time, the Supra got further upgrades, including a twin-bottle Nitrous setup that would eventually inspire the same build in “The Fast and the Furious.”
Lieberman’s video covers his personal car history, the Supra’s build and how it caught the eyes of Universal Studios and found its way into the movie (and into our hearts). We encourage you to watch it in full.
