ENEOS brings trio of Frankenstein cars to SEMA 2023 ENEOS SEMA booth #24233 highlights include: 1969 Jaguar E-Type with Toyota Supra 2JZ turbo power, Twin-engined Nissan 350Z exo-skeleton, 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser pickup
Schaumburg, IL
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October 30, 2023 12:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time
ENEOS – Japan’s largest oil company and supplier of motor oil and transmission fluids to the majority of Asian vehicle manufacturers – will be located in booth #24233 in Central Hall at the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas this week. In addition to supplying the aftermarket with premium vehicle lubricants, ENEOS provides oils to Japanese and Asian manufacturers for factory fill in Japan, Asia, United States, Europe, Central and South Americas, Middle East and Africa.
This year’s booth will again highlight the company’s activities and allow visitors to discover the most advanced ENEOS products, such as the new 0W-8 motor oil for the latest hybrid vehicles. Display vehicles throughout the show will capture the essence of ENEOS and showcase many of the company’s products, including its Racing Series Motor Oils and more.
ENEOS JAGUAR E-TYPE 2JZ
Taking center stage in the ENEOS booth will be a 1969 Jaguar XKE 2+2. Celebrating 75 years of the manufacturer’s sports car heritage, this particular example has been equipped with a modified version of the Toyota 2JZ-GTE inline-6 24v 3.0L engine, swapped directly from the Supra.
Constructed by professional drift racer and car builder Faruk Kugay at DevSpeed Motorsports, the E-type is the third car in a series of creations that take Europe’s finest vehicles and combines them with Japan’s finest engineering. Previous projects have included an E30 BMW with F20C Honda 2.0L engine swap in 2021, and a 997.1 Porsche 911 GT3 with Subaru Impreza STI EJ25 engine last year.
The Jaguar conversion certainly fits the Frankenstein theme of previous years and takes it up a notch with increased use of modern technology to update the classic British sports car.
To honor its Japanese hosts, the Supra’s 2JZ-GTE engine was selected because it’s representative of the vehicles ENEOS supports since it has supplied factory-fill lubricants to the vast majority of Japan’s auto industry for decades.
Inevitably, a regular 2JZ wouldn’t suffice, so Kugay drew on his Formula DRIFT roots. Using the same engine in his Nissan S14 competition car, a number of key components were thrown into the cauldron, including a new factory head casting with Deatschwerks Injectors, and a full Nuke Performance fuel system. Internally, the engine was reinforced with CP-Carillo pistons and rods, which will be expertly lubricated by ENEOS Racing Street 0W-50 oil. All the work was in preparation for the Borg Warner EFR 8474 turbocharger and Vibrant Performance Intercooler. With a Link G4 Fury ECU providing the spark, Kugay is confident the engine will see 750hp once the final dyno tuning is completed.
Designed as a hot rod for the street and track, Kugay consulted Charlie’s Customs in England. They executed a similar conversion and recommended the E60 BMW rear subframe, suspension and differential. While it’s not quite a bolt-on conversion, it addressed many of the conversion issues and will help put the power to the pavement via an E36 BMW M3 ZF five-speed manual transmission.
The considerable power increase over the original 4.2L straight-six engine meant the Jag required bigger boots. While the generous wheelbase of the 2+2 helped with the engine installation, the XKE’s slender hips weren’t going to accommodate sufficient rubber to get the job done. Initially taking inspiration from the Jaguar factory’s Lightweight racer, fender flares were designed from a 3D scan taken by Adam Bao at Illumasthetic. Once the proportions were confirmed, his team 3D-printed the new pieces. These were delivered to the crew at Vinny’s Autobody in Sonoma, CA where Ken Heilmann laid carbon fiber to strengthen the panels, Matt Thorsson and Jason Mohon prepped the bodywork, before Vinny Thorsson painted it.
The body was then able to swallow 17” Rotiform STL wheels, which were custom-built in two pieces to achieve the desired width and offset; the design reminiscent of the original E-Type Lightweight wheels. Finally, a set of the new, high-performance Bridgestone Potenza RE-71 RS tires were fitted to ensure the Jag was equally at home on the road or track.
The car was built by DevSpeed Motorsports, which is based at Sonoma Raceway by a team including Faruk Kugay, Victor Freire, Jose Varguez, Alexander Forsythe, Luke Wright, Sean McLean, Josh Sher, Seth Lewis and Dustin Volkmuth. The livery was applied by John Sharp at Landmark Grafix.
Tech Spec for the ENEOS JAGUAR E-TYPE 2JZ can be found HERE
TWIN-ENGINED NISSAN 350Z
Displayed prominently outside SEMA’s Central Hall in display spot V049, this insane 2003 Nissan 350Z was the winner of the ENEOS / Pit+Paddock 2023 SEMA Show Car Contest hosted by ENEOS ambassador Dai Yoshihara. Powered by TWO turbocharged Honda engines, Ashley Robinson’s wild creation was selected to represent both brands by public vote and a judging panel.
Purchased at auction for $800, Robinson built the Nissan with drifting in mind. But the Frankenstein project would later take on a life of its own. Bought with a damaged rear-end, the car was reworked entirely. The damaged area was cut away before Robinson fabricated a roll-cage, which extended to the rear of the vehicle, mimicking the shape as the original body.
After two years shredding tires and an unfortunate roll-over, Robinson was too committed to the project to give up. Determined to move forward, he envisioned the twin-engined concept. The result was a monster mash-up, powered by two turbocharged Honda K24 engines, positioned in the front and middle, lubricated and protected by ENEOS high-performance engine oil.
Having overcome the technical hurdles of installing, turbocharging, and synchronizing the two engines, Robinson created custom aero. He handcrafted fender flares but left the exo-skeleton exposed at the rear to showcase his creation.
The ingenious and inventive fabrication make Robinson’s twin-engined 350Z a spectacle worthy of its contest-winning featured vehicle placement at the 2023 SEMA Show where it will certainly grab plenty of attention.
Tech Spec for the TWIN-ENGINED NISSAN 350Z can be found HERE
1997 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER PICKUP
The neo-vintage Toyota Land Cruiser 70/80-Series pickup was created by RPM Off-Road Garage in Monrovia, CA. It’s something both Japanese truck and off-road enthusiasts can appreciate, creating a truly unique vehicle that can be enjoyed on and off America’s roads. It will be displayed at SEMA 2023 in featured vehicle spot V053 alongside the Frankenstein twin-engine Nissan 350Z.
RPM owner Steve Lam bought a damaged 1997 Land Cruiser FZJ80 chassis for its off-road capability and durability since it features robust solid axles and coil sprung suspension, which is ideal for dirt. The 2009 HZJ79 pickup body was sourced from the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum in Utah, which was leftover parts imported from the Middle East after it was stripped to become an armored vehicle.
This conversion isn’t for the fainthearted: RPM lengthened the FZJ80 frame 18” and fabricated mounts to attach the HZJ79 body. Interestingly, the same body has essentially been around since the mid ’80s, and can be found all over the world… except in the United States. So, the RPM pickup is a brilliant example of what can be done with the right technical knowledge and determination to create something extraordinary. The vehicle will be utilized for off-road and overland expeditions by Steve and the RPM team.
ENEOS is proud to have partnered with RPM Off-Road Garage since 2020. As a registered member of the ENEOS Garage program, the shop utilizes ENEOS performance lubricants for its in-house projects and to service customer vehicles
Tech Spec for the 1997 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER PICKUP can be found HERE
EDITOR’S NOTE
High-resolution images for editorial use of the cars mentioned above can be found here: dropbox.com/sh/6cw00bvo64aftif/AABl8FZJs762gp121-VQj_Kha?dl=0
ABOUT ENEOS MOTOR OIL
Established in 1888 and headquartered in Tokyo, ENEOS is Japan’s largest oil company, with manufacturing and sales facilities throughout the world. With a unique position in its home market, ENEOS has worked with Asia’s automakers and leading race teams for decades, creating advanced lubricants with their vehicle engineers to provide optimum fuel economy with maximum power and long-term protection. ENEOS also recently announced availability of a new 0W-8 motor oil for future vehicle applications including the latest hybrid technology. For more information, please visit eneos.us
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Greg Emmerson
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