A 4.1-Litre R35 V6 Engine Transplant Makes This The World's Maddest Toyota GT86

It’s shaping up to be a good month for bonkers Toyobaru BR86 engine swaps. Only last week we were looking at a mad Ferrari F136 V8 transplant, and now we’re getting a good look at an 86 swap that’s just as brilliantly absurd.

The car belongs to Street FX owner Mark Trueno, and it’s been running a Rocket Bunny kit and a turbocharger on its FA20 2.0-litre boxer engine for a few years now. However, it’s in the middle of receiving a more potent powerplant: the twin-turbo V6 from a Nissan R35 GT-R, making this the world’s first VR38DETT-powered 86.

The phrase holy crap doesn’t seem to cover it, and that’s before you find out that it’s not a standard R35 lump: it’s stroked to 4.1 litres, and runs an HKS Symmetrical Turbine kit. The team behind the build is targeting an output exceeding 1000RWHP.

It’s not an easy fit though, thanks to the sheer height of the engine - it’s apparently three times as tall as the low-slung FA20 boxer. To cut that down, the VR38 has lost its front differential (not needed, since this is a rear-drive build) and has been converted to dry sump lubrication. These two changes give a 150mm reduction in the total engine height.

The engine is hooked up to a six-speed sequential gearbox, with a set of Motec-sourced, air-powered shifters mounted on the steering wheel to “give us super fast shifts and no ugly gear stick”. The ECU sorts out rev-matching between each shift, and the clutch pedal is used only for starting, stopping and reversing.

The project is a fair way off completion, but is one that we’re sure as hell going to keep up with. Once finished, this VR38-powered monster will be used for “a combination of time attack (circuit), street use and roll racing”. We can’t wait to see the finished product.

Head over to Street FX for more images and details.