Blue Train Camry: 1992 turbo SV30

Toyota built a reputation out of making reliable cars that don't break down. They excelled even more so at building boring cars that helped people fall asleep more easily than BTV News at 10. This particular Camry, the V30, was one such car that combined both and proved to be highly profitable for Toyota all over the world. It did not need to have performance. Regions like ours though considered it a posh car. It was the big car you bought cause it oozed 'cool'. While Camrys, especially the V30 and the V40 were good looking cars, they never had any sporting pretensions.

They were made to be reliable, comfortable vehicles that moved people from place to place while softly playing Yanni in the four-speaker setup. But some people step away from the mainstream and get a ridiculous idea to turn this front wheel drive slushmobile into a thing of interest. They force feed the vehicle some sporting capabilities whether the car wants it or not. This is such a story.

The Camry you see here belongs to a friend called Fahim-uz-Zaman who may or may not have all his screws bolted on tight. His car on the other hand is well tightened up. He has had the car in his family since 1996. It went through several guises, all reflecting a young man's stages of growing up. Big spoilers versus small spoilers, evil black wheels versus clean light wheels, loud stereo versus I-don'tcare-for-stereo and furious bodykit versus grown up subtlety. What you see now is a ten-year transformation from slightly fast and furious to very fast yet very understated Yakuza-style cruiser.

Currently the Camry sports a 3SGTE giving out anything from 200-220bhp, roughly. While this is a big-ish car, it isn't a particularly heavy car. Remember: there's no powered seats, airbags, traction control equipment, battery packs, heavy audio equipment or dead gangsters in the trunk. The design is subtle with a simple bodykit that accentuates the clean lines with a little touch of purpose. That hood scoop is small and totally functional to feed air to the top mounted inter-cooler. And the color remains dark and out of the limelight.

We pootled around in side streets till we reached a proper, safe place to see how it runs. The interior is unbelievably clean and well sorted. It used to have Recaros but those are now gone for the stock, sleeper look. The ride is a little harsh thanks to the low coilovers. It's stiff and that's how at least the two of us like it. Family may complain but that's what family does. So we leave them home. On the open road the first stab at the accelerator squeezes out a brutal response. Wheels spin up to third. Even Fahim, having grown up with this car, is a little afraid to push it completely. One reason is the torque steer. The car wants to go where the wheels grab and all those horses grab hard. These cars never had great, tight steering to begin with.

But the braking is confidence inspiring. It stops how it should, when it should. The coilovers ensure ride stays firm even when taking turns that would have passengers flying out the window. So why this car? The V30 Camry was popular worldwide and in Bangladesh for its sleek looks and reliable hardware. We had one in the family. It was an automatic and would reach 100kmph in a couple of days. And if you steered it, you would need a football field to make a circle. It wasn't quick and no one imagined it to be. There-in lies the fun factor. No one has done it yet, at least not this well put together. The joy is in owning a unique yet subtle ride that will disappear before you know what happened. At least on those rare days that you get a free, empty road. For petrol heads, a custom built car and those few occasions of rush make up for those mundane days at the office.

All things cars with Fahim

Evolution of the Camry so far?

When I was a student, I couldn't do anything to the car as I wasn't earning. So after I started working, got my body kit done, then got the Recaro seats(now taken out)then got the rims and rear disc brakes. Got the air intake. Then quad exhaust and aggressive bodykit. Then finally got hold of a 3SGTE and the Cusco coilovers.

What does it have now?

The car has the following:3SGTE engine 2nd gen with MR2 setup (ECU, wiring and sensors), Walbro 245lph fuel pump, 3 inch exhaust with Jasma end box,3 inch turbo down pipe, E153 5speed manual transmission with LSD, Cusco adjustable coilovers, front and rear struts, 215/45/17tyres.

What's the most important upgrade according to you?

Most important was the suspension. As this is a family car, it used to handle like a tea trolley. With the coilovers its just better in every way. Next is the engine, where all the power comes from.

What would be your top tip to look out for when doing a similar project?

Wiring the engine proved to be the most difficult part. Anyone can put an engine in the bay, but to make sure these highly tuned rides work well, pay very close attention to the wiring

What's left?   

HID lights, as well as more stopping power