Based in Tampa, Florida, Induction Performance is an outfit known for performance builds of all kinds, but it’s the Nissan GT-R, Toyota Supra, and a flair for the dramatic that are their specialties. “The shop started as a partnership between co-owners Victor Alvarez and the man known simply as Alpha,” says Matt Watts of Induction Performance. “It opened officially in 2011, though Victor and Alpha have both been modifying, driving, racing and tuning since before they were able to legally acquire a license. We’re not just an import shop, but we think our work stands to prove that we’re one of the premier shops in the country for the GT-R and Supra platform.”
One of their latest builds is among the shop’s most ambitious to date, taking an already-potent R35 Skyline and elevating it to a level of purpose-built drag car while maintaining a largely factory appearance and street-friendly functionality. “This project was special for us not just because of the caliber of car we were able to build, but who it was for,” Matt explains. “The owner, Ray, had previously tasked us with building his Supra – a beautiful specimen that made 1,500+ wheel horsepower and retained air conditioning, power steering, full interior and a manual gearbox, Ray’s Supra was definitely one of a kind. Now, a Supra at the power level of Ray’s is not exactly tame. After outgrowing some of the attributes necessary to support those power levels in the Supra chassis, Ray decided it was time to move on to a GT-R, which allows for far fewer sacrifices in creature comfort and drivability at that power level.”
Matt tells us that, for this particular project, Ray wants to drive this car on the street first and foremost. “That’s what we were able to accomplish for him with his build: a pristine, full-on street car that retains all of what makes the GT-R great while also increasing the power three to four times over the factory output. It’s now something Ray can enjoy no matter what he chooses to do with it.”
Using a 2015 GT-R as the canvas, the Induction Performance team set to work. “Apart from the beautiful beadlock wheels provided by Belak Industries and the carbon fiber drag wing from T1 Race and Development, Ray’s GT-R is aesthetically no different than a bone stock iteration that just rolled off the showroom floor,” Matt says. “The idea was that the GT-R is already a stunning vehicle in stock form and there was not a big need or desire on Ray’s behalf to change that up.”
Under the hood it’s a different story. “The engine in the car is one of our Induction Performance Stage 3 4.4L stroker engines done with our partners at Fast Forward Race Engines,” says Matt. “The OEM aluminum block has been sleeved and strengthened to withstand the increased horsepower and torque. The rotating assembly consists of a Callies Ultra Billet crankshaft, Callies Ultra Billet I-Beam connecting rods and custom pistons from Diamond. The turbo kit, intake manifold and intercooler are all provided by AMS Performance, and Ray’s car has Alpha12x turbos. The car runs on the OEM ECU tuned via EcuTek by Alpha.”
Matt says that the pistons proved to be up to the task. “The Diamond slugs we use in these Stage 3 engines are a custom design done in conjunction with Joe Irwin from FFRE,” Matt tells us. “They are a full billet piston and utilize Total Seal rings and a .220” wall, H13 tool steel pin. We have yet to have a piston failure on any engine we have assembled with these pistons. We also use a similar design in our 2JZ-GTE application and have never had a failure in that use either. In fact, we have a customer out in Texas who does a ton of grudge racing and no prep racing with our spec’d Diamond pistons running upwards of 75+ psi of boost with multiple kits of nitrous. They have lost engines in all forms and fashions and even had a block split on the dyno sending a humongous ball of fire through the shop. Luckily, no one was hurt, and neither were the Diamond pistons. The cast iron block cracked in multiple spots including down the bores of several cylinders but the pistons were unfazed and reusable.”
All in, the combination sends roughly 1,400 horsepower to the wheels as measured on a Dynojet, which is good for a personal best e.t. of 8.23 at 171 MPH in the ¼ mile and a best 60-130 mph time of 3.026-seconds. It’s also seen a top speed of 206mph in the standing ½ mile.
While that’d be plenty for most drivers, Induction Performance isn’t done just yet. “A MoTeC M1 Series is in the works” Matt adds. “We will be switching to that shortly and aiming for that elusive 7-second time slip. Other than that, Ray plans to get the car back to New York and enjoy it.”
