New member and engine build questions!

[BentIguana]

Hello everyone, just last week I got my hands on a 2000 GS300 with a Vvti 2JZGE as my first project car! I have a spare GE that came with it but don't really it need, it's windowed and most of the internals are scrap.

 

**NOTE: I am completely new here and will hopefully keep up to date with sharing my build and learning from the community, if this is posted in the wrong place or if there is a better place to post it, please let me know!**

 

Anyways, I wanted get input on my plans for this vehicle as there is a lot of conflicting information regarding the 2jzge as well as some things I have not been ale to find through searching.

My goal is to make an NA-T setup to make around 500hp, definitely never over 1000, and to generally make the car look nice. The aesthetic part I think I have a solid plan for but engine-wise I know that if I am boosting a GE I am going to have to make some internal modifications. What I am specifically wondering is, will GTE pistons and rods hold up to that 500hp point or will they end themselves under the boost required to make that, and what is the breaking point of these parts in pounds of boost? I am not opposed to going completely aftermarket for pistons and rods as well as any head internals I might need, but I haven't seen a lot on what brands people are going with for that general power area. Don't really need pistons that can take 1500hp and pay way extra for no reason. I have also not seen anything regarding modification of the heads needed for this power range, do I need to change anything up there?

 

Beyond this I plan on cleaning up the engine bay, like a lot. I want to move the battery to the rear, all of the fuses and related wires under the glovebox, etc... anything that does not need to be there, will not be there, and I am aware that that will be a grueling process. I would be interested to see posts or stories of people that have done similar things in the past. 

 

One large thing I noticed is the stock intake covering the valve covers, as well as the wiring harness for the engine crossing over them. I have seen lots of good looking builds where this is not the case, the throttle body is moved to the side and the wires are magically gone. I do not need a high flow intake for the hp range I am shooting for so are there and decent intake options that keep everything to the side? As for the wires, is there a different wiring harness people are using for looks, or are they just re-routing the standard one?