LibertyWalk Toyota Supra Build Story
Gavin Zarate, a 17-year-old cancer survivor, shares the inspiring story behind his custom LibertyWalk Toyota Supra build, named 30 Days to Live.
r0cean11
Gavin Zarate
2022 LBWK MK5 Toyota Supra
Instagram: @lbwk_gavin
Facebook: Gavin Zarate
Photographer/Author - Donnie Rochin
Instagram - @r0cean11
Facebook - r0cean11 Photography
Gavin Zarate: Car Enthusiast and Cancer Survivor
My name is Gavin Zarate. I'm from San Antonio, Texas, and I'm 17 years old. I'm also a two-time cancer survivor and a bone marrow transplant recipient. I work for my parents. We own our metal manufacturing shop, which specializes in automotive air suspension and modifications. I handle our company's shipping, logistics, marketing, and media.
Growing Up Around Cars
I've always been around cars my whole life. My parents raised me around the entire thing. It all started in the mini truck scene, old Toyotas and single cab trucks with crazy graphics and insane detail in everything with their builds. I grew up around our club, Severed Ties; it was strictly mini trucks, but it has slowly grown into all sorts of vehicles. Mine is one of the few JDM cars, but we mainly hit up shows in that scene. Then, as I got older, I slowly became interested in the JDM scene. You know, just like everyone else, you see the movie 2 Fast 2 Furious, and it kinda spikes a few questions and interests in that whole world, and I just started loving it. I loved the idea of your car not only looking the coolest but being able to be fast / race it.
LBWK MK5 Toyota Supra: The Surprise of a Lifetime
It's kinda funny I get this question a lot, but I didn't pick this car. My parents surprised me with it for the 1st anniversary of my bone marrow transplant at a huge car and truck show; Lone Star Throw Down. I always thought Supras were like the JDM legends and was so stoked when they announced the MK5, but I never thought I would own one; so, huge shout out to my parents for that. I am forever grateful for what they have done for me, not just the car but everything.
Building the LBWK MK5 Toyota Supra
This was my first car; I got it stock, but my parents said this would be the first and only build they would sponsor, so we went all out on it. Liberty Walk kit and the whole sha-bang. Still, it was the first car I ever bought on my own. The one I passed my driver's test in was a 2022 Mercedes A220. It was a cool little car. I needed a daily driver then so that I wouldn't rag out the Supra, so I didn't put too much time and money into it. Still, of course, I couldn't let it be stock, so I put some two-piece Asanti wheels on it with paint-matched lip and black centers. I was proud of it. Still, it wasn't me, so I traded it in for a 4th gen 2024 Toyota Tacoma, which for now is stock, but I plan on ripping it all apart and body drop it with bags, kinda going back to the mini truck days where we all started.
Attention and Reactions
The car gets a lot of attention, like a lot; I don't mind talking about it. Still, it gets very repetitive, so I kinda park the car and walk away and see what other people think from afar. Still, the whole story behind the car is too powerful not to share so sometimes I will stop and talk about it, tell them that I'm not just a "spoiled" kid with a nice car and that this car isn't just a car, it's a story. But when I'm just walking around, and I see the car, I'm like, damn, that's clean as hell, hahaha. Of course, I love cars, and this car is for me to enjoy and show off, but in a way, I built it as a platform to share my story "30 Days to Live".
The "30 Days to Live" Story
As I said earlier, I am a two-time cancer survivor. In February of 2021, I received a bone marrow transplant, and then in May 2021, my health declined, and the doctors placed us in Hospice. They said I had less than 30 days to live. My family and I were all shocked! But we never gave up our faith, and God gave us a miracle and overturned my health. Everything the doctors said was going to happen didn't! I'm thriving more than ever and am healthy now. For my one-year post-transplant ReBirthday, my parents surprised me with a 2022 Supra at one of our favourite car shows, Lone Star Throwdown.
I was so surprised! I never expected they would give me a new car. My parents already had plans for it after that. We did a complete custom build on it with a LibertyWalk body kit and slammed it to the ground. I knew they were building a car, but they kept it under wraps until my 16th birthday that same year and did the unveiling at our Clubs (Severed Ties) 30-year reunion. I was so happy to see the car built, but also because they voted me in as a member and got my diamond logo. We commemorated this build and named it the Supra "30 Days to Live".
Tips for LBWK MK5 Toyota Supra Owners
If you are thinking of getting a Supra, do it. It's such a fantastic car. Toyota and BMW did such a great job. The way it handles is impressive. Just everything about the car is perfect. It has such a big aftermarket, and it's only growing. One thing I would do if you do get one is make sure you get the 3.0. If you like to go fast, there is so much more you can do with the 3.0. I have the 2.0 because it's the only one we could find now, but if you want one, get the 3.0!! I cannot stress that enough.
Challenges and Modifications
Some problematic situations we got into were dealing with sensors and codes. Since it's a newer car, it's a lot harder to work on, mainly because it's made by BMW. It's a bunch of German parts; if you have a BMW or any German car, you know what I'm talking about. Another thing I should add is if you are trying to get the LibertyWalk kit for the Supra, be prepared to cut a lot off of the car, like a lot of it. I was super surprised and anxious when we were putting on the kit because we had to cut so much off the car. It looked crazy when we cut everything; you could barely tell it was a Supra, hahaha.
The Uniqueness of the "30 Days to Live" Supra
The LibertyWalk Kit is the main thing that separates my car from all the other MK5s. There aren't a lot of LibertyWalk Supras out there, but another thing that separates it is the story behind the car. Not only did I want the car to look great, but I also wanted it to have a powerful story behind it. It's always a good feeling to see the reactions on people's faces after I tell them the story behind it. You never look at the car the same way after understanding its meaning.
LBWK MK5 Toyota Supra Modifications -
Exterior -
- Carbon fiber-wrapped gas tank door and roof
- Custom decals by Zarate Steel Works
- Liberty Walk wide-body kit
- Carbon fiber side hood vents
- Carbon fiber mirror caps
- Carbon fiber door handles
- Carbon fiber mirror triangle trims
Suspension -
- Airlift Performance Air Suspension
Wheels/Tires -
- Falken tires
- AG luxury custom 3-piece wheels
- Brembo big brakes
Interior -
- Custom trunk setup by Zarate Steel Works
- Steering wheel
- Dash cover
- Vent covers
- Control panel cover
- Center console accent
- Screen cover
- Radar detector
Engine -
- AFE air intake
- FTP charge pipe
- VRSF Catless Racing Downpipe
- Full custom straight piped exhaust
The Work
I helped assemble some of the car, but my parents and our shop did most of the work.
Instagram: @ZarateFamily & @Zaratesteelworks
Future Plans For The LBWK MK5 Toyota Supra
The plan is to redo some of the stickers just to give it a slightly different look. I really would like the Valenti taillights, but they are back-ordered. Later on, in probably a few years, I want to do a full-color change and a completely different look for the Liberty Walk Kit. One of the biggest things I have in mind is maybe making it into a targa top. There is only one other one in the world, and Toyota did a prototype when the Supra first came out, but I think it would be really cool to do that.
The Toyota Supra Car Scene
The only group I’m a part of is Severed Ties. We have members from Japan, Australia, and all over the world. Instagram: @severedties_club
The car scene has been a part of my whole life. It has brought me many opportunities. It’s where all my money and energy go. I’ve met so many great people and friends through it, and honestly, it’s not even a hobby to me; it’s a lifestyle.
Dream Car
My dream car was any type of car with a Liberty Walk Kit. I’ve been a fan of Liberty Walk for so long that I just wanted to get my hands on one of those kits, whether it was the Mini Cooper or a Lamborghini. I wanted one Liberty Walk—it's the Louis Vuitton of all body kits.
Shout Outs To The Sponsors
I also want to give a special thanks to all my Sponsors for the build.
- @zaratesteelworks
- @air_lift_performance
- @viaircorp
- @floairride
- @levvelair
- @doczilla12
- @f7lthyofficial
- @wheelandtireexchange
- @severedties_club
- @falkentire
- @libertywalkkato LibertyWalk
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- JJ Dubec - NSX - F7LTHY
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