Stephan Papadakis is a legend in the motorsport space. He built some of the fastest import racers of the day and now runs championship-winning Formula Drift teams. He’s also a smart fabricator and builder, and he’s using his skills on a new project in his shop; a first-generation Toyota RAV4 setup for desert shenanigans.

Papadakis is great at explaining the how and why of what he’s doing. And the results of his efforts are clear in the video above. The initial test and tune on the suspension upgrades for the RAV4 highlight why certain changes need to be made to get the proper setup. You can see how upgrades to the rear suspension sort of the ride while the front still needs work. Then after the front is upgraded, it all looks to be in great shape.

This is a fun build on an affordable machine. And it’s being done by a person with great skill and knowledge, and presented in a way that’s easy to see and understand. We will be following along on this one, for sure.