Scion Owner Spotlight: The Jodele Family's "Zelas tC"

What this article covers:

How a college scholarship gift became a father-son custom tC project
The Lexus IS250 big brake conversion, done with custom-machined caliper brackets
The Zelas-badged rear shelf spoiler and where it came from
The full exterior, engine, suspension, and wheel modification list

TL;DR: When the Jodele family’s son earned a full scholarship to study Bio-Medical Engineering at Cincinnati University, his father — a mechanical engineer — turned the celebratory 2011 Scion tC into a father-son build project. Using AutoCAD to design custom caliper brackets, they adapted a StopTech big brake kit built for the Lexus IS250 onto the tC, added Lexus F-Sport forged wheels, and topped it off with a genuine Toyota rear shelf spoiler sourced from the Middle East–market “Zelas” tC — giving the car its nickname.

Not every project car starts with a trip to the dealership. This one started with a college acceptance letter.

A Scholarship Gift That Became a Build Project

What’s a fitting gift for a son who just earned a full scholarship to Cincinnati University to study Bio-Medical Engineering? For the Jodele family, it was a 2011 Scion tC in sizzling crimson mica — and they didn’t stop at just handing over the keys. Father and son turned it into a genuine collaborative build, giving the finished car its own name: the “Zelas tC.”

The Brakes: A Lexus Big Brake Kit, Custom-Fit

The modification the family is proudest of is the brake and wheel package. To increase stopping power, they adapted equipment built for Scion’s corporate cousin: StopTech’s big brake kit designed for the Lexus IS250. Since the elder Jodele is a mechanical engineer by trade, he used AutoCAD to design the precise dimensions for custom caliper brackets, which were then machined, hard-anodized, and powder-coated to match the car. Lexus F-Sport full forged aluminum wheels with custom TRD center caps went on over the setup.

The Spoiler: Genuine Toyota, from the Middle East

The other standout addition is what the family calls “the only Toyota-made rear shelf spoiler” for the second-generation tC — sourced from the Zelas, the badge the tC is sold under in the Middle East. Work the elder Jodele did in the region gave him the connection to bring the part home, giving the car a JDM-adjacent touch that’s rarer than typical Japanese-market parts. The family named the finished build after that badge: the “Zelas tC.”

The car earned recognition at a Scion Go-Exposed event in Xenia, Ohio.

Full Modification List

Exterior:

RS 7.0 grille
Rebadged with Toyota logos (front and rear) and Zelas name badge
Rear shelf spoiler (the only one outside the UAE)
Short Honda antenna
Scion mud flaps
Scion fog lights (rewired to activate with parking lights) with HID retrofit
7-color illuminated door sills
Custom hidden backup camera

ICE:

Scion SNS200 navigation head unit
XM radio with traffic and weather reporting
Custom hidden iPod USB cable
Fully Dynamat-ted interior
OEM Audio+ speaker/amp upgrade
Gentex auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, compass, and outside air temperature

Engine:

TRD axle-back exhaust
TRD cold air intake
Descendant/Password JDM carbon fiber engine cover and cooling plate
TRD oil cap
Dezod stainless steel catted header (green)

Suspension:

Custom caliper brackets for Lexus IS250 front and rear big brake kits
Custom StopTech front calipers, color-matched to F-Sport trim, for correct front-to-rear brake balance
TRD front tower brace
TRD lowering springs
TRD sway bars
Custom-made adjustable rear upper control arms for rear camber adjustment

Wheels/Tires:

Lexus F-Sport full forged aluminum wheels (19x9, rear-fitment intended)
Custom-made center caps with TRD logo
Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, 255/35ZR19

Modifying a vehicle with non-genuine Scion parts can affect warranty coverage, safety performance, and street legality depending on your state — verify fitment and local regulations before replicating brake or suspension modifications like these.

Frequently Asked Questions

What brake kit is on the Zelas tC? ▼

A StopTech big brake kit originally built for the Lexus IS250, adapted to the tC using custom AutoCAD-designed caliper brackets that were machined, hard-anodized, and powder-coated to match.

What is a “Zelas tC”? ▼

Zelas is the badge the Scion tC is sold under in Middle Eastern markets. The Jodele family’s build uses a genuine Zelas-market rear shelf spoiler and badging, giving the car its nickname.

Can I fit Lexus IS250 brakes on a Scion tC myself? ▼

It’s possible but not a bolt-on job — the Jodele build required custom-machined caliper brackets designed to the exact dimensions needed to clear the tC’s hub and wheel, which took CAD design work and a machine shop. It’s a project for someone comfortable with custom fabrication, not a weekend swap.