With TORC already over with here's a couple of photos from one of the early days of TORC. Before it became more mainstream. I think these photos were around 01 maybe 02. The event was still at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, but at the parking lot. Back then there weren't that many cars that showed up. Amazing how much it has changed since then. Though we don't see much Toyota oddties like these:
Early, maybe '68, Toyota Corona speedster. It was for sale when I saw it at the event. I wonder if it's still running?
Toyota Fire truck?? Yes they even had those. But this wasn't an american market vehicle. It was actually brought over from a small town in Japan. I wish I could remember the whole story of the vehicle but after almost 10 years and of tires and gas fumes. Even my memory gets all fuzzy.
There was a few interesting bits I saw that day, but I could only find a few photos from that day.
Just Drift kingpin Charlie O. decides to crash on my weekend cause he likes breaking his Nissan. Traveling an hour just to see the master (me) for a fix. Or I was the only sucker who was willing to help him that weekend. He was in a bit of pickle since he had some sort of demo to do the following day. Thinking it was a straight transmission swap, I was cool with it. And since it's been quite sometime since we chatted it was good to see him again. But then again I think the master was turned the fool since the transmission he got was for KA and he's rocking SR. So an extra step of swapping the bellhousing was in order.
But in the end the transmission install wasn't going as planned and totally kicked my ass. I felt more like a noob by the end of the day. And the body will aching by the next day. I'm getting too old for this 5h!7.
Yet the next day another cat I haven't chatted with in a while decides to call the master for a fix.
Do you remember these vehicles. If you don't it's o.k. Anyways this is good friend Andrew L. Typical hardworking chinese guy who claims he don't have money, he just stuffs it under the mattress. But he isn't like some who likes to front with their baller BMW and Mercedes trying hard to look like somebody. He still owns AE86 in fact he owns two of them.
Unfortunately one of them broke a timing belt. Take note, this is what happens when stretching the almighty dollar goes wrong. Luckily owners 4AGE are immune to interference engines. No bent valves or busted up pistons to worry about. Thanks Mr. Toyoda for looking out.
After about an hour, it used to take me 1/2, it was all fixed. Anyways here's a bit of drift history lesson here. Does anyone know the history of the red car on the left? Answer: The car used to be owned by Geoff W. (thedingo8mybaby). He won one of the early drift day comps against cars that had 2-3 times the power, the typical 240sx with SR power. It was a complete stock engine with probably 108 hp, if the conditions were right. It had a well sorted suspension and drivetrain, and a talented driver behind the wheel. Remember power is nothing without control.
the front bumper. With debt and boycotts looming, i've finally decided that it was time to put the bumper out to pasture. I've had this for so many years it has traveled many tracks and partcipated in many battles. I believe this was one of the first J blood knocks offs. Built by DN up in norcal. I bought this around 03 and had a friend bring it down from nor cal, thanks Jeff.
It's final battle was at the team tandem event at buttonwillow raceway. With half it's body some where at buttonwillow there was not much left to piece together. It was decided unanimously to remove from service.
I will sorely miss this one since it's the first 'cool' bumper I got.
I remember these guys from the canyon run days many years ago. Fast forward to now, and looks like they've grown up and gotten into open track days. Hardcore Honda guys, that actually build clean cars, but also very functional. They created a video many of us can relate. Of privateer track guys and their love for r compounds and high rev engines. Even though it's a video full of hondas, a corolla makes a brief guest appearance.
If you're tired of the defying all odds AE86 (Initial D) or the satan possessed S30Z (Wangan Midnight). Here's a little european flavor for the gear heads into anime. eX-Driver features an all european cast of cars. Lancia Stratos, Lotus Europa, and Caterham Super 7, driving the streets of Japan. And since it's in Japan there's lots of drifting cause we all know that's how the Japanese drive. Just like they all know karate. The story itself is a bit on the weak side, but the detail on the vehicles are great.
But here's a clip to wet your taste buds.
And yes I spent about 4 hours of my life watching it instead of working on the beast. Not all in one sitting.
Another year another TORC. You think I'd get tired of this. And I do, cause it's the same suspects but different year. But I wanted to show a friend how nutty Toyota, Lexus and Scion enthusiasts can be. I'd have to say this year was very different. More out of the box thinking and rare stuff that's not very common to see now a days.
Chopped up, ratted out Scion XB. Super ugly and so different, that's what I like about it. Not following that Japanese trend, or wheels that stick out thinking it's flush.
A really nutty mid 70's corolla. I'm not sure who built it, but it wasn't a filipino cause there wasn't a 2TG with carbs on the side. Nor a Puerto Rican cause it would have turbo 3TC running single digit quarter miles. What's under here is a V8 from a Lexus. I'm kinda swaying it's a white guy who built it, but that V8 would have the markings of a bowtie and demon carburetor. So that leaves me clueless on who may have built this thing.
This Cressida wagon was just plain clean, nothing over top. I really like it that way, something that would be a cool car to cruise in.
Here's something that I'd like own one day. Toyota S800, a car that was never officially imported by Toyota. Only through gray market and military guys coming back from overseas were these cars able to land on American soil.
There were quite a few rare bits of old school performance parts,
TRD racing engine that was produced for racing only. And to own one of these engines means you got some deep ties with TRD and it's legendary racing feats. How many of you actually know what this engine is? Hint: it's based off 18RG engine.
HKS turbo kit for an 18RG engine. The early HKS kits turboed the carburetor engines. I don't how many of these kits are in existence, but i'm sure not many were imported here or still complete. But to see one up close was really cool.
4TGTE homologation engine built by Toyota for it's efforts in Group B and WRC back in the early 80's. So there were a few streets cars who had these engines installed from the factory for this effort.
For me the holy grail of Corolla parts: HKS exhaust system, not that new single tip rubbish that you see now a days. I'm talking about the old twin tip design. Long since discontinued, it's very rare see these around anymore. Brand new these came in an aluminized silver paint. The owner has painted this one black, probably cause it was starting to rust. But for those who grew around import street racing, this brings back some memories.
There was lots to see and for some reason this year, I saw a lot of old friends and acquaintances from industry this year.
2nd time around part came off the mold really easy. Except it was rough and had air bubbles. This was due to the cooking spray beading on the glass. Unfortunately it's really hard to see in the pictures.
Going with the cooking spray again, I this time around I sprayed it on and wiped it down like a wax so there was a nice thing coat on the glass.
3rd time is the charm. Came off really easy and and smooth as glass, no air bubbles.
The experience ended up really easy. Now that I have an idea of how this stuff works I can start making knock offs of knock offs. Not really, but now I can try my hand at making splitters and panels for gauges and other stuff to suit my needs. Maybe in carbon fiber since the process is probably not much different from the fiberglass.
Roughly around the mid to late 90's I tried my hand at driving around the cones. I've heard of autocrossing and visited 1 event a while back but never participated. After enjoying my drag racing phase, I decided going in a straight line wasn't much fun. Unless you have enough dinero to go make your car go into single digits. And since I was working at shop that built lots of Toyotas, and was surrounded by these guys who were in to autocrossing. That time there were quite a few Toyota enthusiasts in the auto x scene.
Moto M. in his super charged coupe.
Alan with his TE27.
Jay S. and his very clean MR2. He still owns this thing.
Me in my RX3 ripping up the course. Really sucked my first time out. But I had a great time.
Satan in da house.
Sunbeam Tigers prowling for some cones.
It's hard to believe all this was over 10 years ago. I began scanning quite a few photos from back then so i'll be putting up a couple more in the not too distant future.
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