#000001 AE82

Didn't know one of these existed.  Usually very low numbered cars are designated as demos and destroyed after it's use.  But this Toyota Corolla FX aka AE82 is the very first one off the assembly line and it sits here at the Toyota Museum in Torrance, Ca.  It's a FX16 GT-S with all the fixings.  Just doesn't get any more rare than this.

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Drift Day Comp.

Photo by Garage86 @ Club4AG

I could have skipped working on the car saturday to attend the last Nisei car show in Little Tokyo and stare at some T and A. Tasty pic don't you think? But hitting asphalt is like a drug. No matter how much I want to stop, I needed another dose. So working on the car was the first priority, for some Sunday driving.


Even added a new filter setup to replace the busted HKS filter.

Since I performed horribly the last 2 events, I needed some redemption on past performances. But for some odd reason after running fine the previous day, it decided not to start up once I got to the venue. It's like deja vu, the same thing that happened the week before AE86 comp. at least that time I was able to replace with my old setup and run it. I tried most of the morning to get it started, thanks to all who tried to help me out, but I gave up. Does the purple beast not like driving anymore? It seems to prefer being hard parked lately. Maybe I should have never taken it to TORC, now that it has a taste of car show life it probably doesn't wanna see anything but a show. But this driver was suffering from withdrawl symptoms and needed to feed the need of burning tires. Luckily Ray, was able to see I was in trouble and knew the cure. He was very kind to offer up his car.


An S13 with the nearly indestructible KA24.

It's not a corolla, but it'll do. Luckily, it was 4 lug so I slapped my wheels on and was ready to rock. I jumped in and realized my nuts were hurting. Not because of the small seat, but due to me growing such big cajones from driving a corolla.

I competed on the simple course in the morning, since ray was going to leave after lunch. It was an easy 2 gear course. Manji through a set of cones to a sweeper at the end. Before that I took a couple of spins on the skidpad to feel out the car. Like I tell people, 'it's a cheater car', very easy to drive and this one wasn't any different. My practice laps kinda sucked, but I knew where to improve upon. Once competition I did pretty good runs except for the last one, I spun out. Who cares I had fun. Did a couple of more spins around the skid to burn off tires. Ray saw that I was about to overdose and decided to have a spin with my tires.


This was the end result. Alot of camber killed the inside edge of the tires. A downside to independent suspension. But i'm cheap so i'll save these for later, the corolla will even out the wear.

Even though I was about to be hit with a moment of depression I was saved by Ray and his Nissan and for that I am thankful.

Image via Wikipedia

Since the event, I have felt a great disturbance. I hear a voice who calls himself Mr. K. He keeps telling me to join the darkside.
















Here's a tip for the day. Old rice cookers make great turbo heat sheilds.

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Make it work.

A strut bar can make life just a tad more difficult. Sigh...

AE82 in for check up.

The AE82 I posted up awhile back has finally returned. But just for check up and some minor maintenance. I tell this car was big headache. From looking for my spring compressors, to suspension fiasco. Just wasn't going smoothly this weekend.

The clutch master was leaking though it still operated correctly. Owner had to keep adding fluid. A quick check revealed a leak on the rear of the housing.


So a new one was quickly ordered up...


and installed very straight forward, unlike AE86. Removal of brake booster is required for install. booo...

The shocks on the other hand provide another headache I wasn't expecting. But before we start let's take a look at the shocks first just to provide some insight.

L-R SW20, AE82, SW20?,AE92

Unfortuantely, the maintenance history of the car is hella sketchy so I myself wasn't sure what was what.The KYB shock for this AE82 did not fit. The shock that was installed was from a SW20, aka 2nd generation MR2. So he had to hunt for the MR2 front so he can get the car back on the road. When the shock arrived good friend Herb swings by to drop off spring compressors (he had them for 6 months, thanks dood) and actually has AE92 strut inserts he wasn't using and was giving to me. Ends up the inserts that Brian supplies and Herb's shock are the same size. Confused yet, I am. So now I think the shock Brian provided is an AE92 and not the SW20, and the housing that's in this car is an AE92. WTH?? Anyways everything is finally good with the car back on all fours.

Like Hell

The guys at Jalopnik posted up their next pair of cars in their Project Car Hell series. Basically, readers will choose which project car will send them to hell. This time they chose cars that i'm most familiar with Toyota Corolla SR5 and Toyota Corolla FX16. Granted i'm pretty muched versed both chassis. The possibilities are endless of what you could do to either one. But which would you choose? To read up and vote click here.

AE82: Not reallly JDM

Toyota Corolla FX16 wasn't built in Japan, but at the NUMMI plant in Fremont California. Joint venture with General Motors and Toyota, which brought you Geo Prizm/ Toyota Corolla and Pontiac Vibe/ Toyota Matrix. Built to go head to head with VW's Golf and Honda's Civic HB, it was built with either an 8 valve (4AC) or 16 valve (4AGE).
Today let's look at what 20 years of waiting for the right power plant brings to the patient. Here we have my buddy Brian and his ultra sleeper. Powered by a 4AGZE and mated to a 6 speed transmission. The supercharged engine is sourced from a US spec MR2 and the transmission is from a Japan spec AE111 Corolla.

Having the opportunity to drive it, because I was working on it, for a day was indeed pleasant. Since the car has a functioning a/c system it made much more bearable to drive on a typical sunny day in So Cal.

Coupled with the 6 six speed transmission it really runs through the gears quickly. The power from the supercharger is smooth and linear. It pulls hard off the line at a traffic light and can pass with ease on the freeway.The whine produced from the clutch activated supercharger is great, but not as great as a pssh from a turbo.

The hood scoop sourced from an AE92 Levin is the only thing you'll see to warn you of the cars potential. I'm sure some of the noobs will ask if it's a Subaru or something.The wheels are standard Toyota steels with Factory Toyota hub caps.
The car is a bit rough around the edges, with it's rusty hatch and worn out paint. But with a healthy dose of boost who the hell cares.

Overall the package is great, small light weight hatch with good power and to top it all off it's street legal, thanks to the use of the U.S. spec MR2 supercharged engine setup. If Toyota/ General Motors offered this in their line up back in the day i'm sure we'll see much of these cars on the road.