A place to meet

No place better for a having an AE86 meet than at Cafe 86.

Vintage J Bike

Most of the stuff I play around with, from the land of the rising sun, comes in the form of 4 wheels.  Now that I have some time I can now toy with a two wheel project that's been collecting dust in the back for a bunch of years.

Faulty injectors

Fuel injectors, do they go bad?  Of course they do, but I don't see it happening very often. Usually spark plugs and/or parts of the ignition system would go out before an injector.  But I guess when these have been ticking for almost 25 years they just let themselves go.

Motoring in the country

Out in the countryside of the Philippines, life is a bit more simple than in the big city of Manila.  Things aren't as crazy and there's alot less cars.  Where the main of transportation is the iconic tricycle.

Motoring in Manila

It's been over 15 since I last visited this place.  At the time the family didn't have a car so the only mode of transportation was taking public transportation, which consisted hopping on jeepneys, triccyles and buses.  Times have changed the second time around.

MotorWeek | Flashback Friday

A nice review when they were first introduced.  Never really knew what the stock performance on these cars were, until now.

LAX international mall

 It's been a couple of years since I been here, and  alot has changed.    The place looks more like a shopping mall than an international airport.  Make you spend more money even before you get to your destination. 

Adam's Cool Cave

A man cave I can really appreciate. 

Wasabi RX3

A cool RX3 review from Daniel at Wasabi cars.  Hmm I still need to get mine going.

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Another type of charcoal

One thing about swaps is the need to make sure that all smog devices are transferred over to the receiving vehicle.  This time it's the charcoal canister.  A while back, I fabbed up a tray for charcoal briquets.  This time around were dealing with charcoal of the automotive kind. 

Euro Takumi

He drives green AE86.  Though it didn't sound like 4AG

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A little bit of Denmark

Took a trip to Denmark not too long, or should I say it's american copy.  A couple hours outside of Los Angeles, the town of Solvang is for those who want to visit another country but don't want or can't leave the country.  I'm cheap so I saved alot on the plane ticket. 

A tray for coals

Small project for the last days of summer.  Broke out an old propane grill that's been sitting dormant for a few years. I'm too cheap to buy propane, and I think it's better to grill with charcoal.  Sorry Mr. Hill.  Since propane grills don't use charcoal, I decided to fabricate a removable  tray to hold the briquets.  So I can switch between the two fuels.

Change of scenery

Spent a few days out in the Utah desert. Don't get to do this as often, but it's always refreshing when I do.  Helps clear the head.

Project blanco surf

As the latest project that's been sitting out front, I've been tasked to complete a stalled 5VZ engine conversion.  Luckily for me the engine has been installed and pretty much  all that's left for me to do is the cleanup work.

Wall of fortitude

In honor of those who fell crashed in battle.  Your memory will live on!  Oh and Happy 8/6 day.

101 basics

Sometimes getting a refresher course in the basics, is a good thing.

A load of AE86

Seeing an infestation of AE86 filling up a run group is a rare sight.  Especially when there's a broad range of skill levels sharing the same piece of tarmac.  Luckily everyone left in one piece.

Go Go KP

Toyota Starlets climbing the hills in Japan.  Takumi no where to be found.

Bye purple wonder

When I first picked up Barney in late 2003, he told me that if I ever decide to sell, let him have first dibs.  I looked at him and said I'm not in the market of buying and selling, I got it so I could enjoy it.  The only time i'd ever get rid of it would be a castastrophic event.  I guess barney's time has come.   No it didn't go up in a blaze of glory, but go out as true warrior it did.  An event few weeks back compromised the frame bad enough that I decided it wasn't worth fixing.

All things anime

 Anime expo 2014 turning 2d characters into 3d.

Bumped in to Fujiwara Takumi's car

Stayed for Kill la Kill's Matoi Ryuko

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White ranger

Now that red lion has landed in Las Vegas,  it's time for the next headache.  It's been about over 10 years since a 1st gen 4Runner laid foot at the orange grove.  I thought I'd never see another here again.  But as luck would have it, one has appeared at my door step.  Another incomplete project that needs rescuing.  At least it's keeping me busy.

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Try Natural

One thing i've never done on a personal level is a try an individual throttle body equipped motor.  I've built this type of setup for a bunch of other people and always enjoyed the music it makes.  So I think it's about time to do one for myself. 

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Farewell Red Lion

It's been about a year since Red Lion showed up on my door step.  Incomplete and needing little bit of TLC.  But now the work is complete and the owner is now ready for it's return.  It'll be missed, but now this gives me some space for another project.

Dash cam in asia

In Russia, they record accidents and meteors.  But in Asia, they record people trying to get a payday.

Regulators

I don't normally work on Porsche s, but when I do, I make them pay a lot.

From zero to demon

About a year ago I was in search of some camber plates for Yellow Lion.  To find a bolt on set is pretty rare and not too many aftermarket sources are available, even china doesn't make some.  Fortunately, Ground Control up in northern california still has some support for this old rotary beast.

Always an adventure

Defend freedom and get some lunch too.  A cool recruiting video.  Go Navy!

Toyota MR2 hybrid

I'm not much into drag racing, but when I do, it will be in a Honda engine stuffed into a Toyota MR2.  Just won't take it to TORC.

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Rules of the road

If you don't follow them, bad things happen.

Working with fiberglass (again)

 A couple years ago a side skit demolished at a local event battle. Me being cheap tried to fix it rather than throw it away.  This was the end result.  Not so pretty, but not too shabby for a rookie.  Now I want to try my hand a fiberglass work again and make it right this time.

Star Wars day

Have a great 4th.

Dirt Bug

A Volkswagon bug was the first car I learned how to drive a manual.  Later I owned a off road truck.  I think it's about time I give one of these a try.

AE86 Nights 2014

 

 Its a wonderful place, full of old Corollas with a sprinkle of riced tricked out cars old and new. It's a place where old corolla owners catch up and reminisce on the good ol' days.  While the next generation of corolla owners listen stories of old geezers.  If you're a corolla owner or even a corolla aficionado, this a meet that should be attended at least once.    
 

Suzuki drift

The Suzuki Jimny is not known for it's drifting prowess.  But add snow into the equation, and it becomes a completely different beast.

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Recycle broke wheels

I normally don't try and break wheels, but since it's cheap stuff from across the pond, worry about.  But what to do with them if they do break.  Usually throw in the thrash or sell for scrap.  At least for the now, I've found some uses around the garage.

Fd long beach

 

It's about 6a.m. on a Friday morning.  Just hopped off the train in Long Beach Ca. It's cold, and i'm hungry.  Jumped over the fence into the Formula d pit area (not a good thing).  Searching for Taka's pit spot. What the hell was I thinking?

Being chased in China

No chance of running away from the cops in China

Taka and Dyno

Swung by to pick up a part from Taka to finish a build.  Stuck around to see him dyno his 2AZ monster. 

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V8 Volvo Supercar

It didn't take first but they do keep the good fight

Cressidas

It's similar to a RWD Corolla so suspension is pretty easy to setup, at least the front is easy. I don't really fiddle with these cars myself.  But old corolla owners who know me will swing by with their latest toy to get some stuff like this done.

Maiden voyage

Red eye, has finally taken it's first steps.  Revived with a transplant much better than previous.  It's almost ready to venture out into the real world.  But it wasn't without it's hiccups.

A good investment

No matter what they do, the Volvo wagon just keeps on going.

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Red Velvet's axle

The next phase in the Red Velvet project is the installation of a 6.7 axle, same axle that's equipped in the Corolla GTS.  We could have stuck with the original, but the owner will be taking it out to a couple of autocross events.  Being he's a local champion, I'm sure he'll do well.

Samurai Spirit

The little Suzuki that did

Corollas in Finland

In Finland they like AE86 coupe and like driving them in dirt and snow.

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AE86 Tech #86-30: Camber plates

 I've had Cusco camber plate in the purple delight for quite a long time.  I've never really thought of servicing them, since, I've never seen anyone else talk about them.  A while back I did notice that the little pillow ball that attached the shock absorber was loose.  So I thought it was about time for a rebuild.

Drift death race

They're just plain mad

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Long time Red Velvet

 It's been a while since I last updated the little Toyota Starlet aka Red Velvet.  But with the holidays and work, I just didn't have much time.  But recently I just received a boat load of time.  What better way to spend it.