It begins with L

Santa san dropped off a package for the next adventure.  The dark side is strong with this one.

Buying a Palm Springs AE86

I used to comment, about never getting cars from Oakland, now I should add Palm Springs to that list.  It shouldn’t be no surprise, as the AE86 is traded hands by many bandwagon enthusiasts.  Cars are violated modified by many hands.   With a unique set of problems, I think this is only the beginning.

My “buddy” rebuilt it

Buying stuff sight unseen has always been a gamble.  Owner bought this on the net and brought me it to for installation.  The seller informed him it was rebuilt by his “buddy”.  Upon initial inspection, everything looked in order and function properly.  Disassembly revealed something completely different.  While taking apart the differential, all the bolts were loose.  Bits and pieces of the LSD were falling out as I continued the disassembly.  My guess is that the LSD was subjected to a lot of horsepower.  Then the “buddy” took it apart for inspection, found out it’s been grenaded, put it back together and sold it off to an unsuspecting buyer.  That’s why sometimes it’s better to pay a little extra and buy local so that parts can be physically inspected.

Turf and Tarmac

Some say trouble comes in threes.  Others may look at it as third time’s the charm.  For me I got the latter.  After failing 2 times to attend another F1 event, since my last one in 2012.  It took me a third try to get it right.  It was an austin trip to remember.

30 years in the making

A stack of tags from the Grey Hound’s 30 year life in California.

Enter the Neo

As the 80’s Japanese cars enter their mid 30’s, the people who brought you the Japanese Classic Car show, have done it again, with the Neo Classic Car show.  Bringing out the next generation of Japanese classics from the 80’s and 90’s.  I figured it would be cool to check 80’s cars with side markers and fuba antennas and 90’s cars decked out in ridiculous amount of stickers and colored vinyl interior.  But that wasn’t the case.

Back to the future day

In commemoration of Marty’s arrival, I picked up this kit for my collection.

Mazda RX-7 race car | evo REVIEW

Maybe they'll make one for a racing AE86.  One can only hope.

Some things never change

Trunk/fuel door latch:
1985 Toyota Corolla GT-S on the left.
2005 Toyota Corolla LE on the right.
Even after 20 years something's were never meant for change.

Flickr Tags: AE86,Toyota,Corolla,ZZE120

Production line

I seem to be getting a lot of requests to get differentials built.  These guys didn’t have a solid pinion spacer.  But that won’t be the case after I’m done with them.

JCCS 2015 Fo' Sho'

Visiting car shows is not a yearly pilgrimage, for me, unlike others in this automotive game.  Just seems boring see same cars and people year after year.  So when I can't remember when the last time I went to a JCCS show it's about time.

How I feel about the Corolla (sometimes)

Maybe it’s not as prestigious as the M3, but it invokes the same feeling.

It’s bent

As greater number of fans/drivers acquire the most sacred Corolla GT-S.  Parts are becoming more and more scarce.  One such part are the rear end axles.  What to do when one gets bent?

Yamaha XSR 700

I found my dream bike

The salesman

Selling exhaust system with a smile.

Restomod RX3

Nicely done up 73 Mazda RX3 sets foot in Jay Leno’s garage.

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AE86 Tech #86-32: Who are you and what is your function.

There are things that we'd always wonder it's function. But for the AE86 owner, there's 3 little plugs that hang on the harness.  What the do these plugs that hang on the bulkhead do? Since I was bored, I decided to do a bit of digging.

Summer break with Sauber F1

86 flash back

Back in the late 90's, the trend was hondas and FWD drag racing.  The 86 owners were a tight knit group back then, and were more or less doing their own thing and keeping a pretty low profile.  Here's an old flash back of Moto's supercharged coupe at a Hollywood park autocross.  This was taken back in the late 90's.  Happy 86 day.

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Sounds like 4AG

D-Van GP 2015

Will this be a new stance trend?

Anime Expo 2015

While attending the Robotech panel and Anime Expo 2015, a visitor I'd never expect to be here.  Sitting in front of me was Takumi Fujiwara.  Didn't know he was such a big Robotech fan.  No I didn't ask for his autograph.

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Real GTA

Rascally Rabbit

Sometimes old cars do kick ass

Zip tie and the tire

Just like duct tape, no tool box should be complete without some zip ties.  Never know when you'll need to replace a tire.

Rebuilding weber

This isn't about the weber carburetor, so click that back button if that's what you were expecting.  This is about BBQ.  This is a small side project that I've been wanting to do, ever since I've returned from Texas.  When it comes to BBQ, Texas and the midwest has the west coast beat.  I have yet to find a "BBQ" joint here in Socal that even compares.  Unless I make flights out to the midwest to get some BBQ, i've taken it upon myself to build my own smoker. 

Russian women

Here in the States we complain about women drivers.  In Russia they complain about women crossing the street.

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This ain't in San Diego

Even though I don't own a Z car, I always try and make it a point to check out the Z car west coast nationals.  Put on by Motorsport Auto in the city of Orange every year in April.  What I always loved about the show is the different styles of builds that are displayed.  Compared to other events where it's usually cookie cutter styling, following everyone else's styling that different cars start to look the same.  

Happy Star Wars day

327 days til The Force Awakens.

AE86 Club Nights

On a chilly night in April, on the Longo Toyota back parking lot.  The not so secretive members of AE86 Fight Club, the old and graying Club4AG members and the nocturnal members of AE86 nights, get together for it's annual meet.  Where all things corolla happen.

Top Gear Korea

When it comes to boobs, England's Top Gear has Jeremy Clarkson.  But Top Gear Korea has a different concept on what it should be.

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Topak 2015

A brisk friday in late March brought me out to Streets of Willow for another Team Topak track day.  The last time I drove with this group was in 2013, sigh can't believe it's like 2 years ago.  Even though I was more of a spectator/observer this time around, they do put on great events.  I think i'll need to start renting a car or something to get back into it.

Tie Fighter Anime

Watching reminds me of the Japanese mecha animation of the 80s.

Outlive cockroaches

The most over built spacer I've seen for the Toyota 6.7 diff is made by Weir Performance.  Compared to the others i've come across over the years of building diffs for AE86, I truly believe this will out live the cockroaches.

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Oxwall, XXR, and steel

The recipe for making a vise stand.

Because stance

What is the reason for chopping springs?

AE86 tech #86-31: Idler bearings

Those who still rock the power steering, there will come a time when the idler pulley will finally give in to age.  I rarely see these things go, i've only had 1 go out since the owner ship to silver moon.  It used to be I can find a spare at the yard.  Nowadays not so much.  But don't chuck the system just yet.

Late night canyon run

Bring lots of credits.

Not snake oil

It's smurf oil.

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Mini project

Just changing out the alternator on this Mini Cooper.  It requires removal of the front end?!?! Lame.

Brake is life

Something i've always been meaning to do with the Corolla was make brake cooling ducts.  Even though Barney has moved on, I still make time to tinker with the parts of AE86. The stock brake system hasn't never given me much trouble.  Though it's ~9in diameter brake disc doesn't really give much of a fight.

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.