1985 AE86 GT Apex Sprinter Trueno
Discussion
Hi All,
I've had my AE86 since March this year after having a bit of a mid-life crisis and realising that if I didn't just do it, I probably never would. So I sold my 2.5 year old Panda 100hp and bought a 26 year old rusty old Toyota!
Since that time I've spent a lot of time pouring money into the AE86 money pit. The intention is a near stock looking AE86 on the outside with tasteful modifications to suspension and engine.
I've had some bodywork and welding done, as well as replacing all the brakes and refurbing items where I can. I've tried hard to use OEM parts wherever possible.
I use this car daily and for my job (I even claim business mileage on it!) and have clients in the car every now and again(!).
Spec is (the car came with most of the mods):
Late spec 4AGE (AE92 on)
HKS 264 Cams
4-1 Manifold and Tanabe Medallion system
TRD suspension all round
2-way LSD
RCA
Bride (though it might be fake) driver's seat.
Sparco wheel (my old steering wheel that had seen service in my old MR2 trackcars)
Driftworks oil cooler kit and a whole load of Pirtek custom pipes and fittings to fit around the AC and PAS.
I put in an Alpine head unit, amp and speakers as well as the Jap' sound system it came with was so bad, that I elected to drive around with no music for 3 months until I could afford a system for it!
The car is off to be professionally undersealed and treated with dinitrol by Chassisclean.co.uk on Wednesday. If it passes the MOT the following Monday most of my work is done (well it's prepared for winter).
Plans for the car?
I will put on some 15" JDM wheels and continue to use it as a daily with the odd trackday thrown in. I've done a couple of drift days in it, though I quickly realised that this will wreck the car, so think I'll stick to tracking it every few months.






Finally got some decals for it (this was in September):

There's loads of other stuff in terms of pics and the like, but that ought to do for now.
I've had my AE86 since March this year after having a bit of a mid-life crisis and realising that if I didn't just do it, I probably never would. So I sold my 2.5 year old Panda 100hp and bought a 26 year old rusty old Toyota!
Since that time I've spent a lot of time pouring money into the AE86 money pit. The intention is a near stock looking AE86 on the outside with tasteful modifications to suspension and engine.
I've had some bodywork and welding done, as well as replacing all the brakes and refurbing items where I can. I've tried hard to use OEM parts wherever possible.
I use this car daily and for my job (I even claim business mileage on it!) and have clients in the car every now and again(!).
Spec is (the car came with most of the mods):
Late spec 4AGE (AE92 on)
HKS 264 Cams
4-1 Manifold and Tanabe Medallion system
TRD suspension all round
2-way LSD
RCA
Bride (though it might be fake) driver's seat.
Sparco wheel (my old steering wheel that had seen service in my old MR2 trackcars)
Driftworks oil cooler kit and a whole load of Pirtek custom pipes and fittings to fit around the AC and PAS.
I put in an Alpine head unit, amp and speakers as well as the Jap' sound system it came with was so bad, that I elected to drive around with no music for 3 months until I could afford a system for it!
The car is off to be professionally undersealed and treated with dinitrol by Chassisclean.co.uk on Wednesday. If it passes the MOT the following Monday most of my work is done (well it's prepared for winter).
Plans for the car?
I will put on some 15" JDM wheels and continue to use it as a daily with the odd trackday thrown in. I've done a couple of drift days in it, though I quickly realised that this will wreck the car, so think I'll stick to tracking it every few months.






Finally got some decals for it (this was in September):

There's loads of other stuff in terms of pics and the like, but that ought to do for now.
RS404 said:
Very cool, what wheels have you got in mind? Some Watanabe RS8s or Hyashi Streets would set it off just right.
Yes, that kind of thing. Am also looking at Work Equip 03's and TE37V's. They just seem to cost a lot of money! Thanks for the comments, the car is getting there, but I think as I intend to keep it for a very long time, I'm in no rush with it, if that makes sense, but would like to get the wheels for it next spring and get out on track a bit. I have something of a yearning to go to Cadwell.

Yeah I want to go to Cadwell next year too. I only got my Teg and started doing track days earlier this year, I've been to Snetterton four times as it's only down the road from me. Cadwell looks like an amazing track, it's all over the place and having less than 300bhp doesn't seem as much of an issue!
Cadwell is my favourite track in the UK. It's called the 'mini-nurburgring' and for good reason. Lots of height changes, each section flows into the next, very technical.
It's also quite narrow in places too.
I used to have a DC2 and had a lot of fun in it round Cadwell. You should do it!
Had absolutely amazing fun at Croft in the DC2 with trail braking and lift off oversteer, was really something to see how quick you could punt the car round there, so that's definitely worht a trip oop north too.
It's also quite narrow in places too.
I used to have a DC2 and had a lot of fun in it round Cadwell. You should do it!
Had absolutely amazing fun at Croft in the DC2 with trail braking and lift off oversteer, was really something to see how quick you could punt the car round there, so that's definitely worht a trip oop north too.
More news. Mark (my fiancee) has finally got rid of the bit of hand towel cable tied round the vacuum pipes for the idle ups and done it properly, yay!
Now, I can have my headlights on without the idle dropping through the floor and activating the anti-stall on the ECU. Am very glad to get this sorted now my lights are on pretty much all the time.

Also, Mark is now busy fitting an OEM illuminated foglight switch. The car is now currently in this kind of state:


Nearly there with all the jobs ticked off.
As for AE86 life, well I have to say, I'm loving it, the heater works well, it's no probs to use in the cold and perhaps even more fun is to be had now the roads are nice and greasy. Only consideration I'm possibly thinking for the future is to put different suspension on as I really don't think the TRD suspension works well on UK roads. I think the way to go with this may be to look at uprating the ARBs and then running softer springs and something like Konis on the dampers. We'll see.
Now, I can have my headlights on without the idle dropping through the floor and activating the anti-stall on the ECU. Am very glad to get this sorted now my lights are on pretty much all the time.


Also, Mark is now busy fitting an OEM illuminated foglight switch. The car is now currently in this kind of state:


Nearly there with all the jobs ticked off.
As for AE86 life, well I have to say, I'm loving it, the heater works well, it's no probs to use in the cold and perhaps even more fun is to be had now the roads are nice and greasy. Only consideration I'm possibly thinking for the future is to put different suspension on as I really don't think the TRD suspension works well on UK roads. I think the way to go with this may be to look at uprating the ARBs and then running softer springs and something like Konis on the dampers. We'll see.
Very nice, dreamt of having one of these for a while after seeing this video: http://www.streetfire.net/video/keiichi-tsuchiya-a...
Would love one built to that spec
Yours is a very nice example of the AE86 with panda colourscheme, nice 
Would love one built to that spec
Yours is a very nice example of the AE86 with panda colourscheme, nice 
Foglight switch now in and working:

This is what someone thought was an acceptable way of taking a feed for the foglight from the rear light wiring:

FFS!
Whilst I was at the back of the car, noticed where some utter bloody aunt has scraped their car against mine, no doubt whilst parked at work:

Fortunately I polished it off okay.

This is what someone thought was an acceptable way of taking a feed for the foglight from the rear light wiring:

FFS!
Whilst I was at the back of the car, noticed where some utter bloody aunt has scraped their car against mine, no doubt whilst parked at work:

Fortunately I polished it off okay.
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