My new AE86 Levin in Japan

[Mr Doricar]

Hi all,

As my friends will know I've now moved to Japan, after leaving the UK last year to work in Australia for 12 months. Currently in the process of getting my new hachiroku through vehicle inspection and then I can start driving in anger.

Bought this one because it's sensibly tuned and was meticulously maintained by it's previous owner. The dude is quite famous in Japan for 86's and this one was one of his runabouts that never made it onto circuit or touge but was just pootled around in and pampered.

Has a new bootlid, new doors, and about a 1 year old paintjob. Some bubbles of rust showing up on the arches, but nothing serious.

Tuning wise it has AE111 throttles with Freedom ECU controlling. AE92 engine with .8 mm head gasket, and rebuilt head with stronger valve springs and slightly larger valves.

Chassis wise it has fairly pussy dampers (very soft) but has TRD new bushes everywhere. New adjustable panhard rod, new TRD traction bars and some make of traction bracket. TRD diff, and Tanabe swaybars.

Inside it's stripped and painted with some carpet put back in, Bride seat, Nardi wheel and I've put a stereo back in.

Tis a sweet car and will get lots more work done soon. It's now at Shinji Minowa's garage "Hey Man Products" getting some fiddling and probably some hardcore cams and better suspension. Bodywise I'm going a for big arches, and slammed on 15x9 Mesiters or Watanabes.

[banpei]

Appears to me to be in excellent condition!
That's a low serial number, and it only has 82k on the odo!

[Miguel - Newera]

Looks nice, mate! It's got the original front panel, which is rare, as they're usually damaged and replaced by now

Look forward to seeing it in the flesh and playing together on the track... Glad to see you decided on an AE86 in the end! Let the modding begin!

[Mr Doricar]

Yeah, my heart is still AE86! Even though my brain says S15

I'm deciding between tuning the 16v or just dropping in a 20v. It has a Freedom ECU already so it should be a fairly easy swap. As you know I want to do competitions in the car so I definately need more power.

Future plans are better suspension, adjustable lower arms, more steering lock and more power. Then just the usual stuff like cage, and probably a Uras front bumper with J Blood skirts, and some decent wheels.

Would love some of those MA86 wheels (Or whatever they are called) but maybe out of my budget. The first AE86 I fell in love with had 8J x 14 -12 SSR Mk. 2's so if I can get some of those, that will make me happy

[Miguel - Newera]

The Freedom ECU for the 5 valve is different to the 4 valve's, but you can use an adaptor harness to fit, I think. You'll need to invest a fair bit to do a proper conversion...All those little bits soon add up to at least 250,000 Yen and much more if you want say 180 bhp.

Maybe just rebuild your bottom end with higher compression pistons, do some head work and fit some decent high lift cams, manifold & oil cooler. A lower final drive too, but you know all that stuff!

[Mr Doricar]

I was thinking if I didn't go 20v, I would go for AE111 crank, AE101 rods, Toda pistons, then get a company in Nagoya called NaPrec to go to town on the head and slap some TRD or similar cams in there. Ideally I want something as powerful as yours but might not happen May have to cheat and go GZE haha

[pedro-siR]

this is a very nice and clean car. gotta love the ITBs

[Miguel - Newera]

GZE will never sing quite the same way and be a bit front heavy. Not ideal for tighter corners.. ! But then again, you could go to town and make a GZE into a forged turbo lump.. But then you might start breaking boxes, diffs, etc! Pukka tuning's never cheap, really - unless botched!

[Mr Doricar]

True enough. I had a GZE Corolla about 4 years ago and I got mega pissed off with breaking the half shafts all the time. It was a kouki model and it snapped 2 brand new from Toyota shafts in a one month period. I should stick to NA. If I wanted power I should have bought that S15 off you. Just have to keep reminding myself....NA is in my heart!