My list of most desirable Japanese cars starts as follows: 1: Lexus LFA. 2: Toyota Corolla AE86. 3: Something else actually.
Of the two cars I have specified, one is a supreme masterpiece of Japanese engineering and a high-revving performance icon. The other? Well, it’s a Lexus.
Yes, of course, the two are worlds apart. Even an attempt at comparison would be like comparing apples to… an apple strudel with a Michelin star. The AE86, in all its raw, unrefined glory, stands in stark contrast to the pinnacle of Lexus engineering might.
Toyota’s humble, rear-wheel-drive ’80s hero is more iconic in its own right than the howling V10 LFA. In fact, the AE86 may have done more for tuning culture than any other car… ever.
When I think of the AE86, a few examples come to mind: the Fujiwara Tofu Shop Trueno, Keiichi Tsuchiya’s TEC-Art built road car, and the Darren MacNamara built road car. NFS/Speed Chasers competition drift machine. These cars – and their drivers – represent the spirit of the Hachiroku in all its overpowering glory.
And the noisier, the better. Especially if you are prepared for motorsport. I couldn’t get enough of D-Mac’s AE86 Need for speed: Shift as a child. After all, the motorsport and rally history of the Corolla is legendary.
So when Jamie McToldridge – yeah, ‘Players Jay‘ – decided to build a time attack car, what did he choose? An AE86 Corolla Levin of course. And, as with all his builds, no half measures were taken.
The car was stripped to a bare chassis and then prepared from the ground up for competition. All unnecessary brackets in the interior and engine compartment were removed and most of the interior was stripped.
The windshield remains glass, but the side and rear windows have been replaced with weight-saving Lexan equivalents.
An Andy Robinson 6-point roll cage was installed and the entire interior was painted satin silver. All that’s left is the top dash, a single Cobra bucket seat and a Tilton pedal box. No passenger rounds here, thank you.
The suspension linkage points were stitch welded for added stiffness, and the entire suspension was upgraded. KW Competition 2-way coilovers, with valves and suitable for track use, present on all four corners, combined with Hardrace stabilizer bars and tension rods.
The front and rear spherical bearing drop links are combined with rosette joint axle links, while the front also features a pair of aluminum wheel hubs and an upper strut tower brace.
At the ends of those hubs you’ll find Forge Motorsport front brakes and OEM rear discs behind a set of Motegi Forged MR171 wheels.
These 15×9-inch wheels, wrapped in 224/40R15 Nankang CSR semi-slicks, fit perfectly under the TRD N2-inspired wheel arches and add a nice touch of old-school JDM flair with a serious dish and lightweight construction.
As far as race cars go, this one is a stunner. I’ve always been a fan of the clean lines of the AE86, and the wide N2 arches are my favorite look for the Hachiroku as long as I can remember.
Painted in Porsche Fashion Gray, with a carbon fiber hood and tailgate, Jay’s Corolla oozes with personality – the stickers dotted around the car help too.
A custom diffuser and front splitter complete the exterior – both functional aerodynamic elements with proven performance gains on the track.
The base engine – a 4A-GE with 20 valves from an AE111 – is an excellent starting point for a responsive and high-speed construction. The OEM pistons and rods are still present – the engine remains N/A – but the block is carpeted and the cylinder head is machined, ported, polished and fitted with a pair of Toda Racing camshafts. ARP hardware keeps everything tightly together.
The engine is fueled by Jenvey 45mm throttle bodies, a custom intake manifold and a 4-to-1 exhaust manifold, leading to a custom exhaust.
A Setrab oil cooler, upgraded oil pump and Forge Motorsport racing radiator keep temperatures in check, while coil-to-plug and crank trigger conversions increase reliability.
In the rear, an ATL fuel cell hints at the upgraded fuel system, with a Facet lift pump, Sytec high-pressure pump, Bosch regulator and BMRS fuel lines. Everything is managed by an Ecumaster Black ECU, with CAN bus and GPS, along with a custom wiring harness from OBD Works.
Power is sent to the rear wheels via the original T50 5-speed gearbox, equipped with a lightweight flywheel and a modified Helix clutch. The rear axle has been rebuilt and now contains a Cusco limited slip differential.
Although it still has number plates, this is as far from a road car as you can get in Britain, while still remaining legal on the road. It might be an exaggeration for a road banger, but when I asked Jay how he did at the first event of the Time Attack series this year, he simply sent me a photo of his fastest lap trophy.
Jay has built a reputation on building some of Europe’s most iconic cars, especially in the VW scene, but this AE86 feels like a breath of fresh air. After all, lap after solo lap on the track should be a welcome change from wrangling Volkswagen Golfs on a show field.
Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn, mariochristou.world
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