The primered headlight cover and discolored bumper give it the face of a prizefighter that just stepped out of the ring with a black eye and a split lip.

Awesome! I've had my fair share of time in (and working on) these cars. Fun little machines. Shame about the drifter reputation they've developed amongst young boys.

That Sprinter emblem isn't just an emblem - it's part of the taillight, and the whole unit is a JDM piece. Too bad it doesn't have the JDM bumpers to match...

One persons' trash is another persons' Concept Car.

Judging by the number of mismatched parts, I would imagine this car has been cherished (some of the time into walls) by many dorifto hoons through the years...

I've only ever seen one of these, and it's one that I see pretty regularly around town that is actually quite nice. It's black with dark windows, shiny paint, and sensible wheels.

Some time back, I uncovered via google, a site about swapping a Mopar 318 into one of these. It apparently is not just possible, but not that difficult as cross-continent engine swaps go. Naturally, I can't find it, since I'm thinking about it.

I agree, however, that by the late 80s, Toyota had lost much the charm that their products have. Between the FWD Corollas and IFS trucks, it was all downhill from there.

@Paul Y:

What about IS-F trucks? Are you seeing a possibility here like I am?

Really scraping the bottom of the barrel here, eh?

Center brake light = '86 or newer.

@LTDScott: Probably 1986 for sure. The last year for the hatch was '86

"But if they ever bring back the AE86, I hope they also bring back a retro-ized version of the '83-86 Tercel wagon."

I would vote for an 80s Toyota Van-like mini-minivan to be sold as a Scion. Could be funky/interesting enough to sell next to the now-blandtastic xB. The Mazda5 seems to sell moderately well. Why let them have all the fun, toyota? If Honda brings the Stream over it could be a hot segment!

@Paul Y: I have a video on my hard drive somewhere of an AE86 in Japan with a Mazda 20B twin-turbo 3-rotor engine in it. :-D

Ignoring the post-WWIII paint job, the lines on that car hold up mighty well for something that's almost as old as I am.

I think the last really interesting car from Toyota would have to be the MR2 turbo, which ended sometime in the mid-90's. But I really hope that Toyota makes good on their AE86 plans. A new interpretation of this car is something I'd seriously consider buying in the future.

@pjsammy: On that subject, I'd like to see the Japanese Cab Forward vans here, though I'm pretty sure thet wouldn't survive the IIHS offset crash test.

@pjsammy: Hell, while we're at it, how about a retro Nissan Stanza Wagon?

Nope, this car is simply a piece of crap.

What is an AE86? Honestly guys, sometimes with your model numbers you really get confusing. I'm guessing this is some sort of Tercel hatchback?

Whatever it is, this thing sucks. Shit like this is all over the place, including Wisconsin.

Not to be mean, but worst DOTS ever.

@squablow:AE86 = chassis code for RWD Corolla coupe/hatch from 84-87. In Japan, the AE86 technically only applied to the DOHC versions (sold here as the GT-S) and the SOHC versions were AE85. But in the US, all of them (regardless of engine) were AE86.

@squablow: This is a lightweight, rear-wheel drive coupe with a factory limited-slip differential, 7500rpm redline, and adjustable seat bolsters that can make me (150lbs) uncomfortably squeezed.

This does not suck.

Am I totally coo coo but didn't they at one point switch these over to FWD but the car still looked the same? I'm pretty sure (drugs and alcohol killed my memory) that in university I knew two separate people with the little coupe version of this, and one was RWD and the other FWD.

"Sometime in the mid-80s, the company apparently decided to sell its soul in exchange for impossible build quality and reliability. Was it worth it?"

Financially, it's made sense, given Toyota's super-world domination potential. But only if they keep it up (insert slipping Toyota reliability remark here). It's still disappointing that they gave up the quirk, the crap that made them interesting.

And even more than I would drive one of these, I'd drive one of these powered by a 318.

Hm.. a 1987 Corolla was my first car. Now, I really wasn't too into Japanese cars at the time so I couldn't wait to get rid of it, but I do remember it being a ton of fun. I could have sworn it was FWD, though.

80's JDM Toyotas rock my socks. All the top of line models, be it Corolla, Sprinter, Trueno, Camry, Carina, whatever, seemed to be available with LCD dash and a Turbo.

My mate had a '90 Toyota Mark II, which was the same body as the Chaser, and looked like a big Carina. This car was available with engines from 2.0 Straight Six, through 2.5 Supercharged, up to 2.5 Twin Turbo!

Also, at that point they felt the need to have the cars entire specification written down the door! 16Valve, Full time 4wd, Turbo... Door graphics rule.

Good DOTS. Thanks.

@skaz: In '87, only the SR5/GT-S were RWD.

Here's a quote from a friend that I think somes up the corolla pretty well.

"I told a girl that was at our event yesterday that 86s are like blondes. They'll do what you tell them to do, but you have to keep telling them."

@squablow: That response is why exactly why we love most DOTS cars.

...and why I love most of the cars I love in general.

^er. I mean sums.

@squablow: It "sucks" because you can't figure out what it is? I don't know if that's worse than a car enthusiast who's apparently never heard of the AE86.

The font of the door decals and grille say 1986 as opposed to 1985. 1987 hatches are rumored to exist, but at this point they're like an Ogopogo sighting. But like Murilee said, with so many mismatched parts, only the ghost of Kiichiro Toyoda himself knows.

yes, you young'ns don't know your history. this car is not teh sucks.

The mismatched eyelids are the win. Which one works?

Even though this car has parked on my block for a year (46 weeks past the deadline for getting CA plates if the car moves here from out of state), I haven't yet seen it in motion. The parking spot does change, however, so it seems to run... or maybe it just gets pushed on street-sweeping days.

Honestly, I don't know what the automotive press is thinking when a Corolla becomes newsworthy. Much less, a junkyard special like this. These cars weren't interesting new and they aren't now. YUCK! Maybe we need a Carbage category, like Top Gear?

@adidascrosscountry: What about a lightweight RWD coupe, which happens to be reliable, isn't interesting?

What is interesting?

@Heep: By the sound of his name, a shoe, apparently.

Come on now. If I told you I drove a w124 Transporter every day, would you know what I'm talking about without having to look it up?

Maybe this was a great car in it's day. I don't know, I never had one. What I'm saying is that it's not that interesting to see it being used every day and get parked on the street, since it's not that old or uncommon.

That's what's neat about DOTS, you get to see old unusual stuff still in use. A 4 door '64 Oldsmobile wouldn't be that interesting at a car show, but seeing one that's been used non stop for 40+ years makes it interesting.

This well used example is an 1986 model Corolla GT-S hatchback. It has the later model door stickers and later model grille. This person decided to put early model JDM rear tail lamps, SR5 manual mirror only on the driver's side and fiberglass copy OEM JDM sideskirts on.

Yeah, at first glance, for the uninitiated, these things probably aren't worth most people's time. But if you look into it then you realize its lightweight, rwd, has a high revving DOHC engine and did I mention RWD!? (LSD was optional) Keep in mind, this is a lowly 2-door Corolla we're talking about here, the last RWD one Toyota made...

Sure by today's standards its slow, old, ugly and quintessentially 80s Toyota, but dammit, these things were a blast to drive at its limits then and still are a blast to drive now. And judging for its cult like status in Japan, the USA and the rest of the world I say it deserves DOTS status.

[www.club4ag.com]
[www.hachiroku.net]
[www.dorikaze.com]

@Benson2175: Yes, the AE86 SR5/GTS became the AE92, which was basically the same car except FWD and with a slightly different body style. The AE92 got a huge makeover into the AE101/102, at which point the cars became like mini-Lexii and less like sports cars.

@PaulY: The underhood space is big enough to accomodate some crazy stuff. >10 or so folks have crammed the twin-turbo Mk 4 Supra motor in, there's enough folks who have swapped in the Honda S2000 mill/tranny (and digital dash) that there's dark rumors about a homemade kit being produced, and according to the Internets one can cram a SBC into a Celica of around the same vintage which should have roughly the same hood length dimensions...

@Piloter: At one point there was somebody on club4ag sporting an AE86 with a 2UZFE, aka Toyota Tundra V8 under the hood. It was supposed to be pretty quick.

@vitrium: I didn't catch this on Friday, but you are most probably correct regarding the vintage of this AE86. 1) It's a hatch so it has to be 84 - 86. 2) It's got the later model grill and third brake light meaning it's an '86. Those are two items people aren't likely to change out on a whim.

The one thing people have forgotten to mention was the twincam 4AGE was nigh indestructable. There are enthusiasts out there still tracking their AE86's with over 200k on the motor. I actually overheated mine at one point -- the needle was wrapped down past the red hash -- and after I replaced the radiator, it ran as good as new. Lastly, this motor was the basis for the motor used in the Toyota Formula Atlantic series, albeit with much strengthened parts. I've been wondering if we'd ever see an AE86 in DOTS and now that we have, I'm very happy.

Interestingly enough, I think this would make a good JFG candidate, but I doubt anybody who hasn't driven the car would agree with those of us who have or those of us who are already aware of the car.

Lastly, as a minor point of endorsement, my dad used to pan on my Corolla just like many of the naysayers here. After Katrina he towed my flood damaged AE86 back to the family farm where we were able to determine that the only thing wrong was a bad starter. If given a push start, the car would start and run just like nothing ever happened. Dad was really surprised, but I wasn't. That was the third hurricane my car had survived. What did surprise Dad, however, was how much fun it was to drive the car. He took it out into the pasture to do some donuts and came back telling me that he finally understood why I liked the car so much.

When it comes to automotive fun, it's hard to beat a 2300lb. car with factory LSD, 4 wheel discs, and a rev happy, twin-cam, variable intake runner, 7500 RPM limited 4 banger under the hood. The car may not look like much to most people, but most enthusiasts who drive one would probably fall in love pretty quickly.

my comment has been deleted. what the fuck?

@Paul Y. is Going Dumb at the Sideshow: 1985 Celica GT-S is the car your talking about with a dodge 318 V8 on Toyoland heres the link. [www.toyoland.com]
They have an 1985 toyota truck at the bottom with same engine.

As far as earning the drift rep on the Toyota Treuno AE86 Goes you can blame the Anime Initial D which is a good show and a manga as well.

@squablow: Actually, I think there are a lot of people who would know what you were talking about without looking it up. More so if you said you drove an E39 estate.