Judd Sandage

Mokers

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.

Deamhan

nutbastard

@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.

respawn

@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

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]

vitrium

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.

squablow

jnostalgics

What is interesting?

Heep

adidascrosscountry

Murilee Martin

NovaloadMissesPolar

tr

jnostalgics

tentacles

Yurikaze

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

Mad_Science

"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."

Yurikaze

Heep

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.

Rust-MyEnemy is stll out there!

skaz

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.

Maymar - now with 37% less anonymity

Benson2175

This does not suck.

Heep

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot

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

IamZardoz

bzr

UDMan

elwood

ClutchPlease

Heep

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!

pjsammy

MngoJuce

LTDScott, Porcubimmer pilot

snarktastic

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

pitchpitch Type-Я

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. -- Now With More Sodium!

pitchpitch Type-Я

RichardHead

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...

Heep

TinaChow