New Car, Corolla WRC Options

[Nial]

Well I have purchased myself a new car...unfortunately its not another Celica (hense why this is in "Off Topic"). It is however still a Toyota.

I bought myself a Toyota Corolla WRC

What a great little car it is with an interesting History. Started of life as a Normal Corolla 1.6 GS But Toyota plucked it from the factory and transformed it into a replica WRC car, its got TTE suspension, struts, braces etc etc...even the big wing on the back.

But what makes this car extra special...for me anyway...is that it was actually driven by Carlos Sainz to demonstrate the launch of the Corolla as Toyotas new WRC car...it wasnt rallied at all...just driven around Toyota Main dealer car parks here and there and remained as a display car in a dealership for some months.

It was then stripped of its stickers and unfortunately the roll cage aswell and sold on......now its mine pick it up in 5 hours...cant wait. Needs some TLC as its a bit weathered, but its only done 60,000 miles (and it came with a spare set of Alloy wheels ) It handles very well, but the engine has no grunt at all.....I`d be suprised if it had 100BHP but its economical and thats what I wanted it for....but at the end of the day how many people get to drive to work in a car once driven by Carlos Sainz?????

Pictures will come when I get it home

This post has been edited by Nial: Oct 27, 2009 - 12:01 PM

[SwissFerdi]

...wow.

Pics man, pics!

But why is the engine so gutless? Is it a 7A-FE?

[TiGZ461]

Nice pickup man, can't wait to see how it looks like.


How'd you get your hands on it in the first place?

[Nial]

...wow.

Pics man, pics!

But why is the engine so gutless? Is it a 7A-FE?

Yes...good for economy I guess....a world away from my GT4.

It was just advertised in a national car selling web site....I guess I was just lucky, as its link with Carlos Sainz wasnt in the advert, the guy was just telling me about it when I went to see it.....no way of prooving it though...he seemed like an honest bloke. If it turns out to be BS then its no loss as it was pretty cheap.

[SwissFerdi]

Welcome to my world of 7A-FE enjoyment, haha.

NVM, I just now realized that's is just an exterior conversion...I thought it was an actual WRC Corolla.

[Nial]

Welcome to my world of 7A-FE enjoyment, haha.

NVM, I just now realized that's is just an exterior conversion...I thought it was an actual WRC Corolla.

I wish....it would have a 3sgte init if it was a world rally car.....watch this space

[Random_Stranger]

Hey Nial, congrats with the new car my friend! How do you like it so far? So you have big plans for it I see, eh?

This post has been edited by Random_Stranger: Sep 29, 2009 - 8:45 AM

[Nial]

Hey Nial, congrats with the new car my friend! How do you like it so far? So you have big plans for it I see, eh?

Hi bud...cheers Only taken it for a test drive so far...suspension is "firm" to say the least but otherwise its nice and smooth.

No real big plans just yet really, it`ll be my commuting car for a few months/years before I unleash any big plans on it. Just going to uprate the brakes and handling, make the interior a nice place to be and give it a thorough service and clean....replace the fuel filter, clean the injectors etc etc but its going to remain more or less stock for the time being. I cant afford to keep putting petrol in the GT4 anymore for commuting to work in.

[Nial]

OK. a bit late on the pictures

the car when I bought it......



After a bit of attention



After alot of attention



the engine bay cleaned up nicer than a nice thing



What it will look like shortly



I have decided to drop in an MR2 Turbo engine that has been tinkered with a bit...full roll cage etc etc all set up for tarmac rallying & track days...should be cool

[manphibian]

so much for the economical run around then

Good project mate

[SwissFerdi]

Oh, it's a 4A-FE...so I can say I have a better engine than you?

That full conversion & swap should be SICK though. Can't wait to see the finished product.

[Nial]

It wont be for a while....it takes me a long time to tinker with engines...........but kinda getting excited...it`ll be a GT4 killer I`ll then have to upgrade the GT4 so its not the slowest car I own

[CastrolCelica]

I can't wait to see the end of this project. Seriously, a very nice car. You'll have to cross the pond sometime and drive around in Ohio once I get my car done as well haha.

[Random_Stranger]

Hey Nial, congrats with the new car my friend! How do you like it so far? So you have big plans for it I see, eh?

Hi bud...cheers Only taken it for a test drive so far...suspension is "firm" to say the least but otherwise its nice and smooth.

No real big plans just yet really, it`ll be my commuting car for a few months/years before I unleash any big plans on it. Just going to uprate the brakes and handling, make the interior a nice place to be and give it a thorough service and clean....replace the fuel filter, clean the injectors etc etc but its going to remain more or less stock for the time being. I cant afford to keep putting petrol in the GT4 anymore for commuting to work in.

I know whatever you decide to do, I can't wait to see. Oh, by the way, did you finish the Calendar for GT4OC.Net?

[Nial]

I know whatever you decide to do, I can't wait to see. Oh, by the way, did you finish the Calendar for GT4OC.Net?

No mate not yet still working on it and waiting for more suitable pictures.

[devilsden97]

i love that rolla...


im envious

[njccmd2002]

that front end of the corolla is the one i always eternally loved, thats what inspired me to get a celica. Those were the models that arrived in latin america.

When i came to the us, i did not see those, so i guess you are lucky, i love that style......

[Nial]

Glad you like it.

Ordered some Rally style door mirrors for it yesterday, should be here by the end of the week stickers should be ready by the end of next week ish.

On friday I`ll be visiting the company who I might use to install a roll cage, make the custom exhaust and see what they have to offer!!!!!

After the stickers it will be the lamp pod then I will just run it like that while I tinker with a 3sgte engine and collect the bits together to complete the project

Not sure if I`ll stick bigger wheels on...while I do like the little 16s and tyres are cheap I think it will look better with 17s on it but I`m debating if its worth the extra cash for such a small increase in wheel size.

[devilsden97]

id stick with the 16s. i mean they look good, and like u said, how much is it going to cost u to increase the size by 1 inch?

im still envious

[SlvrCelica09]

only in UK.. looking good nial =)

[Bitter]

those are not the same wheels as in the airport picture.

[njccmd2002]

i had to find the pics of the sedan version





it was still carburated



and it went to this




ohh memories

[Nial]

those are not the same wheels as in the airport picture.

The airport picture is a real Corolla WRC Rally Car...they`ll be 18" magnesium Speedlines....well out of my budget...one would probably cost more than my entire car

[Nial]

My babies

[yarik83]

somehow "sexy" does not give it enough justice. Great cars mate.

[cheela]

My babies

how do you get out of that other garage???? LOL

[Nial]

how do you get out of that other garage???? LOL

Cant use it bloomin stupid UK planning restrictions.....the house was designed and built with different stairs to the front door that enabled the garage to be easily accessed, when the house was finished and built, the buildings inspector changed his mind and said the stairs were too steep and didnt allow easy enough access to the house for someone who is elderly or disabled so the stairs had to be rebuilt in such a way that it rendered the second garage all but useless. If the changes were not made then the house would not pass planning restrictions and would have to be knocked down

Its good for motorbikes

[njccmd2002]

could that front end be swappable with the corollas here?

[Nial]

could that front end be swappable with the corollas here?

possibly??? I have no idea, but I guess with enough fabrication anything is possible.

[delusionz]

So is that AWD or not?

[marco-polo]

VERY Sexy!!!!!!!!!!!

love the mudflaps for some reason! Great find!

[Nial]

So is that AWD or not?

No its not....unfortunately and it will remain that way......one awd car is enough ...I`d like this one to be simple and light weight.....makes it a different drive to the GT4, so a bit of variation is good.

[95st-celica]

o0 come on! you can use the other garage....yea it looks like its a tight fit but i bet you i could get your gt-4 in there...and i know for a FACT you can squeze the corolla in there

[Nial]

Your probably right...might get the corolla in there but not the GT4...anyway there is a large chest freezer & a couple of bikes in their now and a wine rack so theres no space at all now

[m0dd3d1]

Very nice addition Nial! If I'm ever back in the area, you'll have to take me out as you did in the GT-4!

[Nial]

Very nice addition Nial! If I'm ever back in the area, you'll have to take me out as you did in the GT-4!

No worries mate, will do.

Started to stick on the castrol rally stickers on yesterday but its very cold here and I dont think the glue likes it...driving to work the "Castrol" sticker suddenly said "Catrol"...then "atrol"...by the time I got to work it just said "l" so I wont be putting any more sticker on the car until it gets warmer....and I`ll be ordering a new "Castrol" sticker for the bonnet.

[BonzaiCelica]

wait so do those corolla's even come in awd. What is the weight on the corolla and what type of suspension does it have?

[SwissFerdi]

NVM, I'm apparently wrong.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Dec 26, 2009 - 11:07 PM

[Cuts_the_Pilot]

^^wrong^^

in australia (and im assuming japan too) there was the AE95 wagon. They are awd (mind you i dont reckon you would wanna go launching it too often)

here is a link to a dudes thread see what they look like.

ae95 wagon

This post has been edited by Cuts_the_Pilot: Dec 26, 2009 - 10:32 PM

[Nial]

wait so do those corolla's even come in awd. What is the weight on the corolla and what type of suspension does it have?

Not sure if this particular model of Corolla has an AWD version.....obviously the real WRC versions did have 4WD but they were one off, made for rallying only. Regardless of wether there is an AWD version or not mine will be staying 2wd.

It just has a normal mcpherson suspension set up.

This post has been edited by Nial: Dec 27, 2009 - 8:46 PM

[delusionz]

^^wrong^^

in australia (and im assuming japan too) there was the AE95 wagon. They are awd (mind you i dont reckon you would wanna go launching it too often)

here is a link to a dudes thread see what they look like.

ae95 wagon

That's called a toyota sprinter carib in japan, it already comes with the 4age 20v in the later models (bz-touring).

wait so do those corolla's even come in awd. What is the weight on the corolla and what type of suspension does it have?

Not sure if this particular model of Corolla has an AWD version.....obviously the real WRC versions did have 4WD but they were one off, made for rallying only. Regardless of wether there is an AWD version or not mine will be staying 2wd.

It just has a normal mcpherson suspension set up.

when the corolla was entered into the wrc the regulations changed, and homologation was not required under the new wrc rules as it was under the old group a rules.

[Nial]

For a while the Corolla looked like this



but it took just 2 days for the vandals to find it and they buggered up all the stickers down one side of the car by trying to peel them off, picking at the edges ets.....2 ****in days.

So I took them all back off again back to standard looking. You cant have anything nice in the UK without people ruining it for you, total lack of respect. If I`d have caught them at it I would have shown their faces the same respect as they showed my car.

I did have plans for engine swaps etc but as petrol here is now equivalent $8.37 a gallon I cant afford it anymore......so I`ll be turning the ST205 into a rally inspired monster instead to use as a weekend toy.

[Bitter]

...you should have had a layer of clear painted over the whole car to seal the decals in....and parked in a garage or used a car cover.

[Nial]

...you should have had a layer of clear painted over the whole car to seal the decals in....and parked in a garage or used a car cover.

Yes, but I wanted the option of removing the decals when I wanted to change them, I dont have a garage to park the car in, and a car cover just invites scum to vandalise your car....kids and young people have no respect in the UK what so ever unfortunately.

Moving house soon though to somewhere with a garage....and a workshop too so hopefully it wont be a problem soon

[manphibian]

little ****ers

I know what you mean, the place is going to pot

[ajmorris1977]

little ****ers

I know what you mean, the place is going to pot

when i lived over there it was bad but you can always do what i did, have a group of friends who are steriod users that need an excuss to get into a fight, once word gets around your buddys your car become safe.....sorry to hear about it though, nice ride...