Step Drift : AE86 Story
OK this Sprinter mightn't kick like a turbo car, have stand-out paint or a mega sound system, but what it does have is good. Bloody good. Matter of fact, it's a mechanical marvel and an absolute credit to its owner builder, Steve Vasic.
Now that you'd know it at first, second or even third glance. No. The Sprinter is exceptionally understated regardless of its imported Japanese Corolla GT front, neat black TSW rims and raspy exhaust note.
There's nothing initially inspiring about sitting in the imported Sprinter passenger seat either - except perhaps for the slightly bumpy ride. But this changes once Steve breathes on the loud pedal. Watching the tacho reveals steady progress up to around 4000 rpm before the momentum increases and the engine takes on a very different complexion in both feel and sound.
Steve grabs for the shifter as the tacho rises above 7500 rpm, pulls second and we continue our leap forward at a pace not expected of a normally boring Sprinter. And even though it's a quick car, straight line grunt was never meant to be its forte. No, built it to club race but now believes the finished product is too good to subject to the track.
Mind you, Steve recently ran the car over Calder Park's quarter mile. On the day he pushed the Sprinter to just one pass, an abysmal launch giving a 15.22 at 89 mph.So what is it that makes the car so quick, so nimble and so mechanically marvellous? Man, you're not going to believe what you're about to read.
Steve's no spring chicken, in fact he's knocking on the door of the big four zero but hey, here's a guy who's been-there-and-done-that with all things automotive. He's pretty much stuck with Toyota and Subaru product, having performed some really interesting conversions along the way. Trick stuff like dropping a 1988 model Subaru Touring wagon over a complete - that's the works - RS Liberty 4WD turbo drive line! Yeah, we know that it's supposed to be an impossible swap - but Steve has done it...
Over four Years ago (and prior to it becoming popular) he swapped a Holden EFI V8 into a Landcruiser, even ensuring the 'check engine' light was operational. Then there's been at least three '74 Corollas running a 2TG hybrid or 3TG turbo engines and, well, the list goes on an on.
There's been a couple of Sprinter too, with this one making its entrance three years ago, soon after Steve received a telephone call from EKW's Andrew Perrera about a front damaged 1983 Sprinter. "I'd been thinking about another Sprinter for a while, so I went and had a look to find it was a one owner and meticulously cared for", Steve said.
A rebuild was in order simply because the car needed a new front anyway, so Steve looked at what was required to transform it into a competitive club level road and race car. A 1G-G twin turbo 2.0-litre six was first cab off the rank, however it proved to be quite heavy and its size meant that the car would be in the over two litre class. "I wanted to stick with a Toyota engine, and about the only high-tech two litre in the range was the second generation MR2 3S-GE. I knew that by virtue of it being a transverse engine it'd make for a difficult conversion, but I like a challenge".
And what a challenge it was! Mods required to make 118kW (158bhp) engine work in harmony with the Sprinter were many - too many to mention here. For a start, the normally slant-mounted engine had to sit upright. This meant that Steve had to drill three holes (one front and two rear) in the cylinder head for oil delivery via high pressure fittings. External lines lead to just above the sump line in the block casting, allowing the oil to run back into the sump.
The inlet manifold also had to be radically altered due to the original transverse configuration. It starts with 35mm of the original manifold (match ported) to which 15mm sections of an 18RG twin Solex manifold were welded, with the internals incorporating trumpet style inners. Flange mounted to the already radical manifolds is an owner-made allow plenum designed to accept the factory throttle body. Also, in the event that Steve decides to revert to a complete MoTeC injection package (neatly stored in the home shed), he has simply to remove the fabricated manifold and bolt on 45mm MoTeCthrottle bodies.
Next the water inlet pipe had to be cut and shut and turned in the opposite direction to run along the underside of the inlet manifold to the front of the engine. A similar situation was faced with the dizzy, however the fix wasn't so simple. Steve relocated the rotor button and cap to the front of the engine and sealed the rear dizzy. An adaptor plate turns the exhaust camshaft into a new dizzy drive!
Necessary were custom made 4-2-1 extractors meeting in a 2.25-inch pipe. This runs to a high-flow cat, into a small resonator and then finally through a stainless Genie muffler. The extractors aid power output, as does a fully sealed cold air intake mounted fore of a Subaru RX turbo air box and drawing air from behind the grille.
Engine accommodation was also a significant exercise with Steve placing and AE82 Corolla twin cam air conditioning fan in front of the stock radiator on a fabricated bracket, employing Corona 2S engine mounts sitting on a modified cross-member and placing a 4A-GE Sprinter washer bottle on the left hand inner guard - not on the stock right hand side. The radiator overflow has also been relocated to a possy between the grille and radiator.
Choosing the trans type was made easier thanks to Steve discovering a reasonably priced 4.3 LSD Sprinter rear end, which meant that a tall first and second geared W58 Supra five-speed was just perfect. It sits in front of a fabricated light-weight flywheel and slightly second hand 1G-G clutch, is backed with a modified 2-piece tailshaft and sits on a spaced imported Corollo auto crossmember.
Suspension bump and rebound have been attended to through the addition of adjustable Koni shocks on the rear with 1.5-inch lowered King springs. The front sits on custom shortened adjustable spring height Lesle coil-overs and there's a bunch of Nolathane bushes. Braking is more than adequate thanks to current model Cressida rotors (owner cross-drilled and grooved and new RX-7 Series 4 alloy calipers. Rolling stock consists of TSW Racing rims and Pirelli rubber.
Turning to the interior about the only changes are a Momo steeting wheel, electric mirrors and retrimmed imported Sprinter bucket seats. Outside it's a similar story except of course for the complete Corolla GT front sheet metal, pop-up headlights and grille. Finishing off the look is a rear spoiler, Calibra roof-mount aerial and two-tone Glasurit paint job.
Unseen modifications are also in force, most small yet significant. One is the Corolla GT fuel tank and in-tank pump, oversize line runs from front to back, and a spare tire that has been displaced in favour of 15 inch (needed to accomodate the larger brakes) Nissan 300ZX 'space saver'.
An incredible amount of work you'd have to say, all achieved in an amazingly short five months! Yep, Steve performed almost everything himself including parts sourcing and most fabrication. What's more the car is fully read legal. It's great lesson in high quality engineering.
AE86 Drift
OK this Sprinter mightn't kick like a turbo car, have stand-out paint or a mega sound system, but what it does have is good. Bloody good. Matter of fact, it's a mechanical marvel and an absolute credit to its owner builder, Steve Vasic.
Now that you'd know it at first, second or even third glance. No. The Sprinter is exceptionally understated regardless of its imported Japanese Corolla GT front, neat black TSW rims and raspy exhaust note.
There's nothing initially inspiring about sitting in the imported Sprinter passenger seat either - except perhaps for the slightly bumpy ride. But this changes once Steve breathes on the loud pedal. Watching the tacho reveals steady progress up to around 4000 rpm before the momentum increases and the engine takes on a very different complexion in both feel and sound.
Steve grabs for the shifter as the tacho rises above 7500 rpm, pulls second and we continue our leap forward at a pace not expected of a normally boring Sprinter. And even though it's a quick car, straight line grunt was never meant to be its forte. No, built it to club race but now believes the finished product is too good to subject to the track.
Mind you, Steve recently ran the car over Calder Park's quarter mile. On the day he pushed the Sprinter to just one pass, an abysmal launch giving a 15.22 at 89 mph.So what is it that makes the car so quick, so nimble and so mechanically marvellous? Man, you're not going to believe what you're about to read.
Steve's no spring chicken, in fact he's knocking on the door of the big four zero but hey, here's a guy who's been-there-and-done-that with all things automotive. He's pretty much stuck with Toyota and Subaru product, having performed some really interesting conversions along the way. Trick stuff like dropping a 1988 model Subaru Touring wagon over a complete - that's the works - RS Liberty 4WD turbo drive line! Yeah, we know that it's supposed to be an impossible swap - but Steve has done it...
Over four Years ago (and prior to it becoming popular) he swapped a Holden EFI V8 into a Landcruiser, even ensuring the 'check engine' light was operational. Then there's been at least three '74 Corollas running a 2TG hybrid or 3TG turbo engines and, well, the list goes on an on.
There's been a couple of Sprinter too, with this one making its entrance three years ago, soon after Steve received a telephone call from EKW's Andrew Perrera about a front damaged 1983 Sprinter. "I'd been thinking about another Sprinter for a while, so I went and had a look to find it was a one owner and meticulously cared for", Steve said.
A rebuild was in order simply because the car needed a new front anyway, so Steve looked at what was required to transform it into a competitive club level road and race car. A 1G-G twin turbo 2.0-litre six was first cab off the rank, however it proved to be quite heavy and its size meant that the car would be in the over two litre class. "I wanted to stick with a Toyota engine, and about the only high-tech two litre in the range was the second generation MR2 3S-GE. I knew that by virtue of it being a transverse engine it'd make for a difficult conversion, but I like a challenge".
And what a challenge it was! Mods required to make 118kW (158bhp) engine work in harmony with the Sprinter were many - too many to mention here. For a start, the normally slant-mounted engine had to sit upright. This meant that Steve had to drill three holes (one front and two rear) in the cylinder head for oil delivery via high pressure fittings. External lines lead to just above the sump line in the block casting, allowing the oil to run back into the sump.
The inlet manifold also had to be radically altered due to the original transverse configuration. It starts with 35mm of the original manifold (match ported) to which 15mm sections of an 18RG twin Solex manifold were welded, with the internals incorporating trumpet style inners. Flange mounted to the already radical manifolds is an owner-made allow plenum designed to accept the factory throttle body. Also, in the event that Steve decides to revert to a complete MoTeC injection package (neatly stored in the home shed), he has simply to remove the fabricated manifold and bolt on 45mm MoTeCthrottle bodies.
Next the water inlet pipe had to be cut and shut and turned in the opposite direction to run along the underside of the inlet manifold to the front of the engine. A similar situation was faced with the dizzy, however the fix wasn't so simple. Steve relocated the rotor button and cap to the front of the engine and sealed the rear dizzy. An adaptor plate turns the exhaust camshaft into a new dizzy drive!
Necessary were custom made 4-2-1 extractors meeting in a 2.25-inch pipe. This runs to a high-flow cat, into a small resonator and then finally through a stainless Genie muffler. The extractors aid power output, as does a fully sealed cold air intake mounted fore of a Subaru RX turbo air box and drawing air from behind the grille.
Engine accommodation was also a significant exercise with Steve placing and AE82 Corolla twin cam air conditioning fan in front of the stock radiator on a fabricated bracket, employing Corona 2S engine mounts sitting on a modified cross-member and placing a 4A-GE Sprinter washer bottle on the left hand inner guard - not on the stock right hand side. The radiator overflow has also been relocated to a possy between the grille and radiator.
Choosing the trans type was made easier thanks to Steve discovering a reasonably priced 4.3 LSD Sprinter rear end, which meant that a tall first and second geared W58 Supra five-speed was just perfect. It sits in front of a fabricated light-weight flywheel and slightly second hand 1G-G clutch, is backed with a modified 2-piece tailshaft and sits on a spaced imported Corollo auto crossmember.
Suspension bump and rebound have been attended to through the addition of adjustable Koni shocks on the rear with 1.5-inch lowered King springs. The front sits on custom shortened adjustable spring height Lesle coil-overs and there's a bunch of Nolathane bushes. Braking is more than adequate thanks to current model Cressida rotors (owner cross-drilled and grooved and new RX-7 Series 4 alloy calipers. Rolling stock consists of TSW Racing rims and Pirelli rubber.
Turning to the interior about the only changes are a Momo steeting wheel, electric mirrors and retrimmed imported Sprinter bucket seats. Outside it's a similar story except of course for the complete Corolla GT front sheet metal, pop-up headlights and grille. Finishing off the look is a rear spoiler, Calibra roof-mount aerial and two-tone Glasurit paint job.
Unseen modifications are also in force, most small yet significant. One is the Corolla GT fuel tank and in-tank pump, oversize line runs from front to back, and a spare tire that has been displaced in favour of 15 inch (needed to accomodate the larger brakes) Nissan 300ZX 'space saver'.
An incredible amount of work you'd have to say, all achieved in an amazingly short five months! Yep, Steve performed almost everything himself including parts sourcing and most fabrication. What's more the car is fully read legal. It's great lesson in high quality engineering.
AE86 Drift
1 comment:
wow that is pretty amazing
i'm looking for the car body of an ae86 to work on a display project
have any tip where I might find one online?
or do the only way is to go around used car lots?
Post a Comment