When the owner of this stunning Toyota Corolla wanted to build a light and agile street/track car, he spared no expense in backing up the whole effort. After all, it was supposed to deliver a high level of performance in a car show-worthy package. Quite difficult and very costly, but based on the outcome and the mods that it currently boasts of and the numerous car show awards which it has already garnered. This show worthy and track ready Corolla has perfectly accomplished what the owner wanted.
The fun starts once you pop the hood where a very detailed, 20-valve, 4AGE, “blacktop” engine resides between its fender wells. Prepped and rebuilt by well-known Toyota specialist engine builder Fil Gulfin of Gulfspeed, he utilized stouter aftermarket parts like forged pistons, cams, cam gears, valve springs, and a metal head gasket to keep the engine bullet-proof at sustained high rpm’s. Just like most normally aspirated engine set ups that are squeezed for every ounce of performance, they have resorted to oversized forged pistons and the 20-valve cylinder head has been fully massaged. These are just some of the important mods to undertake when building a high performance N/A engine. Forged pistons offer durability and increased displacement, while proper cylinder head work optimizes the flow of the intake and exhaust charge. Together these are vital steps in making the engine put out more power. The factory ECU was then replaced in favor of an aftermarket unit from MINE’s and a Greddy E-manage piggyback ECU. Doing so enables the engine to be dialed in with a custom setting that lets it operate under a more aggressive fuel and ignition signal as compared with the conservatively programmed stock ECU. In addition, this lets the engine make full use of the different engine mods to make even more power.
Since this is a dedicated track/street car, suspending this lightweight runner is a set of TEIN Mono-Flex coil-over dampers along with an Electronic Damping Force Controller (EDFC). What’s great about Tein’s EDFC is that it permits on-board damper setting changes to suit varying road/track conditions. Excess body roll is further limited by thicker TRD anti-roll bars and strut bars at the fore and aft. In keeping with the show theme, it rolls on a multi-spoked ARD Monoblock 17-inch wheels shod with the requisite and super sticky Advan AD08 tires. Apart from the unique Euro-2 front fascia, the Corolla’s exterior lines remains stock with the exception of a subtle body skirt and a front chin spoiler. This is quite a refreshing sight among the hordes of builds that have numerous custom body panels.
Inside, the JDM-themed interior is further stressed with the best aftermarket performance parts that Japan has to offer, like the Bride bucket seats, Defi gauges, Nardi steering wheel and lots more, leaving enough space for a complete audio/video system to boot. Overall, this is one well-built Corolla that’s a done deal for it has literally everything you could want or think of putting in, plus so much more.
Engine Mods
TODA cams, cam gears, valve springs, head gasket, and timing belt. Forged pistons, Exedy lightened flywheel, ACT 6 pack clutch, Greddy oil cooler, TRD plug wires,
Cold air intake, Cusco oil catch can, Fuel pressure regulator, MINE’s ECU, Greddy E-Manage (ultimate) 140 wHP (dyno’d)
Suspension/Brake Mods
TEIN Mono-Flex coil-over dampers with EDFC, TRD anti-roll bars, TRD strut bar, DBA (slotted/cross-drilled) big brake upgrade,
Interior Mods
BRIDE bucket seats and custom door panel upholstery, Defi gauges, Nardi steering wheel,
Wheels/Tires
17-inch ARD Monoblock Wheels
Advan Neova AD08
