Just bought an AE86, need some advice

[PhunkyStamos]

Well after getting out of cars for awhile I just picked up a cherry 85 SR5 hatchback and just needed some advice on a good performance shop to take the car to. This is my first Toyota, I mostly know VW's. Also are there any junkyards with these cars in it? I just need random parts like turn signal plastic, mirror, etc.

Thanks
Robert

[Sport1.3]

Well after getting out of cars for awhile I just picked up a cherry 85 SR5 hatchback and just needed some advice on a good performance shop to take the car to. This is my first Toyota, I mostly know VW's. Also are there any junkyards with these cars in it? I just need random parts like turn signal plastic, mirror, etc.

Thanks
Robert


What are you looking to have done at these shops? 4ag conversion? there are gonna be few junk yards with good GTS parts in them.

[PhunkyStamos]

Yeah just a shop with some good knowledge of the car that I can trust and won't jack things all up. I do plan on doing a conversion later on but for now just somewhere I can take the car to for any routine problems that may arise.

I've already checked some yards and the only ones I come across are the fwd corollas

[RollaAce]

A good way to find part car/parts cars is to drive around the neighborhoods, take a different route than u normally take. That's how i found Barracuda and 85 sr5 sitting up, u never know, i stop anyone driving an older yota and ask questions.

I have parts from a 85 gts coupe, stripped the whole car.

[Sport1.3]

Yeah just a shop with some good knowledge of the car that I can trust and won't jack things all up. I do plan on doing a conversion later on but for now just somewhere I can take the car to for any routine problems that may arise.

I've already checked some yards and the only ones I come across are the fwd corollas

well unfortunately there arent many specialty shops for that specific car let alone Toyota in general.

Remember that the AE92 and AE101 corollas have alot of useful parts on the you can use even though they are FWD.

[PhunkyStamos]

Yeah I don't understand why there aren't any toyota specific places, I mean theres tons for hondas and VWs :screwy: When I went to the pull a part the only thing I got were some replacement knobs for my climate control panel which I thought was pretty sweet. Wish I didn't live in an apt or I'd get a parts car and just use it, probably be cheaper in the long run. Thanks for the info you guys.

[Sport1.3]

Yeah, it really forces you to do all your own work....but in return you get very handy with a wrench and some times a large hammer lol.....i also now after so long know my way around this motor very damn well!

[SniperJoe]

Yeah, it really forces you to do all your own work....but in return you get very handy with a wrench and some times a large hammer lol.....i also now after so long know my way around this motor very damn well!

This is very true. I can't tell you how many times I solved the problem on my 86 by using a bigger hammer. :goodjob:

[D.Choe]

Mike @ TopHat is very knowledgeable about AE86s, but he's mostly into Nissans nowadays.
http://tophatperformance.com/

Pull-A-Part is a good local source for random interior parts.

Club4AG is definitely a good forum for parts you'll want, but the only thing is is that 80% of the people on there are in Cali. and it takes a little longer to get parts.

If you're thinking about getting some TRD/OEM parts, go to Toyota Mall of Georgia and ask for Russ. He has a clean 4AGZE w/ a Megasquirt he made himself. He can probably give you a lot of info.

Good luck on your project, and yes I can't think of how many times I've had to use a good ole hammer to get some crap out of my AE86.

Oh yeah, make sure you always have a can of PB Blaster around and use some anti-seize for bolts.

[Dr Tweak]

Savannah is a little bit of a drive, but I'm an expert in all things Toyota: http://www.phoenixtuning.com/

-Doc

[PhunkyStamos]

I've heard of TopHat before and pretty much figured they were the only game in town. Savannah isn't too far, I'd rather go aways to get it done right then go down the street and have someone butcher the car. I checked out your website Doc and will def keep you in mind when the time comes.

Thanks everyone for the links and advice, I'm about to get a HKS hi-power exhaust which will be the first in a list of things I'm gonna get done. Now I'm reading up all I can about the suspension, I think I'll just go for a full coilover (I'm eyein the Greddy Type-S) instead of matching short stroke and coilover conversion and such. Hopefully by this summer it'll be lookin good so be on the watch for a white hatchback with louvers cruisin around....I mean literally cruisin cause thats about all the 4ac can do.

BTW anyone know whats up with Club4ag??? Their forum seems to always be down for some reason.

[SniperJoe]

Club4AG has been down for the past three months or so. They are trying to get the forum on a working machine again, though. They are a great resource and I hope they get everything up again soon.

Phunky, have you looked at www.technotoytuning.com? They are a great retailer of specialty AE86 parts. They have stuff that no one else makes.

And if you need any random parts, let me know, I've just stripped my Corolla to make it a track car, so I've got a lot of stuff just lying around.

[Z33_kid]

good luck find parts it will be a lil difficult

[Sport1.3]

so be on the watch for a white hatchback with louvers cruisin around....I mean literally cruisin cause thats about all the 4ac can do.

BTW anyone know whats up with Club4ag??? Their forum seems to always be down for some reason.


Haha well save your money that HKS cat back will cost you and upgrade your motor. I swapped out my Hi comp small port (a swap already) for a 20 Valve. MAN WHAT A DIFFERENCE!! i love this motor!! It was also all done for under $1000...the motor was $400!!

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n46/skeosh/enginepics.jpg

Yeah club4ag has been down for like ever!! its a great site but just dont believe everything you read on there..its riddled with missinformation...thought the write ups are done VERY WELL!!

[PhunkyStamos]

Yeah I've gone to Technotoytuning, seem like some good quality stuff. I read up on swapping the 20v but it seems like a lot of trouble to put in the ae86 (making room for distributor, water lines) but that is a sweet engine. My plan for the car is to sort out the suspension and everything else so when I drop a more powerful motor I won't have to upgrade anything else. Plus the previous owner just spent a ton of money on the engine and it runs like a champ so I'm in no hurry to rip it out.

My eventual plan is to drop in a 4a-ge with dual weber sidedrafts. I figure that would be easier/cheaper than tryin to run a diff gas tank, fuel lines, computer etc. since my car came equipped with a carb, now if I had a parts car I might think differently but from my reading thats the road I'm going to go down with it. Just seems easier than tryin to convert my car to efi, plus much like the 20v itbs dual sidedrafts look sweet.

[SniperJoe]

TechnoToyTuning is great. They had a great program (I'm not sure if they are still running it) where you could send them suspension components, cam gears and shifter assemblies and they would give you store credit for them. You should call them up and see if they are still doing that.

The 20v swap is a great thing and most address the distributor issue by just going with an aftermarket ECU system which deletes the distributor.

As far as the suspension goes, I would make the effort to replace all the bushings in the car before you do anything. You can go with either new OEM bushings, TRD (hard as hell to find) or urethane. Those make a big difference.

[EP3sAreFun]

If you're thinking about getting some TRD/OEM parts, go to Toyota Mall of Georgia and ask for Russ. He has a clean 4AGZE w/ a Megasquirt he made himself. He can probably give you a lot of info.
Russ is an asshole. You should ask for Kyle. i hear hes really smart.

[olivertwist]

A good way to find part car/parts cars is to drive around the neighborhoods, take a different route than u normally take. That's how i found Barracuda and 85 sr5 sitting up, u never know, i stop anyone driving an older yota and ask questions.

I have parts from a 85 gts coupe, stripped the whole car.

waht other parts do you have i have a ae71 rolla looking for a 3tc