05XR8's - Project: AE96

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The Charade has gone to the crushers. Thanks to it not being pampered while it was out of my care for about 6 years. Needed a new engine. Fortunately, My stepson bought a '10 Impreza hatch and I got the Mirage, continuing from where I left off.

March, 2016 picked this bad boy up for $400AUD. "Project Optical Illusion"
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'98 Mirage 1.5L 300,307kms
First to go were the Mitsubishi wheel covers. Then, the front & rear mudflaps.
Clear coat in the bonnet is peeling. Most of it is off. Still cleaning that up. Might paint it and the roof matte black.
The interior is pretty clean and leak free.
There is some weeping from the rocker cover.
The suspension is soft. No doubt it will be freshened up.
So many wheel choices, I thought I'd stick with original 13" diameter wheels. However, there are some nice 15" wheels on the market.
Was going for a 2-spoke steering wheel. Now, looking at 3-spoke Ralliart wheels on ebay.
 
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Jeez! A year and a half later!

Anyway, time to blend into traffic. 2002 Mazda 323 Astina BJ, 1.8L/123hp

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Interior is immaculate. Even the rear wheel well for the spare looks like I can eat off it.... using the wheel jack and tools, no doubt. :sly: 227,000kms and body is still tight. My first Mazda and feels just as good as my then new 2001 Accord(I should have bought that Silver Protege5 back then instead).

Notorious sun damage on the bonnet, as seen on many Aussie cars of this vintage. Other than that, clean body and underneath. Service is booked. Tears of joy, or sadness, await.("B....J" number plates, cool)
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Only been six days since I bought it and it's such a good little car. Highly recommend a DE(manual) to anyone.

Did a lap around the V8 circuit
 
I think because the USA got the Series II(2011? 2012?) when the car been out since 2007/2008(mine is an '08).
 
I did a thing. 29 year old AE96. Couldn’t resist.
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With my wife finally narrowing down her van choices to a VW Caddy, Peugeot Expert or Renault Kangoo. I felt it was time to relieve a couple months long itch I got, after watching some AE92 Corolla videos from the Phillipines. Couple that with missing my old ‘83 Corona, the recent chat of the new GR Corolla and watching Super Touring JTCC/BTCC/ATCC videos(hence my avatar), some kind of purchase was inevitable.

A young co-worker at my previous job, drives a white automatic AE92 with the popular wagon headlight conversion, lowered suspension and polished 3-piece Watanabe type wheels. Looked really nice in the work parking lot. Pretty much sealed the deal to what my next car would be. That’s if I could find one.… with a manual transmission.
My hate for Australian car pricing, continued to reaffirm why I dislike car shopping. Plus, the fact automatics are the norm. It becomes slim pickings when trying to find “the one”.

Most potential AE92 choices seem to be south of me(New South Wales), in Victoria. That wasn’t going to happen. The choices in a 100km radius of me, were automatics. The car I bought, was in a photo thumbnail as an AE96. Firstly, me and blue cars have a long bad history. Something always goes wrong, somehow.
Anyway, sight unseen, I was buying it(while at work). My wife would be in Sydney, for an opening of a famous contemporary artist, I asked her to have a look at it(again, I was set on buying it regardless). I sent the seller a message that my wife would be coming down.
I then get a call from the seller, saying someone was coming to see it again and the car will be held until my wife arrives.

My wife calls when she arrives and immediately tells me the car is cool. Looks perfect. New tyres, needed a wash and vacuum. Drove it and said it’s all good. Needed nothing extra. However, no owners manual, service books or history or details about previous ownership.
After I buy it, car was sold as is and was unable to get the brush guard and tow bar removed.
My wife drives the car up from Sydney, makes a stop halfway and says it’s real good. Continues the trip back home and gets stuck in traffic for 40 minutes. Car was fine.

I arrive home after a late shift. As I garage door is going up, I had that scene from Better Off Dead, when John Cusack‘s Camaro emerges after being restored. :lol: First thing I thought, “Those plates will be switched out in the morning.”(which was carried out, much better plates on it now). I park the Mazda2 and have a quick walk around. Couldn’t believe my eyes how clean the body looked. I did the cartoon blink blink sound with how straight it looked. Especially after 29 years 4 months and 241,500kms!

Next morning, spent all my time with it. Two blemishes:

a couple dents on the rear hatch
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rust in the right rear passenger door jamb:

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Thats it. For the age and being a coastal car(even moreso that I live across the street from the foreshore), I was impressed by the care of the previous owner(s). No doubt the owners love accessories. All this stuff on the car. Stuff that adds weight and that I’ll have no use for. Some stuff just out of place for this car. Like, what the hell with the mirror guards:
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My first impressions, is why Toyota have that reputation for build quality. Other than a few loose plastic trims on the rear hatch(look like the tint fitters broke the holding clips on the right side of that trim when removing) and the front grill(I removed it, only held by one central screw) with one of four clips broken(Refitted and clipped back in place. Tight, like when built), that reputation Carrie’s on.
This car is solid. Seats are tight. Cushions feel damn near new. The dash mat did its job. Pristine finish, bar a bit miscolouring on some armrest trim, that I’ll clean properly.
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Well, next thing was cleaning it up and removing/attempting to remove bits and pieces. Removed those for show Hellas(They were just screwed on the front bumper). Gave it wash and vac to check for leaks.
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Thought a trim on the front passenger door was loose, due to potential rust. Inspected and found it Just needed to be refitted.
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Removed the rear wind spoiler. It’s was cool, but the adhesive was worn. Removed and cleaned that up. Looks much better now. Removed the mirror wind things and the awful magnified mirror stick ons.
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Other than those minor things, if all goes well, the old sound system will be getting replaced. Inevitable suspension, wheels & tyres and a possible exhaust upgrade(nothing loud, but with a nice note). That’ll be it.
 
Brush guard and tow hitch removed. Replaced old rear foot sill screws on both sides(though the threads were like new). Both front sill screws were like new. Gave her a wash and I‘ll buff the front bumper black trim. Also, look to find some grommets or buttons, to fill in the holes where those driving lights were. My daughter was upset I didn’t leave them on. :( She didn’t care the lights were inoperable. :lol:
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Radiator tanks need to be replaced and lower engine mount is getting worn. Hoping to sort suspension and muffler before Toyotafest, in October. Other than that, the car just needs fuel to keep going.
 
Just a quick update. Hit 242,000kms on Monday. New radiator done. New engine mount, power steering & brake fluids tomorrow.

Just having a look through the engine bay. Checked my compliance plate because, I wasn’t too thrilled the colour on my rego is labelled “blue”. The Color of my car(1994 AE96 Toyota Corolla Seca RV) is “Spearmint”. Color code “MW”. Biiiiig relief, as I mentioned, blue been my most unlucky Color for a car. :lol:

Nearly matches the green on a building in my neighbourhood.
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Toyotafest in a few weeks, Christmas is coming early. While suspension is on order, wheels arrived( 15” Enkei Fuji). tyres sold separately :D
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Haven’t settled on an exhaust. Still thumbing through choices. Not sure I’ll get that done before the end of this month. Nearly done.
 
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I remember trying to find a set of similar looking wheels for my Starlet about nine years ago (geez, that long ago already!). TOM'S did a variety of wheel designs very close to those, and while they'd be an acquired taste for some, I think they just work really well on a 90s Toyota of any kind.
 
Oh, yes. Love those wheels. I just wanted some brand new wheels that have the '90s style. However, I did think about an older style like the Libre wheels, on the BRE 510. Work have some nice wheels as well.

Ultimately, I'm going for a set of BBS. Harder to clean, but I love a mesh wheel.
 
Not a bad news update, but an “Of course” update.

The initial suspension me and my mechanic friend settled on ordering, wasn’t ever going to fit my vehicle. The AE96 doesn’t have a lot of options like the AE92 & AE93. The suspension we(I) ordered has different mounts(even though we specified 1994 AE96 and were told the set up is the same). I can get a set of shocks, but not the lowering springs I was after.
I’m having a visit to a suspension tuner for measurements and see what they can conjure up.

Funny thing is, I reached out to the AE community before this and pretty much everyone with my model, had the same story(“Of course, it had to be that model!“). However, weird, a few owners are keeping their set ups close to their chests(I have no idea why, unless there are some bogus claims).

Anyway, going ahead and fitting my wheels and tyres. It’ll look like a 4x4, by street tuning standards, but it’ll look pretty.
 
Not a bad news update, but an “Of course” update.

The initial suspension me and my mechanic friend settled on ordering, wasn’t ever going to fit my vehicle. The AE96 doesn’t have a lot of options like the AE92 & AE93. The suspension we(I) ordered has different mounts(even though we specified 1994 AE96 and were told the set up is the same). I can get a set of shocks, but not the lowering springs I was after.
I’m having a visit to a suspension tuner for measurements and see what they can conjure up.

Funny thing is, I reached out to the AE community before this and pretty much everyone with my model, had the same story(“Of course, it had to be that model!“). However, weird, a few owners are keeping their set ups close to their chests(I have no idea why, unless there are some bogus claims).

Anyway, going ahead and fitting my wheels and tyres. It’ll look like a 4x4, by street tuning standards, but it’ll look pretty.
Given how close you guys are to Japan, aren't there any options? One would that that at the very least in Japan there should be decent options for all Corollas, but maybe I just imagine things :)
 
Given how close you guys are to Japan, aren't there any options? One would that that at the very least in Japan there should be decent options for all Corollas, but maybe I just imagine things :)
I haven’t seen many liftback models like mine in Japan. There is a big AE92(small body) sedan community in Edit:Phillipines. As well as South Africa. The liftback twin-cam model, are sought after and have a good following. There are heaps of modified liftbacks. Mainly 4AG swaps.

For lowering, I’ve seen owners go the airbag route. Other than that, they’re pretty much stock ride height.

I’m heading to a local suspension tuner in a few hours. I’m getting compliments(when I was wiping it down after washing it and when I took some snaps this morning). Just needs a 20mm-25mm drop. Nothing extreme.

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Brief update. Routine maintenance, new water pump, rocker cover gasket and left hand cv boot replaced. Couple weeks ago went for a nice drive to Hawksnest. On the way back the muffler blew out. The loudness got worse a couple days ago. Ordered a OEM muffler while I’m looking at a full sport exhaust with extractors. Winter’s coming.

Still searching suspension set up. BC Racing, XYZ coilovers have been suggested in Corolla groups. They're expensive and I’m not going to be taking it to the track. We’ll see.

Removed the bonnet wind deflector for a clean nose.
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