It's been so long since I was on here last that I forgot my original user name, so I'm starting fresh. Trying to become a more active member of the forums this time around, especially now that I have some knowledge about these cars compared to last time. So I decided to re-introduce myself and tell my story.
Here is me.
My name is Cullen. I live in Milwaukee, WI. I love beer and I love me some missile.
I bought my first AE six years ago, when I was 16. (silver coupe below)
It's an 86 SR5. And it actually ran quite well. However I was an idiot and attempted to do a 20v swap in my high school shop class.
I was definitely in over my head.
And that's as far as it got until the school year ended and I had to tow it home. And there it sat for a couple of years untouched.
It was my senior year when I found the Corolla I have today.
1987 GTS Coupe. I paid $1200 for it with a no start issue. Diagnosed it to be a bad ground on the AFM. After fixing that the car ran like crap.
Fluctuating idle, rear end was LOUD, brake pedal went to the floor. Alternator was bad, calipers were seized. It was rough... extremely rough.
First things first, I replaced the brakes. OEM CPR with stainless steel brake lines. Also replaced all of the hard lines.
New battery and alternator were also a necessity, and after that it was driveable.
I was a delivery driver for Jimmy Johns at the time, and I felt like the American version of Takumi.
Until about a week later, when rear diff went kaboom.
At this point it sat for a while, had to come up with some funds and decide what I wanted to do with it. I eventually opted for a KAAZ 2 way LSD (go big or go home, right?) with a Weir Performance 4.3 R&P. I didn't trust myself installing it and adjusting all the backlash and such, so I had a buddy who runs a local shop handle it for me. I didn't have the money for the labor, so we made a deal. My SR5 for this job and a custom built Watts Link for it.
We got the rear diff in, and the car ran for another week or so. Right until it started pissing oil and the motor blew. So again the car was sitting, I didn't really know what was next for it. I was pissed...
It sat for about a year, until I had to give it to the same buddy (now an AE86 hoarder, he already had one of his own prior to taking my two) for a buncha work on my WRX. I was sad to let it go but really had no choice at the time.
Come May of last year, I traded in my WRX for this...
Picked it up on the 22nd, a week before the dealer was "supposed" to deliver it. Conveniently a buddy of mine worked there and hooked me up. I absolutely loved this car, and I became super comfortable with it. Only problem... it was too nice for me to have it on the track. I was too scared I was going to damage something so I wouldn't really push it to its limit. I decided to keep it as a daily and get another AE for the track.
There were none out there in the midwest for sale, minus some ridiculously overpriced hatches. So I got on the phone and made a deal to get back my 87 GTS. It sat collecting dust since I sold it to him. I sourced a motor from a fellow AE driver, installed it, and she fired right up.
At this point I had some nice toys...
The only problem was that none of them were a practical daily for Wisconsin. And I was extremely broke, still making payments on the FRS and the bike. Something had to go. And I was upside down on my bike payments. So the only option I had was to get rid of the FRS. I sold it back to the dealer I bought it from, and although I do miss it, it's nice to be free of car payments. I picked up a 1992 Taurus SHO as a daily, and started ordering more parts for the Corolla.
The suspension was shot, so I picked up a set of Megan coilovers. I also ordered the adjustable 4 links, panhard rod, and sway bars from GSP.
Cheap! Just the way I like it.
And this is present day.
Suspension installed as of about two weeks ago. Diff is making some noise again, may need new fluid or maybe I installed the 4-links at the incorrect lengths. Haven't touched it since... I started a new job earlier this month and I've been exhausted all the time from it. Hopefully it will be ready by May 11th. I believe that's the first drift event of the year around these parts.
Well thanks for reading! I didn't realize it was going to turn into a short story. But that's my car life, in a nut shell. During this time, I also have owned a 91 Taurus SHO, 01 Subaru 2.5RS coupe, and a 1995 240sx so I do have some knowledge in other areas.
I'm looking forward to becoming more active and trying to help out the community.
