1983 Toyota AE86

*car has now had all decals removed and also includes new carpets and plenty of hard to find interior pieces, as well as engineers list of requirements for road registration if required

This Toyota is a race-prepared version of the hallowed ‘AE86’-generation Corolla Levin, benefiting from regular maintenance after every event.
It is powered by a ‘4A-GE’ 1.6-litre twin-cam inline-four, fed by twin Weber carburettors, driving the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission with Albins T50 close-ratio gear sets.
Acquired by the previous owner from Japan, the car is understood to have been raced in the N1 and entry-level N2 classes while in its home market.
Having then been imported to Australia, the car has subsequently competed extensively in SEQ in super sprints, hill climbs, street sprints and various track days. It has proved to be an extremely competitive entrant in the 1600cc and sub-2000cc sports sedan classes.
The engine was removed, dismantled and fully inspected in 2021 following an improper warm-up procedure. It has since completed a 10-lap installation session at Morgan Park.

EQUIPMENT AND FEATURES

This AE86 Levin is finished in white, with red motorsport-inspired detailing.
It rides on 15-inch Rota alloy wheels in a staggered setup of 8-inch width front and 9-inch rear, wrapped in Kumho V70A tyres. A second spare set of wheels is also included, shod in Nankang AR1 tyres.
The body is completely seam-welded. It has steel guards and arches, which are very flared to accommodate the larger tyres used in the N2 category in Japan. It is fitted with an alloy six-point roll cage. While there is no documentation to prove it, the story told to the seller was that the car was factory prepared as a racing car to compete in a single-make series.
Its engine is a 7-rib ‘big port’ 4A-GE inline-four, running HKS 272 cams, Toda Racing cam gears, and standard size triple-cut Ferrea valves and springs. There is a small relief in the combustion chamber improving air flow. It has been fitted with a new 20v oil pump, forged crank, and has been flushed and deburred. There are ACL race bearings, match ground and balanced throughout, with max-spinning rods, ARP bolts and studs throughout, 83.5 Wiseco pistons, and running 13.6:1 compression. Twin 45mm Weber carburettors feed the engine through a Toda Racing manifold and headers.
The powertrain is also equipped with a lightweight flywheel and 200mm clutch, an Earls Performance oil cooler, and a larger radiator sourced from a Camry.
Its gearbox has been modified with Albins T50 close-ratio gear sets on 1st, 2nd and 3rd. There is also a TRD two-way differential, Mannion racing crown and pinion, and final drive ratio of 4.89:1.
The suspension features TRD blue short stroke shock absorbers on all four corners, with camber tops and a strut bar. It has 30mm offset 6kg/mm front springs and 3.5kg/mm rear springs, and a standard front sway bar. There is also an adjustable panhard rod for the differential.
The front brakes are FC RX-7 callipers with Hawk HT10 pads, while the rear brakes are standard with new pads included but not yet fitted. Braided brake lines have been installed throughout, with Penrite SIN600 fluid.
Accompanying the car is documented racing history covering the current ownership, and a collection of engine build blueprint paperwork and receipts. There is also the original instrument cluster (recently removed for neater custom layout), the aforementioned spare wheels and tyres, and the new rear brake pads.

The car was stripped and put on a rotisserie, before being completely repainted in April 2013 using high-quality DeBeer finishes. A small patch of rust was found in the right rear corner of the floor, which was neutralised, etched, primed and painted. Today, the car’s paintwork is in good order, with typical racing wear such as chipping behind the wheel and with minor paint flaws.
In the stripped-out cabin is a single bucket seat trimmed in grey cloth, which has some fading and surface wear, but which is in generally good condition. The door trims and dashboard are original, though some sections are covered in carbon-fibre trim.
There is no air conditioning, but the heater and fan are in good working order. No electrical faults or mechanical faults have been detected.
The tyres still have around 90% of their tread remaining, having been fitted in late 2020 and subsequently only run at Noosa Hill and Leyburn Historics.

SERVICE HISTORY

As an active motorsport vehicle, this AE86 has been serviced after every event.
An end of season overhaul in 2020 saw an engine rebuild with new belts and tensioners, plus a crank, rods and pistons inspection. New ACL race bearings were fitted, and the main and big end bearing gaps were checked. The cylinder head was removed, clean and inspected, and a new Cometic MLS head gasket was fitted.
The gearbox was removed and clutch inspected, and all synchros were replaced. The differential crown and pinion gears were checked, and new oil was added.