Page 1: Introduction.
Page 2: Completed modifications.
Page 3: The 7AGE and its upgrade stages.
Page 4: Planned modifications.
Page 5: Build diary.
Page 6: Advice to platform owners and acknowledgements.
Executive summary: Much-loved, much-abused car. Huge overhaul in progress, and a surprising amount of major mods are already done that don't seem obvious just from looking at the outside. Engine theory and model advice are present, as well as an ongoing informal chronicle of changes.
I drive a 1996 Toyota Corolla DX. 'Jez', as I call her, or just 'horsie'. She's a work in progress. Eventually, I aim to turn her into a sort of Corolla GT--as comfortable on long trips as she's agile on the track. At 2500 pounds loaded and with the new engine and planned suspension upgrades, I think she'll be a force to reckon with.
Bear in mind she's got about 180,000 miles on her at this point--140,000+ of them mine since 1998--and is very much a 'working car'. Automatic car washes, long trips on gravelled roads, parked outside, washed and vacuumed relatively infrequently, she needs a detailing both inside and out, but I can tell stories about practically every little scratch and chip of the paint. The current engine is old and tired, and despite getting good compression on all cylinders (lowest being about 190) has questionable valve stem seals and almost-certainly-stuck oil control rings. The evaluation of additives to correct this is still underway--thus far nothing's helped and I continue to burn a quart every 700-1000 miles.
Nevertheless, carrying an overweight passenger and a week's worth of travel supplies and tools, she'll cruise at 75-80 all day long and give me 30-34 MPG. The current mileage record (with passenger and travel supplies) is 38.9 over ~10 gallons worth of travel.
She started life with me as a 1.8L 7AFE automatic with the sport package (spoiler, mudflaps, larger windshield washer tank), custom 14" 'Superior' Diablo wheels, and a 10-disc CD changer, vintage 1996...the same year Superior went out of business.
I aim to, as mentioned, turn her into something that would be what Toyota might have sold as the GT-S or XRS model. Reliability and performance are my absolute top priorities, and cost is secondary to those. As such, the complete overhaul (powertrain, chassis, interior, safety) will be tasteful, subdued, well-integrated, and preserve a mostly-stock appearance. The vanity touches for the exterior are mostly to lend just a touch of uniqueness and an overriding design theme of black/silver angularity. At first glance, it looks just a little like rice, but as you look closer...hmm. Cognoscenti may be able to detect that something is subtly out of place but very /right/. As for those who underestimate a Corolla...there's where the nasty surprises come in.
Anyway, here's where she started and by comparison how she looks now. Not a huge difference, most of the work is where it doesn't show.
End of introduction.
