Member Intro, AE95 Fanatic!

[SpeedyMcPeety]

Hi everyone!
I'm new here and am learning quite a lot since joining 30 min ago! I used to be all about my Mitsubishi mirage. Come to find out, that car sucks. I am an avid autocrosser, and I aspire to compete in local rallies, hill climbs, and chumpcar. I'm attending the local community college for automotive diagnostics. I also enjoy long walks on the beach... scratch that, I like driving fast. Lets Begin..

My Toyota obsession started simply: I was driving past a sketchy used car dealer every day for work, and kept seeing this lumpy red Toyota wagon. I saw it advertised for a reasonable price, and thought "good price, but i don't need it" 2 months later it was still there, so I went in and test drove it. seemed fairly typical car. went home and researched it, lo and behold! it was everything a quirky person needed in a car!
So I offered him a low number and it became mine. I purchased a Red 1992 Toyota All-Trac Wagon with 260000 MI. for $1000

Much research later, and I was ready to buy an engine swap... because nothing is better than taking a perfectly good engine out for something unpredictable. Searched craigslist, and a side impacted totaled Red AE92 GT-s with 90000 MI. with new JDM imported engine $600. Bam! paid for. Ripped engine out, and chop chop. saved all usable pieces. Engine is still waiting to go into AE95

I really liked the shape and low cost of the AE92 and always wanted a 1st gen prelude.... But Toyota is now life, and found myself browsing the craigslist for Non-totaled AE92 GT-S. Found a Good running example with minor body damage, again, low cost. Bought myself a Red 1988 Corolla GT-S with 250000 MI. and 6 milk crates of spares- $1000

So in 12 months I owned 3 identically red Toyota Corollas.

Since good and functional is never good enough I began plotting a rear AE86 Axle housing swap on the AE95. The kind folks at alltracwagon.net said it was possible, but it had never been done. I neeeeeeded disk brakes whatever the cost (ok I'm cheap this is budget) Again craigslist to the rescue. "Kouki axle housing $600" OK! SOLD! Got it home, and FRICK... LSD clutch members are no good, plus metal flake gear oil....that's ok I will buy a TRD unit! and a Weir Solid pinion spacer!

To keep this part short, I mounted the housing successfully! (Yay!) and get the axles in, and they are too small. WHy? because they are Zenki axles! I bought a Zenki housing! It was mis-advertised. I'm not mad.

In conclusion, my AE95 is on jacks and I'm waiting for Kouki axles to turn up.

I have tons of AE92 GT-S Parts available. I joined this board to learn more about the 4AGE, and to help research for upcoming projects. Although I love the AE86, I'm here for my passion for my lumpy space wagon and its amazing 4wd capabilities. I aspire to own an AE95 Junkyard someday

[oldeskewltoy]

Welcome.........


There are a few other things about the rear axle you may need/want to know. 1) I'm pretty sure the panhard bar is reversed in the AE95... so some welding required. 2) I'm also pretty sure the AE95 rear axle housing is narrower then the AE86 unit. Putting in a wider rear axle may adversely affect handling.... for most fwd/awd cars understeer, and wider rear axle may make that worse.

I own an AE95 sedan - aka Grunt

[SpeedyMcPeety]

Thanks for the info. I already switched the panhard bar. And that's good to know about the wider axle. I'm OK with it, seeing as its my daily driver that sees the occasional auto cross and canyon blast.

In regards to the panhard bar, I spent half a day trying to make the mount perfectly lined up on the other side. If I were to do it again, I would purchase an adjustable panhard bar, and eliminate a headache and a half. This would also be helpful in the future if I decide to raise or lower the vehicle.

Converting from drum to disk, I also am getting an adjustable proportioning valve and will try different settings.

[oldeskewltoy]

I thought of doing (rear brakes) what you are doing... but decided a set of Project Mu "performance" rear brake shoes would be more than enough. I've been running my car on the Project Mu brakes for about 4 years now. I will admit the Project Mu shoes were not cheap... front pads and rear brake shoes cost me about $250

One other thing you might check into... that the new rear axle has a matching final drive to the All-Trac's final drive for the front........

[SpeedyMcPeety]

Yes, swapped the ring and pinion over when I did the Weir Performance solid pinion spacer. ae95 diff ratio 2.929:1, ae86 gt-s diff ratio 4.300/1. **FOR THE RECORD!** COROLLA All-trac pinion gear WILL NOT FIT AE86 GT-S GEAR HOUSING!! It's too big. (that's what she said!) If anybody thinks "I want to use the all-trac pinion and ring set-up", they will have to use the corolla all-trac gear housing as well. (the thing that bolts onto the diff housing)
Ok, I've said my bit

[SpeedyMcPeety]

I hadn't thoroughly considered the project Mu shoes. Was there a considerable amount of increase in brake feel? Did it make the brakes feel more or less rear biased when you did it?

[oldeskewltoy]

I hadn't thoroughly considered the project Mu shoes. Was there a considerable amount of increase in brake feel? Did it make the brakes feel more or less rear biased when you did it?

I've not autcrossed my car... Brakes work quite well, between the bilsteins and the brakes it transformed my car into a fun little tosser.