[BUILD THREAD] My AE86 Corolla GT-S Hatchback.

[brawler]

The Wheel Debate


Would love to know what The Forum thinks on my Top Wheel picks.

Funnily enough, I was talking smack about black wheels, but the conclusion I came to was that I just don't like MY black wheels.
Let's go over the picks:

1) Advan TC4. Classic, clean.. Note that the one equipped to the car is black, but they come in a gunmetal color, which is what I would go with. Very simple look.

2) The RPF1, the "Baby's first REAL wheel". Super basic, super common, but super affordable. Look, they are normie as fuck. But also, so timeless. Looks good on everything, and the bright silver color would look nice against my car's darker silver, for sure. But.. it's so basic.. My inner desire to "be above it" has a bias against it, but when I see how much they cost, I don't mind as much. (like, they are seriously so much cheaper than the other two haha)

3) The TE37.. Almost as basic, and normie as the RPF1, looks good on everything like the RPF1, but quadruple the price! The sign of a "big spender". Well, I thought the same, they were not even close to my list of picks, until I saw the price of them direct from the factory (using the yen exchange to my advantage.. Suddenly, they were the same price as the TC4. I always liked them on the S-chassic. I think everyone does. And although they look black, they are actually a deep metallic gray. I wish they were lighter, but damn, they look good.

I am seriously split. Look, these aren't my dream wheels by any means, but I would still like to get something that's more my style, even if for the time being (realistically, for the next few years). If spending a bit more means having a car I drool over even more, I am game for it.

What do you guys think?

(also, I was going to post another big update with the car, but I had some shipping delays, so it will have to wait. hopefully soon!)​

 

[kevin supermarket]

the TE37 calls my name on first glance -- something about the shape and color is really doing it for me, though hearing the price comparison is definitely a bit gutting. last thing you wanna do is go blowing a bunch of cash on something you're not sure will do it for you in the long run.

checking back on your car, i could see why a lighter color would be the move for you, which causes me to lean more to the TC4. the RPF1 in any case stands out a lot in terms of color, and personally i'm more attracted to the darker contrast that the other two provide. the TC4, at the very least, has that silver edge around that helps separate it more from the tire.

though, it's probably best you get the opinion of someone who actually knows half a damn thing about cars, so i won't try to dig much further into the reasoning as all i could say is "color + shape = good" lmao. i think the TE37 would still be my pick!

 

[Lesdeux]

Gunmetal TC4's might be the move, not gonna lie. Though if they are only temporary, on a cursory view right now--no telling what the market will do in a few years--it looks like the TE37's are selling for more used. You could, in theory, recoup more once you finally go for the dream wheels. Especially if you are getting them for around the same price as the TC4's. Hell, you might even make money on 'em.

Always good to save money though, toughing out the RPF1's basic factor for a few years to not bet on the market and saving a chunk of change wouldn't be too bad. Especially if that means you can get the wheels you truly want faster.

 

[KeplerElectronics]

I'm also "not a car guy" in the sense that I have no idea what is going on in the subculture, but dang do the TE37s look nice. I think something about the six spokes (are they still called spokes on car tires?) feels more balanced to me than the five of the TC4. but after taking a closer look at your Nissan, I definitely think the RPF1s would look really nice with the darker paint like you said.

Honestly all of the wheels would look pretty nice on your car, you have a really nice setup already. If price were equal on all of them, then the TE37s would be my pick (especially since it seems like importing them would be more affordable than normal at the moment).

Curious what your dream wheels are and how they differ from these (design, performance, some third thing?)

 

[brawler]

the TE37 calls my name on first glance -- something about the shape and color is really doing it for me, though hearing the price comparison is definitely a bit gutting. last thing you wanna do is go blowing a bunch of cash on something you're not sure will do it for you in the long run.

checking back on your car, i could see why a lighter color would be the move for you, which causes me to lean more to the TC4. the RPF1 in any case stands out a lot in terms of color, and personally i'm more attracted to the darker contrast that the other two provide. the TC4, at the very least, has that silver edge around that helps separate it more from the tire.

though, it's probably best you get the opinion of someone who actually knows half a damn thing about cars, so i won't try to dig much further into the reasoning as all i could say is "color + shape = good" lmao. i think the TE37 would still be my pick!

Color + Shape = Good is usually the formula most car guys go for-- sure some care about performance, but like.. even then we all want dope ass wheels hahaha. It's valid to base your tastes on pure vibes. After seeing the dark TE's, I was like.. Woah, was I wrong about black wheels? I thought they just looked bad, period. Now I don't know.. The TE's look so good. And I can always throw them on my other car (not the AE86, but my white S13) if I want to keep them, but want something else on this S15!

 

[brawler]

Gunmetal TC4's might be the move, not gonna lie. Though if they are only temporary, on a cursory view right now--no telling what the market will do in a few years--it looks like the TE37's are selling for more used. You could, in theory, recoup more once you finally go for the dream wheels. Especially if you are getting them for around the same price as the TC4's. Hell, you might even make money on 'em.

Always good to save money though, toughing out the RPF1's basic factor for a few years to not bet on the market and saving a chunk of change wouldn't be too bad. Especially if that means you can get the wheels you truly want faster.

Saving money is good, true! But you are right, the TE37 market is pretty much unchanging. The most sought after sets, dubbed TE37 OG's (the original style for the wheels, which is slightly different, and came in some colors not available anymore), still hold their value at 4-6k, despite looking nearly identical to today's options.

There definitely is the benefit to being able to recoup most of the costs when the time comes to let them go, if that ever needs to happen. TC4's haven't really struck the used market the same from what I've seen, and I doubt it will happen since Advan tends to produce their wheels for long periods of time.

But.. the gunmetal on the TC4 is so nice.. tough choices abound.

 

[brawler]

I'm also "not a car guy" in the sense that I have no idea what is going on in the subculture, but dang do the TE37s look nice. I think something about the six spokes (are they still called spokes on car tires?) feels more balanced to me than the five of the TC4. but after taking a closer look at your Nissan, I definitely think the RPF1s would look really nice with the darker paint like you said.

Honestly all of the wheels would look pretty nice on your car, you have a really nice setup already. If price were equal on all of them, then the TE37s would be my pick (especially since it seems like importing them would be more affordable than normal at the moment).

Curious what your dream wheels are and how they differ from these (design, performance, some third thing?)

TE37's really do have a wow factor no matter what. It makes sense why people dub it "God's Wheel" in the scene, you can throw it on any car and it looks fantastic. Prius, Mustang, Hilux.. All become very cool! And yes, they are called spokes still! I do agree with the balance, I think that's why I am so washy on the TC4's, I wish the spokes were thicker (like Nismo LMGT4's, which cost .. a ridiculous amount of money..)

My dream wheels are Volk GT-C's! I care about style first, performance does not matter to me. I just want swag.

When I got into cars originally, it was during the early 2000s import scene. This was THE wheel to have. I think it encapsulates the coolness of that era perfectly. It still has that aura to me. I hope one day to have a VERTEX body kit on my car and rock these wheels. Cars don't get much cooler than that, to me!! (not true, I am being dramatic, the coolest a car can be is honestly a CLK GTR)​

 

[Lesdeux]

Fuck it, I'm on that full send of the TE37's. Life's too short to not get some of that good shit. Solid investment on top of the pristine look. Hard to beat out. RIP Gunmetal TC4's, perhaps in another life.

My dream wheels are Volk GT-C's! I care about style first, performance does not matter to me. I just want swag.​

GOATED CHOICE

 

[KeplerElectronics]

TE37's really do have a wow factor no matter what. It makes sense why people dub it "God's Wheel" in the scene, you can throw it on any car and it looks fantastic. Prius, Mustang, Hilux.. All become very cool! And yes, they are called spokes still! I do agree with the balance, I think that's why I am so washy on the TC4's, I wish the spokes were thicker (like Nismo LMGT4's, which cost .. a ridiculous amount of money..)

My dream wheels are Volk GT-C's! I care about style first, performance does not matter to me. I just want swag.

​

lol I just looked up a picture of the TE37's on a prius and they really do add like +10 style.

Also those GT-C's slap, I can see why they're so prized, something about the thicker spokes makes me prefer it over the TC4, I was wondering earlier if I just didn't like five spoke wheels, but the GTC's proved me wrong.

 

[brawler]

--- Chapter 8: Getting up to Par ---

The one problem I've had with this car since I have bought it (and one that I became intimate with over the road trip and ownership hours) is the completely blown out suspension in the S15. The dampers have zero fluid in them, leaving the springs and 25-year-old bushings to try and absorb all the road feel. Honestly, I opt to drive any other car when I need to go out because of how god awful and straight up dangerous it feels to drive this thing. It rattles, bounces indefinitely, and can't keep straight due to it's lack of shock absorption. So, just like the AE86, coilovers became a priority.

I decided to only get the best of the best for this car: HKS coilovers. I've always wanted a set, but never had a car that they offered suspension for.. Until now. The USA prices for these are pretty absurd, but some US dealers of them actually matched the Japan price (including that favorable exchange rate). I went through Evasive Motorsports, fantastic customer service and speedy turnaround time. Definitely recommend.

Hovercraft Mode, engaged.


Yeah, the old ones were beyond blown out. Excuse the garage, still moving in and it's pretty low on my priorities. Also, previous owner at some point equipped it with RS*R lowering springs. No wonder the ride was so bouncy!

Can you tell which ones are the new ones?
The install was a pain in the ass; it wouldn't have been, but the previous owner installed speaker pods in the rear which required a lot of workarounds. Fronts took like five minutes, though.

Once done, torque'd it all down, and set the car on the ground. I did not adjust the height at all, just used the factory preset height recommended by HKS.

To say the problem is fixed is an understatement. The car feels brand new. Listen, the bushings still need work, but you would never be able to tell. This car feels incredible. I've never, ever had coilovers that feel like this. It is comfy, it is stiff, it is sharp; coilovers tend to lean real hard into the stiffer, racier feel, which is fine and all but it gets real annoying. This is luxury, while retaining all the pros of having suspension like this. I love driving this car. It finally drives as good as it looks.

Speaking of looks, it was time to get serious about wheels. I might've mentioned before, but wheel sizes on these cars get real finnicky. There is not a lot of clearance. The info out there really is all over the place, so it's hard to get a solid answer, and a lot of car guys gatekeep their specs. But once S15 I had seen online, and liked quite a lot, was youtuber Jimmy Oake's S15. I don't care much for his content but the guy has some decent cars.

Jimmy Oake's S15 Spec R on bronze TE37:

But a guy of that size, would he respond? I shot a DM. Within like a minute:

Shoutout to him, man. The gesture means a lot to me. Coincidentally, that same night, I might have found exactly what I was looking for. If anything, beyond my expectations.

A week and a half later, my impulse purchase arrived!

Authentic.. OG TE37's, in 18x9.5+22. I know, on my previous post about wheels, I mentioned how expensive OG's can be. But late night Yahoo Japan Auctions really came in clutch. All I will say is I got these for an absolute steal. I cannot believe it.

They were resprayed white at some point, but were originally bronze. The white with blue stickers, my bud and I have always called "Dolphin Spec." Anyways, I saw someone with a similar situation on their TE's use paint stripper and the bronze was just fine underneath (due to the fact that the bronze is like.. powdercoat or something, probably). So, I'll run the white with some new tires, and when the tires need to be replaced, I'll get the bronze out. Two looks, for the cost of one set of wheels! Also need to get some replacement stickers, for sure.

I will probably wait awhile before mounting these, since I just got new tires on the current wheels when I took my road trip, and since they are 17's, I can't transfer em onto these. That's fine, I need to save money, so forcing myself into standby on these will be a net positive.

So, there's the update. It might look the same, but trust me, it is a whole new machine. I am so happy with it.

I also have another pile of parts coming in, but that will be a story for the next post. Mostly just preventative maintenance, some extra handling goodies, and more grail parts. Stuff that I ordered months ago that is just arriving. Once all those are on, and a few things that are set to arrive next Spring, I think the car will be nearing it's completion, at least for this stage!
_____
Thank you for reading!

 

[Lesdeux]

Fuck dude you got some tight shit going on in this update. Those coilovers look immaculate, and I can't wait to see them OGs on there. The white is gonna bang for sure, but I really wanna see the bronze. In my head it feels like it's gonna be a killer gradient from the silver of the body to the bronze.

You're livin' my dream right now! I've been wanting an S15 ever since I'd go over to a friend's house back in 08 to play NFS: ProStreet. Many hours wasted in those drift events when I was a kid

 

[KeplerElectronics]

Awesome seeing the S15 get back to a drivable state, and it's always fun reading these posts ^_^

 

[brawler]

Fuck dude you got some tight shit going on in this update. Those coilovers look immaculate, and I can't wait to see them OGs on there. The white is gonna bang for sure, but I really wanna see the bronze. In my head it feels like it's gonna be a killer gradient from the silver of the body to the bronze.

You're livin' my dream right now! I've been wanting an S15 ever since I'd go over to a friend's house back in 08 to play NFS: ProStreet. Many hours wasted in those drift events when I was a kid

The future is bright either way!

Coincidentally, NFS Pro Street was the same game that made me obsessed with the S15 as well! I always liked em ever since I saw the HKS one from D1GP USA 2005, but it didn't click for me until I had one in Pro Street!

 

[brawler]

Awesome seeing the S15 get back to a drivable state, and it's always fun reading these posts ^_^

it's just as fun to make em! :D

 

[brawler]

--- Chapter 9: Deja Vu. ---

well, it sure has been awhile. Been astronomically busy. been daily driving the S15, no issues at all. it hasn't changed at all since we last talked here. still haven't put my wheels on. too lazy. its a fantastic car, so reliable and easy to work on.

but the voices.. aoughhh the voices...
"work on the 86... fix me, fix me..."

but if you forgot, let's touch base on the status of The 86.
yes, it runs. yes, i made the interior really fuckin nice. BUT:
- twisted/rotted frame
- crumpled quarters
- did i mention the frame its really bad
- core support and front frame rails are jacked up
- rusted out trunk

although everything i did to the car is great, the foundation is bad. its nonsaveable (for my budget).

as stated prior, i was going to sell it. but, maybe its worth doing the whole thing.. one more time.

--- THE VESSEL (AE86 #4) ---

Jose, a familiar name in this thread, hit me up two days ago. he sent me an 86 he found on instagram, being sold by the guy I bought my drivers door + whole black interior off of.

it was a GT-S hatchback. and it looked.. really good (for an 86). no accidents, no dents, no rust, clean title. Sunroof model (i prefer my slicktop but whatever!) i messaged the guy, went down to check it out, and made a deal. even got him to deliver it to me. last registered in 2005, no idea how many miles it had. doesn't matter.


the catch? it's a shell. it has been stripped down to a rolling chassis. it has NOTHING!

but good thing I have the perfect donor vehicle. one that has EVERYTHING besides a good body.

this will be my biggest project yet, but after almost going through my other 86 from the ground up, i have full confidence in seeing this through. i can really do it my way, like this. all the bullshit the other owner did, all the things i was stuck with, i can change myself. get this car to a point i am really proud of.



you can see just how low i made my other one hahaha. you already knoww this one is gonna be slammed when i'm done with it. its so sick.

crazy, both these 86's, i only ended up with because of Jose. shoutout jose man. day1.

---

so, looks like the 86 thread will start picking up again pretty soon.
stay tuned. thanks for reading. i leave you with this epic 86 video so we can all be motivated together.

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxI9kQhfiPwEx5d_emrzPjhHu6hvnpyaHT?si=UeIwTLL7hxIdEc9_

HEY MEN!!

 

[Andrew]

WE ARE SO BACK

 

[Bylt]

Jose is such a homie lmao what a perfect find. Really excited to see your work on both these projects you're really out here building peoples dream garages. Good luck on the plug and play 86!

 

[brawler]

--- Chapter 10: The Fun Part ---

so, it's time to do the most expensive, most fun part of a build. the parts-gathering phase. hunting down trinkets for the trinket collection. truth be told, i was planning on holding off on this for a bit while i got the garage to operating condition. i was just going to plan what route to take this build before committing, although, i had a few set-in-stone ideas already...

you see, my previous 86 (the now-donor) vehicle, has been in a hefty accident in it's previous life. i've mentioned it before! and that means, the rear end solid rear axle setup is pretty warped and mangled.

so, eventually, i was planning on sourcing a clean GT-S, late model rear housing (of course, earlier ones won't work, and SR-5 model ones won't either. very narrow pool of pickings). then, order up some fresh, reinforced Panic-made rear axles, fresh bearings, and a nice aftermarket LSD. it would be pricey, and i would need to assemble it, but eventually, that was the plan.


... oh.

well, sometimes these things happen sooner than planned. the guy who sold me the shell is an 86 flipper. he just picked up another car to part out, and wouldn't you know it, it had the exact same setup i was going to do (except i'd do it in pieces). and also with some extra goodies...

specs:
late model GT-S rear end
fresh tabs, accident free
panic made reinforced rear axles with all gaskets, seals, and bearings brand new
brand new OEM brake calipers
Tomei 1.5way LSD

and a completely fresh driveshaft.


and with that purchased, i'm going to.. slow down for a bit, for now. hahaha..


also i finally installed lights in my garage. hooray!

---
next post will probably be weighing my options for paint colors, a little bit of history on ae86 icons, and asking you, the forum, what color you'd pick... stay tuned

 

[brawler]

--- Chapter 10-2: Paint Picking ---

(i do a lot of gushing in this post)
maybe harder than the build itself, is choosing a color. it's something you're gonna have to live with forever, once committed (unless idk you have unlimited money). so it's important to get it right the first time.

now, i might be overthinking it a bit, but let's talk it out. a chance for you guys to learn something, a chance for me to get it out of my system. first, let's discuss what this build is supposed to be.

the perfect ae86, to me, is one that isn't .. perfect. i don't like spotless, every-nut-and-bolt restored corollas. of course, the beautiful show builds that exist are great to look at, but to me, its corny. something about building a corolla, just to park it and brag about parts? woof. these cars have great driving dynamics, a peppy engine, and (at one point) were just cheap shitboxes. stop caring. these things are meant to be driven. fuck the resale value. its a corolla.

of course, just because its a drivers car, does not mean it should look shitty. i'm just saying, make it look nice, but drive it. you got all those nice parts? use them! don't care about the scrapes, the rock chips. take it to the track! we only have so much time on this planet, are you really gonna spend it just looking at a car you built? my main goal with this shell is yes, to clean it up, flex my skills, but most importantly, to find the perfect balance between that and making a reliable drivers car. A very Gran Turismo mindset, lol. to do that, let's evaluate some colors, what they mean to me, and the cars i'm inspired by. (this might be a long post)

Color #1: 041 Toyota White (Or Super White)

The color that I painted the previous shell. Basic, isn't it? Maybe too safe? But, at the same time, my previous shell does look really good with it.. But to me, it's more than that. It's legacy. It's pure. One of the most iconic 86's shared the same scheme. White, black bumpers, no panda stripes..

(image via scruboffgarage)
Keiichi Tsuchiya's personal 86 is a prime example of a drivers car. Despite looking this good, he drives it hard. Decades worth of videos exist of this car being thrown around without any hesitation. They even document it's first full overhaul, repairing the bare chassis, strengthening it, putting it all back together with premium TRD parts.. couldn't have been cheap! and despite that, it still got driven just as hard, then overhauled again by Tec Arts! Then straight back to driving it hard!

It looks so refined, so tame, but still the perfect amount of edge peaks on through with the TRD spoiler, DoriDori wheels, and carbon hood. And nowhere does he sacrifice the comforts. Still full interior, reclining bucket seats, etc.

It gets a bit more loud with the current spec, featuring a green carbon hood and Work CR-01's (although im partial to the previous iteration more).
Painting mine white makes me want to do my best in carrying on this way of 86.

But most 86's are already white, or repainted white..

Color #2: 204 Toyota Black

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a black 86 is edgy, hot-roddy, aggressive. It feels like a blade. One of the most well-known 86 drivers had a black car; something about the angular lines with this color just looks mean. I mentioned him earlier in this thread: it's Ueo Katsuhiro.

This car is so sick. It's the reason why I have the wheels I do, after all. Ueo's driving + this car's aura, of course I want a piece of that. Stock body, Goodline Front Bumper and hood, deep wheels. Then drive the absolute piss out of it.

Then the Team Tekno guys come around and do their take on it, and it's just as cool!

It would really represent the kind of car I would've wanted to build back in the tumblr era (and also the kind of car i already had reposted all over my blog).
Only draw back? Black cars show dirt and dust so easily. Lot's of upkeep required to keep a black car looking good. It would be fun to have a polar opposite color though compared to the previous one..

Color #3: Rootbeer Brown

Another one from the 86 legends of the past: Imamura's brown AE86. (also loving Taniguchi's S15 here)

This car really is a bit elevated, to me. Nothing quite like it. Another real hot rod of an 86, driven to it's limits. Would be fun to commit to this color and having that stands out a bit more, especially in the sea of silver, white, and black cars these days.

I don't have too much to say, just admire it. This color looks so cool man, especially with the gold tinted Dori Dori wheels and redline taillights. So aggressive. Nothing subtle about this car.
Hell, even toning the color down into a greyish brown could be cool. Make sure it shines more when lights on it, type of thing.

But would I want it to be this color forever..?

Color #4: The Two-Tones

bunching these together to save space. If you've watched Initial D, you'll know the AE86 came in a two-toned, full white/black scheme. But, there are others! I imagine this would be difficult for most USA shops to replicate, so I am not too keen on these colors, but they are nice, and they are on my list.

High Sonic Toning (or reverse-panda):

USDM Light/Dark Blue:

UKDM Light/Dark Grey:

Ueo D1GP 2004 AE86 Cream/Warm Grey:

(underneath all the vinyl, of course)

that wraps up that. Sorry if you're only here to see the progress. But i can't progress until I figure out paint!!! Curious to see everyone's takes here. So many choices..

---
thanks for reading this post where i just gush about these cars. i could say a lot more, but i'm sure as we get deeper into the build, it will come out naturally.
i leave you with this footage of Keiichi Tsuchiya taking his AE86 through Gunsai.

 

[kevin supermarket]

for solid colors, i'd put my vote on black. i really love the unified color across the whole body, really making it look like something worth showing off. and from what i gather, that's partially your intent! ride it and be proud!

for mixed on the other hand, assuming it's possible, the UKDM light/dark gray just calls to me. i dunno if it's because i get BTTF vibes from it, or just because that color mix on this shape of a car simply feels right, but that's gotta be my top choice for sure. the High Sonic Toning also looks quite slick, but i'm not 100% sure the image provided there does it enough justice. i'd probably have to see a bit more of it to be confident in that as a vote

also holy shit i've never seen someone drift an AE86 before. i really know nothing about cars