Kiwi-Corolla

My latest additions - OEM metallic black stereo and driver's vent surrounds. These were only available in Japan for the late model facelift AE101 Corolla BZ Touring wagons from 1998-2001. They're not an overlay or sticker, but the effect is actually 'painted' onto the actual plastic, likely using a hydrographic printing process (the same process Toyota used to achieve the wood-grain effect on other models). I've wanted these for quite some time but it was only a couple of weeks ago that I had the chance to get my hands on a set in good condition. They were a direct swap with my existing flat black ones and look amazing in direct sunlight due to the metallic flecks underneath the clearcoat. They don't add functionality or anything like that, but it's the small details like this in the build which sometimes make the biggest difference :)

After running 110mm velocity stacks (trumpets) for almost 2-years I decided it was time to try a set of 100mm stacks instead, in an effort to gain more clearance between the clutch master cylinder and gain slightly more top-end power. So after a short wait these shiny new billet velocity stacks arrived from Australia, made by SQ Engineering. Let me start by saying that the build quality of these are AMAZING. They're machined from a single piece of aluminum alloy and this set is designed especially for the 20v Blacktop. For anyone who'd like to watch a set getting made (50mm shown in the video) check out this YouTube video: I now have more clearance between the #1 stack and the clutch master cylinder, the sound they emit doesn't sound so raspy like my old ones due to the much thicker alloy construction (spun vs billet) and the pull from 6,000rpm-8,500rpm is noticeable stronger than my previous 110's. You sacrifice a little bit of earlier/low-end power due to being 10mm shorter in length, but it more than makes up for it in the top-end. As an added bonus, these new stacks are incredibly shiny and resist scratches and fingerprints really well. If anybody wants a set, contact SQ Engineering on Facebook or through the website as they do a number of different sizes for both the Silvertop & Blacktop engines, and also offer an equally impressive spun/rolled type for slightly less $$$.

Cheers guys :). The GT interior is hard to get anywhere to be honest, lol, but I have shipped complete sets overseas before so if anyone needs anything just let me know ;) I just finished installing these pillow ball spherical bearings into the stock shifter cables and after a road test, the difference is very noticeable. Previously the gears used to slop into place due to the factory rubber bushings, but now the gears have a much tighter feeling, clicking into place during each shift. The benefit of using spherical bearings over solid brass bushings or skateboard bearings is that the natural twist of the cable as it's going through the range of motion isn't lost, so you get the same effect as the solid bushings except without any of the additional effort required to change gears. Earlier today I also removed the original rubber shifter base bushings from inside the car, along with the metal sleeves, and bolted the shifter housing directly to the floor. This also gave the gears more of a "snik-snik" feeling, with no more mushiness at the end of each shift or when hitting the shift gate to go into 1st or 2nd. As a result of both modifications there is no longer a squishy, sloppy, floaty feeling when changing gears, but instead something that really makes you feel more connected to the car and improves the overall driving experience :)

I didn't have a whole lot to do today so when I realized that it had been 3-years since I had taken some actual interior photos I decided to whip out my camera and post a much needed update. It was quite tricky getting even lighting inside the cabin, without the use of any studio lighting etc, but these photos didn't come out too bad :)

^ Damn, that's awesome man! Completely opposite direction to each other but that's definitely badass :thumbsup:

I took the sedan for a bit of a drive today, before stopping off for a few obligatory photos on the way home:

Haha yeah, definitely give it a shot. Just make sure it's an electric leaf blower and not a petrol one, as the petrol type usually vent their exhaust out the front so unless you want oily vapor all over your paint it's best to stick with the electric type ;). When I used the leaf blower the other day I hadn't waxed the car in about 4-months so the water didn't glide straight off but it was still nice and easy. I spent 3-hours yesterday polishing and waxing the car and now the water gets blown straight off, essentially making a quick job even quicker :D Here's a video of someone on YouTube doing the exact same thing:

Cheers! That's my daily driver when it's raining, which is almost every day at the moment, lol.

A few small updates from me: I installed these aftermarket Denso Japanese "J Horn Power'd" horns. Here's a video/sound clip comparing them to my original OEM dual horns: http://vid32.photobucket.com/albums/d2/tokeitup/tokeitup180/MyMovie.mp4 These Rays wheel nuts turned up yesterday from Japan: Annnnd I bought a leaf blower to dry the cars after washing. Turns a half hour job into a 5-minute job and gets into all of the cracks and crevices, leaving the car bone dry. Wish I had started doing it years ago!

Thanks mate. Yeah I'm really happy that the engine number is on there. Saves any questions about it being different from the manufacturer's plate on the firewall. Yep, I can swap 20v's until the cows come home and it'll still be legal :D (providing it's a 20v of course, lol).

I got my car certified last week and it's now 100% legal :D. You only have to get a cert done if you install coilovers or do an engine swap etc, so when I had mine done I got the engine, coilovers, brakes and a couple of other things put on the cert plate to avoid any trouble with the cops in the future. I also scored a genuine TRD fuel cap yesterday. I've always wanted one but had other things to spend money on for the car instead, so when I managed to get my hands on this one for free I was pretty happy:

I'm very proud to announce that my Corolla is featured in the 'Daily Driven' section of this month's NZ Performance Car magazine :D. It's available in stores nationwide here in New Zealand and read by hundreds of thousands of people, so when I saw that it had come out a day early yesterday I immediately bought two copies. I've scanned the page and uploaded it below. The quality isn't 100% due to the scanner but still easily readable. To view it, simply click on the image below and press the zoom button (magnifying glass symbol) in the bottom right hand corner and then once more when the image pops up:

Thanks! :) I recently bought a Dual Action polisher and decided to test it out yesterday by giving the Corolla a good polish. I used Meguiar's Ultimate Polish, followed by Meguiar's Deep Crystal Carnauba Wax. Took a couple of hours from start to finish but I was very happy with the result :)

I had the swap professionally done but it was very straight forward. The engine essentially bolted straight in and the wiring didn't take much effort with the use of an AE101 BZ Touring engine loom (same dashboard layout etc as my sedan so was plug-and-play). :D I got these "Slammed Corolla" stickers in the mail from Iceland today, so I was quick to slap them on: I also snapped this photo yesterday:

Yeah, surely it's getting to the stage where they pay ME for a ride.

My latest addition is this rather rare USDM carpeted trunk lid liner. This was only available for the American market, so being the huge fan of factory options/accessories that I am I just had to have it, even if it wasn't an original JDM item. A good friend in the US kindly sent it over to me and I installed it a few minutes ago. The bare skin of the trunk lid is no longer visible, creating a more elegant and luxurious look, usually reserved for higher spec'ed cars such as the Lexus range. One unexpected bonus is that the trunk now closes easily on it's own when you drop it from the top due to the extra weight of the carpet, whereas previously it would require a helping hand to latch in properly. It's certainly not the most exciting optional extra in my collection, but it's simple and effective, just how I like it :)

After not being happy with my initial 'TWIN CAM 20' sticker placement a few weeks ago I decided to give it another crack when some more arrived from overseas. It took me a week to decide on the most appropriate placement, and in the end I came to the conclusion that they'd look good on the sideskirts. It's a little bit out of the ordinary, but I like it much better than when they were on the rear doors.

I took advantage of the public holiday here and the overcast weather and went out to take some more photos:

Thanks a lot mate. It's one thing to build this car to a standard that I'm happy with, but it's another thing to hear that others can appreciate the time and effort that has gone into it aswell, so I'd like to thank you for your comment as it does mean a lot. This build has been difference since day 1, and the continued support from guys like you is invaluable :happy:

A few small updates from the past few days: * I had the timing belt, water pump + rear hose, VVT pulley, tensioner, idler pulley and both drive belts replaced on Friday. The timing belt had been done in the past but when I got the engine there was nothing more than a faint outline of where the sticker used to be on the cam cover, so rather than lose sleep at night I decided to get it replaced and did the VVT pulley at the same time (no more rattly diesel noise at idle!). It was a pretty pricey exercise but for the peace of mind alone it was definitely worth it. * On Friday I fitted some 'TWINCAM 20' stickers that arrived from Australia. After putting them on I immediately regretted not putting them up a little bit higher, so being as fussy as I am, I ordered some more and will have another crack at it once they arrive. All in all I definitely like the look though. * Last but not least, today I installed a Pivot Speed Meter. This little device gets hooked up to the ECU's speed signal to remove the factory speed limiter and digitally displays your current speed, with the ability to measure the G-force under acceleration/deceleration and your 1/4 mile time.

Thanks! :) My latest addition are these sweet looking velocity stack stickers I got sent over from Australia. I find they give the car a little bit more character and are a subtle way of indicating what's under the hood:

Thanks a lot guys! Makes me wonder why I hadn't done something like this sooner! Haha. I went for a bit of a photoshoot a few hours ago. Been really enjoying these wheels since I got them a couple of days ago so thought I'd take some decent photos:

I fitted some new wheels yesterday. They're 16x8, 15p offset, 3" chrome lip with gunmetal spokes, slight stretch with 195/45 tires and sit flush as f*ck with the aid of some front and rear camber adjustment. Loving the new look :)

Thanks a lot for the compliments guys. Much appreciated! :D Here's a few shots from a quick shoot I did today:

A couple of small updates on the sedan - I fitted this a roof spoiler and a larger ducktail spoiler a couple of days ago. They're both quite subtle enhancements but seems to work well with the rest of the lip kit: