AE86 Race Car

This is something I have wanted to do for some time now. I have made minute steps in the direction before, but for one reason or another, a different path was chosen. When I purchased the Civic Type R, the initial plan was to keep it as a road car, but after driving it and realizing how potent a platform it was, I decided to create a race car out of my little rev-happy machine. It was stripped of its unnecessary interior items, leaving only the bare essentials and plans were made to install a roll cage. The End!

Mandeville

I grew up driving a rear wheel drive car. I lived in Mandeville briefly and I think that was where I fell in love with the old school Toyotas and Ford Escorts. I would marvel each time a low ‘clean’ Starlet or Escort, sitting on the coolest rims in any catalogue – Panasport – would roll by. The gurgling engine note, stimulated by Webber carbs, would leave me in a trance. I can still see me reacting each time one of those machines drove by. Mandeville was an eye opener. Some of the best days of my life!

Despite being a fun car, the Type R left me wanting more. There were things I wanted to do, a drift here or there, a few donuts (360) for hungry spectators and things of that nature that I got accustomed to when I had a Nissan Skyline GTS-T. Essentially as the thoughts got organized and gained momentum the decision became clear. Any race car being built, should be able to cater to all the beasts within.

With a new purpose in mind, my Type R got a new home and I adopted an icon – an AE86. Step 1 in the build has began. It is now tucked in a space at Raj’s workshop awaiting its roll cage. This is the introduction.

Cecil Munroe Gleaner Online Writer