Builds: The 86-X Project Part One – The Big Day
Four years ago, I was working 9 to 5 as a graphic designer. I had always wondered what it was like to chase my dream, and one day I found myself putting everything else behind and putting the little that I had left into this disease called drifting. In hindsight, it has allowed me to garner some incredible memories with some of my best friends. It’s been a rollercoaster ride, as I have had to learn new skills and fill quite a few new roles.
Today, I am proud to say that one of these roles is to manage the Speedhunters Toyota 86-X project.
This particular car is the first new 86 to arrive in Norway, and it came here less than a week ago. It was driven as a press car from Barcelona to the Nürburgring, before coming all the way up to the Toyota Norway headquarters in Drammen, Norway.
The Autofil Magazine journalists that drove the car gave it top verdicts. I am not surprised – if I was still working my proper job as a graphics designer, this is the kind of car I would want to drive too.
When I got my license and started driving, I was a BMW guy, and my first drift car was an E30 with a straight six E36 M3 engine. I loved that car. It was a light and real basic racer.
But cars like that had already been a dying breed for many years. At some point, car manufacturers just stopped making basic driver’s cars!
It had all turned into luxury barges that was crammed full of crocodile leather and increasing amount of driving aids and features.
So when the first reviews of the GT86/FRS came out, one of my closest friends sent me a link to an analysis of the new Toyota sports car. The article basically stated that the 86/FRS is the new E30: It’s a true drivers car, built very light and with decent power, and sold at an affordable price.
I totally agree with that statement. And after having driven the car a couple of times now, I really think this car is God’s gift to the future club racers.
You could think that it’s given that I would hype this car, but it’s actually saimpler than that: It’s just very easy to be a Toyota ambassador when you’re working with a car as fun as the new Hachiroku.
And now, we will take on the project of turning this little buddy into a purpose built drift machine. After having worked to make this project happen for two and a half years, the last six months have been filled with proposals, planning, emails and talks. I have REALLY been looking forward to the day where we would actually receive the base car.
So, the same day that I flew back home to Norway from Formula Drift Palm Beach, I brought photographer Camilla and editor Rune of the Gatebil Magazine along to meet Toyota Norway PR Manager Espen Olsen for a quick photo session. This was when the keys to a certain car would be handed over.
Although this has been a work in progress for months now, today marks the day where the stopwatch starts ticking. We have just over a month before the car has to be race ready for three days of straight carnage at Gatebil Rudskogen. Several of my friends, partners and sponsors are helping out in different ways, and together we make up the team that will transform this car into our 2JZ powered weapon of choice.
For instance, students from our local automotive high school Ås Videregående Skole will help prepare and paint the finished car. This is the cheer they give you when you feed them ice cream. It’s so inspiring working with these guys!
But I also consider all of you Speedhunters readers part of the team as well. You have a tremendous amount of knowledge and plenty of view points that we would definitely like to hear about, so please feel free to chime in as we move forward with the project.
We want your opinions on everything from color choices, via the technical aspects of the build, and all the way to what you think of how it is being put to use. What do you want to see us do with the car?
To me, the fact that we are about to grab an angle grinder and cut open this pretty little thing, is an incredible sign of trust from Toyota Norway. This is their baby as much as it is ours.
But perhaps most of all, this project is a sign of how far drifting has come in Europe. Being one of the first European drifters to actually be involved with a car manufacturer for a new model release is a big step for the sport, and I hope our 86-X project can inspire other international drifting ventures.
There’s a lot of talent out there, and drifting is here to stay!
Now, let’s see if we can get this buddy a little more rowdy. The teardown starts today.
- Fredric
http://www.facebook.com/OfficialFredricAasbo
Photos by Camilla Smistad Tofterå (http://www.camillast.com)
Render by Michael Creighton (http://www.rampantrenders.com)
The Speedhunters Toyota 86-X project is made possible thanks to the support from our partners:
Well, I'm not interested in this project anymore. There's plenty of 86 drift cars out there already, (one with a 2jz) but not one unlimited track car... guess it's easier to throw a 2jz in it and call it a day than actually working with the base design of balance.
something i noticed the gt 86, and the frs have different rear lights....on the frs the tilted down and on the 86 there straight
Rey1164 The GT-86/86 also gets fog lights and a different grill to the fr-s
get a rotor
so uhh if your gonna drop a 2jz you uhhh .. you wanna throw that boxer my way ... :)
no the 86 is not the new e30 its just a new chapter in the legend of the AE86
YOU GOT SPONSORED BY ROCKET BUNNY??!!!?!?!?!?!?! I can't wait to see what godly creations they can chisel from marble for this car.
Are you going to retain the stock rearend or will that be a supra item?
Would a boxer engine project be a future prospect?
Knowing ill get flamed for this one but ive allways hated the exhaust sound of the tuned 2jz, sounds like a freakin nissan patrol..
Individual throttle bodies!
2JZ swap, I dont think anyone has done it yet with the new 86.
I do remember seeing a car i JApan beeing made ready for this
Supra
uras are doing one, except they are moving the engine further back into the firewall, sort of like the driftworks s15
I'm jealous ... i've never even seen this car in the flesh :-) ... .
Norway car ??? Why does it have Belgian number plates?
this thing is gonna look sick!!!!
keep us posted!
I love that GT86 badge !
One thing I'm surprised about Fredric is that you aren't swapping in an S52/S54 motor. It'd be totally something different, something your familiar with, and you can run the same amount of power you can get from a 2JZ. :) Maybe a couple of ideas for the 86-X, tint the headlights yellow for that aspired "GT Racing" look? You may also want to go with something like a matte grey wrap, with metallic sliver/orange decals. :)I'd also recommend going with the Motegi wheels you run on your tC. :) Will be interesting to see how it turns out next month. :)
Obviously a brace between the tires of the front axle and another for the rear axle is recommendable. And I'm certain everyone will agree that the suspension will need to be stiffened. But I'd look into eliminating the entire direct injection for load and intake injection for cruise ECU settings. I'm sure the two could be used at the same time to improve power output while retaining the compression. Frankly the output of the car is horribly disappointing. It goes without saying that a turbo would help out as well. I'd look towards things that tuners of Subaru have done.
@NathanLoiselle The 86 never had turbo and it would be scarigous to add from a manufactures stand point, if force induction is your forte, I think a supercharger would work great with this car, specifically a rotrex supercharger, then it can be a "watarhu" edition lol if you get what Im saying
DanknastyAE86 There actually is an FT-86 with a turbocharger mounted to it. I believe it was shown off at either the Tokyo Auto Show or SEMA. I don't quite recall since I've been deluged with information and articles about this car for the past year.
Since you are not using the stock motor/trans/wiring etc......Can you send it to me? haha
I would love if you guys did like JR did with his RTR-X and let the people vote on the livery thats going on the car.
Congratulations on the car :D And good luck on the build :) I'm looking forwardt to seeing and photographing it at Rudskogen :D
Love it !Really looking forward to see how it turns out !But why an engine as old as the 2jz (as good as it is) and not something like and IS-F engine ?
The car should be built using the motor it is equipped with from the factory, especially since its being built in conjunction with toyota to sow the potential of the new 86. Anyone can slap proven motor in it and make power. I understand the time limit but id like t see the R&D done and the flat 4 back in it at some point.
SWR Bill G how about an EJ255?
@SWR @Bill G Source one of these. If not atleast a toyota or subaru 4cyl. 3SGE, 4AGE, EJ, etc. http://www.subaru.jp/legacy/dit/performance/
If I was Toyota, I'd want to see the car done up with the boxer motor in there. To show the true potential of this flat 4 and also to be the underdog. Swapping v8's and 2jz motors in to this thing is no different than any other chassis. You can take almost any damn chassis and drop a v8, 2jz, 13b built turbo'd, etc in to em and be 400+ hp upwards. Now if we can get 400 or 500 hp out of this flat 4, it would still be a mega contender and show everyone that it can be done with this damn boxer engine!!!
I think you should swap in a 4AG blacktop. then put in a koni suspension set-up.
I think you should use it for hill climbs, drifting and touge races
Can't wait to hear this thing roar! The perfect marriage between power and low CG. i will definatly keep an eye on the build up!
If possible, then could you leave the final version of the car without a huge wing. I just feel the car is quite small looking, so a huge wing would be out of proportions. Tho a nice small duct tail would suit nice.
Will this see competition or simply be a demo car? If its a demo then I hope you will be placing the engine nearly all the way into the cockpit ;)
masonmaguire Competition car, built to FD specs. So unfortunately we can't go past the firewall, but I do believe we can get decent weight distribution still.
FredricAasbo masonmaguire
The first fitment seemed to place 65-70% of engine and gearbox weight behind the axle, so it's not so bad I think.. atleast not as bad as many judge it to be. The boxer's weight isn't much better placed at all, IMHO.. :)
SWR FredricAasbo masonmaguire
The boxer engine mass is very low in the engine bay, which helps a lot for roll center.
Renderbrandt FredricAasbo masonmaguire
The boxer isn't THAT low in the bay, actually... the top of the 2JZ is barely 2" higher when it's in the car.. :)
FredricAasbo masonmaguire Will it replace the tC or Chucky, or will it be used for something new (whatever that may be)?
I would keep the FA and put in the work to developed it. I wonder if Toyota Norway has any connections with TRD to see if they could source you the rumored supercharger. I definitely understand having deadlines though too. Whatever happens though I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the car when its in race spec.
Center of mass/moment of inetertia might be an issue with the 2jz, why not consider another great engine from Toyota, the bullet proof 3sgte, pretty much a 2jz with only 4 cylinders.
Just an idea.
...inertia,
Renderbrandt That is definitely doable, but I'd rather do more displacement and a motor we are familiar with then! We just test fit the 2JZ.
FredricAasbo Renderbrandt Do something new, get the LD28 (not RD28 as it's handles less power) and go all twin turbo diesel :D
FredricAasbo Renderbrandt With a straight six 2.8 diesel (is what it was supposed to say).
Awesome news to hear toyota is getting onboard and helping out and promotoing drifitng. Big props to them.
Whatever is done to this car it will be fantastic. Id like to see full wide body rocket bunny kit , enclosed rear bar , side exit exhaust and a LSX motor up front ;)
Good luck to all involved
mr.aasbo - belgian license plates explane plz ? GERMAN I DONT THINK SO
miguel t As far as I know, the car was registered at the Toyota Europe HQ, then used for demo purposes in Europe, before we got it.
Comparing this shitbox to an E30 and claiming it is the only drivers car since the E30 is the most retarded shit I have EVER read. This is a UNDERrpowered RWD scion/subaru shitbox that has been so underdone in comparsion to the hype its actually impressive. I don't think anything has ever pissed me off so bad just by reading. You had a S52 E30 track car and youre comparing it to a mind blowingly numb rear wheel drive scion and calling it a real drivers car because its a basic, heavily overpriced and underpowered rear wheel drive car? I just lost all respect for speedhunters in general. Between this atrocity of a post for your project build with apparently drift vinyls for no reason? (unless theyre paying for the build entirely and asked for ridiculous graphics) and 80% hellaflush this site has surely gone to shit. How much is this car when all is said and done? $30k? $30,000.. for a rear wheel drive scion. Sounds like the next TC. It's a marketing trick to get all the idiots that think scions are cool but also want to be cool and get a real wheel drive car in a platform theyll never notice the difference on. Congrats scion on another successful scam of 16 year olds and their parents.
so you agree the car is impressive? yes?
Impressive is a little strong. Nothing stands out to me. They started out with a decent idea and executed it very poorly IMO
Fkitbtn Wow, someone escaped from a different car blog... Speedhunters is usually free of this kind of trolling...please go back to wherever you came from.
Conversation from Twitter
@SPEEDHUNTERS it's too bad no ones going with an all motor build based on the original engine ala dori-dori, wish they had a class for that.
[...] GT86 på Speedhunters! 08/06/2012 Fredric Aasbø, GT86 No comments Yeeey! Fredric Aasbø er kanskje Europas mest hippe driftingikon for tiden, og da han ankom Norge for et par dager siden fikk han overlevert nøklene til sitt nye prosjekt, Toyota GT86. Både Gatebil Magazine og Speedhunters er interessert i bilder av bilen, så jeg var ikke snau med å takke ja til å bli med på en liten fotosession på tirsdag. Nå ligger noen av bildene ute på det hotteste nettstedet for bilinteresserte, nemlig på selveste Speedhunters! Ta gjerne en titt der for å lese saken ved å klikke her! [...]
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