As someone who has owned and daily-driven an AE86 for about three years, I completely understand the Irish obsession with ‘Twin Cams.’

Back in 2021, when I still owned my Corolla, I made a solo trip to Ireland for 86 Fest. That was in COVID times and a slimmed-down affair, so I always wanted to return. This year, after learning that Paddy couldn’t make it to the 2024 edition, my buddy Michael and I managed to snag a last-minute cheap flight from Amsterdam to Ireland on the Sunday morning of the event.

We left home at 5:00am, landing in Dublin around 11 where we were greeted by a quintessentially grey Irish sky. We drove straight to Mondello Park, Ireland’s most famous racetrack and, for this day, the epicentre of the largest gathering of AE86s outside Japan.

Although I’ve had my fair share of cars, I genuinely miss my Corolla. Being surrounded by every model, colour, and style of AE86 only reinforced the fact.

It’s always cool to see a mix of Corolla Levin (fixed headlights) models and the iconic Sprinter Trueno (pop-up headlights), as well as coupes and hatchbacks side by side.

My favourite is the Levin hatch, but I admit I’m biased – this was my one.

In the Netherlands, there are approximately 15 AE86s around, and it’s becoming rarer to see them modified or driven aggressively. With rising values, these cars are only getting further away from the affordable vehicles they once were.

But 86 Fest Ireland showcased the car’s fun side with plenty of track action. I saw at least 50 AE86s being driven hard all day, just like in those ’90s/early 2000s Option drifting videos we all love.

The contrast in speed and tyre smoke production between the naturally aspirated 4A-GE-powered AE86s and those with turbo upgrades or full engine swaps highlighted the evolution of drifting as a legitimate motorsport.

86 Fest’s show area was equally impressive, featuring everything from fully-kitted ’90s drift-inspired machines to pristine original restorations and the distinctive ‘UK Spec’ cars with large rally spotlights and sometimes huge roof antennas.

A staple of Irish car culture are doughnuts – AKA ‘rings’ – and figure eights around cones, so of course that element was included. At Mondello Park’s skid pan, drivers finished off their drift tyres before swapping on fresh ones for more track time.

One of the most memorable things about this year’s event was the parade lap with all the attending cars. Being amidst a sea of 200+ Corollas and other rare Toyotas felt like stepping into a scene straight out of 1990s Japan.

Leading the parade was the famous green, D1GP Bride AE86, driven by its original builder, Ryota ‘Crash King’ Yuasa, who had been flown over from Japan by Neil Sheehan from Juicebox.

After selling the car nearly 20 years ago, Yuasa-san lost track of it, and it was eventually parted out and left in a field. In 2021, the iconic Levin coupe was rebuilt by its current owner, Paddy Connors. Neil and his friends brought Yuasa-san’s story full circle, having him drive the car at 86 Fest, where he was greeted as a celebrity.

Yuasa-san spent the day signing autographs and taking photos, ending with an emotional moment as he signed the boot lid, just as he did before he sold the car.

Next to the Bride car was another legend: the Bee*R AE86. This car was built and once owned by Bee*R’s late owner Kiyonori Imai. Even among the wide-bodied cars, the black Levin coupe stood out with its massive 1-inch spaced and widened front fenders.

Neil Sheehan’s black Trueno hatchback, renowned worldwide after its rebuild on the Juiceboxforyou YouTube channel, was also present, now sporting bronze RAYS Volk Racing TE37s and a Goodline bumper inspired by Katsuhiro Ueo’s early ’00s D1GP Garage Sift Trueno.

While AE86s were the stars, the parade lap featured other Toyota models like the new 86, JZXs, Carinas, older Corollas, and Starlets.

The event highlighted Ireland’s Japanese import car boom of the early 2000s, which resulted in a remarkable community and numerous rare and unique cars and parts.

This Toyota-centric show has piqued my interest in attending events in Ireland to uncover what other JDM cars are hidden in sheds across the Emerald Isle.

For now though, there are plenty more photos from 86 Fest Ireland 2024 for you to check out below.

Collin Tiemens
Instagram: collinclicksphotos