Nowadays, talking about the high-performance Toyota Corolla generally involves a discussion of the new GR Corolla. Its incredible three-cylinder engine produces no less than 300 horsepower, thanks to a large turbocharger under the hood. The slightly older Corolla featured in the video above also has a turbocharger, but you won’t find it under the hood. And has much more than 300 hp.
In this case, a little older takes us back to the early 1980s. It’s a slow-running E70′ series rolla, as the engine sends power to the rear wheels as opposed to the GR Corolla’s all-paw setup. It started life as a normal four-cylinder car for Jason, the son of this father-daughter creation team. Piet is the father, and as a video of mobil.co.za explained, they are known in South Africa for the manufacture of custom billets. They also loved cars, and Jason decided he wanted something different to drive.
Replacing the stock four-cylinder for the 1UZ V8 from the Lexus LS400 certainly qualifies differently, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg on this build. This engine has improved internal features, and the T76 turbocharger powers the engine at about 470 horsepower (350 kilowatts). Looking under the hood, the engine swap is one of the cleanest we’ve seen…too clean to be honest. Turbocharger and all the pipes are not visible.
It was because Jason wanted this sleeping building to be very sleepy. The turbo is actually mounted at the back of the car, with a special pipe connecting it to the engine. To maintain the appearance of a naturally aspirated engine, there is even a fake air filter and intake mounted under the hood. Creating a custom turbo setup was a nine-month project in itself, but the result was a stealth Toyota that delivered healthy power without lag. And without the turbo under the hood, the engine stays cool.
The four-speed Lexus automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels. BMW E36 springs are used at the rear, with Brembo brakes at all four corners. The front suspension is stock, and the Corolla’s simple interior is also mostly stock. The seats had been wrapped in leather, and there was new carpet. Everything else is an OG Corolla, right down to the gauge.
Jason did almost all the work himself and the attention to detail certainly caught our eye. Okay, a puff of billowing tire smoke also caught our eye, but in the world of custom cars, this old Corolla is a very cool and unique machine.
