From a Corolla to a Levin - Out of the Blue

I’ve heard the strangest stories about PJ Bonifacio. Entertaining at times, but mostly weird. Rumor has it that if you bring him a rotisserie chicken, your paint job will come out fabulous: better-than-new, off-the-showroom type of quality. That would explain why some of my friends’ cars look the way they do; the rotisserie chicken does wonders. But what would happen if you skimped and brought a Wendy’s value meal side of chicken nuggets? Would you get half-painted bumpers? Damage repaired with papier mâché instead of Bondo? I can only imagine.

But what about PJ’s own personal ride? Here we have one of the craziest Corollas in the world, created by a guy who works off chicken. Does he stock chicken at the shop? Is it finger-licking good? And why did the chicken cross the road? No matter how many chickens were involved, PJ has done some extraordinary work to his car. He picked up this hatchback for a mere $300, and within two months he had not only converted the front end to that of a J-spec Levin, but he had also reworked the engine bay to accept the supercharged version of the 4AGZE, found in the early-model MR-2. The bodywork goes beyond the front end, however, incorporating both the front and rear bumpers from Zenki. A TRD wide-body kit was also custom-modified to fit onto the car, extending the width of the Corolla and rendering it useless for those “compact car only” parking spaces. It’s also a lot easier to squeeze on those extra-small-but-wide 13x9 TRD Tosco wheels. PJ looked to R2 Autodesign, whose side skirts stick out in such a way that you think you should step onto them to enter the cabin. But you can’t, and PJ will beat you down if you try. The side mirrors are from Bandoh and add a nice touch of racing inspiration to a mostly show creation. Topped off with the same blue coat you’ll find on certain Lexus vehicles, this Corolla is now as close to perfection as it can get.

In dealing with the engine, we can tell this is no longer an ordinary, oil-burning hand-me-down from the ’80s. Gone is the 4AGE—in its place is the supercharged version, the 4AGZE. But with all the custom sheetmetal in place, it’s hard to tell what’s really going on here. All the eyes can see are a Spearco intercooler with custom piping from Injen and a Cusco oil-catch can. Stuff you can’t see includes the HKS cams, AEM cam gears, and custom underdrive pulley. For engine management, PJ used an SDS programmable ECU—much easier to tune and a more viable option over the stock computer. With a few button clicks, he can set up parameters to dial in the fuel and timing quite easily.

With the engine tuned to precision, the suspension also received special care and was adjusted for maximum road duty. To lower the car’s center of gravity, a set of TRD springs and Tokico shocks were added for good measure. Body strengthening comes in the form of Cusco’s front and rear strut bars as well as a five-point rollcage. Tein adjustable-camber plates were installed to achieve proper tire-to-ground contact. Other notable parts include the TRD bushing kit, Cusco negative-roll blocks, and Cusco lateral bar.

Climbing inside the car is a disenchanting feat. The fact that it is entirely spotless makes you feel bad for wearing clothes inside of it. I think PJ should leave a pair of slippers on the side just so you won’t get any dirt on the floor mats. Of course, once you’re in, you’re in, and the red Recaro SRD seats do a good job of making you feel at ease. The Nardi steering wheel is a 350mm design and is perfectly anatomical. It really is. On the floorpan you’ll see crazy—and what I sincerely hope are useful—things: an obscenely big OBX navigator footrest on the passenger side (this actually comes in handy, by the way) and Lonza pedals on the driver side. And there are no rear seats—again, just a Cusco rollcage and this crazy aluminum rear deck cover. I’m not really sure what to think of it. Maybe there’s a small, hairless Hindu boy (Hey, that’s my line. —MD) hiding under there cutting up chicken for PJ’s dinner.

I don’t know if the tales of rotisserie chicken are a precursor to what may become of your car if you ever have the chance to take it to PJ Bonifacio. That’s a risk you’ll have to take on your own. But from what I’ve seen, it seems like a safe move.