Initial D was first to blame. If we trace back to how this entire AE86 craze came about, that Japanese anime was the homo erectus on the Corolla's evolutionary scale. Not only did it introduce the AE86 to the mainstream market, but it also provided an anarchistic and underdog sentiment that made the Corolla an instant hit among the masses, paving the way for a boom in AE86 sales despite the car's old age.
Before Initial D, however, the Corolla was already the ride of choice in the Southern California underground tuning movement in the late '80s and early '90s, which tried to separate itself from the front-wheel drive cars and, more or less, mirror the hot rodding days of old. The ride offered a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive setup (ideal for drifting), a 50/50 weight ratio (perfect for road racing), and of course the powerful potential of the 4AG engine (good for all sorts of lawn mowing--I kid). These were definitely the good times, when the JDM style was also in its infancy.
So why do I even compare these two eras? Because a part of me is extremely bitter. The AE86 has been my dream car since I was 12 years old, when the tuners I followed around preached about the 4AG and AE86 as if it were the car of all cars. And the way it bloomed to mainstream hell was, to me, sacrilegious. The car that I worked 14 years to get, leading up to this very day, is shared among the many thousands who want it because of Initial D and drifting, who don't even realize the impact this car had in SoCal.
And the only way to help vent my frustrations is 1) writing about it (which also helps with the chronic manic depression brought on by being "that guy" at clubs) and 2) featuring Bong Santiago's hachi roku. As co-owner of Carcraft Auto Salon in North Hills, California, and title holder of this '85 Toyota Corolla GT-S, Bong (yes, insert your semi-clever 4/20 jokes here) is as old-school as his ride. His passion for tuning starts and ends with the AE86. He's a testament to why the Corolla became popular in the first place, and he made sure his enthusiasm is reflected in the car.
The first thing that pops visually is the widebody treatment courtesy of the TRD N2 fender flares. Bong purchased the kit nearly a decade ago and kept it in storage until he found the perfect hachi to match it with. He then added J Blood front and rear bumpers and a TRD rear wing that was originally made for the hatchback. Since he co-owns a body shop, the work was all done under his supervision, and he made sure the paint (Orange Crushed Pearl with Metallic) was applied properly. Holding all the weight is a set of Ground Control springs with TRD shocks in the front and TRD springs and shocks in the rear (typical old-school stuff). On rotation is a set of 14-inch Watanabe RS8 wheels with uniformly wide Toyo RA-1s, all of which are controlled by the Cusco front and rear braces, TRD bushings, and Tein camber plates.
The vehicle's interior treatment is equally striking. Most Corollas usually show their 20-year-old tatters in the interior, with ripped dashboards, spewing seat cushions, and the emitting of strange odors (mainly 20-year-old farts lying dormant inside the seats). In Bong's case, the interior smells and feels brand-new, with a set of Sparco seats, a Sparco steering wheel, and a TRD shift knob in combination with an entire upholstery treatment, including carpet, panels, dash, and console. And the lone HKS boost gauge on the A-pillar is obviously an indication of what type of horse lives inside the ranch, under the hood.