I’m sure many of you YYC locals have seen this car around, whether it be at the Wednesday night Beyond meets, Grey Eagle Casino meets, the illmotion Sunday School show and shine, or just out rolling on the streets. This project is a thing of beauty and a dream for many enthusiasts, and I have finally had the opportunity to shoot it.
Here is Jonny’s SR20 swapped AE86:
Mango juice for boost anyone?
Two iconic Toyota’s, from different generations, one was the last of its kind at the end of the 80’s the other is reviving the lost art of balanced lightweight sports cars almost 20 years later. When the early concept car for what we now call the GT-86/FR-S/BR-Z first surfaced in 2007 I was instantly hooked on this car. The idea that Toyota was even considering making this sent tingles up my spine, If I have any brand loyalty its most definitely to Toyota. At 22 years old my mind was instantly flooded with endless possibilities and as time went on and the concept evolved it was made possible for anyone to drive and whip around famous race tracks in Gran Turismo and Forza. And was also followed by endless online forum discussions and amazing renderings by fellow enthusiasts.
Now fast forward to 2013 and here in North America we have the Scion FR-S, undoubtedly one of the most talked about and eagerly awaited cars in the import world and car industry period. Online forums and parking lots everywhere seemed to be talking a lot about who lays the most claim to this joint venture of a sports car. To me none of this mattered, because after all this is an enthusiasts car and this is directly reflected by the availability of aftermarket support.
Now here I am working in a shop at one of Toyota’s biggest dealerships in Alberta and the largest in Edmonton. My excitement was through the roof the first time I got to drive an FR-S into my own bay for some wrench time. It didn’t take long for modified FR-S’s to make their way into the shop and Beniot’s White Out FR-S was one of the first and one of the lowest, my hoist arms couldn’t even get under the body to lift it! Beniot was just as excited to see his car roll out the shop after its first oil change.
Yonaka Spec II coil overs and Eurotek 03’s provide the drop and eye candy.
Interestingly enough these exhaust tips were sourced from a Dodge Ram!
The AE86’s light weight and balanced nature played an influence to the drivetrain of the FR-S, Spencer’s 86 certainly does not follow any traditional route that most 86 owners go with aesthetically speaking.
Rat Rod is the first thing that came to my mind the first time I saw this ride. Raw is also another that comes to mind via different coloured panels, sanded body parts and exposed rivets. But check out that drift ready stance, this 86 is of the slideways breed!
A genuine JDM Kouki front bumper is combined with a rare Zenki lip up front.
J Blood side skirts can be found between custom made Smothies rounding out the low and aggressive stance of this AE86.
Hello! Zenki Sprinter taillights, TRD spoiler and J Blood rear fins round up the rear.
Moving inside we have a Grant steering wheel with Kitty Chan taking the rage out of any ill intent horn honking ha!
Whats a drift car with out gauges? A sole AEM Wideband Air/Fuel gauge is clearly visible to the driver where the dash air vent used to reside, followed below by a bank of Autometer gauges…..is that a boost gauge I see?
After a few years of learning and perfecting his drifting in a low HP car, Spencer felt it was time to up the ante in this AE86. A single Tomie M7960 turbo now calls the engine bay home.
Mishimoto aluminium radiator and intercooler help keep the temperature down.
Here is the heart that beats within a Toyota Venza Brown clad SR20?!?! For the unfamiliar you might not think twice about this motor and assume it is a standard Toyota motor, shaving off the Nissan markings keeps the swap low-key but still a head turner!
When searching for higher power Spencer wanted a swap capable to take 4500+ km road trips and be able to drift at a moments notice and of course be driven daily! These one off Smoothies were made to spec by a hot rod shop based out of the western states.
Wether your a fan of one or the other, both or none, there is no denying the importance of these two cars in the Import Scene as a whole.
The FR-S has only been available for a hot minute and can be found in many facets of the motor sports world, all the while these old Corolla’s are still doing their thing and show no signs of stopping.
Spencer’s SR20:
Engine:
98’ Blacktop SR20DET
Tomie M7960 turbo
Stainless tubular exhaust manifold
ACL race main bearings
ACL race connecting rod bearings
ARP main studs
ARP connecting rod bolts
ARP head studs
Apexi metal head gasket
Mishimoto FMIC
Mishimoto aluminum radiator
Mallory fuel pressure regulator
Walbro 195lph fuel pump
Central 20 tuned ecu
2.5 inch downpipe
3 inch mandrel under axel exhaust
Magnaflow muffler
Drivetrain:
ACT 6 puck unsprung clutch
ACT heavy duty pressure plate
Short shifter
One piece driveshaft
MA47 Supra 7.5 inch rear differential
4.11 gears
Suspension/Steering
Techno Toy Tunning camber plates
Techno Toy Tunning RCA’s
Techno Toy Tunning heim link adjustable panhard
Custom 40mm short stroked coilovers
SW20 MR2 AGX adjustable front dampers
8kg/mm coilover sleeves
GAB 8 way adjustable shocks
TRD 6kg/mm rear race springs
Interior:
Grant steering wheel
Autometer oil pressure gauge
Autometer water tempt gauge
Autometer boost gauge
Autometer volt gauge
AEM UEGO Wideband gauge
Exterior:
JDM Kouki front bumper
JDM Kouki rear bumper
JDM Zenki front lip
JDM Zenki Sprinter taillights
J Blood sideskirts
J Blood rear add-ons
TRD spoiler
Wheels & Tires
15×8 -6 custom Smoothies (front)
195/50/15 Neuton tires (front)
15×10 -25 custom Smoothies (rear)
205/50/15 Kuhmo ECSTA AST (rear)
I’ll end this post with some rolling shots, hope you enjoyed the photos and words!
You can find some extra shots and other iM photos here.
Saturday July 20th marked approximately 5 years since my last drift event (seriously; circa 2008, DMCC days).
I can’t really offer a good reason why, other than life happened. I got busy with work and eventually kind of fell out of love with photography for awhile, putting me on a bit of a hiatus over the last couple years as a photographer…but after Saturday’s event, I’m not quite sure how I managed to stay away.
Being out at Stratotech brought a rush of good vibes and great memories. From seeing friends I don’t see nearly enough, to admiring the evolution and fruition of the effort of those that pour their heart and soul into making their cars and the scene better, I can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday.
So if you haven’t been to an event before, hopefully the following photos will convinced you to attend one in the near future( seriously, you should).
– Kevin
P.S. : If you want to see more, feel free to visit the gallery on Flickr, or the gallery on Facebook for more images (and maybe even some in colour!).
Back in 2009, before illmotion even started, I was blessed with the opportunity to check out one of the most humble car shows I’ve ever been to, the Japanese Classic Car Show (JCCS) held in Irvine, California. There were many vintage Japanese cars on hand and it was definitely an amazing experience as I got to meet many amazing people such as Antonio Alvendia of MotorMavens.
Another gentlemen I met during my trip is Benjamin Cesar Fernandez, owner of this super mint AE71 Toyota Corolla custom painted by PJ Bonifacio. Featuring a fully built 4AGE by Race Toys and a fully restored AE71 chassis, Benji’s been featured on countless magazines (Super Street, Retro Cars UK to name a few) and has won many awards at shows we’re all very familiar with such as Slammed Society, Spocom, Toyotafest and of course JCCS. If that isn’t enough, Benji has also tried and tested his AE71 at various track day events in California.
Fast forward to today, and I was informed by my Father of Benji’s unfortunate situation and possible solution that we here at illmotion would like to spread the word about: Benji is in search of a clean Type AB Kidney and is willing to trade his prized AE71 Toyota Corolla for it.
If you guys know anyone who is willing to give their spare Type AB Kidney and gain Benji’s AE71 Toyota Corolla, please send him an email at bcvf5@sbcglobal.net
Currently on dialysis and on a waiting list for a Kidney since 2011, Benji is in real need of this kidney so he can continue on and enjoy life with his wife and his 2 year old son, Wayne.
We also just want to point out that we are unaware of the legalities behind a deal like this, but we would hope someone out there could help Benji in his search, and this post is just to show you how much he’s willing to give just to get this specific Kidney to live his life.
Thank you all for your time,
Benji, you are in our thoughts and prayers and we wish you all the best!!!
-JC Tenchavez of illmotion.com
PS: the pictures of Benji’s AE71 Toyota Corolla that you see here were taken during my trip to JCCS in back in 2009. =)
To “officially” kick start the 2013 season, Driven made it’s way to the Olympic Oval in Calgary. A little earlier than the previous year, this certainly did not stop everybody from getting their cars ready, some even just MINUTES before the end of roll-in and set up. With over 250 cars coming together under one roof, Driven continues to get better every year as owners/enthusiasts just know that it is the perfect opportunity to showcase what he/she has been hiding over the course of the winter. With that, the quality factor continues to improve as well as participants step it up and come correct every year.
Congratulations to all those who were awarded this year including Devon Mori (RHD EG6), Noel Eggers (S14), Randy Chau (Honda S600), Duncan Yu (Sleeper Civic), Philip Tan (AE86), Derrek Poyntz (Best Engine Dress Up – Integra) and Tommy Daraseng (E92 M3) who represented with illmotion.
We here at illmotion would also like to take this time to thank the beautiful Melyssa Grace for kicking it with us. It was definitely an honor to have you in our booth and we really hope you enjoyed the show as much we did!
Also a big shout out to our own Aldrich Evangelista for providing the beats and DJing for almost 8 hours straight! Amazing work Rich!
Finally, we would like to thank all of you because in all actuality, there would be no “Driven” without the support of you guys as we encourage each other, and practically push each other to get our cars ready to roll for shows like this. Thank you guys for making Driven 2013 a success yet again for our scene! It was definitely awesome seeing some familiar faces and meeting new ones, which is exactly what it’s all about; and what a perfect way to re-introduce the season we call Summer!
Moving on, we do have intense coverage of Driven which will be separated into parts over the next few days, so let’s kick things off with Part 1 of our iM Event Coverage: Driven 2013 Calgary…
Enjoy!
Fresh of the heels of a recent iM Feature, we’re back once again with JC Tenchavez’s 2009 Toyota Corolla XRS, this time in video form. Just like anyone with a project car, JC’s Corolla has definitely gone through many phases. Adapting “VIP” tastes and sitting on Work VS-XXs in its current (and last) phase, this is definitely the best JC’s Corolla has ever looked. With future plans to build a more formidable VIP car in the near future, we can’t wait to see what JC has in store for his next project. In the mean time, check out our latest iM Film featuring JC and his 2009 Toyota Corolla XRS, elegantly rolling to the sounds of Lana Del Rey’s “Serial Killer”.
Since the Toyota Corolla’s inception in 1966, it has always been known for its reliability, dependability, and most importantly for its incredible gas mileage. What it is not known for however (Aside from the AE86), is being a formidable player in the automotive scene, nor is it a car that exactly gets heads turning.
That leaves us dying to ask this burning question, what was illmotion’s own JC Tenchavez thinking upon the purchase of his 2009 Toyota Corolla? While the answer may not be clear to JC himself, perhaps a look at his 10th Generation Corolla XRS can provide somewhat of a resolution.
From the time of JC’s acquisition in late 2008, his Corolla had gone through its phases, all of which have been conservative. With the XRS marketed as the “sportier” trim level, it was only fitting that his Corolla was modified in the same tune. Fast forward to the present, and JC finally decided it was time for the Corolla to steer away from its consistent, conservative and “safe” looks, and go in a completely different direction, that of which was inspired by the way that Corollas (known as the Altis) in Asia were modified. With VIP tuning being all the craze in places such as Thailand and Malaysia, the Altis believe it or not, is a platform that is considered quite popular to use among enthusiasts overseas (Along with its big brother, the Toyota Camry).
With very little support from the aftermarket in North America, JC did his research and looked to forums based out of Thailand to get an idea of the direction that he wanted his XRS to go in. While the language barrier was certainly there, the images that JC managed to find did help him a lot during his search. The most notable pieces that can be found on his Corolla are the OEM Altis LED Taillights, and the OEM Altis radiator grille, which he managed to acquire with assistance from his family abroad.
The next step for JC was to remove the Tein S.Tech springs and OEM shocks combo, which he originally installed not even a week after he first bought the vehicle. The replacement, a set of BC Racing BR Type Coilovers to get his Corolla even closer to the ground. Continuing in the suspension department, a TRD Rear Sway Bar was also added to stiffen the lack luster performance of the rear torsion beam found on 10th Generation Corollas. For breathability, JC modified the OEM air intake box and also installed an A’PEXi World Sport 2 Exhaust, complete with custom welding and piping.
A quick glance at the interior of JC’s Corolla and what is almost immediately noticed is the SRR 300mm Bubble Shift Knob, along with some interior accessories from Junction Produce.
To complete the “Miniature VIP” direction that this Corolla was going in, the most important feature was down to the wheels. With help from Bobby & Mark from Tunerworks Calgary, JC acquired what is considered a ‘Luxury Sports’ wheel, an 18″ set of Work’s ever so popular 3 Piece Modular wheel, the VS-XX in Gold finish. As this Corolla was pretty much new to the scene of wheel fitment, getting these wheels to cooperate with the rear torsion beam suspension set up did require quite a few trials of rolling, cutting, and pulling of the rear quarters to get them to fit nicely. After a little patience and time on the rear quarters, this is how it finally sits.
The saying goes, ‘a car is an extension of one’s personality’, and with that in mind there is no denying the impeccable taste that JC has when it comes to modifying his economical compact car. Being that this is also the vehicle he drives during the winter and summer seasons (as these are really only two seasons that Calgary gets), the constant maintenance involved for JC to keep this daily driver in tip-top shape through every season is definitely something we can really appreciate.
While JC’s daily driver may not appeal to everybody out there, the styling and direction that his Corolla has gone in definitely maintains Toyota’s sense of subtlety, while at the same time showcasing a modest sense of style, simplicity and finesse that is prominently found in luxury/VIP cars. By doing so, JC managed to take one of the automotive scene’s most often overlooked, ordinary and economical cars, and turn it into quite a head turner. For a vehicle with hardly any aftermarket support, it’s the little things that JC has done that truly make his Corolla stand out from the crowd.
Engine.&.Drivetrain
Modified OEM Air Intake Box
A’PEXi World Sport 2 Exhaust with custom piping
TRD Performance Air Filter
TRD Radiator Cap
TRD Engine Oil Filler Cap
Interior
Junction Produce Kintuna
Junction Produce “Missions” Neck Pads
Super Road Race 300mm Clear Bubble Shift Knob
T1-R LED Dome Light
Eurolite LED Vanity Interior Lights
Boo The Dog Plush Toy =p
Exterior
OEM Toyota Corolla Altis Radiator Grille
OEM Toyota Corolla Altis LED Taillights
OEM Toyota Window Visors
GT HID 4300K HID Kit
Nokya 2500k “JDM Yellow” Fog Lights
Euroline 3000k DRLs
Eurolite LED License Plate Lights
“Iron” Vinyl Wrapped Headlamps, Tailights & Foglamps
Matte Black Front & Rear Emblems
Wheels.&.Suspension
BC Racing BR Type Coilovers
TRD Rear Sway Bar
SPC Rear Camber Shim Kit
18″ Work VS-XX 18×8.5 +26 in Gold (GLD) Finish
215/40R18 Falken Ziex ZE-912
For more pics, check out our Flickr page here: JC Tenchavez’s 2009 Toyota Corolla XRS
Nowadays, it’s getting a little tougher to find that unique build that’s done tastefully to the point where it can be deemed as “perfect”. While that statement can definitely be argued as some of the “best builds” never see the light of day or only live on the track, the crew here at illmotion definitely do their best to bring you the features that get everyone locally and on the internet buzzing. As a matter of fact, it’s the unique builds that are featured on illmotion that stand out from the rest. None of this would be possible however, without the individuality that drive the owners of these vehicles to build some of the best cars that the internet/social media world has ever seen.
When on route to building that one-off, one of a kind build though, a key word should be taken into consideration to stand above the norm: Individuality. While a huge majority will agree that being different is definitely rare in this current car scene, others will disagree and go on to say that standing out as an individual, is certainly not impossible. Leading by example of doing what clearly is not impossible, is Philip Tan and his 1986 Toyota Corolla Coupe.
Being the second owner of this car, Philip started with what was and still is one clean 1986 Toyota Corolla chassis. With Initial D being all the craze when Philip first got the car, drifting was definitely a motorsport that Philip took interest in with his Corolla Coupe during it’s early stages. Fast forward to the present and 12 years later, Philip still had his Corolla stored in his garage, and it wasn’t until this moment in time that he decided it was time to revive the little 86 coupe.
This wasn’t any ordinary revival however, as Philip put his Corolla through a complete overhaul. The entire vehicle was stripped as if this Corolla was going to be built with a fresh start in mind. Inside and out, this little 86 Coupe was done in a way that appealed to one person and one person only, and that’s Philip Tan.
An exterior look at the car and immediately one will notice the J.Blood Type 2 front bumper, Type 1 sideskirts and rear bumper, and the aggressive CF fender flares that wrap the OEM Toyota front and rear fenders. Another stand out feature on the outside of this Corolla is Philip’s custom made rear diffuser and the 3″ dual outlets protruding from it’s 2.5″ full custom exhaust set up. With overly aggressive being the motif for this Corolla, the wheels do not disappoint as Philip runs a modest 16×8.5 -10mm set CCW LM-20s on the front, and a 16×10 -30mm set of LM-20s on the rear; both front and rear wheels running 5mm and 30mm spacers respectively.
For anyone who’s ever owned or worked an AE86, the suspension is definitely something that can be annoying to deal with. As Philip will agree, it didn’t stop him from getting his Coupe remaining slammed to ground with Megan 32-Way Adjustable Coilovers, Front and Rear TRD Sway Bars (with Energy Suspension bushings), a Megan 4 Link set up, Negative RCAs, and the OEM lateral bar welded to the car, making his Coupe capable of handling the tightest of corners.
A look under the hood of the 86 Coupe, and ‘a super clean engine bay’ is definitely an understatement. A closer look at the engine bay and one will see the 20 Valve ITB set up with the rest of the engine bay completely tucked, thanks to the machining and welding skills of Philip himself. Paired with the 20 Valve ITB set up is a newly rebuilt transmission with an Exedy Stage 1 flywheel and clutch. A two-way TRD LSD is also packed in this little beast, should Philip wanna relive his drifting days.
Last but certainly not least, as the list of modifications just seem to overflow on this car, is the interior of Philip’s 86 Coupe. Philip keeps the interior subtle with a re-wrapped Kouki interior and hints of red found on the seats, door panels and the roofliner perfectly accentuating the two tone black and white Panda exterior.
Inside and out, the thought process Philip had in mind for his 1986 Toyota Corolla Coupe is definitely that of precision, function, performance, form and flat out perfection. There’s just no denying the time, passion, blood, sweat and tears that Philip put into this 86 to make it as you see it today. By taking the best of what’s out there and the combination of his own creativity and skills, this is one Toyota Coupe that will just leave your jaw, dropped to the floor.
…who said individuality can’t go a long way, anyways?
Engine & Drivetrain
20 valve ITB
OE Toyota Water Pump & Timing Belt
OE Toyota Brake Booster
OE Toyota Slave Cylinder (Kouki)
OE Toyota Clutch Master Cylinder
OE Toyota Clutch Slave Cylinder
16 valve cooling system
Aluminum Mishimoto Radiator
Black Silicone Hoses
12″ S Blade Fan
Polyurethane Engine Mounts
Custom High Rise Headers with complete 2.5 inch full custom exhaust
Magnaflow Resonator with 3″ Dual Tips
Engine bay Tubed, Stitch Welded and Top Strut Mounts Reinforced
OEM Rebuilt Transmission
Stage 1 Exedy Flywheel & Clutch
Two-Way TRD LSD
Kouki Axles
Suspension
TRD Front Sway Bars with Energy Bushings
TRD Rear Sway Bars with Energy Bushings
Megan Rear 4 Links
Megan 32-Way Adjustable Weld-On Coilovers
Complete Polyurethane Bushing Kit
TE Negative RCAs
OE Toyota Inner & Outer Tie Rods
OE Lateral Bar (Welded)
Brakes
Stainless Steel Brake Line Tuck
FC3S (RX-7) Front Calipers
Slotted Rotors
Hawk Brake Pads
Stainless Steel Brake Lines
OE Toyota Rear Rotors
OE Toyota Rear Brake Pads
Wheels
Front: CCW LM-20 16×8.5 -10mm offset with 5mm spacers
Rear: CCW LM-20 16×10 -30mm offset with 30mm wheel spacers
Tires: 195/45/16 (Front) & 205/45/16 (Rear)
Interior & ICE
Momo Tuner Steering Wheel
NRG Quick Release with Toyota Hub
Razo Shift Knob
SPS1 Driver & Passenger Seats
Kouki Interior Re-Wrapped in Black and with Red Accents (Door Panels, Rear Panels, Roof liner)
Alpine Single-Din Deck
Alpine Speakers
Exterior
J Blood Type 2 Front Bumper
J Blood Type 1 Side Skirts
J Blood Type 1 Rear Bumper
Kouki Bumper Lights
Kouki Corner Lights
OEM Toyota Corolla Taillights with Shaved Rear Marker Lights
Custom Rear Diffuser
OE Toyota Fenders with Carbon Fiber Fender Flares
OE Toyota Doors
OE Toyota Hood
OE Toyota Trunk
With Driven 2012 coming up quickly, we thought it’d be a good idea to look back and see what everyone had to offer in 2010 and what we can look forward to for this year. Since Driven was skipped for us in 2011 – there has been a significant amount of time for everybody to get their whips refreshed. From new cars, to new parts, complete overhauls or tweaks to an already existing minty car, we think this will be the best Driven yet. We have a handful of fresh new faces joining us this year and it’s only a matter of time before we all gather at the Olympic Oval once again.
Looking back – many cars are now gone and have been passed on to new owners and some remain alive and well and will be joining us once again. Let’s take a look…
Dal’s K20 Type R – this was a long-time build for Dal and it was pristine. Reggie now has possession of it and stripped it apart with new plans. From what I’ve seen, he’s doing a great job and going from the ground up with new parts left right and center. It should be at the show this year, so look forward to that!
Alan’s JDM conversion CSX Type-S. So clean and one of the first (and probably still only) to do the conversion with legit OEM parts and tastefully IMO. This is out of his possession now.
Jackie’s infamous S2000. Jackie has some plans for the upcoming year and he won’t be showing in Driven, but he’ll be coming out for our show & shine with new toys to boot.
Hoang’s K20 Civic. One of the most unique and cleanest builds I got to see in 2010. Everything from the J’s wing to the custom splitter and canards and his I.C.E. set up. Not to mention the K20 under the hood.
Steve Poyntz’s 2JZ swap Cressida on 350Z wheels. Super simple and clean build with a whole lotta power.
Chris’s Triumph TR7. Funny story with Chris and his placement in our booth. We had just finished setting everyone up and cleaning our cars and we were just about to leave the place when we were told that there was one more guy in our group. None of us knew of anyone extra and we had placed everyone on our list. We agreed to see the car and the first thing we said was “fuck yeah, we’ll take it”. Chris and his triumph are one of his kind – nothing you’d ever really see on the streets and it’s powered by an SR20. Definitely a keeper.
JC’s Corolla. This is also going through a nice change for 2012 and I’m looking forward to see it. It’s gone from simple and conservative to… well… you’ll have to see. 
Jamie’s S2000 – this thing is beat on the track like no tomorrow. Jamie drives it hard and rightfully so. He had got his wheels powdercoated that day or the day before the show too so they were clean as hell.
Punit’s Integra. I remember this was the year that he did the K24 swap and it took weeks on end to get it done. One problem would come up after another and the show came up super quick. Luckily he got it running and entered. Wait till you guys see what he has in store this year.
Gopesh’s GTI – this is also going through a nice overhaul for this year as well.
Terence Wah’s S2000. Another S2000 that saw the track often and built with function in mind. Also another that is no longer in Terence’s possession. He now has a new toy…
Derrek Poyntz’s recently finished Integra RS. This was finished hours before roll-in and ready to go. All the graffiti on this was done by hand! The Calgary skyline is also on the valve cover.
Terence Ng’s Merc. More plans for this later on as well…
Yesterday turned out to be one awesome, hot day. Like always, whenever it’s nice we like to shoot the shit and drive around aimlessly. Went to Peter’s to grab a bite and some milkshakes and then cruised out. Got some snaps… just to keep you busy until you guys get your shirts 😉
