Note that the E110-series IS the 8th generation. Count 'em... KE10, 20, 30, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110... and went into production in 1995, not 1998.
So I have just bought a JDM AE111 Sprinter Carib BZ Touring, which was offered with the weak 6-speed but mine's an auto, unfortunately (I'll have to convert it to 5-speed manual, got all the bits except the 8-bolt flywheel). This car is bone-stock, with FWD (IRS 4WD is optional, type AE115; nonindependent 4WD went out with the 90-series Carib in 94), rear discs, electric everything, LED compass (useful in a larger city where you might get disoriented), 20-valve 165hp 4AG-E, unique but good looks, and once the engine's warm, boy it goes. All for the grans sum of about $455.00US. Decimal as in the right place. It was an insurance writeoff... dented left front fender and doors, damage only to bolt-on parts. Why do insurance companies write-off cars so lightly-damaged? Oh well, their loss, my gain. On the New Zealand market the car is worth about $2100.00US; a nice 98 about $4900.00. Bought fenders and door from someone in Christchurch for $140.00US, the right color and rear-door TWIN CAM 20 decal and all, and am in the process of putting it back on the road (mindless legal procedures for reinstating a deregistered car).
I've always loved the looks of these cars; like the previous generation they are extremely distinctive, but unlike those earlier cars they are handsome. Also unlike the 90-series Carib (sold as "Corolla 4WD" in Canada at least), the 110-series Carib is not really a Sprinter at all. Toyota used Sprinter as a name for Corollas sold by a separate dealer chain in Japan, and dtalis vary from generation to generation. The 80-series and 90-series had slightly different external sheetmetal to Corolla-badged cars (the "Chevy Nova" and "Geo Storm" were respectively rebadged AE80 and AE90 Sprinters respectively); likewise the 100-series sedan; there were no 100-series Sprinter-badged hatches (FX) or liftbacks, and the "Sprinter" AE106 wagon and 100-series hardtop sedans differed from the Corolla versions only in the badges. There was no 100-series Carib; the 90-series remained in production for an extra generation, an old Toyota trick with wagone (eg KE70 Corolla and ST?140 Corona). The 110-series Carib had different grill, headlights, hood & fenders to the Corolla-badged cars, except for the Carib Rosso, which got leftover early bugeye parts. I don't think the AE111/115 wagon was sold as a Corolla in Japan, only as Carib.
Gee, who's long-winded around here?
Anyway, back to the topic... I am thinking of two options with modifying this car. The first is to put a Lysholm-type supercharger on it, an Autorotor by preference, along with the aforementioned 5-speed that I have lying around, and possibly 4WDing it. Apparently the 2.3 V6 Miller-cycle Eunos 800 (Mazda Sentia/Millenium) has a factory Lysholm, which might possibly be good for this purpose... that is, if it flows enough air to feed the 8000RPM 4AG-E. Does anyone know anything about these Eunos superchargers and their performance and reliability? One might be good to replace the turbo on my 89 Corolla 2.0 diesel wagon too...
The other option is to create a Toyozilla... I happen to have a 3.3-liter EG33 from a Subaru Alcyone, and a complete 4WD setup from a twin-turbo Legacy GT taking up what little room was left in my garage... I could probably get the EG and drivetrain into it without affecting the radiator or lengthening the nose. If I went this route I would be prepared to cut the front off just ahead of the firewall and lengthen it just enough for a snug fit.
What would then do with the 20-valve donk? Might have to find a nice little 4WD Starlet GT to drop it into...
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