Hey ya'll. I'm the new chick around here and new to all of this and was wondering if I could get some help out when I need it. I have a 1990 Toyo Rolla and have a lot in store for her. I'm looking at making a body kit for her and doing some performance work on the engine. I'm trying to also find an exhaust that is efficient and sounds nasty. I'm also looking at putting halo/angel lights on her for a meaner look. If anyone has any pointers and websites where to find good stuff send me the links, it would be greatly appreciated. Even though I'm making my own body kit it would be nice to get links to those too, to get some ideas on how it should look. My baby is posted in my sig. Let me know how I can make her look better with parts. Thanks a lot.
Hey Sammy,
I moved your thread here to the Rolla section. These guys are experts with this car. If anyone can help you out, it's these cool dudes.
Welcome to TNation.
In terms of body kits, there aren't none. Unless you had a two-door, but the few that are existent looks like a bucket of doo doo except sculpted and painted. Anything factory is the best look. In certain different countries, bumpers and headlights are different IMO, things from factory for this car is best looking.
You have a good option on motors. Most commons are 4AGE 20V swaps kept NA. I'm, on the other hand, is in the process of building an exstensive turbo 20V. The biggest factor is how much money you have and willing to spend. I think I'm looking at close to $5000 but I haven't really found out all the knicks and knacks. And that's just in parts. For how light the car is, a 20V swap which has a HP of about 140 ~ 160, is nice! NA motor is not a problem. Believe me, I was taken for a ride in one and actually reconsidered my turbo build.... but... I want more power. Not happy until the chassis splits and the motor is beyond the finish line.
A good place to look at other peoples work, cardomain.com. Simply search up 1988 thru 1992 Toyota Corolla. Both the 2 doors, sedans and wagons are featured. I'm sure you know of cardomain. Some with custom body kits, too, so it can help with some ideas as well.
Other websites that would be a plus:
Club4AG.com
ECToyotas.com
A lot of stuff you'll simply have to use Google... Who knows how many times I've used Google to search up what I can do with my sedan. Slowly but surely, it's coming together... at a slow rate.... costly rate... but for sure at the end.
Thanks. I have been looking into putting a turbo in my lil 1.6L but money is a huge issue for me so It takes a while for a project to start and finish. On of my classmates in my auto class was talking about a Spoon engine for his Rolla, could you tell me what type of engine that is and how good it is? I've been looking to switch my auto to a manual (because standard is obviously better) and I've been looking for good engine types
Spoon engine is a honda engine... so good luck getting it done (it can be done, its not easy though). As for a turbo, thats not a big thing to do really on a 4A-FE, way easier than the carb 4A-F.
Bodykitwise, I wouldnt bother, corollas look better without them imho.
I personaly don't like the stock look of the bumpers. Like I stated earlier, I'm looking at making my own bumpers with a little help from my boyfriend. I'm looking at some different ways on going about this but cant seem to find some good fiberglass that has good strength and flexible. I'm also debating on the kind of wire to use. I'm looking at using chicken wire or cowel screen. What would be best fiberglass and wire?
Since your avatar name is autobody-girl, I believe you might have more insight on what materials to use to fabricate a custom body kit or bumper than most of us on here.
As far as engine/power upgrades, just off the top of my head I am going to say just about anything you do, can run you about $3000 or more by the itme you are all done. It can probably be done cheaper, but that will require a lot of research, resoursefullness and patience.
I am in the process of doing a 4A-GZE engine swap into a '87 Corolla FX-16.
I started back in August, just got the engine started, and I am already $4200 into this mod/build, (including the purchase of the car) and I thought I was getting a deal on the engine.
Read here: 4A-GZE into FX16 swap
jamaz87 has done a good job on turbocharging his Corolla, and I believe his project was less costly than mine, but like I said, lots of research, resoursefullness, and patience was involved.
Read here: UPON REQUEST: ae92 4AFTE build pics
There is a general list of possible engine swaps at the following link. Others are possible, but these are the most practical and common. Engine swaps for the AE92 Corolla
Any questions you might have, we all are willing to try and give an answer. Some might be wrong, but we'll try in good faith
Changing to manual is just a matter of getting the necessary parts. The hardest part is probably drilling the holes for the clutch master cylinder.
Before you make any decisions on which way to go, do as much reading and research as possible, and ask, we will answer.
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'88 Corolla, AE92 SR-5, 7A-FE swap/GT-S suspension
'87 Corolla, AE82 FX-16, 4A-GZE swap (autocrosser)
'03 Tundra 4X4 Access Cab, (FX tow vehicle/Home Depot runner)
Modification: Changing something to what you thought it should have been from the start!
I'm assuming you know that making a mold for a bumper you want is very very expensive and time consuming. Make a mold first, then the real deal. Unless you are going to super free hand everything.
Making a bumper isnt hard, even if you have to start from scratch. My bumper is conjoined AE92 bumper and an AE101 bumper. With urethane insulation foam and fiberglass and bondo. Now a word of wisdom, fiberglass doesnt stick too well to the ABS plastic bumper if you use polyester resin. If you use the more expensive and poisonous epoxy resin, it will act also as a glue.
My bumper, yes its saggy, because theres no rebar, its just held on with one bolt through the center and two on the sides on the fenders.
As for turbocharging, doing it from a 4A-FE is way more easier than doing it from a 4A-F...take my word for it.
The Following User Says Thank You to Flashmn For This Useful Post:
welcomes to TN it wasnt too long ago that i joined this forum, trusts me everyone here is great, theyll make you welcome just like they did for me... everyone here is very knowledgeable in the corolla, i get great advice and comments always on this forum. also most of the guys here are all over the world, so you can really get your hands and some better parts with their help. moreover just have fun, i always ask lots of questions on this forum, and i always get great answers. but id have to agree with most people that, if you do find a bodykit for this car, it is doo doo... and making one for the car is a great idea is what i said, why run something that someone esle made that you dont like, but its the only option, but you might as run something great that you made, and who knows, you might just be able to market and sell them on this forum, make some side skirts, and front and rear lips, and if their nice, i can guarantee that you might be making some MONEY soon on this forum and to america has nuthing for body for the corolla, and everyone is just getting other car parts and cutting and fitting it onto their car. XD
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"I live my life one corner at a time, for those few seconds or less, im free."
I maybe be into autobody but I have yet to go to school for it. I'm still learning and am trying to figure out of there is a type of fiberglass brand (other than bondo) that is used often and is very good. Making fiberglass body parts is not as expensive ya'll might think as long as you don't prolong the process and mess it up a lot.
Flashmn: I enjoyed looking your bumper over. Its unlike any other bumper I have seen on the foreign websites. I was looking at another body kit on a German site and would have to cut and shape it to my car. Thank you for your imput on the ABS bumper too :]
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The Following User Says Thank You to Autobody-Girl For This Useful Post:
flashmn is a cool guy, there was a topic once about fiberglassing bumpers to bumpers and flashmn was there to correct everyone(me too) about the process, and im guessing that whatever happened it might have a better success chance now, that flashmn had his 2 cents input on the project.
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"I live my life one corner at a time, for those few seconds or less, im free."
I'm still learning and am trying to figure out of there is a type of fiberglass brand (other than bondo) that is used often and is very good. Making fiberglass body parts is not as expensive ya'll might think as long as you don't prolong the process and mess it up a lot.
Well bondo really isnt fiberglass if we're talking making body parts or boats. Its a putty with fiberglass strands to make it strong enough to cover up holes. Though I wouldnt use it, I think covering holes just prolongs problems.
When you're making body parts out of fiberglass, theres two choices for sheet, chopped stand or woven mat. Chopped strands are just fiberglass strands that are cut and pressed into a sheet. This is the cheaper and weaker option (though lot of boats and such are made with that, and I've used this on my bumper).
Woven mat is fiberglass woven together, kinda like carbon fiber you see in carbon fiber hoods, this is stronger and more expensive.
As for resins, the common is polyester resin, its cheaper and isnt as good as epoxy resin. however epoxy resin is more poisonous and you can get instant allergy to it from touch. Both are dangerous enough to kill few braincells when you dont wear a respirator, but hey when you do it for many years, you only have to drink one bottle of beer to get a week long bender, cuz all the toxins locate to your liver.
I'm not a great fiberglasser by any standard, I've made a canoo and few bumpers and headlight covers and such from fiberglass and thats bout it, but I'll share whatever info I know.
I have used fiberglass before and bondo as well. I'm not a bondo kind of person, it just makes everything messy and things worse. I ues the bondo brand fiberglass cause thats most common in my area and can't find many websites that don't sell bondo brand fiberglass. I do also prefer the woven mat. Its silky and much easier to use, but I have also heard that the strands are a good filler for making body parts from molds. I used the silky mat and ratioed resin to fiberglass my hood scoops on (and i'm still in the process of sanding it up nicely), but it is coming out quite well
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New chick to this with an old '90 Rolla
IMO, things from factory for this car is best looking.
for sure at the end.
My bumper, yes its saggy, because theres no rebar, its just held on with one bolt through the center and two on the sides on the fenders.
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