AWD isn't really worth it since there's no provisions on the unibody for the parts, 2ZZ/C60 from a Celica GTS and you're pretty much all set power wise, you'll be able to easily over drive the brakes.

 

that would be a pretty sick setup!

Im trying to make a spark show out of my drums :wink:
But I believe you can take the disk assembly/hub off a Celica and put it on a corolla

 

Stirolla has an 8th gen with a 2zzge setup with a greddy sc. They did an awesome job imo. I have only seen photos. I don't know if there's a build thread on their 8th gen.

 

The Corolla is already a sleeper - it's a "boring" car with a decent engine. The 1ZZ-FE is used in the MR-S/MR-2 Spyder and Lotus Elise, so it is more than possible to tweak and tune these things quite a bit on the power/torque side and then do the same with suspension, drop whatever unnecessary weight you can, and it's pretty much a sports car with four doors.

The tuning route might be fun and more realistic at this point since you can do it in stages without a huge initial investment since you already have a vehicle, plus you can always sell off most of your stuff here if you ever get into doing a swap or something bigger.

I'd agree that a 2ZZ-GE swap is what you want for a big power/torque boost, keeping it FWD so it's simple. AWD systems are fairly complex, and if you haven't messed with them yet your first big project isn't really the time to do it. I definitely recommend keeping it realistic so you don't bite off more than you can chew and wind up with a car body and engine seperate from each other and taking up space for months and years until you get sick of seeing them and sell off the bits or just scrap everything.

 

That could work! that trd supercharger is availible for the 1zz. I found a video on youtube where a guy took that supercharger, some lotus Exige injectors, and an exhaust. it was pretty fast! its linked here: removed link video shows speeding on public roads

The Lotus uses the 2ZZ not the 1ZZ.

For the series 2 lotus Elise, some had a 1zz-fe, some had a 2zz-ge. heck the series 3 Elise had a 2ZR-fe. so most people riding around in a 8th gen+ corolla can say they share an engine with a lotus elise

 

The Lotus uses the 2ZZ not the 1ZZ.

 

What's more important to you, having the 8th gen Corolla or an AWD car? If you want the Corolla, plan on FWD. Unless you have money to burn, converting a Corolla to AWD is going to be more money and headache than you could even imagine. There is nothing in the back end there ready for an axle. You'd have to get an entire rear powertrain assembly and suspension from a Subaru or something. And then you'll have to make it fit by hacking and welding and spending. All that work and you still have to do the front half and get power to the rear. Once you'd even get close to having the setup done, for all that time and money you could've had a half decent Subaru.

 

For the series 2 lotus Elise, some had a 1zz-fe, some had a 2zz-ge. heck the series 3 Elise had a 2ZR-fe. so most people riding around in a 8th gen+ corolla can say they share an engine with a lotus elise

Must be a non US thing then.

 

Non-US market had AWD 6th-gen Corolla. Would be costly to ship all drivetrain parts over.

Not sure AWD would give you much, unless you drive in snow lots or have +500bhp to get to the ground. There’s a guy with that much power in boosted 7a stuffed into TE72 chassis

 

If you could find an alltrac wagon, cheaper than building from scratch.