Corolla FX16 (AE82) brain dump

Hey guys and gals,

Looking for the GRM brain dump on Corolla FX16s. I've always liked the kammback look, and it seems like a Toyota version of a CRX.

I know a good bit about this vintage Toyota from my AE86 days, but not so much about these specifically. FWD with a bluetop(?) 4A-GE, GT-S is just(?) aesthetically different... how's the suspension under them? Is there anything particularly fun-robbing with them?

Blue tops with 7 rib blocks! i haven't opened my old one to see which crank it has yet. 205/50-15s WILL rib in the rear. The only way to get around it would be major surgery of the inner fenders. Suspension wise, the parts are similar, but not identical to AE92s. Lots of parts were only offered on the FX16, so things can be tough to find, like rear brake calipers, lights, cosmetic parts, little odd electrical bits. The only difference between a FX16 and FX16 GT-S is weight. The GT-S is a cosmetic/ comfort package. The sunroof cars give up a good 3 inches of headroom. The red GT-S is my dads, FX are cheap as well, both cars purchased for $1150!

They're very similar to the AE92 coupes, almost identical from the dash forward - only some bodywork is different. 4AGE could be redtop or bluetop depending on year and market. Suspension is the same as the AE92 and AE101, macstruts all around. Works best with the go-kart theory of suspension design - "Any suspension can work, if you don't let it."

Standard replacement parts are easy to find (unless specific to the hatch or coupe in which case you'll have to scour many junkyards- the support is really for the sedans) and the aftermarket isn't too bad.

These were brought up in a "list of underestimated/underappreciated cars" thread on here before.

Oh as was mentioned above, the rear tire clearance is what limits the tire width. Stock struts leave little room and coilovers will leave even less. To run anything wider than a 195 you'll need a special rear strut setup and some fender work. Running 15x8 wheels without some horrible hacked-up spacer setup is borderline impossible.

Things to watch out for: rust, achey breaky engine mounts, starter heat soak, certain high-enriched unobtanium parts (rear suspension members, 2.5 turn PS rack, I'd recommend stocking up on rear rotors just in case).

I love mine!

That's right about clearance in the rear. It's a tricky compromise. The set-up on this one helps it rotate like a RWD, but can pull through turns with the custom LSD.

I have a ae111 LSD 6 speed waiting to go in mine :D my normal rolling stock is e30 325ix 15x7s on 205/50 ecsta ast. Right now it's snow tire time on stock steelies. I'm putting it back up on stock suspension too so I can pull my shifter kart behind it.

I know whiteline out of ozzy land sold some suspension mods for it... springs, sways etc... I was very close to getting one but couldn't swing it at the time...

neat, fun little cars

Yeah if you can find a Whiteline adjustable rear sway bar get one, it's out of production, they only make a non-adjustable version now. They make rear camber bolts which are a good mod, bigger sway bars and suspension bushings.

trucke wrote: I love mine! That's right about clearance in the rear. It's a tricky compromise. The set-up on this one helps it rotate like a RWD, but can pull through turns with the custom LSD.

What LSD do you have? I've been looking at different options, I want to stop the one-wheel silly-spinning but I like the open diff handling.

Just a simple friction plate type. Simple, low cost, and very effective. Add power early in a turn and it sucks you to the inside of the turn. It's awesome!!! Really helps with rotation too!

All the gears have been machined to tolerance before assembly. A good friend of mine has been making these for almost twenty years. Each one is measured and machined to tolerance. The differential gears are also machined to ensure they are flat and parallel prior to assembly. He does all the work himself. There are hundreds of his LSD's out there. He sometimes crews for MazdaSpeed Motorsports #69 RX8 and has contributed his technical expertise to several GRM projects. Recently, he inspected one of his customer's LSD with over 100,000 miles on it. He measured inspected and reassembled it with just new springs.

You can find speed parts for these cars. You just need to be a little innovative and know what parts from other cars will work.

My car is equipped with a Ground Control Coilover kit with 5" Eibach 440# springs in the front and 7" Hypercoil 750# springs in the rear. No front sway bar with a ¾" rear Addco sway bar which you can special order through Summit Racing. Struts are Koni Sport Yellow Adjustable's.

FX16 come from the the factory with an adjustment for the front caster, camber and or course toe. The rear has adjustable toe as well.

Mine was set-up for SCCA's STX class, but has been bumped out due to rule changes last year. So now I'm running Street Prepared without R-comps. The tires are Toyo R1R's, 195/50-15. The car is not Nationally competitive, but it is fun and cheap to maintain.

Could you post some contact info for the guy who makes those LSDs?

Another option for coilovers is ISC, they're a GRM advertiser.

On the cheaper end of the spectrum there's D2/Ksport, just be aware that the "36-way adjustable dampers" on these are really "on/off" adjustable. When they wear out you can get them professionally revalved or look into swapping Bilstein dampers into them, a friend of mine did that on his rally car.

Oh BTW, if you want a new radiator look into a CSF model 2778, it's a 2-row aluminum all-metal radiator, OEM shape and size.

In reply to GameboyRMH:

Will not post his contact info on an open forum. Is there a private message feature on this forum?

Yep just click on the person's avatar and then on Contact.

The only thing that robbed the fun from mine was copious amounts of rust and the dreaded 5th gear popout issue.

I think I had $300 in the car. From what I've been told, the car is still on the road as a daily driver, over three years after I sold it. I'm surprised it hasn't rotted in half. The 4AGE is a hell of an engine.

GameboyRMH wrote: Yep just click on the person's avatar and then on Contact.

PM sent with contact info.

Powar wrote: I think I had $300 in the car. From what I've been told, the car is still on the road as a daily driver, over three years after I sold it. I'm surprised it hasn't rotted in half. The 4AGE is a hell of an engine.

That is a lot of rust. I've been fortunate to find one that lived in Georgia all it's life. It has very little rust, mostly the hatch. I have one I bought new that now has the inner rear panels rusted out. But I do have a parts car that has some good panels for replacement.

GameboyRMH wrote: Oh BTW, if you want a new radiator look into a CSF model 2778, it's a 2-row aluminum all-metal radiator, OEM shape and size.

Great tip! I didn't know that was an option.

My radiator was shot, causing it to run hot after a few autocross runs. I ended up buying an OEM style replacement from www.coolestradiator,com. It was under $100 shipped to my door. No cooling issues now!

trucke wrote:

Powar wrote: I think I had $300 in the car. From what I've been told, the car is still on the road as a daily driver, over three years after I sold it. I'm surprised it hasn't rotted in half. The 4AGE is a hell of an engine.

That is a lot of rust. I've been fortunate to find one that lived in Georgia all it's life. It has very little rust, mostly the hatch. I have one I bought new that now has the inner rear panels rusted out. But I do have a parts car that has some good panels for replacement.

If mine had been rust-free, I would've fixed the trans and kept it for a while. Strangely enough, the floors were totally solid.

Reviving an old thread, since I love doing that. A coworker sent me this link, so I am going to try to go check the car out on Saturday. This is something I could see myself keeping for a long time. Fingers crossed.

http://norfolk.craigslist.org/cto/4709050373.html

GRM had an FX16 GT-S for a project car back in '86 or '87; it was prepped to compete as a CSP car in Solo2. Tim did most of the work and co-drove with Mark Chiles and they did relatively well at Nationals, at least for a car with a lot of weight.

Maybe Tim can chime in with some more specific memories...?

An FX-16 being considered "a lot of weight"...talk about a simpler time!

Well, nevermind...the car just sold.

Mrs. Motomoron had an FX16 GTS before we were married. Awesome, awesome car. Sadly, its last mission was pushing the rear suspension out the right side of a Taurus wagon. It was stopped at night, lights off on the right side of a medium-sized thoroughfare in DC. On a down hill, in the dark and with but a sliver of moon, in heavy rain.

And the kid driving it honked a U-turn RIGHT in front of us. Lights off, no signal, boom.

It was a tragic waste of an exceptional car.