1986 Toyota Corolla With Turbo S2000 Power Reinvents Itself

If you're like most enthusiasts, you've had your fair share of cars over the years. And if we're talking about a decade or more, it's a given that you've sold something to acquire that next project or were forced to let go of a chassis just to make space, but not Ka Wong. He's held on to his 1985 Toyota Corolla GT-S year after year and in all that time has managed to refine his build and avoided falling into the common waters of excess.

Twelve years ago, we gave you a feature on Wong's creation that, even by today's standards would be an absolute stand-out in an ever-increasing slew of restomod Corollas. And while the car still carries some of those original parts that made it so tasty over a decade ago, the progression that's taken place since then forced us to revisit this one-of-a-kind build.

Originally purchased as a daily driver after his fully built Evo reached a level that made it a nuisance to drive on the street, the Corolla did what Corollas do, and turned into a full-blown project. That transition resulted after Wong, who had an affinity for hitting local canyons and exploiting the car's lightweight, nimble chassis, decided it needed more power to bring about more fun. He adds, "I watched a Hot Version video and saw King Keiichi in a Corolla with an S2000 engine swap that he said he really enjoyed." That's all it took to make up his mind and on a suggestion from drifter Taka Aono, Wong reached out to JSP Fab.

At that time, JSP had developed a user-friendly bolt-in kit for the Honda and Toyota collab and once completed, the performance was there—but the appearance was lacking. Off to Auto Explosion it went for a complete exterior makeover that included fender flares and the eye-catching PPG Spicy Orange paint. For years Wong enjoyed his backroad adventures and made regular appearances at events like the Japanese Classic Car Show.

Having made friends along the way, Wong joined them for a car show in Del Mar and the event made a lasting impression on him. "It totally changed how I thought my car looked," he recalls. "With the help of my now good friends, we transformed everything on the car." The engine bay was the first order of business, with pieces under the hood replaced or polished, and general organization stepped up, though it would be revisited again. Chuy's Auto Upholstery reworked the interior in Alcantara with orange stitching, after which Wong's friend Randy would step in to design and install an audio system.

The Corolla was lifted, and its wheels and suspension removed to give the undercarriage a thorough cleaning before fresh undercoating was applied and suspension components were sent to powder coated or polishing. Once complete, the car was reassembled and seemed to meet Wong's vision, but something was still missing. "I just wasn't satisfied. So, I took the car back to JSP to have a custom turbo set up done," he says.

JSP's John Russakoff fabricated a custom turbo manifold to hang an HKS 3037s and GT2 wastegate. He then created the intricate pie-cut titanium intercooler piping that enters and exits an HKS S Type intercooler. Finally, the downpipe and exhaust tubing that leads to a GReddy DD muffler. A Walbro 255 lph fuel pump sends fuel forward through an AEM filter and regulator and to RC 750cc injectors. While the car was there, a Haltech ECU was installed and the car was then delivered to Rywire Motorsport Electronics for a custom engine harness. The result is an easy 400 whp with engine vitals fully on display via Racepak's digital dash.

That power is sent to the S2000 transmission that's been fitted with an OS Giken twin plate clutch and lightweight flywheel and two-way limited slip. The the custom driveshaft is joined by a Supra rear housing that, of course, was cleaned and powdercoated. To slow things down, an Endless four-piston big brake kit was added and the same 15-inch TE37V that the project started with remain, as Volk Racing's legendary rollers age like fine wine.

With the car running perfectly and looking better than ever, the engine, transmission, and all that custom fab work was removed. The drastic change in momentum was so that Auto Explosion could give the engine bay another makeover, this time removing any unnecessary tabs or holes before fresh paint was applied. Wong's fellow R-RYDES crew members and friends would jump in to help complete a wire and brake line tuck and fab up the custom headlight cover and radiator cooling panel.

Auto Explosion would dive deeper, swapping in the Run Free front bumper and Workshop Takumi vented dry carbon hood to update the look, and it didn't stop there. The shop applied some very custom touches to the D-Max front fenders that took them from a simple widened and rear vented set up to a swooping work of art. The small vents were cut out of the fender entirely, the upper rear portion finished with a sharp scallop that meets the fender-to-door line, and its lower rear portion comprised of a pair of slats that curve down to meet newly formed carbon side diffusers.

All that work somehow flows perfectly with the Origin Lab rear fenders, molded in TRD wing, Cashew Sports mirrors, and that incredible Spicy Orange paint were all carried over from the car's original build up, though the paint was augmented with a tasteful two-tone treatment. Along the lower portion of the car and its lightweight hood, Auto Explosion applied House of Kolor Root Beer that bridges both the bright orange paint and the subtle bronze wheels.

Taking a stellar build and reinventing it can be dicey. Don't do enough and it'll feel like you wasted your time and money, whereas if you do too much, you lose the spirit of that original goal that you worked so hard to achieve. Ka Wong and circle of friends figured out a way to take something great and make it even better with no signs of unwanted excess and it was all done to that "side project" that 12 years later, is still being enjoyed.

Car 1985 Toyota Corolla

Owner Ka Wong

Instagram @s6h6i6h6o

Engine F20C engine swap; JSP Fab V2 billet S2000 engine conversion mounts, turbo manifold, downpipe, exhaust system, titanium intercooler piping; HKS 3037s turbo, GT2 wastegate, SQV4 blow-off valve, S-Type intercooler; GReddy DD muffler; Breeze Fab titanium turbo intake pipe w/AEM filter; CSF Radiator; Walbro 255lph fuel pump; RC 750cc injectors; AEM fuel pressure regulator, external high-flow filter; Haltech Platinum ECU; Rywire Motorsport Electronics engine harness; titanium dress-up hardware; custom radiator cooling plate; brake line and harness tuck; HOK Root Beeer painted wiper motor and brake booster; HKS oil cap; ARC coil pack cover

Drivetrain S2000 6-speed transmission; OS Giken twin plate clutch, lightweight flywheel, 2-way LSD; 1979 Supra rear housing powder coated purple; custom driveshaft

Suspension GReddy Type S coil overs; JSP Fab custom crossmember (powder coated purple); UEO Style front LCA (powder coated purple); inner/outer tie rods (polished); Prothane bushings; Nagisa Auto Shakitto plates; Cusco 6-pt. roll cage powder coated bronze, tension rods, 4-link set (powder coated purple); T3 traction brackets (polished)

Braking Endless 4-piston calipers, discs, pads; steel braided lines

Wheels & Tires Volk Racing TE37V 15x9 -15 front, 9.5 -25 rear; Yokohama A048 205/50 front, 225/50 rear

Exterior PPG Spicy Orange paint; JDM Kouki Levin front end conversion; Run Free front bumper; Workshop Takumi 'carbon junkie' dry carbon hood painted House of Kolor Candy Orange; D-Max front fenders modified by Auto Explosion; Origin Lab rear flares molded in; J-Blood side skirts molded in and fitted with Auto Explosion carbon side diffusers; TRD rear wing molded in; Cashew Sports side mirrors; Quick Latch locking hood pins; Solex door locks

Interior Bride Vorga seats, rails; Takata 4-point harnesses; Nardi Deep Corn steering wheel; Racepak digital dash; titanium steering wheel hardware; NRG pedals; J's Racing titanium shifter; AEM voltage, oil pressure gauges; Alcantara wrapped dash, rear panels, A, B, and C-pillars with orange stitching; new carpet; custom Bride material floor mats; suede with grey perforated door panels with orange stitching; carbon fiber wrap center console, cluster, and dash

Thank You to my family, L&L Hawaiian BBQ, Team R-RYDES, Randy Riggs, JSP Fabrication, Auto Explosion body shop, Haltech USA, Mastermind, Techno Square, RBreeze Fabrication and Ratchet Club.