Lauren's AE86. Pics on page 13.

[Steve Horrocks]

Can't watch the bid on my phone, but says he's using an underpowered 86 with 165 bhp. Hope you beat your 140 estimatenor you've bought a lemon

[Lauren]

LOL! Well stock they are 122bhp like the MK1.

I wouldn't call 165bhp in an AE86 underpowered, but I guess all these things are relative.

[DannyN]

http://recarobabyseats.org/wp-content/u ... seat-1.jpg

Problem solved!

I've just bought one of those for my son, its class!

[jon_st205]

I wouldn't have thought rose joints would last long on the road

Though it did make me smile to see all the shiny suspension gear matched to a bust steering gaiter

[Bender Unit]

Power wise - 130 if your lucky! If your hitting 140 thats very good indeed! 160 in an 86 with a decent driver is fecking rapid.

[Lauren]

I wouldn't have thought rose joints would last long on the road

Agreed. Couldn't have rose joints as it's a daily. Do like the chassis bracing bits though. Mark has told me I don't need them, but I think given the shell is 25 years old, maybe a bit of support might be a good thing.

[Lauren]

AE86 life. Okay ten days in...

So how have I found the car? I mean I've gone from what was a brand new car to one that is getting on for it's 26th birthday(!).

After the first week of sorting most of the little niggles, all of which have now been sorted, including the idle up with the lights on which was ten minutes to fix, all is pretty good really. Yes the dash rattles and vibrates to an annoying degree. Some may call it character but none of my MR2s did this, so that's another job for another day. Also the radio is now working intermittently, but that can all be sorted in good time.

I have to say, it's kind of cool to get in such an old car, it really does turn heads even if I suspect most have no idea what it is apart from being ancient. Having said that those, that are in the know seem to approach it as a bit of a hallowed car, for example a trip down to the bodyshop had everyone out from the MOT place next door to gawp at it. So that's really nice because I can't say I got the same reaction with Pat the Panda.

It does feel a bit special to get into of a morning. I'm not sure what makes a 'special' car, it's almost like a feeling you get when you open the door and enconse yourself in the seat. I think the DC2 felt special too and I guess in a way my old mad SC did, though I'm not sure I got quite the same feeling with the NA (cool though it was). But whatever it is, the AE86 exudes character and has that whole heritage and history thing well sewn up due to being so succesful in rallying, circuit racing and latterly drifting and the like.

It's a car that feels small around you. Sure it's not a big car by any means. I find it fairly easy to drive in traffic which is just as well really, though it's always nice to open it up. I have got well used to the digi-dash now, steering is light and easy with far more feel than these new fangled electric systems such as in the Panda. Throttle and clutch are no issue, though I admit the brakes do need sorting, but they will be renewed which will sort it I'm sure.

Oh how I've missed my revs! The sound the engine makes approaching the redline is pure hardcore 4AGE. I guess it helps that this car has cams and the like, but it really does feel like it covers ground quickly enough and that top end is to be savoured whenever I get the opportunity, though I admit the cost of super unleaded does quell one's temptation somewhat.

As for how it feels on the road. Well the stupid bloody speedhumps that seem to be everywhere need a fair bit of caution. I just crawl over them, as after all it wasn't my idea.

The car feels light and very chuckable. This is not a car for the novices out there, it requires precision, but you get good feedback from all the controls and perhaps importantly though the seat of your pants. This is a car that you really do steer on the throttle. It is possible to slide it around at pretty low speeds, though you will still have to provoke it with a bit of throttle. The diff is tight and you can feel it winding out when turning right out of a junction. What I like though is when you are turning right into a smaller road, as the diff locks, just accelerate keenly and it just catapults you into the road, no oversteer, just pure traction. No silly wheel squealing here then.

My car is fairly stiff running TRD Blue suspenders all round. It feels nicely planted and obviously adjustable. What I find is that just as is the old school way, there is very little of this namby, pamby understeer and even if you do encounter it, you don't have to get off the throttle, just give it some more rally style and it will soon be oversteering. Oversteer once initiated can held by modulating the throttle. I can see I need to practice as it is 3 years since I've owned a RWD car, but now I remember exactly what I've been missing. The closest car that compares to the AE86 is a MK2 Escort I drove on a rally day on gravel. It does feel like that.

On the practical side of things, everything seems to work (bar the intermittent radio), no issues with electrics, aircon is nice and cold and I've even got used to wind up windows which in some ways are pretty good as most importantly they are light to use and quick at putting the window up and down. I've struggled a bit more with no central locking, so I think I will get it fitted to unlock/lock with the alarm fob. On the plus side the heater is very effective, I've even got adjustable speed on the intermittent wipe, which is something Pat the Panda didn't have.

So overall, I'm finding I can use a 25+ year old car as a daily driver, it's just a matter of appropriate TLC really. Last week I took a parent in the car. She said she felt like a 'gangster'. Hmm..

Tomorrow I have to drive to Manchester Town Hall which will be nose to tail traffic all the way. How do I feel about it? Well Little Hachi will be fine, I just wish there were more roundabouts on the route as every one seems to be fun thesedays.

[Steve Horrocks]

pmsl! top review!

regarding the central locking/alarm, are you doing it yourself? If not, there's a guy up in Stalybridge who's all I'd ever pass my car to for alarm type things. He's called Tim at http://www.trilogyincar.com/index.html

[Lauren]

I was going to pay the guy that fitted the alarm. About a £100 to do it and he'll wire it into the alarm too.

[Bender Unit]

L, me and chay were chatting about doing a track / drift day in the next few weeks / month so if your interested in tagging along let us know. Would be great to get more 86's on track. I really want to see how well the mx5 keeps up with the N2!

[Ekona]

Great write up, you seem to be bonding with it quite quickly

[Lauren]

L, me and chay were chatting about doing a track / drift day in the next few weeks / month so if your interested in tagging along let us know. Would be great to get more 86's on track. I really want to see how well the mx5 keeps up with the N2!

I will have to see where I'm up to James. I'm provisional for Angers on Sat 18th June (birthday trackday). A drift day is cheaper I guess, if only I had some spare wheels! Let me know, can't promise at this point as I really want to make sure I get all the necessary work on the car done. If there's any change...

[Keri-WMS]

I really want one of these, well done!

AFAIK they use a beam rear axle? Having grown up on Mk1/2 Escorts we often wondered if the reason they are both sooooo at home and predictable sideways is the fact that the rear wheels are forced to remain parellel - ie the rear rubber stays flat on the ground during body roll.

4-link, watts linkage and turretted coilovers on a beam axle, you know it makes sense!

A 4AGE AE86 has always seemed to be a close spec in performance to a Mk2 Escort BDA/G RS1800 - fair (general) comparison?

[Lauren]

Keri,

They have a live rear axle with 5 links. 4 x control arm links and a panhard rod.

4AGE on paper is similar to a BDA but quite different in respect of technical stuff. If anyone says that the 4AGE is a copy of the BDA...,arrrghh.

An RS1600 BDA produces more power than a stock 4AGE. Though a tuned 4AGE could produce the same power as a BDA which you have to remember only really came in a pretty high state of tune. 1800 BDA is just an evolution of the 1600 really.

But yes, I see what you are getting at, though the AE86 has a big advantage over a MK1/2 Escort as it doesn't have cart springs!

I drove a MK2 Escort for a rally experience day on gravel last year for my birthday. I would agree that the AE86 feels quite similar in respect of handling, so if you like MK1/2 Escorts then you'll really like the AE86.

[Keri-WMS]

Don't worry, I'm not hinting at the cars/engines being related etc! Just that they are similar concepts.

The Mk1 RS1600 Cosworth 1600 BDA has 115PS @ 6,500 according to my Haynes manual. BDG is just a stroked BDA....with a custom alloy block though.

They are 767kg for a Mk1 1.1L base model though, add up to 100kg to get to a trim-filled Pinto RS2000. How does the AE86 compare?

You're right about the cart springs being a nightmare, especially when you get axle-tramp! 4 link or 2-link plus an A-frame sorts it - even 2-link helps, as fitted to the RS models.

The std AE86 setup sounds good!

The only marginal downside to a panhard is it's slight sideways arc as it moves which a Watts doesn't (but it's heavier?), funny thing about a 2-link with A-frame setup is you get the side-side location "for free" from the "A", so I'm not sure why it's not used more often.

[Lauren]

Weight wise for an AE86 is 940-970kg depending upon trim etc. Coupes (ie 2 doors) are lighter. Mine is obviously the hatch and has all the mod cons, so aircon and power steering, leccy sunroof etc so expect mine is at the top end of the scale weight wise.

Yes, agree a Watts linkage is preferable.

Engine wise, well it's MK1 power really, 122bhp or thereabouts so slightly lower in the power to weight ratio. I'm hoping mine produces a little more than that given the cams and all.

Not heard much about the two link setup, though I guess with all the cars I've had it's never applied as I've never had a car with leaf springs (partly on principle). The other car I had with a live axle was a 2.3 Firenza. That had a 4 link set up, but no Panhard rod. Oh and just remembered had a Manta as well which was very similar to the AE86 with a 4 link and Panhard rod. That was kind of fun, but it had an open diff and the old cam in head 2 litre was very heavy being all cast iron and only put out around 100bhp. I think though looking back to then (circa 1990) I hadn't yet learnt to steer the car on the throttle and be generally naughty when it came to exploiting the handling!

[Keri-WMS]

Never tried a RWD Opel/Vauxhall, aim to fix that with a Monaro once they are ratty enough for me to not worry about!

Have you ever tried a Capri? They are nearly impossible to keep facing forward! Comedy value only!

We've got on of those dinky RWD Volvos the rat-drift lads play with, those and Porsch 944's are the only really cheap front engine/RWD/tintop toys on paper now it seems, unless you get an Mk1 MX5 hardtop.

[Lauren]

Well I reckon a Monaro ought to be plenty of fun with all that torque!

I've never driven a Capri, am expecting it to be similar to a MK2 Escort given the same kind of suspender layout and similar weight. I think the problem for me is that Capri's just never seem to have a cool image in a way, well maybe a Brooklands, I guess.

I know those old Volvos are popular for drifting, though those are leaf sprung too.

[toxo]

I think the problem for me is that Capri's just never seem to have a cool image in a way, well maybe a Brooklands, I guess.

What?! Have you never seen The Professionals?!

[Lauren]

What?! Have you never seen The Professionals?!

Unfortunately, yes. Never got into it.

Minder was cool, though and that was a Capri. I guess it was cool at the time, but by the time the 80s dawned upon us, things had moved on really.