Hidden Treasures : The Cruise Levin
I got a phone call from a friend, I was finally getting the chance to see this AE111. For those of you who dont know this car, this is the Cruise Power Levin. Cruise are notorious for covering cars in their signature pink and well, building insane power cars. This is just one of the many cars that was snatched up at auction and made its way to our damp little isle.
Most of the cruise cars are well known by JDM heads, this one should be recognised by quite a few, as for Irish people many know the car for making a brief appearance and then vanishing forever. I was pretty excited to see it after hounding a friend who knew a friend for quite awhile.
The car hadn’t moved in a few years, hiding away in the least likely place to see something this loud, a farm yard in rural Ireland on a dreary winter day we pushed this ray of sunshine out onto the damp slab. Being a pathetic obsessive Japanese car enthusiast I got pretty excited, the car was relatively untouched and looked as good as the auction pictures. That colour against the corrugated green shed was pretty amusing, this is what I love about this country, you really never know what to expect in a shed.
Seeing such a hyper example of an AE111 and being the Cruise demo car just hiding away in a barn is a typical Irish scenario for those of you who arent from here. The car was fully loaded and by loaded I mean it has pretty much anything you could either stick inside a levin and outside. A perfect slice of Japanese insanity. A look inside you see a red Bride which was fitted here, a Lagged Cusco cage, an SR2 recaro with matching material.
The cockpit is pretty busy, but looks damn good! You can see a Momo race and an array of Greddy 60mm gauges, other things to note would obvious Autometer Monster Tacho with Shift Change Light, afterall this was designed as a drag car (we think). Other goodies include Razo pedals, Razo shift knob, a HKS EVC Boost Controller (Late Model) and a Blitz Turbo Timer and Power Meter.
The Enkei wheels are covered in dust from the years sitting up. As many of you are quite aware, the country fell into a recession forcing many of its young once flush car enthusiasts out to find work in other parts of the world. This car was pushing over 500bhp from a 20valve, and well due to a couple of things it didnt last that long once it landed here. Once the engine said goodbye the car was parked and the owner headed for the land down under parking his beauty away till he returned.
I lifted this from WKD imports, its the best shot I could get of the engine bay because the engine has no head at the minute, its waiting for a rebuild. Some goodies that lurked under the bonnet included Escort Forged Pistons, Jun Super Conrods, an OS Giken Twin Plate Clutch, Toda 272 9mm Lift Cams In/Ex,, and Blitz 850cc Injectors.
A TD06-20G Turbo was boosting the 4a-ge at 1.5 / 490ps through a Cusco LSD Type RS. The car has so much more too, a one off manifold and so much more, it goes on. This has to be one of the most impressive examples of this car on the planet, and Its enjoyable when companies like Cruise went ahead and built such cars.
Outside you couldnt help but stare at the extras, the paint is insane the pictures really do the car no justice but I had to get some to show to others. Many people have never even seen the car, any friends has seen it a couple of times at night before the engine gave in. Most AE111’s around the country today are being scrapped left right and center, many that remain are pretty ropey so it was an absolute treat to see this hyper looking car.
The entire outside is kitted with the Bomex kit, with the addition of a TRD spoiler, out the back lurked a Titanium system. Goodies like Endless Function Coilovers or the fact the entire car has been foam filled, or a full array of Juran and TRD handling upgrades.
Ive always been a huge fan of these cars. It was an absolute treat to see this car, Under the pink skin this thing is a monster, and is immense in every way. Im glad I could share this tasty lump of Japanese steel with you, everything about this car is perfect and hopefully it stays this way for a long time to come, a perfect slice of the goodtimes in both Japan and Ireland for different reasons. This Levin will be ten times cooler in 20 years from now, hopefully sometime in the near future we can hear this thing go once again. Oh Japan ❤
If you were curious here is a spec list that I found on WKD imports where there is a whole bunch of other pictures too.
SPEC
1999/1 Levin BZ-R Levin, Repainted Pink Pearl (Cruise Signature Colour)
SALES POINTS
Auction sheet:
One Owner
Cruise Demo Car
Front Wheel Drive Drag Spec Turbo (AE111)
Mission and Sus Changed 3000 kms ago
Escort Forged Piston
Jun Super Conrod
OS Twin Plate Clutch
Toda 272 9mm Lift Cam In/Ex
HKS F Con V Pro
TD06-20G Turbo
Boost 1.5 / 490ps
Blitz 850cc Inj
Cusco LSD Type RS
6 Point Roll Cage
HIDs
Spec Sheet (Left in the car with Cruise Headings):
(Parts Changed)
Clutch Release Pedal
Diff Side Bearing
Diff Side seal
Bonnet Duct
Front Pipe Outlet
Intercooler Piping
0.8mm Racing Metal Head Gasket
One Off Oil Catch Tank
Injector Insulator
Cam Seal
Blitz Surge Tank Gasket
Mani Gasket
Crank Pulley
Blitz Wastegate Gasket
Toyota 6 Speed Mission (New 3000kms ago)
Valve Spring
Slide Cam Sprocket
Full Engine Tuning (Honing, Block Skimmed, Shim Adjusted etc etc)
Cam Cover gasket and washers
Cusco p/s pump (pulley)
e/g exhaust valves all new
fly wheel changed
new valve lifter
decat pipe
strengthened crank
vavle seat cut
ports enlarged
head skimmed
head fully tuned
valve clearance adjusted
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Juran Front Tower Bar
Custom Manifold
Blitz Wastegate
Screamer Pipe
Solid Suction Pipe
HKS Induction Filter
Radiator Slam Panel
Sard Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator
Aftermarket Turbo Elbow
Aftermaket Downpipe
Aftermarket Front Pipe
Aftermarket Horn
Aero Front Bumper with Cruise custom intake Ducting
Aero Side Steps
Rear Spoiler
Cruise Stickers
Aftermarket Brake Pads
Slotted Rear Rotors
Trust Intercooler
Blitz Ignition Leads
Recaro Recliners with matching Rear Seats (Factory)
Momo Race Steering Wheel
Razo Pedals
Razo Shift Knob
Greddy 60mm White Electronic Boost Gauge
Greddy 60mm White EGT Gauge
Greddy 60mm White Electronic Water Temp Gauge
Greddy 60mm White Electronic Oil Temp Gauge
Greddy 60mm White Electronic EGT Gauge
Blitz Power Meter
Autometer Monster Tacho with Shift Change Light
HKS EVC Boost Controller (Late Model)
Blitz Turbo Timer
6 Point Lagged Cage
15″ Alloys
Titanium Exhaust System
Endless Function Coilovers (VGC)
APP Stainless Mesh Brake Lines
Rear Under Suspension Brace
Foam Filled Frame (Done by some tuners for Rigidity, cuisse being one)
Greddy Oil Cooler and Filter Relocation Kit
Kenwood CD / MD Double DIN
HKT Fan Controller
HKS Twin Power
http://www.wkdimports.com/toyota-levin-cruise-demo-car-500ps/