We visit an AE86-only restoration shop, which rebuilds these cars to an incredible factory fresh finish.
The videos are flying along, I guess because we have met a deadline for the 86 unveil(which is a good thing); Im trying to catch up with that progress, which makes the timeline for the rest of the videos a little weird, but we will figure it out. These photos are from late last year; when the car came out of the booth and received another coat of lacquer, we started fitting panels, and things hit me when the glass was fitted to the back paired with the ever-so-good-looking redline tails. I think I was almost sexually aroused by that rear end the first time we finished it; as strange as that is to say, I’ve probably fantasised about having this look for way too long. It’s been such a fucking journey with this car, and it’s insane to think that the mega building aspect of it is coming to a close; here are a few photos from this time, a bit of Barry welding, Bryan helping put stuff back together and Jackie working his magic on the tail lights.
Bryan and Barry double team assembly on the AE86 while Jackie fixes the redline Trueno tail lights
The day has finally come! We get some paint onto this AE86 Trueno after six years of work.
I never really appreciated the effort that went into blocking with a paint job because I had picked the best colour for body panels. Jackie was adamant that he wanted this car to be perfectly straight; I even started to lose track of the process, with the Trueno being blocked, spray-filled and then blocked again. Throughout the process, Jackie remained consistent with enthusiasm and attention to detail; most of the time, standing back and admiring his commitment, even after a full day of misery at work, was incredible. It’s been inspiring, and I’ve aimed to keep that mindset in my life as we advance. He wants to do the best he can all the time regarding his craft.
Here are the photos leading up to painting the car. We tried to get the best finish possible because, as I’ve learned, it’s all in the prep.
We unravel a story about an AE86 part while prepping the Trueno for paint.
We get carried away trying to create the perfect TRD wing for the back of the AE86 and Barry Gaps the 86.
The quarter panel repair was one of the most deflating parts of the 86 build. I knew I was in great hands with the lads, but it felt like a massive step back; we had got the car into the primer, and progress was chugging along, but it was utterly overwhelming to see the entire side of the vehicle hacked off. As much as it bummed me out knowing this needed tackling, I didn’t let it get to me.
The AE86 progress takes a step backwards as we replace the rear 1/4 panel.
We check out a Polonez AE86, a Polish car built like a Japanese Corolla and Adam from Nightrides Garage. Happy New Year, everyone!
Here is a little photo dump from our Nightride trip in December. This was a random mission, but it was such a blast. Seeing the Nightride set up and hanging out with the guys for a few days was incredible. It was nice to see a different perspective on things. The journey was a mission and a half, and the Essen Motor Show was a little treat. I made new friends out of this and memories that will last forever. I can’t wait to return to Poland. Im sure you have all seen the video, so I’ll let this little photo dump do the rest.
This was such a fun experience. Sam from Nightride reached out and asked me to help him find an AE86. He told me it had been his dream car for a long time and that they were scarce in Poland, so naturally, I had to help out. I, too, share the love for these cars and know what it’s like to chase the dream, so I went looking, and this popped up for the right price, exceptionally cheaper than the market value.
You’ve probably seen the videos by now as Im playing catch-up with the content, but I did this little shoot after we cleaned it up as photos I could send to Sam to get him excited about the purchase. On a rare winter sunny day, I took the car to the end of our business park and grabbed these photos, which I’ll leave below. The Trueno is such a charming little car, and this thing inspired me to get cracking with my build.