Blood brother Toyota Corolla 90
Finding ways to improve on a recipe cooked almost 20 plus years ago is a bit difficult. When it comes to cars, and pseudo classics at that, its best to keep it simple, clean and classy. Shahid Arman may not own the most powerful or the most aggressive E90 Corolla in town, but when you consider the subtlety and finesse with which this project car was built, you have to rank it as one of the best.
Cleanliness is hard to pull off, although some might think its easy. Its all about finding all the right parts, and keeping a sharp eye out for parts that will enhance the flavor of the original car, as opposed to sticking on the first things you find on the hunt for parts. Its all exemplified in the way the E90 looks and feels.
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The appearance was kept as stock as possible. A Sprinter X90 front bumper cleaned up the face of the car, giving it a square edged, handsome look that you will not find in other 90 Corollas. It's a simple, yet very effective modification, and it goes a long way in refreshing an old car. The paint, a glossy white, is of a very high standard, smoothly laid out over the surprisingly straight but aging body panels. Combine that with the eye opening stance and wheel setup, and you have a killer 90 which turns heads but leaves the non-car guys scratching their heads as to why they find this unassuming Corolla so alluring.
ZerOne springs lower the car aggressively over the wheels, which are genuine 15inch Enkei items shod in high profile Yokohama rubber. The wheel and tire setup, combined with the slightly staggered and lowered suspension give the Corolla a distinct Touring Car look. To match the road racer looks is an engine and gearbox conversion that is quite popular, because it has been tried and tested so many times. Under the hood is a Blacktop 4AGE, with Aerospeed crank pulley, air intake, oil cooler, NGK plugs and wires all added for a little extra oomph. Getting the power to the ground is a 6 speed manual gearbox, with an Exedy organic clutch and pressure plate.
A doctor by profession, Shahid Arman's love for old Corollas know no bounds.
Its an affordable way to get your fix of performance and tuned cars without blowing all your money on Evolutions and Imprezas.
It's also a resounding testament to the fact that no matter how many new cars enter the market, there will always be a certain section of the car scene continuing these old workhorses and refreshing them with tasteful modifications and proper maintenance. Like the 100 Corolla featured in today's issue, the 90 Corolla is a very good option if you think newer cars are not really worth the price you pay for them. What do you get if you choose this alternative? Boatloads of presence, character, and faithful reliability.
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