Not destined to be a razor blade. Saving an AE86 GTS hatch

[Yuri]

So truth of the matter is I've always wanted an AE86 GTS hatchback. Unfortunately for me, they have long since priced themselves beyond what I can afford. I did at one time have a mint condition '87 SR5 Coupe, but I ended up selling it for a daily.

Then yesterday I was at the junkyard, and noticed in the impound lot a rather familiar looking rear end. The spoiler and body color rear bumper tipped me off to the possibility that it might be my unicorn. I talked to the cashier who said that security would have to walk me back, but they were understaffed that day, and would have to come back the next day.

So after a sleepless night, I arrived at the junkyard when it opened. The security directed me to an employee who would take me back to look at the car, but when we headed back, it wasn't there. It turns out that morning it was put into the yard. :x

I ran down the rows hoping it had not yet been discovered, and 8 rows in, glimpsed a winking flip-up headlight. I ran to it, and looked it over. A real GTS hatch, 1985, in red with the 3 tone red interior. Only 200k miles read on the guage cluster set in a dash that showed just two cracks. Except for the gas tank which was pulled to put it in the junkyard, it was complete.
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0215130848.jpg

I quickly took the crayon that the security guard gave me, and scrawled "HOLD" on the windshield, and viciously guarded it until a forklift could come, pluck it from its grave, and give it a second chance at life.
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0215130848a.jpg

I called the head of the junkyard, and set in motion all the paperwork to make it mine. I paid for it, and went over it taking pics, to figure out the parts I would need for its homecoming once the paperwork is ready, and I can rescue it from its private impound lot. I imagine it and the Subaru that share its little spot of safety are glad that their roads haven't ended just yet.
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0215130912a.jpg
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0215130912b.jpg
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0215130913.jpg
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0215130913b.jpg
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0215130914.jpg
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/4a459b0f-87df-4c9f-955e-cbee2d0915c8.jpg
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/769b0240-d21a-48bc-a1b1-6e6465b7c58e.jpg

So now I must start to track down a GTS fuel tank, driver's taillight, and get some wheels and tires ready for it when it comes home.
It's a great feeling to finally have checked another off my list of dream cars (my S30 Z is another), and an even greater feeling to know that I single-handidly saved a GTS hatch from
becoming scrap metal.

I want to have it ready in time for the Japanese classic car show in SoCal, and I plan on leaving the junkyard markings on for the show.

[Corbic]

Rawk on. Looks like a fun project. The red and black makes me think of...

37Z6INfhOMA

[KiLLeR2001]

Great save, can't wait to see the progress!

[Bambi]

ahaha that's so awesome!

This reminds me of my first car, a two-tone 240sx. I bought it as a shell from a guy who had to get it off his property and was going to scrap it. I bought it, dumped some cash into to get it running right and looking alright and eventually sold. I regretted it a lot but I was happy I saved the car and after a couple years I ended up finding and buying another two-tone in an AMAZING condition from a Nissan tech so I didn't miss the old one as much. AND the best part is that after a couple owners it got into the hands of somebody here on Zilvia who I got in contact with and is trying to take care of the car too now. :)

Congrats dude, keep us updated.




(pics for reference)

first two-tone
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/164005_170330303012160_656885_n.jpg
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/p206x206/168790_171087522936438_6934849_n.jpg

2nd (current) two-tone
http://i414.photobucket.com/albums/pp230/iskateLakeForest/IMG_0822.jpg
http://i414.photobucket.com/albums/pp230/iskateLakeForest/IMG_0817.jpg

Then, I put some Nismo JTC's on it and lowered it a bit with Nismo struts/springs. Pig lip, Q45 brake upgrade, shimmed VLSD, and a bunch of other things to keep it clean and healthy. Still have the (surprisingly REALLY strong) KA24E in it!
http://distilleryimage4.s3.amazonaws.com/c2bf1a5072ee11e291a022000a9f13ef_7.jpg

[rat240]

is that Richard rabe in the 7th pic

[Yuri]

is that Richard rabe in the 7th pic

Good spotting!

[Future240]

Good find man!

I would love to own an 86 hatch.

[wangan_cruiser]

thats fucking awesome bro. i want a gts hatch too but we have too many cars in our place sad. how much did you pay for everything

[TougeLove]

the story will make an awesome read when its featured in a magazine 5 years from now ;)

how much did they sell it to you for if you dont mind?

[gambit420s]

I was just thinking, no way two got saved this week, or I read your thread on TCL. Good Job

[FRpilot]

You did the right thing

[HyperTek]

thats awesome. I been looking around my neighborhood for a 240z. Found one across the street. Talked to someone at that house and they said its not for sale. https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/64569_10151343387673557_1139515101_n.jpg

My next door neighbor has one, but he won't sell it either.
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/390430_10151100167833557_898930062_n.jpg

If you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost to get the car out of the junk yard? I was always curious about how much that cost.

[BOROSUN]

good save.

ish not its time, yet... to go to car heaven.

[Taniguchi_Is_#1]

That's pretty cool.

[towlie]

Hey nice save! I'm always keeping an eye out for something like this

[Piggy]

Very nice.

[xoxide]

Nice find! Good pic with the S13 in the background with the AE on the forklift haha.

Im curious on the price to, my local junkyard wont sell whole cars.. They said you'd have to cut it in half to get it out since they send the titles to the state and are destroyed.

[Corbic]

I'm really digging the 80's decals - http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0215130848a.jpg

Almost makes me want to do something like that on my 240sx.

"Type-X Turbo"

IDK.

[ryans523]

awesome find!

[Yuri]

So even though the car won't be released from the sold car section for another 3-4 weeks while the paperwork clears, doesn't mean I can't start on it.

My friend Richard sent out feelers for any intel on a GTS gas tank, and within a couple days, we found out about a GTS that had been hit and had the frame messed up that was being parted out in Diamond Bar. Knowing that we would need the cargo capacity, my roommate Joel and I got my Z and 200SX ready and headed out.
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0217131556a.jpg

Once we got there, we were greeted by the sight of a rather clean yet destroyed from the left rear late '87 GTS coupe.
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0217131649.jpg

From it we got the following:

GTS fuel tank with pump and assorted plumbing bits. I'll need to fix the hardline, it's crimped from attempting to remove it.
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0217131848.jpg

Two manual outside mirrors.
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0217131846.jpg

Driver's front mudflap and antenna mast to replace my missing pieces.
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0217131850.jpg

And a pair of SR5 style GTS seats to use while I'm getting the proper seats redone.
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/The%20saved%20Corolla/0217131854.jpg

[BoostSlideWayz]

I wish my local junkyard sold or let go of full cars... found a nice body FC, trashed interior but has full motor and transmission.

Unfortunately it will sit there until its nothing but a chassis then cut up probably and scrap.

some of the junk yards ive been to have a couple neat cars but nothing like a AE86. i hate how some yards dont part with full cars.

[!Zar!]

When you buy a junkyard car it is titled as Salvaged, correct?

[Yuri]

When you buy a junkyard car it is titled as Salvaged, correct?

Correct. My S13.4 is a salvage title, and it doesn't bother me. However, when it was retitled in Wisconsin some how it lost it's salvage status.

[Got Insulin?]

Some states allow for you to get an "advanced" inspection that will take a car from "Salvage" to "Reconstructed."

Rad car, man. Glad you're saving one from the chopping block.

[Corbic]

Correct. My S13.4 is a salvage title, and it doesn't bother me. However, when it was retitled in Wisconsin some how it lost it's salvage status.

It's called title washing. Some states allow it. Very popular in Florida, always be careful buying "cheap" fancy cars from there. Most "to good to be true" deals will be rebuilt wrecks that were imported from the surrounding states and fixed up in Florida for Internet Sales.

[ZenkiKid]

Why didnt you just offer to buy the entire parts car? To my understanding oem parts for these things are pretty scarce.

[Yuri]

Why didnt you just offer to buy the entire parts car? To my understanding oem parts for these things are pretty scarce.

I live in an apt with a tiny one car garage.

[dizzariot]

This is amazig dude I can't wait for it to be in you posession. I just bought an S13 Coupe SE with 95,xxx original miles. The interiors is utterly flawless besides needing a good cleaning and it has the HUD. One original owner who bought it from Nissan back in '92.

Cons: Automatic transmission and paint oxidizing on rear bumper. Other than that it's solid.


Seems like this is everyone's year to start their 'next big thing'.

[brndck]

Hell yeah awesome find!!! I had two 86 gts and I miss both of em. Wish I'd never sold em but I love my s13's more.

[drift freaq]

very cool find Yuri and speaking of 240Z's. I will not forget the clean stripped out 72 that Racepar1 and I ran across in pick a part. We both looked at each other and said track car. We came back a week later and that car was gone. It was pretty obvious someone had snapped it up. It had only been dropped right before we found it.

What you did is what most people who are into classics should do when they see these things at the Yards. Don't hesitate try to make the purchase.

[SochBAT]

Rawk on. Looks like a fun project. The red and black makes me think of...

37Z6INfhOMA

Please, play this before you read the thread. It makes great background music.

[Otto347]

Awesome save.................

[Yuri]

Hopefully the paperwork is almost done, so I should be able to pick it up soon. In the meantime,
I have managed to track down an intact liftback taillight. It needs to be cleaned up and have the digital camo duct tape removed from the edges.
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/0223131745.jpg

I then happened across an '85 SR5 coupe in the junkyard, and was able to grab the fuel tank sending unit, and front signal lenses. Hopefully after I get the fuel line on the GTS tank fixed, I'll have all the parts needed to get the car on the road minus wheels and tires.
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz20/dkapt2/0301131520.jpg

[deolio]

so rad that you saved that thing. every time i go to pick n pull i'm always tempted to salvage the classics that i see, but i have yet to come across one in as good condition/complete as that 86 :-/ can't wait to see it back on the road!

[97nismo]

you are really lucky i have never seen any of those cars ever and you have found 3 different ones

[Gizmo_S13]

How much was it? You're lucky you got it quick. A GTS hatch was dumped in my junkyard and within a week it was COMPLETELY stripped.

[Yuri]

How much was it? You're lucky you got it quick. A GTS hatch was dumped in my junkyard and within a week it was COMPLETELY stripped.

The week I sold my SR5, I went to the junkyard and saw a 2-tone silver and black GTS coupe get put in the yard, and by the time I passed it again on my way out (20 minutes later) it had been completely stripped. If my GTS had been put in on a weekend, I'd never have been able to save it.

[Gizmo_S13]

No doubt about that, I'm talking about.complete chassis though lol This one had a hicomp in it. It had a bride bucket, LSD rear end, complete interior, all that steez. I got to see it the day it left the lot it was a bare shell.

[Yuri]

Quick update. The yard crushed the 86 by mistake. :rant:

However, I am so set on AE86 ownership now that I ended up trading my daily driver Miata straight up for this:
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x158/DKapt/Yuri%20projects/AE86/DSCN2003_zpse7d930be.jpg

[soreballz]

Ohh man, that's tragic. :naw:

Cool coupe, though.

[Blurryeyes]

Can we change the thread title to "A Razor blade after all..."?

[lewisfk]

A thread with its own theme music, keep it up!

[Dutchmalmiss]

Coupes with JDM bumpers look SO GOOD. Making me reconsider snatching one of these up.

[FaLKoN240]

Can we change the thread title to "A Razor blade after all..."?

This .

[Yuri]

Can we change the thread title to "A Razor blade after all..."?

That would be a lot more fitting. ;/