pheller
UltimaDork
9/27/24 12:32 p.m.
https://www.thedrive.com/news/you-can-buy-toyota-ae86-reproduction-shells-on-alibaba-for-9500
This is an interesting development; a Chinese auto manufacturer is offering reproduction Toyota AE86 bodies for $9500 a piece with a minimum order of five.
I picture buying wrecked Levin Coupes and swapping over all the parts onto the fresh body, including the VIN plate. Find five old wrecked Corollas for a few hundred bucks, do the swap, sell each freshly painted with new interiors for $20k. Make yourself into the "Singer of AE86" or somesuch.
In reply to pheller :
I like how someone commenting on that The Drive sight joked that the body shell was only 3 feet long when it arrives at your door.
Being the Singer of anything is going to be way more than $20K. Love where your head is at, but I'd think a fresh AE86, even with a cheap chinese replacement body, is going to be more like $100K.
Too bad I have no AE86 stuff anymore,I'm also the fool that plasma cut the complete mint body off after pulling all the moulds and building the cage inside it. :)
pheller
UltimaDork
9/27/24 2:21 p.m.
kevlarcorolla said:
Too bad I have no AE86 stuff anymore,I'm also the fool that plasma cut the complete mint body off after pulling all the moulds and building the cage inside it. :)
Or organizing with the manufacturer to build a cage inside while still in China. What could go wrong?
What are the spots all over it?
NOHOME
MegaDork
9/27/24 2:54 p.m.
pheller said:
https://www.thedrive.com/news/you-can-buy-toyota-ae86-reproduction-shells-on-alibaba-for-9500
This is an interesting development; a Chinese auto manufacturer is offering reproduction Toyota AE86 bodies for $9500 a piece with a minimum order of five.
I picture buying wrecked Levin Coupes and swapping over all the parts onto the fresh body, including the VIN plate. Find five old wrecked Corollas for a few hundred bucks, do the swap, sell each freshly painted with new interiors for $20k. Make yourself into the "Singer of AE86" or somesuch.
$20k wont cover body and paint in today's world. By the time one of these hit the road, you would be around 1000 man-hours worth of time and the cost of parts to recoup.
That said, a shell for $10k would be an awesome start for some kind of project that is not so much a "restoration". I suspect that the $10k would be FOB china factory, and in reality be closer to $20k by the time it cleared in North America.
84FSP
PowerDork
9/27/24 2:59 p.m.
Apparently they are also doing 240ZX's as well... Seems entertaining but likely a terrible life choice as many have said.
j_tso
Dork
9/27/24 3:02 p.m.
In reply to kevlarcorolla :
These would be for the person ready to cut and weld a cage into.
Trent
UltimaDork
9/27/24 3:10 p.m.
If these came with a MSO (manufacturers statement of origin) like a Dynacorn body or a British heritage shell then you wouldn't even need to VIN swap a donor.
Trent
UltimaDork
9/27/24 3:11 p.m.
Tyler H said:
What are the spots all over it?
Those are target stickers for 3d scanning.
ShawnG
MegaDork
9/27/24 3:24 p.m.
1) You're never going to sell a finished car for $20k and get any of your time back. Add a zero.
2) Ive seen the quality of the repro Mustang bodies. hell no.
They probably bought the old, worn out body dies and tried making new bodies with them. Good luck.
Trent said:
If these came with a MSO (manufacturers statement of origin) like a Dynacorn body or a British heritage shell then you wouldn't even need to VIN swap a donor.
That depends on your state. If it gets registered as a 2024, then it has to pass emissions like a 2024.
If it's replacement body panels for an existing 1985 Corolla, no problems.
Trent
UltimaDork
9/27/24 4:19 p.m.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:
Trent said:
If these came with a MSO (manufacturers statement of origin) like a Dynacorn body or a British heritage shell then you wouldn't even need to VIN swap a donor.
That depends on your state. If it gets registered as a 2024, then it has to pass emissions like a 2024.
If it's replacement body panels for an existing 1985 Corolla, no problems.
"Special Construction" titles. Most states have them and it is how all kit cars are done. It is how a brand new Backdraft cobra reproduction will be titled as a "1965" with no emissions requirements in all 50 states.
In reply to pheller :
Yeah probably best to not have them do it lol.
In reply to kevlarcorolla :
Wow. Just... wow. It looks like you can stick your head between the front hoop and A pillar.
For those of us who were involved in the Locost scene 20 years ago, it's funny to see the AE86 love. They were a great Locost donor and were happily sacrificed because they were a good RWD drivetrain in a rusty body for cheap. Then Initial D happened...
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Gap wasn't as dramatic in person,but feel free to post pics of all the cages you've built along with the complete composite bodies all done with just your 2 hands in a single car garage.....
In reply to kevlarcorolla :
I'm used to seeing stage rally cages with far fewer tubes and running much closer to the pillars, because rules require that the tubes be attached to the pillars.
That's the only reason I'd want an AE86, because MkII Ford Econoboxs weren't sold here and they manage to be even more expensive than Corollas even despite the drift/Initial D tax.
