Where can I begin? I guess it all started for me when I was growing up and saw my first box Corolla, which later I came to know it as it was more popularly called, the 1.8. I just loved it! Plan and simple! The lines, the way everyone dropped them and put on fat tires and the way it moved. I knew that when I grew up, I would have one. As time passed I got caught up with all the newer cars and I knew that my time was coming soon to partake in this mechanical endeavor. The funny thing was that I forgotten all about my first love until I got a wake up call. One day going down to Virginia in 1988, I rode with some friends that had……..uh Honda’s (pure ignorance back then). There were two Accord’s an ’86 and an ’88. So here we go down the Jersey Turnpike doing about 85mph and they see a deacon from the church they went to come up in the middle lane smooth as ever, passing them. Of course we all know what it was! He was driving an old ’80 box Corolla. So everyone says hi and then the Toyota is out. The two Honda guys are talking back and forth saying, what does he got in there? Well to make a long story short, the brand new Honda’s couldn’t catch the old 1.8. When he did stop at the rest stop, I asked him what he had done and he said, exhaust and a downdraft! My mind was made up once again. I had to have one.

After that I had a few Toyota influences. Guys in Brooklyn like Johnny Pierre, Robert Dicks, Henly, Mitch etc. Especially “THE MAN” George Tee out in NJ.  He is Mr. “if you beat me, I’ll burn my car”! These were old Veterans in the game. I learned a lot and dreamed a lot about what I wanted. A few Toyota’s later, I decided that I would find an ’82,  1.8 fastback body with a factory sunroof and AC.  I can’t tell you all how long it took me to find one that somebody would actually sell me. It is a very hard car to find. Number one it is the last year of the 1.8 Corolla’s that had a 3TC engine in it. For all you new comers, that’s the pushrod engine that is basically bullet proof.

Anyway, Henly found a guy selling a 2TG engine and told him that I might be interested. I was thinking about a 4AGE at one point, but I wanted to be different and I have something that not many other guys had or had even seen before. The 2TG was a perfect swap for the 3TC that I took out very quickly in my backyard.
 

     
Then I went all out. I wanted everything that I had dreamed about as a kid. Suspension, exhaust, headers, carburetors, high performance tires, custom wires, etc. I wanted everything!!! So far the project Hotsteppr has come a far way, but I still have a ways to go. It took me longer than I expected because of hard to find parts. Everyone keeps asking when? When? When? They don’t realize the love it takes to do a project car, especially one that not many people make parts for any more. All the people asking me how long is it gonna take me don’t realize that I had to wait one whole year for my springs. They don’t realize that when I took it to get prettied up, it took me ten months to find clean doors. That body style is the hardest to find parts for, but it is also the rarest.

My biggest decision right now, is what to do drivetrain wise. Should I keep the 2TG and work it to death? Should I lower the compression, throw a turbo and intercooler on it, or should I forget it and put in a 22RTE turbo engine? I have to do some research and figure the most cost efficient, but effective way to do justice to DivisionOne and Toyota’s everywhere. We must show certain other car owner’s (that I won’t mention) the way!!!  I must give thanks also to Charlie Kraus, a genius in the car game, at Street Smart in Brooklyn on Utica Ave for teaching more than any book could ever. Thanks Charlie, you are a true friend, I guess you don’t know you are gonna have your hands on it before it’s all over! Also George in NJ, thanks for the maneuvers with the suspension the carburetors man. Singh at Speedy Mufflers in Brooklyn on Utica, master welder.   Oh yeah I can’t forget the “L’il TRIX” crew! Pete, West, Bolo, Tech, Coz, Guy, Rich, Dino, and Kevin. I must say for Honda guys, you all definitely do get my respect, live long and prosper! Well, that is until I see you guys on the road!!! Ha, ha, ha! Love you all, thanks for the push to get the car out.  So there you have it, hopefully when it is totally done I can do between 13’s and 14’s in the quarter mile and still drive it everyday if I want. The down to the metal paint job, by the way, was done by Al and Joey at Lafayette Kustom Auto in NY. The work these guy’s does, you would sell your woman to get your car back if you had to. They are NO JOKE!!!!