Report: No AWD For Subaru version of FT-86!

[ichitaka05]

Originally Posted by [es vi: eks]

It was so close to going into production. If only Ford didnt cause problems for the company.

When Ford DIDN'T cause problem to other company? Even Ford is involved, it always go down hill

[[es vi: eks]]

Originally Posted by ichitaka05

When Ford DIDN'T cause problem to other company? Even Ford is involved, it always go down hill

Ford ended up buying the up the local Briggs body building plant.
They did not want to produce any more bodys..
Briggs did say they could consider supplying bodys for another 2 years, but then they would had to find another company to produce them after that.
All the dies and molds were done and where ready to go into production.
There was lots of other things that happened.
They couldnt come to a decession.
And the company eventually closed up. paid off all the share holders in full. sold part of the plant to International haverster. I think another part became part of a aircraft engineering company.

One of the reasons they did the R4 in fiberglass was so they wouldnt have to rely on briggs building the bodys. The R4 needed a little bit more devolpment to improve the molds for mass production.
The new car,van and pick up would had been the main bread winner till the R4 would had gone into production.

They were still producing the old models untill the factory closed up.
The old Jupiter still got made untill 1954 in small batch numbers. About 10 or so.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by [es vi: eks]

That reminds me of something..

A car that could been avaible in the 1950s...

The very last develpoment of FR RWD flat four sports coupe. ( untill the FT86 popped along )

At the time if it had gone into production it would had been the cheapest 100+ MPH sports coupe. It had fiberglass body, 1.5L flat four, 4spd with over drive. It was light weight and well handeling.

It was called the R4 Jupiter was built by a company called Jowett.
The same company had been making RWD flat twin/ flat four engined cars/pick ups/sports cars etc since 1910.

It was so close to going into production. If only Ford didnt cause problems for the company.

There were 3 prototypes built.
One guy brought all 3 and raced them.
He did very well.


Imagine what would have been availble now if it had been produced.

Story Bro!

[Lexicon101]

Originally Posted by ichitaka05

why? If they made turbo ver it has more possible for then to have TMIC than FMIC

That.
Thank you.

[Infernal]

Originally Posted by Lexicon101

That.
Thank you.

even though the g'sports version has an FMIC??

[ichitaka05]

Originally Posted by Infernal

even though the g'sports version has an FMIC??

iirc G'Sports isn't associated with Toyota and I highly doubt it's gonna be warranty by Toyota... while Subaru is co-designer with Toyota, it has more chance of having TMIC instead of FMIC.

... but it comes with the problem. Where Mr. Tada put the engine under the hood? More towards the firewall like S2k or in the center like Impreza? If they put it more towards the firewall then, FMIC is the only choice due the the throttle body space problem (unless they make it like WRC ver).

[OldSkoolToys]

Originally Posted by ichitaka05

Just one correction, AE86 isn't well known for drifting. That's "wanna be" car maniac think that. True AE86 fan knows that, AE86 isn't just for drifting. AE86 was popular in Group A & Group N racing. Also it was used in rallying and even in JGTC GT300 class (but it was quickly change to MR-2).

If it AE86 is well known for drifting, why all the famous drifters change their AE86 to different drift cars? example:
Imarura Youichi - Personal car: 86 to Silvia S15. In D1: AE86 to FD to Z
Taniguchi Nobuteru - Personal car: 86 to Silvia S15. D1: S15 to Altezza
Orido Manabu - Personal car: 86 to Silvia S14 to Supra. Ikaten: 86 to Silvia S14 D1: Supra to IS to GS to Supra
Ueo Katsuhiro - Personal car: 86 to Silvia S15. In D1: 86 to Z to S15

AE86 was good car to start get into racing world. Light weight, good engine, FR layout and cheaper parts than other FR cars.

They changed because the nature of the sport changed. Old school Ikaten events and early D1's didn't have the overwhelming majority of its cars with, not an exact figure just an example, +$500,000 invested into them from tuning shops (especially in Ikaten events, lol). As the cars became more advanced, and driver skill continued to rise, the age of the AE86 became more of a hinderance than it would've been. It began to show its age, so to speak.

Not only that but good-condition AE86 chassis' are becoming harder and harder to find in Japan, and more expensive if you do find them.
In order to compete at that level (D1) the entire car has to be basically redone with technology more up to date. I know of a few drivers (can't remember names) that have had success with AE86's doning 3S-GTE's and what not, but at that point, it becomes more expensive to keep the 86 competitive than it is to find a much cheaper S13/15 and go with that.

$$$ is why the AE86 is disappearing from drifting. That and serious competition. Ikaten was a bunch of crazy guys out to mainly have fun. Winning D1, however, pays the bills, and makes the tuners look good. In that sense, the AE86 is a car you would chose if you willingly wanted to make it harder to come out on top.

To state that the AE86 is not well-known for being a drift car, however, is completely false. It garners respect from other drifters as being the personal favorite car of the drift king himself, as well as being one of the most common drift cars you would find in early events back in the mid-late 90's, for many reasons you stated above: it was cheap and easily found. Its 'popularity' as a drift car used in competition is dwindling because of the reasons I just stated above. It is still, however, a popular car amongst grass-root drifters.

The same thing will eventually happen to 13 chassis' and then 15's. Age will begin to show its ugly face as the cars become harder to find, and more expensive to maintain at a higher level of competition against the new wave of cheap FR's that are about to come our way.

However, yes, a true 86 enthusiast would know that the AE86 was a car just as popular for traditional racing venues, and not just drifting. But you can't say its not a car well-known to be associated with drifting. Thats just...no.

[Midship Runabout]

Originally Posted by ichitaka05

why? If they made turbo ver it has more possible for then to have TMIC than FMIC

Thats what i meant. so the hood scoop would be useful.

[Lexicon101]

Originally Posted by Infernal

even though the g'sports version has an FMIC??

You're saying that Subaru's putting out the G's version? I don't think so.
Subaru's got a long line of TMIC's with hood scoops, don't they?

Just saying, I would expect a performance scooby doo to have a hood scoop.

[ichitaka05]

Originally Posted by OldSkoolToys

They changed because the nature of the sport changed. Old school Ikaten events and early D1's didn't have the overwhelming majority of its cars with, not an exact figure just an example, +$500,000 invested into them from tuning shops (especially in Ikaten events, lol). As the cars became more advanced, and driver skill continued to rise, the age of the AE86 became more of a hinderance than it would've been. It began to show its age, so to speak.

Not only that but good-condition AE86 chassis' are becoming harder and harder to find in Japan, and more expensive if you do find them.
In order to compete at that level (D1) the entire car has to be basically redone with technology more up to date. I know of a few drivers (can't remember names) that have had success with AE86's doning 3S-GTE's and what not, but at that point, it becomes more expensive to keep the 86 competitive than it is to find a much cheaper S13/15 and go with that.

$$$ is why the AE86 is disappearing from drifting. That and serious competition. Ikaten was a bunch of crazy guys out to mainly have fun. Winning D1, however, pays the bills, and makes the tuners look good. In that sense, the AE86 is a car you would chose if you willingly wanted to make it harder to come out on top.

To state that the AE86 is not well-known for being a drift car, however, is completely false. It garners respect from other drifters as being the personal favorite car of the drift king himself, as well as being one of the most common drift cars you would find in early events back in the mid-late 90's, for many reasons you stated above: it was cheap and easily found. Its 'popularity' as a drift car used in competition is dwindling because of the reasons I just stated above. It is still, however, a popular car amongst grass-root drifters.

The same thing will eventually happen to 13 chassis' and then 15's. Age will begin to show its ugly face as the cars become harder to find, and more expensive to maintain at a higher level of competition against the new wave of cheap FR's that are about to come our way.

However, yes, a true 86 enthusiast would know that the AE86 was a car just as popular for traditional racing venues, and not just drifting. But you can't say its not a car well-known to be associated with drifting. Thats just...no.

Maybe how I explained wasn't done well.

I completely agree with you. Like you stated age & $ make them change it to different car.

Yes, Tsuchiya-san Orido-san, Taniguchi-san and other well known drivers use to own AE86 (Tsuchiya-san is on the 4~5th one). Learn to drive/drift (Orido started as Gymkhana and never really drifted til S14. Taniguchi started as full grip time attack driver and didn't care for drifting til few yrs before signing up on Ikaten) and got into the racing world. I just don't like when ppl states that AE86 was made for drifting. No! Real AE86 fans knows that AE86 can be used for every racing events they can think of. Rally, JGTC, R200, TA, & Drifting.

AE86 was the helpful key or car (or whatever you wanna call it) to get into the racing world.

[Matador]

Originally Posted by OldSkoolToys

.........

To state that the AE86 is not well-known for being a drift car, however, is completely false. It garners respect from other drifters as being the personal favorite car of the drift king himself, as well as being one of the most common drift cars you would find in early events back in the mid-late 90's, for many reasons you stated above: it was cheap and easily found. Its 'popularity' as a drift car used in competition is dwindling because of the reasons I just stated above. It is still, however, a popular car amongst grass-root drifters.

.........

However, yes, a true 86 enthusiast would know that the AE86 was a car just as popular for traditional racing venues, and not just drifting. But you can't say its not a car well-known to be associated with drifting. Thats just...no.

It's his personal favourite because it's good for touge.....

[OldSkoolToys]

Originally Posted by MatadorRacing_F1

It's his personal favourite because it's good for touge.....

Its his personal favorite because its overall one of the funnest cars to drive, for him. The man doesn't pick an 86 just because its still a sound choice on touge. He's actually a very motivated personal AE86 fan.

If it was 'just for touge' then Tsuchiya would've pushed the 86 aside and had Spirits build an MR-S for him to replace his 86. Instead he went out and tried to make his 86 faster for a rematch.

[ichitaka05]

Originally Posted by OldSkoolToys

Its his personal favorite because its overall one of the funnest cars to drive, for him. The man doesn't pick an 86 just because its still a sound choice on touge. He's actually a very motivated personal AE86 fan.

If it was 'just for touge' then Tsuchiya would've pushed the 86 aside and had Spirits build an MR-S for him to replace his 86. Instead he went out and tried to make his 86 faster for a rematch.

It's sad, it even happened... Spirits's MR-S got stolen and other sad things happened.

[msrobley]

i dont really mind because i like the toyota better