Daily Driving an AE86

I daily one too, I share the same sentiment.

They're easy to work on but it's a 30 year old car with 30 year old parts; I've had my fuel pump die on me, distributor rotor somehow break in half, electrical grounds not tightened, oil cooler line burst with oil spilling all over my drive way, and a leaky radiator.

I've fixed everything that was faulty and daily drive it for the summer but to undertake a serious road trip, I'd get the engine rebuilt with a new oil and water pump, and bring a spare brake master cylinder and check all your grounds and vac hoses, and pray to god nothing happens.

But to daily drive it would be risky because they are rare and if someone wrecks you, you will be FUCKED and I've had a few close calls from the absolute fucking idiots that drive around here, I'm serously considering only driving mine on sunday mornings and sat nights, away from all the retarded normie casuals.

If you want something close though, the answer is always a Miata.

the only things keeping me from getting a Miata is such little storage space, only two seats, and having to go through the trouble of obtaining a hardtop

>engine rebuilt with a new oil and water pump
>engine rebuilt

Isn't an engine rebuild like new rod bearings, new piston rings, boring crank journals, boring cam journals, boring and honing cylinders, fitting new piston rings, and shit like that?

I daily a 35 year old BMW and the only thing that's failed to the point of stranding me in the last 3000 miles was the voltage regulator, which was probably a long time coming.

>grounds and vac hoses
Yeah this is a pain on old cars. Literally everything made of rubber should be replaced. Every gasket, every flange. Every hose, every boot. Every belt, every bushing. I don't care where you live. If it's older than 20 years, all of that shit is dry rotted and waiting to fail and spray power steering fluid all over your engine bay. Great chance for a silicon hose kit either way.

Also there's a 100% chance that nobody has ever changed the fuel filter.

>retards
+1
Retards are why I didn't buy another motorcycle after someone pulled out in front of me and totaled my last one.

Belt noises also invoke a special terror in you after you've regularly driven a classic car for a while.

Drive a modern Corolla. Same shit

You think obtaining a hardtop for a Miata is bad?, people are charging 2K for an MR2 3rd gen hardtop lol.

>Isn't an engine rebuild like new rod bearings, new piston rings, boring crank journals, boring cam journals, boring and honing cylinders, fitting new piston rings, and shit like that?

It is but It wouldn't hurt to replace those pumps while your engine is apart.

>Bushings

That reminds me, all my bushings are dry rotted lol.

>
Also there's a 100% chance that nobody has ever changed the fuel filter.

Too true and even then, the threads are probably all seized and rusted, I had to cut out my fuel pressure line and flare a new one when replacing my pump because of that, not even PB blaster and a long ass breaker bar helped, I'm afraid I'll have to do the same with my filter :/.

Sorry about your bike, this is exactly why I drive sloooow and resist the urge to hoon.

When I got the car I replaced a lot of things all at once. Brakes, all rubber hoses, bushings, radiator, thermostat, valve cover seals, distributor, spark plugs, fuel filter and pump, etc.

I have been driving for 3 years now and have never broken down, even the A/C still works, but I'm pretty sure if I didn't do all that work up front I would have been fucked.

I even drove the car across states without an issue, but highway driving really sucks because the thing sits at 3800 RPM at 65-70mph.

Anyway, I do have a spare long block and a transmission, just in case. :)

Nice, she looks clean bro.

>Spare tranny and long block.

I should get a spare engine too but I do have a spare starter rebuild and transmission rebuild kit.

That remininds me, I gotta replace my sparkplugs and bushings too.

Where did you get the transmission rebuild kit? I should probably pick one up as well.

Even though all the work I've done on the car really did suck at the time (especially bushings), I'm glad I did it. I have never driven another car that feels the same. It's hard to explain, but every time I drive the car it's like driving it for the first time.

Think of it this way, op
In Initial D, they all drive japanese cars
Is this because the cars they drive are the most legendary and best cars, or is it because they live in Japan? Probably a little bit of both, but there's nothing wrong with driving an american car because they're easier to find and cheaper. If I were you I would buy a 90's mustang.

Ebay, spent an arm and a leg lol.

Did it for the stupidest of reasons too, when trying to downshift from 3rd to 2nd, I'd put it in 4th by accident, kept doing that thinking my tranny was going out until I conciously pushed my shifter to the lower left corner and problem solved lol.

The bushings will be a bitch to me though, I have an old MKI Supra rear end so I'll need the rare FSM to know the torque specs before I tackle that job.

Shit channel

Ring Gear Backlash = 0.005-0.007" (.13-.18mm)

Ring Gear Bolt Torque = 67-75 ft lbs

pinion Nut Torque = 80 ft lbs (to MAX of 173 ft lbs forcrush sleeve)

Pinion Bearing Preload = 7.9-ll.2 in lbs

Carrier Bearing Cap Bolt Torque = 51-65 ft lbs

Total Preload = 3.5-5.2 in lbs (on top of/in addition topinion preload)

Axle/Backing Plate Nuts = 44-53 ft lbs

It's doable. You just have to keep on top of maintenance for the most part, and get something that isn't a heap of shit to begin with.

I wouldn't daily drive my own AE86, too rare and if an idiot crashes into me then I'll never find (or be able to afford) another one again. But I do daily drive an AE82 Twin Cam Corolla of the same era and it's only left me on the side of the road once when a water gasket blew out, has been dead reliable otherwise.

Just... be prepared.

S-sauce?

northbaymotorsports.com/rear_axle_swap.htm

I drove my 80s mr2 with leaves and mud in the coolant, blown suspension, bad rings (so bad it cant idle once it warms up), almost no oil when they drove it to me, one of the spark plugs wasnt even in when i got it and I drove it like that for 1.5 years(minus reconnecting a plug) and it still starts up and drives every time.

That is the happiest I've ever seen a man. Confirmed: the only thing that makes a man happier than pussy/butthole is a bazooka.

Clean. Good thing you haven't fallen for the mod>stock meme

God I echo this sentiment too. I think the AE86 is such a good looking car, but I'm a huge fanboy of pop-up headlights AND hatchbacks. Is there anything in the US that even comes close to looking as good as the AE86 with pop up headlights?

inb4 Miata

Z31.

At least that doesnt have the meme tax of the AE86.

>none for sale in my area

;_; damn that's a sexy car