Michael Heap really really do not want to sell his toyota sprinter van. He spent the last nine years slowly building, management and evolution of his ...
Michael Heap really really do not want to sell his toyota sprinter van. He spent the last nine years slowly building,
management and evolution of his AE86 and his car was now perfect. But living a debt free life, sometimes you have to do what a man must do, even if it hurts like hell for a man - and it hurts like hell. It was with great sadness that I realized it was time to hand over the keys.
Michael thought that moment hurt, he was a surprise because things were about to get much worse: that only would have sold his beloved Hachi-Roku a man in the middle can run the gambling world .
It was not to know that way back in early 2001, when a much younger Michael took the plunge and bought an AE86 elegant. At that time, the car was completely standard and in perfect condition, thanks to the previous elderly owner. In the next few years, Michael slowly builds car, drawing the world and get his AE86 a pretext for another, even competing in a couple of full seasons of D1NZ.
"The car worked very well when I was competing," says Michael, "but by 2005, all cars were getting some serious horsepower, and there was no way that atmospheric Toyota could maintain this level of competition."
Since then, Michael has built his AE86 a clean, road-legal weekend: Street manageable, but a lot of fun on the track.
Under the hood, a black top completely false 4AG-E 20-valve 16-valve replaces the original. "We had planned to run a turbo setup so I forged engine," explains Michael. "I have spent with him eventually, but there's nothing wrong with the engine running built naturally aspirated form."
The engine, if set via a computer link G4 makes a healthy 90 kW at the rear wheels.
Although not 90kW solid car perfectly fits the purpose. "We wanted the car close to a road course for karts as possible," says Michael. "Well balanced, very close to the ground, light and fast - you do not need a lot of energy."
To achieve these properties Kart-like, Michael has spent years finishing his machinery, always choose to use only the best parts, no matter the cost. Another Michael's toyota sprinter van, 20-valve engine Corolla, sold exclusively to finance the purchase usually Bilstein coil-over springs and Dobi.
With an eight-point cage complete and Nolathane bushes throughout Toyota is rigid, accurate and very controllable. Struts have rolled under rare Japanese Rock Racing wheels measuring 14 x 8 inches, which are flush with the guards with a -10 offset.
With a single seat, harness, steering wheel and dashboard Combo remained in the toyota sprinter van, it's easy to see why Michael as a go-kart, and even easier to see why it would not sell.
But it was time, and Michael knew exactly who to call.
Although there were many admirers of this Hachi over the years, was the one who loves a bit longer than most: unconditional Driftcorp perfect bum and Shaun Yearbury.
"Shaun always asked me to call him first if I ever wanted to sell the toyota sprinter van, so I did," says Michael. Although Shaun now lives in Australia, he said yes right away, left a deposit and waited patiently for his next trip home.
Since further period of luck, Shaun now probably wishes he had not made the trip.
Michael gave her the keys and turned the valve 20, connected to Taupo Motorsport Park. By all accounts worked brilliantly with Shaun car driving, screaming at the top of the fourth stage of maturity the new owner turned dial up to 11.
Near the end of the event, however, Shaun wonderful day with its new weapon turned ugly. As sometimes happens, a corner was cooked and Shaun had the misfortune of being in the wrong place to do that, hitting a solid object heavily maneuver left corner of the machine.
When Michael learned that his girlfriend's toyota sprinter vanwas hit, hurt. "I was broke, the car was in perfect condition, and in three days I have damaged. But that is drifting and I felt very sorry for Shaun, especially after what happened later."
