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How to roll in a Corolla

The most appropriate way to introduce the Toyota Corolla – drum roll – is to remind readers that it is the world’s most successful car, with about 45 million having been sold since its launch in 1966.

Of course, many versions of this global favourite have been produced, and the Corolla accounts for one out of every five Toyotas’ sold. It is the Corolla that spread the word about Toyotas’ reliability.

Trawling chat forums on second-hand car sites, the main theme in comments from buyers of the older models are that the powerplant, the heart of the car, is solid, and the stuff that ages normally can need attention. One comment sums this up: “the headlights have yellowed, but still shine bright.”

Now and again Jackie Crewe spots a classic one. This 1994 Toyota Corolla 180i sprinter belongs to Brandon de Wet, a 25-year-old Corolla fan from Goodwood. He bought the car in original condition but, with a mod and a tweak here and there, which we will get into later, he has turned the 30-year-old vehicle into what is known as a ‘sleeper’; that car at the robots that looks ordinary but leaves you in its dust.

Brandon’s automotive passion was stoked early, as he watched his father, Ronwyn de Wet, working on cars over the weekends. He particularly recalls the 180i Corolla GLi that the family would take on long drives, and how that made him feel as a kid. A mix of anticipation, security and excitement.

So, when it came time for Brandon to get a start on restoring and modifying cars, he could turn to his father. “My father helped respray the Corolla pearl white and has advised me on engines and suspension and more,” he says.

What makes it a sleeper, recording a decent 14.1 seconds at the Killarney quarter-mile, is the focused attention to detail that has gone into souping-up the engine.

With the help of his friend Roberto, Brandon upgraded the engine with 272 exhaust and intake cams, lengthened valves, and reworked shims. Fransie Head Works handled the porting, gas flow, and skimming, while the bottom end was bored out and the block decked. The car now boasts a silver top intake, 43mm ITBs with 90mm ram tubes, Toyota 20-valve injectors, and an upgraded Bosch fuel pump, tuned to deliver 112kW and 173Nm on unleaded fuel.

The stainless steel exhaust has two speed boxes to reduce noise, a 72mm exhaust tip, ARC coilovers for suspension, and full polyurethane mounts. Usually guys with lowered cars will have a story to tell, whether it’s getting the neighbourhood kids to guide them over unreasonable speed bumps or trying to convince traffic cops that’s “it’s almost legal, officer”.

Brandon’s story goes like this. He had lowered his Corolla for a show but ended up getting it stuck in the driveway, sitting on the chassis with the wheels in the air. He had to get the neighbours to sit on the engine bay to get the wheels back on the ground.

Taking a look at the exterior, there are some stand out features. First is the old-school rear louvre, an aesthetic reminder of, well, evenings at the drive-in in the 1980s. Then, there is the custom lip fabricated by Brandon, his brother Mario and his father, plus the imported tail lights. Inside, the car features twincam seats with custom TRD stitching, an AE82 twincam steering wheel, and a twincam gear knob. The dashboard sports a carbon fibre wrap and LED enhancements.

Brandon plans to participate in more racing events at Killarney, aiming to beat his best quarter-mile time. He’s considering gearbox upgrades and possibly exploring forced induction for more power.

And finally, in a comment that brings us back to the essence of the Toyota marketing plan, at least the focus on reliability in the 1990s, Brandon says: “You can drive a Toyota on two cylinders, and it’ll still run.”