Uncovering the Rarity: A Close-Up Look at the AE70 Corolla Sprinter
Check out this photo set from our recent video featuring a rare AE70 Sprinter, a variation of the popular Corolla chassis commonly referred to as the ke70 in most parts of the world. This car is so rare that the owner wasn’t even aware of its uniqueness, with its redesigned B and C pillar, different rear end, and different front end.
On a lovely, rare sunny evening, we met up with Liam after work to get a closer look at this car, which Liam had just finished. The modifications made to this rare example of the E70 platform are spot-on. The simple SSR MK 2 wheels require no arch flair, and the tire and ride height combination is perfect. The interior has been left mostly stock, with a few choice modifications such as a steering wheel, an Omori rev gauge, and a shift knob. The Sprinter blue with optional mats are fantastic, and the eighties interior is in excellent condition, especially considering this car has less than 70k on the clock, which is remarkable for a car from 1982.
Under the hood lies a black top 20valve 4A-GE from an ae111, a reliable and robust motor swap for this chassis. It makes all the right noises and compliments this car in many ways. The ECU is stock, with Yaris/Vitz Denso coils on the plug to replace the stock distributor, which creates a clean-looking conversion.
The chassis has AE86 suspension up front and rear, an AE86 disc rear axle and a TRD 2-way LSD. At the back is an RSR exhaust and nothing else. The quirky eighties design in pristine condition takes care of the rest. Please enjoy the photos from this evening below.
Overall, we love this Sprinter. Australia got the slant front on their four doors; in Ireland, we got it on our wagons. We appreciate that Japan did a pick and mix for different parts of the world, but here we can see what this E70 front end was initially destined for. The Sprinter is a scarce example of the E70 chassis, the only one we’ll ever see in Ireland. It was a pleasure to photograph and showcase this rare gem, and we hope you enjoyed it too. – Neil