Hatch Not Hot - Lucian Streets
When you’re asked to think about a Toyota built sports car from the 90s, more than likely the Supra would spring to mind almost as quickly as it accelerates. But what if you’re told to think of something a little smaller? Celica, Levin? How about the Starlet? The Toyota Starlet Glanza V was the entry to the Toyota sports car brotherhood, but by no means is it to be taken for granted. With a punchy engine, go-kart like handling and so little weight that you have to pin it down when you park, the Starlet Glanza V is a potent little pocket rocket.
An Article from our friends over at Lucian Streets in St. Lucia!
Although a popular phrase, the words ‘cheap’ and ‘cheerful’ really go together well about as often as fast and Prius. But on occasion, they do come together in a smiles for miles package, which is what we have here. No, not the fast Prius, the other bit. When you’re asked to think about a Toyota built sports car from the 90s, more than likely the Supra would spring to mind almost as quickly as it accelerates. But what if you’re told to think of something a little smaller? Celica, Levin? How about the Starlet? The Toyota Starlet Glanza V was the entry to the Toyota sports car brotherhood, but by no means is it to be taken for granted. With a punchy engine, go-kart like handling and so little weight that you have to pin it down when you park, the Starlet Glanza V is a potent little pocket rocket.
Starting out life as an economical hatchback, Toyota capitalised on the Starlet’s small size and decided to crank it up from mild to wild. Changes were made to the suspension in order to stiffen it up and improve handling, and under the hood Toyota added a turbocharger to the 4E-FE engine in order for it to produce 131HP fed to the front wheels through a close ratio 5 speed transmission. In OEM specifications the Glanza V wouldn’t have much of an issue keeping up with its larger brothers on tight and windy roads but as with almost every car in existence there was still something to be had. Some pent up potential left for one to discover for themselves.
Valence’s obsidian little fighter began its life in his hands as most Starlets do these days. Battered, faded and in need of love. Tired from years of abuse and changed owners. Not too long after purchasing it Valence breathed new life into the Starlet with a fresh paint job, front lip and many performance goodies. The car’s already impressive handling characteristics were improved on with polyurethane bushing and coilovers, and the car was given a decent amount of more go-go through an aftermarket ECU and TD04 turbocharger pumping air through a larger front mounted intercooler to help keep things, well…cool.
With the larger turbocharger, the 1300cc engine has to reach further up into its revs to get the turbo spinning fast enough to develop positive boost pressures but when it does, the little hatch hurls you towards the horizon at an alarmingly quick rate. And then when you get to the end of the horizon and need to go around a corner, it sticks to the pavement with tenacious grip and minimal body roll, seeming to avoid the laws of physics like a disease. In a world dominated by big ticket star cars, sometimes we need to take a step back and appreciate the light, lower power fun machines. The sort of cars that cost next to nothing to maintain and modify, the sort that one can actually drive to its full potential with more enjoyment than concentration. Small car’s not hot.
Q&A
What got you into the car scene?
A couple years ago I was looking at buying my first vehicle and my friend thought it would be a good idea to buy a car that his friend was selling. Turns out it was a turbocharged Starlet, and that’s what really got me started.
It’s been said that you’re the go to guy for Starlets on the island. Is this where it started?
Yeah, that’s where it started. It started with me knowing little to nothing about cars and then buying this car. Then came engine failure. I gave it to who I thought was a competent mechanic to rebuild the engine which only lasted another two weeks after it was repaired. From that moment on I decided if it was to be done right, I’d have to do it myself. I took some time to research, browsed the web, talked to people and gathered my information. I built a 1500 block myself to replace the 1300. From then on I always worked on my own cars, and have worked on just about every Starlet on island, except for a few.
Do you favour small cars, or is it just Starlets?
I like small cars, I find they are easier to work on. I find the larger vehicles require a lot more effort, and I do everything myself usually without help. I can work on the smaller vehicles in my spare time. I like cars generally – sports cars – but because I do the work myself I prefer smaller vehicles.
What’s your level of enthusiasm in the scene?
I’d say casual enthusiast. Over the years you live and you learn. I look at things differently, especially with this car. When I got it I said I built 3 of them for myself prior so I want to do everything right with this one. I’m not a hardcore racer; I don’t think I have the time or the budget for that. I’m more causal.
What’s the story behind getting this vehicle?
How did it get from where it was to where it is? Getting this one in particular is a very funny story. I noticed it a couple of times on the road a couple years after I sold my last one. I decided if I had to get one I wanted a stock one with no accident history and that’s why I wanted this one. I was hunting it down but could never get it. I got to know the car was owned my someone in the fire service so I spoke to an EMT I knew, and it turned out that the owner of the car was her boyfriend. Initially the owner said his car is not for sale and wasn’t budging. About a month later I was back on the hunt for a car, looking at the GT Advance but the night before I decided to contact this guy again and he said he had just put a for sale sign on the car so I snatched it up.
How much work have you done on it?
When I got the car it was in rough shape, visually and suspension wise. It’s had a full respray and suspension overhaul. The stock struts and TRD lowering springs were replaced with McMaster coilovers, every bushing is either Powerflex or Super Street and more. And that’s just the beginning. A completely new engine is going in. It’s a work in progress.
Would you recommend a Starlet to someone?
I would, because one of the things I always say to my friends in the car scene is that when they take parts off of their car to go faster, I just take them to go faster. A lot of the parts that are stock for other cars, are modifications for these cars such as a Subaru’s TD04 turbo. For someone who’s just starting and on a budget I would definitely recommend one of these cars to them.
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A Daily Joy
We may not realise it but we actually ask a lot more from a daily than we do a track car. Track cars usually tend to be fast, loud and "high fashion", like $25 New Balance stylish.
What would you say makes the perfect daily driver?
For me, it has to check a number of boxes, has to be good on fuel, comfortable with modern amenities of life all packed into something that's nice to look at when you do that car lover double take after you park. We may not realise it but we actually ask a lot more from a daily than we do a track car. Track cars usually tend to be fast, loud and "high fashion", like $25 New Balance stylish.
This build is a little different though, you see, the owner isn't Chris, this is a gift to his wife. When he moved to live here in Barbados, they had to sell her 90's Hyundai Coupe and he in a sense owed her something, and this where this Honda comes into play.
Chris sent me the lead on this beauty, while she was still being built. I had the privilege of seeing Daniel in action in this shop, Autoderm. By the way, go check out his page on Facebook, he does amazing work. Daniel, is a very interesting person, having lived in China while in college, he spent loads of his time hanging out with the elusive underground racing and drifting scene over there. He is a true car enthusiast in the purest form.
Without any doubts, I can say he really loves his wife.
The car on the inside is stock, its a Honda Civic 1.5L Turbo, I will vouch it's still capable of giving some unsuspecting opponent the chop, from a Traffic light start or side by side pull on the highway. It makes around 175 hp, at 16.5 psi, the turbo helps a lot with the torque output of the engine making 162 ft lbs of it, but get this, still makes 35 miles to the gallon. That's even better than most econoboxes, and it's still fun to drive. Honda is onto something here.
The results of the wrap as well as a few cosmetic modifications really push the looks of this car over the edge, from looker, to double take material. Chris actually brought to my attention, that this Civic, looks like a later iteration of the 90's Hyundai Coupe, in some respects.
When we really go in depth on the looks of the car though, first and foremost the wrap was chosen for the protection of the paint, but with the results here, I'd opt to wrap any car and not for the protection.
Beefing up the visuals of the car, are the aftermarket add ons, the wing of a period correct Honda Civic Type-R was added as well as a rear diffuser.
A front splitter was added to the front of the car, as well as side skirts, and it sits on 19" Konig Intention Rims, they really do complement the overall angular shape of the car.
Looks like an F117 Nighthawk
“It’s a sort of elegance, the way the matte black highlights the subtle curves of the body panels. ”
Check out that quad exhaust.
In the end though, many persons daily an unremarkable car, sometimes we find ourselves behind the wheel of a car so forgettable, you can't remember where you parked, thats a fact. Having something interesting as a daily driver can really change your day for the better.
Is this car quite possibly the perfect daily driver ? I myself wouldn't go as far as to say that, but it really does score pretty high.
Alex - Until next time, Happy Motoring.
The Best Yellow
This Ford was unapologetic, and yes, hate me for it, I love that wing.
After moving on from the "Brothers" we met up with what could be called their Dad. The Ford Escort RS Cosworth.
Normally, this Escort was one of 2500 made in collaboration with Cosworth and Ford, but it was even more unique because its modifications made it one of a kind.
Using a Turbocharged 2L 16V DOHC engine, it would've normally made about 220hp. This figure was pretty similar to the car that came before it, the Ford Sierra Cosworth, it actually was made even more famous because it was the Sierra which Colin Mcrae would've driven for a time in Rally. This Ford Escort though, ironed out the issues Ford thought plagued the Sierra, and instead of being Rwd, its 4wd.
The "Whale Tail" anyone who vaguely knows Ford from the mid 80's, to the early 90's would remember that time Ford made cars with wings that were so odd, you either threw up or fell in love. This Ford was unapologetic, and yes, hate me for it, I love that wing.
It was far from stock though, this car was also prepared by Graham Goode Racing, meaning it wasn't just modified, it was heavily modified. The huge intercooler to the front of the car should've given that away.
Using the same 2L engine, this car was able to produce around 512 hp, at 21psi with its Garret Turbocharger. It was possessed with the demon of speed, and left hidden under covers in this garage.
This car amalgamated all the research and design Ford acquired over the years of racing and rally, although stock, it only made 220 hp, it was a platform that could be modified and used in racing like we see here. It gave the racing experience to everyone, and gave them the joy of building or preparing a machine they could use everyday.
This Escort RS Cosworth mk5, shows Ford closing the chapter on the Escort and Sierra line of cars, with one last hurrah. Its thicker wheel arches, slight aero modifications, and enormous wing showed that Ford wanted to make a statement.
Alex - Until next time, keep motoring.
