The Toyota 86 Is For Life
Ron Ng shares his classic AE86 and 2017 Toyota 86
Ron Ng has his life together. I don't care whether Ron has a stable career, how much he put away to his savings account, or if he recycles – all I know is Ron owns a matching set of AE86 and new Toyota 86, separated by 31 years. He's got his priorities straight.
In partnership with Toyota, the latest YouTube video from Petrolicious profiles Ron Ng and his journey with the Hachi Roku. For many young car enthusiasts that grew up with Initial D DVDs and Eurobeat mixtapes, the AE86 is where the JDM allure all started. Curiously, Ron doesn't mention drifting or the anime once in the video, but his playground in the beautiful hills of SoCal could be taken from a page right out of the manga.
But it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Made from 1983 through 1987 as a bargain econobox, the AE86 platform has aged significantly and few pristine examples are left. Ron's old Hachi Roku kept breaking down until he eventually had enough and sold the car. It's a classic case of seller's remorse – Ron immediately went to buy another one. In total, Ron went through 11 old Corollas.
"All the cars I've had, this car is the most fun car and rewarding car that I have ever driven," Ron said.
The current AE86 Ron owns now was a very clean example. Nonetheless, Ron completely stripped it down to the bare frame, repainted the chassis white, and swapped it with the fifth gen "black top" 20V 4AGE and 5-speed transmission from TRD. Exterior-wise, Ron's AE86 still retains a period-correct authenticity with all JDM Toyota bumpers and trim pieces. Finally, a set of 4-lug Volks TE37 race wheels set the car off.
Perhaps recognizing the old age and scarcity of the AE86 today, Ron also purchased a brand-new 2017 Toyota 86 to begin a new journey with.
“Whether it’s the AE 86 or the new Toyota 86, they’re a blast to drive. I can't get away from it."
