Goo-Net: For All Your Engine Swap Needs

"PanchoVilleneuve ST" (PanchoVilleneuve) 12/26/2014 at 20:51 • Filed to: Goo-net, Starlet

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Wow, I haven't done one of these in a while. I've long maintained that the ultimate car for any and all engine swaps is the KP60 Starlet. For those who have yet to bask in the magical brilliance that is the KP60, here are the facts and figures. Front-engine, rear-drive, 1500 pound curb weight, short wheelbase. In stock form, it's the world's most hoonable shitbox. But these were not meant to remain stock. Oh no. These were seemingly designed by Toyota with an engine that would be thrown out in favor of something more powerful, more wonderful and more stupid. And because of this, most of the Starlets you find have been the recipients of something much more wonderful than that pushrod lump Toyota saw fit to stick in the Starlet.

This one, however, is not. Meaning it's all yours to ruin in the name of hoonage. This is a bone stock 1983 Starlet with only 90,000 kms on the clock. And it's really, really clean for a 31 year old car. Like, real clean. The only visual indicator of its true age is the questionable combination of dark blue exterior and weirdly 80s neon yellow interior. Yes, I said neon yellow. all the plastic is good old 80s gray but the seats, well, just look.

See? Those are less seats and more something a teacher said would be on the test. But still, clean as hell for a car that's 31 years old.

I want a KP60 Starlet. Bad. Really really really bad. I want one so badly I've had trouble falling asleep at night because I couldn't decide on whether my fantasy garage Starlet would have a BEAMS 3S-GE or some flavor of 13B in it.

This one is for sale on Goo for $9,410. That may seem like a lot, but keep in mind, being a hoonable shitbox means it's still a shitbox which means these weren't cars that were selected for preservation by the general motoring public. These things are nearly impossible to come by in the US and not a whole lot easier in Japan. But seriously, guys, it's a KP60 starlet with a clean body and interior that is waiting for you to drop some stupid awesome motor in, stuff some AE86 suspension parts under (they fit without much too much fuss) and take on a sideways hoonage adventure.

Just imagine one with a TRD bodykit.

Like that. Add some Hayashi Streets or Watanabes and modern tires and tell me you don't want this in your life. And if you need some numbers to convince you, one of these with a BEAMS 3S-GE out of an Altezza RS200 has roughly the same power to weight ratio as a previous generation Dodge Viper.

There are no shitbox hatchbacks more Jalop than the Starlet, and the Jalopitude of them is so high we will never see it again. They are awesome. They are amazing. The world is a better place because the Starlet exists.

http://www.goo-net-exchange.com/usedcars/TOYOT…

HammerheadFistpunch > PanchoVilleneuve ST 12/26/2014 at 21:23

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is this coolant going bye bye?

PanchoVilleneuve ST > HammerheadFistpunch 12/26/2014 at 21:27

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Very probably.

Spoon II > PanchoVilleneuve ST 12/26/2014 at 21:46

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I love Oppo because it keeps showing me these awesome random cars that I must then eventually hunt down and buy! Thanks for bringing this to my attention (my bank account/significant other however, will not thank you)

Bird > PanchoVilleneuve ST 12/26/2014 at 22:40

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I just went and checked recent auction sale prices...looks like most the two doors have already been engine swapped! lol

But..the best one was pretty nice with a 4AGE, TRD LSD, and other mods...auction price was about $7500 USD. Unfortunately the motor swap makes it not eligible for import to the US...

Stock I could get one for somebody for way less than $10k USD...we haven't put it on our site yet, but we're going to do flat fee importing. Sale price in Japan + $5000. That would include all fees and shipping, landed and titled at the Roadtrip Motorcars shop in Kentucky.