Although I've always generally been into Escorts etc, I've owned a few of these RWD J gems in the past.
It's not uncommon to find em stuffed full of Ford running gear & a lairy Pinto up front. They're incredibly scarse now, due to either being consumed by timworm or being raced around the oval circuits.
I decided last year (2009) that i needed one in my life again. So the search began in the usual places. ebay, piston heads + all the other cars for sale sites + the paper classifieds.
I needed that elusive mint/unwelded/low miles old lady's shopping car. I didn't want to be restoring the shell before i could commence the planned mods. Also it had to be the later drop tailgate Mk3 version. I think they're a nicer car than the early & more quirky looking bugeye model.
The search proved fruitless until Jan 2010 when a car which I'd lusted over @ Retro show 09 turned up for sale. In fact the very car which had re-ignited my 'Starlet lust'. So the phone was picked up & a deal done. I usually like to build my cars myself, however this one had been done nicely & I guess it saved me a lot of precious time which I should be dedicating to other projects.
So the car itself is the very 45,000 mile minter of an old lady's shopping car which I initially wanted as a base. Never welded. Painted approx 3yrs ago when it passed onto its Starlet enthusiast 2nd owner.
The 3rd owner bought her early 2009. He's another Starlet nut and is responsible for the Cosworth job. Although he actually payed a fabrication shop to build it. After 8 months of running he decided to sell up, I assume due to a couple of gremlins which affected the cars drivability.
So with my name very happily on the V5C, this is how she looked
She'd been built using a 50inch narrow Atlas axle (Mk1 3litre capri) & Capri front x-member/rack etc & perched on 6inch rims. All ok and useable. But me being me just couldn't leave alone & wanted to make the car how i wanted, as you do. I really wanted her sat on 7's! So work promptly commenced on my list of mods.
The axle is now a 48" Baby Atlas with 2-piece 18-spline Squires halfshafts. The front x-member & rack have been modified together with an antidive kit to bring the front track into Escort dimensions
She now sits happily on 7's
Here's a load more pics for yas to mooch over of inside/outside/underneath etc etc
All mint & unworn. Gonna be valeted next week
There was originally an AE86 Corolla wheel in there. Cant beat a suede one tho!
Brief spec sheet
Toyota Starlet Cosworth
EEL231Y was built during Spring 2009 from a mint unwelded 45,000 mile car.
Spec includes
2.0 Cosworth turbo engine. Came from a genuine 57,000 mile Sierra. Currently running a stage 1 chip (approx 270BHP)
Rebuilt T5 Cosworth box.
Full bespoke stainless exhaust system.
Ally radiator & Ally RS500 intercooler
Modified Capri front cross-member & rack etc.
World cup engine mounts.
Group 4 Bilstien front legs with coil-overs.
Escort Mk2 Doublewidth/Antidive kit.
Rose jointed in situ adjustable TCA's.
AVO adjustable rear coil-overs.
48inch Baby Atlas axle with 3.22 final drive & plate LSD.
Squires18 tooth, 2 piece Group1 halfshafts.
Hi-spec 4pot front calipers.
Sierra Cosworth rear discs & calipers.
7x13 alloy wheels with 175/50-13 A048 Yokohamas.
Plans for the near future include
T35 turbo, Uprated cams, Green injectors, stage 2 chip = 330+BHP. Change of final drive ratio to a 3.44
It's not uncommon to find em stuffed full of Ford running gear & a lairy Pinto up front. They're incredibly scarse now, due to either being consumed by timworm or being raced around the oval circuits.
I decided last year (2009) that i needed one in my life again. So the search began in the usual places. ebay, piston heads + all the other cars for sale sites + the paper classifieds.
I needed that elusive mint/unwelded/low miles old lady's shopping car. I didn't want to be restoring the shell before i could commence the planned mods. Also it had to be the later drop tailgate Mk3 version. I think they're a nicer car than the early & more quirky looking bugeye model.
The search proved fruitless until Jan 2010 when a car which I'd lusted over @ Retro show 09 turned up for sale. In fact the very car which had re-ignited my 'Starlet lust'. So the phone was picked up & a deal done. I usually like to build my cars myself, however this one had been done nicely & I guess it saved me a lot of precious time which I should be dedicating to other projects.
So the car itself is the very 45,000 mile minter of an old lady's shopping car which I initially wanted as a base. Never welded. Painted approx 3yrs ago when it passed onto its Starlet enthusiast 2nd owner.
The 3rd owner bought her early 2009. He's another Starlet nut and is responsible for the Cosworth job. Although he actually payed a fabrication shop to build it. After 8 months of running he decided to sell up, I assume due to a couple of gremlins which affected the cars drivability.
So with my name very happily on the V5C, this is how she looked
She'd been built using a 50inch narrow Atlas axle (Mk1 3litre capri) & Capri front x-member/rack etc & perched on 6inch rims. All ok and useable. But me being me just couldn't leave alone & wanted to make the car how i wanted, as you do. I really wanted her sat on 7's! So work promptly commenced on my list of mods.
The axle is now a 48" Baby Atlas with 2-piece 18-spline Squires halfshafts. The front x-member & rack have been modified together with an antidive kit to bring the front track into Escort dimensions
She now sits happily on 7's
Here's a load more pics for yas to mooch over of inside/outside/underneath etc etc
All mint & unworn. Gonna be valeted next week
There was originally an AE86 Corolla wheel in there. Cant beat a suede one tho!
Brief spec sheet
Toyota Starlet Cosworth
EEL231Y was built during Spring 2009 from a mint unwelded 45,000 mile car.
Spec includes
2.0 Cosworth turbo engine. Came from a genuine 57,000 mile Sierra. Currently running a stage 1 chip (approx 270BHP)
Rebuilt T5 Cosworth box.
Full bespoke stainless exhaust system.
Ally radiator & Ally RS500 intercooler
Modified Capri front cross-member & rack etc.
World cup engine mounts.
Group 4 Bilstien front legs with coil-overs.
Escort Mk2 Doublewidth/Antidive kit.
Rose jointed in situ adjustable TCA's.
AVO adjustable rear coil-overs.
48inch Baby Atlas axle with 3.22 final drive & plate LSD.
Squires18 tooth, 2 piece Group1 halfshafts.
Hi-spec 4pot front calipers.
Sierra Cosworth rear discs & calipers.
7x13 alloy wheels with 175/50-13 A048 Yokohamas.
Plans for the near future include
T35 turbo, Uprated cams, Green injectors, stage 2 chip = 330+BHP. Change of final drive ratio to a 3.44
) I'd of stayed with the current wheels but in silver and raise the supension a touch just to make it look a little less obvious. 
