George’s modified Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex Twincam is more about the style than performance. It’s currently running at 120bhp with a 1.6 litre engine. Although, what really sets it apart from the rest, is how George has made this car look.

The AE86 is quite an iconic model. George wanted to ensure that he only added modifications to the car that would uphold its status, not destroy it. George has done such a good job, in fact, that CarThrottle have recently featured his car in a ‘review video’. We’ll talk more about that later. For now, shall we immerse ourselves in the modifications that George has added to the car?

Toyota Sprinter: the modifications

• Varis Racing carbon bonnet
• Strut brace
• Driftworks adjustable axle rods
• Drag/drift coil-overs
• Aluminium radiator
• HKS Clear cam cover
• Bride bucket seat
• Nardi deep dish wheel
• Compo-motive wheels
• TRD LSD diff
• Half roll-cage
• 4-point harness
• Stainless manifold and exhaust

Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex Twincam

Q&A with George

Q. Have you always been into cars?

A. Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved cars – well, anything with an engine. It wasn’t until I started playing games like ‘Need for Speed’ and ‘Street Racing Syndicate’ on my PS2 that I found a true love for modified cars.

Q. What was the first car you ever owned?

A. My first car (for all of a week) was a MK1 Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec. I’d have loved to have owned it for longer!

Q. Do you install the mods yourself?

A. When it comes to the Toyota Sprinter, I perform all of the work myself (this might explain a few of the issues it has – haha) apart from when it comes to the tyres. For them, I always use ‘East Peckham MOT’.

Q. Have you taken your car to any shows this year?

A. I’ve been to: Fast Show, Japfest Silverstone, Modified Nationals, BHP Performance Show and Incarnation. I was actually on the Fast Car Magazine stand with Safely Insured at Japfest. As you can probably tell, I’m into car shows and love attending them!

For the remainder of 2017, I plan on attending both Japfest Donnington and the Japfest finale. I also want to go to: Japshow, Ultimate Street Car, Totaly Jap, JAE, and the ‘Oh So Retro show’.

Q. Do you have any plans to further modify your car?

A. In a nutshell, yes. I plan on changing my coil-overs for some better quality ones. I also want to fix the issues with the engine and just have a general tidy up of the body work. Apart from that, at the moment, I love it just the way it is.

Q. Has your car ever been featured anywhere?

A. Thanks to yourselves, at Safely Insured, my car has now been featured on Car Throttle – couldn’t stop smiling about this!

Q. What advice would you give to someone who’s modifying their car for the first time?

A. Make sure you do everything correctly, and don’t be sucked in by cheap items that turn out to be inferior. It’s worth spending that little extra and get the real thing. At the end of the day, your life could be in the balance.

Q. If money was no option what car would you buy?

A. If money was no option, honestly, I’d buy another AE86 (but one that hasn’t been played with). Although they don’t have big power (so they aren’t quick), they are literally so much fun to drive. They act as a little race car – one that requires you to really understand how to drive. They don’t have any of the computers or safety limits of newer cars. I was told something before I bought mine that has stayed with me forever, and it’s true: “you don’t learn to drive an AE86, the car teaches you”. You can throw it around like a go kart but if you make one mistake, it’s game over!

CarThrottle

We recently ran a competition whereby the lucky winner would win a review of their car by CarThrottle. Unfortunately, the winner was unable to attend, so, George went along instead. Who wants to see CarThrottle’s very own, Alex Kersten, review George’s Toyota Sprinter? Well, look no further. Feast your eyes on this video of complete awesomeness…

Modified Car Insurance

George’s car is insured under our Modified Car Insurance scheme. This includes cover on a ‘like for like’ basis, as well as the option to have an agreed valuation policy. For more information, visit our Modified Car Insurance webpage.

For more pictures of George’s Toyota Sprinter, you can visit his Instagram page, or visit the ‘Cruising Society UK’ Facebook page.