Justin Fox
12-02-10, 10:07 AM
HuH's KE70
Photography by Kevin Yiu (http://kevin-yiu.com)
Interview by Justin Fox (http://www.justinfox.com.au/)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4349882642_0969ae9b7d_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4349134665_555f30b82c_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4349882976_2f2b94274f_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4349883220_a2b58e9aa9_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2695/4349135351_9e99dcf509_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4054/4349134083_3ecf680385_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2696/4349134311_736976d900_o.jpg
If you know, or have ever met Ryan you'll agree that he's just one of those rare all-round good guys. The commitment and enthusiasm he has shown in his build threads have inspired our community and his involvement in various local meets and car cruises should be commended.
JF: Ryan, you mentioned in your build thread (http://forum.jdmstyletuning.com/showthread.php?t=16539) that you've had a thing for the Toyota KE70/AE71 Corolla for a long time. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, what's so appealing to you about this particular car and what inspired you to actually buy one?
HuH: Hard to put my finger on it exactly. I think essentially it's the simplicity of them that really lured me in. They have this boxy, classically 1980s shape to them that I love, coupled with this unassuming and honest reputation as the indestructible car for every man. They're almost the underdog of cult Japanese cars - extremely basic, lightweight and rear wheel drive.
They're accessible to everyone and they lend themselves well to a whole host of applications. There's something I find hard not to like about this 'never say die/jack of all trades' car. You still see old KEs driven by Nanna who bought it new in ?83, and who has driven it to church and back every week since. Then at the other end of the spectrum you have people swapping engines in and throwing them sideways around racetracks all over Australia. You even see them popping up at motorkhanas and amateur rally events with a degree of frequency. For me, I just knew it would be a whole lot of fun.
JF: You once said 'As always, it starts by pulling things apart'. Anyone who has read your build thread/s knows that you love the build process. I've played with a fair few cars now, many times I'm not pulling them apart but instead just bolting on mods but the most fun I've had so far has been working on the ED Civic, partly because unlike modern cars it's simple, intuitive, cheap and I'm less precious about it, thus more willing to make mistakes and learn from them.
How do you explain your love of the build? What is it about being alone, in the garage, in the zone and getting hands on that satisfies you, as opposed to say paying someone else to do it?
HuH: When I first bought the KE70, I knew there was a lot of work ahead. It had a blown gearbox, the interior was all beat up and falling to pieces, it was missing all type of badges and trim, but I had to have it. The bodywork on it was finished and the colour was perfect, plus it came with these unbelievable wheels that I'd never seen before. I knew looking at it for the first time that there was a lot of potential in it. I didn't want to do anything wild or different; I just wanted an old school KE that I liked to look at.
As soon as I started pulling it apart and fixing things, I couldn't get enough. Like you mentioned about the ED, the '70 was just so straight forward and intuitive to dismantle and put back together. I'd never removed and replaced a roof lining before, or taken out a rear window before, or taken apart an entire dashboard assembly before, or used vinyl dye before, but I did all those things with this car and managed to put it all back together looking better than it ever did. There's a sense of accomplishment from that which you can't get by paying someone to work for you.
JF: So true. I assume as well that you've spent a lot of hours reading magazines and online on KE70 related web sites, forums, galleries researching the car. You've most likely got a huge folder on your hard drive of KE70 photos too right?!
HuH: To be honest, no not really. I think the thing that keeps it moving for me is just the culture of modifying cars and the people who understand it. I would've spent far more time looking at and saving pictures of my dream JDM cars rather than just KE70s. I think with this car it all happened pretty naturally. When I get into something I find myself reading about it and taking in information about it without consciously seeking it out, but I wouldn't say I've got an obsession with KEs and I haven't found myself spending time around the people who are just for the sake of it. For me it's got more to do with the appreciation of modifying and the realisation of an idea rather than having the illest KE70 out there.
JF: I mentioned being in the zone and being alone during the build process earlier but documenting the build by stopping to take photos along the way, then sharing the photos in your car diary as well as rocking up to various meets and cruises (which you seem to love doing) not to mention driving hours out to meet KE70 owners for knowledge and parts adds a whole other dimension. There's a huge social side of your builds too isn't there, Ryan?
HuH: That's so true. I reckon I value the social element of being involved with this culture and forum just as much as I enjoy having a modified car. What's the use of loving what you do if you've got no-one else to share in that? Some of the mates I spend the most time with are people I've met through JDMST. I drove to Canberra and back twice to fetch parts for my KE out of another wreck being scrapped by a fellow down there. Half the motivation behind actually doing that probably came from a desire to have good material for my car diary!
JF: It took you a year to find the right one and when you finally found it you put a lot of blood sweat and tears into it only to sell it 8 months later and from what I've read you didn't quite 'finish' the build either? What made you want to sell it and how exactly did the thought of selling it come into mind?
HuH: In terms of the KE reaching it's potential, the build was a long way off. But, as far as my idea and theme for the car was concerned, it was complete. It already looked the way I wanted, and I just didn't have the motivation to get it driving the way it could.
As it stood at the time of sale, it was a very average car. I hardly think it's worthy of this feature! The engine was still stock and very slow, the suspension was terrible and as a whole it was pretty unpleasant to drive. The only thing going for it was that it looked cool.
Basically what happened was a reality check. It wasn't worth doing anything else before an engine conversion and suspension overhaul. That was going to involve a (relatively) large amount of money and some time off the road. Since it was my daily, and I needed it to be available, I figured selling up was my best option if I wanted a car that was quick. The engine and suspension would've made it more drivable, but in the end what I really wanted when it came down to a car that?s fun to drive wasn't a KE with a 4AGE or similar.
JF: I've sold a lot of cars I've loved. I remember every single person I've sold a car to and perhaps most sadly I've burnt into my mind the moment where they drive off with my car. How do you feel about selling a car you put so much into?
HuH: If my brain had a video output, I'd show you footage of all my old cars driving off. The feeling has been different every time, and with this car it wasn't all that hard to let it go. The biggest factor, I think, is feeling like you've had your time with the car. When I sold my R32, it was an impulsive thing because it had been broken into twice in a very short space of time, and I just wanted to get rid of it. But I really loved that car, and I didn't feel like my time with it was up. When it drove away it was genuine heartbreak. The KE wasn't so bad because I knew I was done with it, and since the new owner is a JDMST member, I knew I'd see more of it eventually.
JF: Of-course the upside of selling a car means that there's potentially a new project up ahead. How are you going with the thought of something new?
HuH: I'm struggling! Without giving too much away - there are plenty of JDM cars that I have a penchant for, but it's hard to know which one fits best. My budget allows for something respectable, but it's not been easy to choose. I mentioned my old Skyline, and I've considered getting another one but I don't think you can do the same trick twice, you got to move onto something new.
I'm also a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to second hand cars, and that really plays against you with the majority of choices on the market. Luckily I've got an old car of mine on loan from it's new owner so I'm not under huge pressure to buy straight away.
JF: No pressure is a good thing! Is there anything else you'd like to add?
HuH: I would like to say thanks to the guys on here who kept up with the build thread and gave so much encouragement. There are a whole lot of you who have become mates in the real world, and obviously you know who you are! That kind of support is more motivating than anything else, so a sincere thanks to you all.
Photography by Kevin Yiu (http://kevin-yiu.com)
Interview by Justin Fox (http://www.justinfox.com.au/)
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4349882642_0969ae9b7d_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4349134665_555f30b82c_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4349882976_2f2b94274f_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4349883220_a2b58e9aa9_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2695/4349135351_9e99dcf509_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4054/4349134083_3ecf680385_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2696/4349134311_736976d900_o.jpg
If you know, or have ever met Ryan you'll agree that he's just one of those rare all-round good guys. The commitment and enthusiasm he has shown in his build threads have inspired our community and his involvement in various local meets and car cruises should be commended.
JF: Ryan, you mentioned in your build thread (http://forum.jdmstyletuning.com/showthread.php?t=16539) that you've had a thing for the Toyota KE70/AE71 Corolla for a long time. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, what's so appealing to you about this particular car and what inspired you to actually buy one?
HuH: Hard to put my finger on it exactly. I think essentially it's the simplicity of them that really lured me in. They have this boxy, classically 1980s shape to them that I love, coupled with this unassuming and honest reputation as the indestructible car for every man. They're almost the underdog of cult Japanese cars - extremely basic, lightweight and rear wheel drive.
They're accessible to everyone and they lend themselves well to a whole host of applications. There's something I find hard not to like about this 'never say die/jack of all trades' car. You still see old KEs driven by Nanna who bought it new in ?83, and who has driven it to church and back every week since. Then at the other end of the spectrum you have people swapping engines in and throwing them sideways around racetracks all over Australia. You even see them popping up at motorkhanas and amateur rally events with a degree of frequency. For me, I just knew it would be a whole lot of fun.
JF: You once said 'As always, it starts by pulling things apart'. Anyone who has read your build thread/s knows that you love the build process. I've played with a fair few cars now, many times I'm not pulling them apart but instead just bolting on mods but the most fun I've had so far has been working on the ED Civic, partly because unlike modern cars it's simple, intuitive, cheap and I'm less precious about it, thus more willing to make mistakes and learn from them.
How do you explain your love of the build? What is it about being alone, in the garage, in the zone and getting hands on that satisfies you, as opposed to say paying someone else to do it?
HuH: When I first bought the KE70, I knew there was a lot of work ahead. It had a blown gearbox, the interior was all beat up and falling to pieces, it was missing all type of badges and trim, but I had to have it. The bodywork on it was finished and the colour was perfect, plus it came with these unbelievable wheels that I'd never seen before. I knew looking at it for the first time that there was a lot of potential in it. I didn't want to do anything wild or different; I just wanted an old school KE that I liked to look at.
As soon as I started pulling it apart and fixing things, I couldn't get enough. Like you mentioned about the ED, the '70 was just so straight forward and intuitive to dismantle and put back together. I'd never removed and replaced a roof lining before, or taken out a rear window before, or taken apart an entire dashboard assembly before, or used vinyl dye before, but I did all those things with this car and managed to put it all back together looking better than it ever did. There's a sense of accomplishment from that which you can't get by paying someone to work for you.
JF: So true. I assume as well that you've spent a lot of hours reading magazines and online on KE70 related web sites, forums, galleries researching the car. You've most likely got a huge folder on your hard drive of KE70 photos too right?!
HuH: To be honest, no not really. I think the thing that keeps it moving for me is just the culture of modifying cars and the people who understand it. I would've spent far more time looking at and saving pictures of my dream JDM cars rather than just KE70s. I think with this car it all happened pretty naturally. When I get into something I find myself reading about it and taking in information about it without consciously seeking it out, but I wouldn't say I've got an obsession with KEs and I haven't found myself spending time around the people who are just for the sake of it. For me it's got more to do with the appreciation of modifying and the realisation of an idea rather than having the illest KE70 out there.
JF: I mentioned being in the zone and being alone during the build process earlier but documenting the build by stopping to take photos along the way, then sharing the photos in your car diary as well as rocking up to various meets and cruises (which you seem to love doing) not to mention driving hours out to meet KE70 owners for knowledge and parts adds a whole other dimension. There's a huge social side of your builds too isn't there, Ryan?
HuH: That's so true. I reckon I value the social element of being involved with this culture and forum just as much as I enjoy having a modified car. What's the use of loving what you do if you've got no-one else to share in that? Some of the mates I spend the most time with are people I've met through JDMST. I drove to Canberra and back twice to fetch parts for my KE out of another wreck being scrapped by a fellow down there. Half the motivation behind actually doing that probably came from a desire to have good material for my car diary!
JF: It took you a year to find the right one and when you finally found it you put a lot of blood sweat and tears into it only to sell it 8 months later and from what I've read you didn't quite 'finish' the build either? What made you want to sell it and how exactly did the thought of selling it come into mind?
HuH: In terms of the KE reaching it's potential, the build was a long way off. But, as far as my idea and theme for the car was concerned, it was complete. It already looked the way I wanted, and I just didn't have the motivation to get it driving the way it could.
As it stood at the time of sale, it was a very average car. I hardly think it's worthy of this feature! The engine was still stock and very slow, the suspension was terrible and as a whole it was pretty unpleasant to drive. The only thing going for it was that it looked cool.
Basically what happened was a reality check. It wasn't worth doing anything else before an engine conversion and suspension overhaul. That was going to involve a (relatively) large amount of money and some time off the road. Since it was my daily, and I needed it to be available, I figured selling up was my best option if I wanted a car that was quick. The engine and suspension would've made it more drivable, but in the end what I really wanted when it came down to a car that?s fun to drive wasn't a KE with a 4AGE or similar.
JF: I've sold a lot of cars I've loved. I remember every single person I've sold a car to and perhaps most sadly I've burnt into my mind the moment where they drive off with my car. How do you feel about selling a car you put so much into?
HuH: If my brain had a video output, I'd show you footage of all my old cars driving off. The feeling has been different every time, and with this car it wasn't all that hard to let it go. The biggest factor, I think, is feeling like you've had your time with the car. When I sold my R32, it was an impulsive thing because it had been broken into twice in a very short space of time, and I just wanted to get rid of it. But I really loved that car, and I didn't feel like my time with it was up. When it drove away it was genuine heartbreak. The KE wasn't so bad because I knew I was done with it, and since the new owner is a JDMST member, I knew I'd see more of it eventually.
JF: Of-course the upside of selling a car means that there's potentially a new project up ahead. How are you going with the thought of something new?
HuH: I'm struggling! Without giving too much away - there are plenty of JDM cars that I have a penchant for, but it's hard to know which one fits best. My budget allows for something respectable, but it's not been easy to choose. I mentioned my old Skyline, and I've considered getting another one but I don't think you can do the same trick twice, you got to move onto something new.
I'm also a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to second hand cars, and that really plays against you with the majority of choices on the market. Luckily I've got an old car of mine on loan from it's new owner so I'm not under huge pressure to buy straight away.
JF: No pressure is a good thing! Is there anything else you'd like to add?
HuH: I would like to say thanks to the guys on here who kept up with the build thread and gave so much encouragement. There are a whole lot of you who have become mates in the real world, and obviously you know who you are! That kind of support is more motivating than anything else, so a sincere thanks to you all.