Driving a supercar on public roads might sound cool but we bet lots of enthusiasts would rather pilot this old Toyota Corolla. That’s because it packs what its owner calls a 1.5JZ engine that makes some 740 horsepower (551 kW) and it’s so fast that not only does it do the quarter mile in under 10 seconds but it has a parachute to slow down. Oh, and it’s completely street-legal and registered in Hawaii.
Alex Sylva, the owner and builder of this wild 1981 Corolla, says it’s probably the fastest street car in the state. That’s not totally shocking considering its fastest time at the drag strip is 9.50 at 149 mph (239 km/h). For a little perspective, that’s faster than Dodge’s 840 hp (626 kW) Demon from 2018.
Sylva has never weighed the car but he’s guessing it tips the scales, with him in it, at around 2,500 pounds or 1,133 kg. He says this generation of the Corolla is popular on the islands and that he’s been working on it for some time. The finished engine is made up of a 2JZ bottom end with a 1JZ top end.
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It has 2,200 CC injectors to feed the engine and a 68/70 Precision turbocharger that produces 30 pounds of boost. An AEM Infinity ECU serves as the engine management component and while all of that is very high-tech, Sylva isn’t opposed to homemade parts. The intercooler, for example, is one he crafted himself.
The shark fin-shaped object just ahead of it is only there to trigger the start line and finish line laser beam at the track. Sylva explains that you’re allowed to have the nose of your car four feet from the center of your front wheel. As a result, his Toyota triggers the beam just a touch sooner than it would without it.
The entire build is incredibly detailed and worthy of a deep dive. Would you prefer to drive this or a supercar? I, for one, don’t know that I could turn down this classic wild ride.