3s-ge Beams-powered Ke36 Corolla Panel Van

Michael Ellard’s blacktop 3S-GE BEAMS-Powered KE36 Corolla Panel Van wowed ’em on debut at MotorEx.

Image Conversions bossman Michael Ellard never really planned for his KE36 Corolla to be a MotorEx hero. Still, the boosted BEAMS-powered beasty snapped plenty of necks at the Melbourne event earlier this year.

The project began in earnest about six years ago, shortly after Michael pulled the covers off his Severed Ruby Rodeo (SM, May 16). The ute was a resounding success. Then, when Michael and his wife Lanis family began to grow, the two-seater became less than practical. I had a little Toyota motor Id built years ago and it was just sitting there. So Id always wanted to get another Corolla, Michael recounts.

So began the hunt for a more family-friendly weekend car. Michael found this neat one-owner panel van six months later in Menai, NSW. It belonged to an old couple. It was the husbands car and hed passed away, he says. The guy had it from new. Hed used it to take surfboards to the lifesavers at Menai Beach, and it had a big wooden roof box. So, the roof was all protected. They didnt want to sell it to anyone whod destroy it!

Michael stayed true to their wishes, driving the van in stock form for two years before getting stuck into the build. Though the 20V Toyota 1.6-litre in his shed was the initial choice for a swap, plans changed when he decided on a six-speed manual gearbox.

Michael snapped up a 1999 Toyota Altezza front cut with a low-kilometre blacktop 3S-GE and J160 six-cogger in place. Much to Michaels glee, the 2.0-litre four also wore a turbo kit. The mill now runs an Aeroflow T28 snail, with engine management handled by a Link G4X ECU. On E85, the 1100kg car makes about 350hp at the tyres. Heaps of grunt for a lightweight manually shifted family driver! After driving it for a bit, were probably going to pull it down and do a full build on the motor, Michael says.

The third member is a HiLux diff with a Truetrac centre. Also, stopping duties are handled by R33 GT-R callipers all round over Falcon and MA70 Supra discs. Furthermore, the front end features a Techno Toy weld-in coil-over kit. While the rear springs were relocated inside the chassis rails to comfortably accommodate the tubs.

The body was left mostly stock, with Michael aiming to highlight the models oft-overlooked styling. I think the Corolla has beautiful sides and body lines and roof, he enthuses. Its something no one picks up on. When theyre looking at the car they go, Did you put that groove in the roof? And I say, No, thats factory! The most significant change to the exterior is the addition of side glass from a JDM-spec KE36 two-door wagon. This replaced the factory van panels. KE20 front and rear bars were also cut and shut to fit and the front valance was reshaped. Then, Michael and Image Conversions Matthew Johnston dipped the car in Corolla-spec Rally Red.

Ive got a sun visor, rear Venetians and stockies with hubcaps for it too. So, every now and again we can change the car up and have it look factory, Michael says. The following thing Ive learned from building cars. Even if you have all the crazy sheet metal and motors in the world, but you dont get the right colour, wheels and stance, it doesnt make the car.

A Corolla wagon rear seat was shortened to sit between the tubs, which Michael says bolted up using mostly pre-existing holes. Then, the seats were a similar colour [when new] as they are now, he explains, but they didnt have the tweed. Also, the cloth inserts are surrounded by Bentley brown leather for a neat, understated look, even using OEM-style stitching. The dash is also a factory piece, though the gauges have been replaced with TA22 Celica units.

Work on the after-hours project finished up a couple of weeks prior to MotorEx, for an anticipated spot on sponsor Aeroflows stand. They ran out of space, but I decided to enter for the fun of it anyway, Michael says. Next thing you know, they wanted to unveil it, and people just went crazy over it!

In MotorExs Street Elite Showcase, the car took home third place for Design & Execution, alongside plenty of spectator attention. Michael was blown away by the reception at MotorEx, especially considering the projects relatively humble goals. It was unbelievable, he says. The car was never meant to go to MotorEx; it was just a budget street car. But when I was putting up pictures of the build on social media, it was probably our highest-ranked car. We were a bit shocked by that! It was a pretty relaxed build. We just kept it simple, and tinkered away until it was done.

When its not being caned at roll racing meets and gigs like Street Machine Summernats, youll find the Rolla performing everyday duties with Lani at the wheel. She wasnt impressed when she first saw the car, Michael says. She didnt see the potential in a Corolla, but now she claims it for herself. She plans to do the shopping and school drop-off in it!