SP Rides: A Pair of Hearts
BY MICHAEL KITCHENS
Owner: Robby Chipley
Age: 55
Occupation: Frame / collision work
Hobbies: Cars, bikes, shorecasting
Year, make, model: 1974 Toyota Corolla
Color: Cement Gray with matte black and red racing stripes
Engine: 4AGE swap (twin-cam, 16-valve) swap, headers, dual exhaust with titanium tip, dual fan setup, TRD oil cap, adjustable cam gears, NGK spark plug wires, aftermarket radiator, aftermarket hood strut
Exterior: Hand-painted racing stripes, new OEM grill, LED color-change Jeep headlights with color change app, front chin spoiler, relocated turn signals, steel over-fenders
Interior: Vintage Momo steering wheel, aftermarket leather bucket seats, custom samurai hilt shift knob, custom receiver install, custom fender mirrors, custom rear diffuser, low-slung rear wing
Suspension: 86 front suspension, 4-inch drop all around, coil overs front, blocked leaf in the rear, blue anodized front strut bar
Wheels/tires/brakes: 14-inch BRE Bosozuk wheels with 225/40R14 front and 245/525/14 rear, custom center cap extensions, front disc brakes
The ubiquitous Corolla is one of the most popular cars, and if we’re honest, one of the most affordable cars on the road today. Chances are someone in your family has owned one at one time or another. They’re small and economic people-carriers that are great for the A to B. However, among the masses, stands the TE27.
Pictured here is a 1974 Toyota Corolla, owned by Robby and Junko Chipley. This is the last year for the E20 lineup and this coupe version has essentially reached legendary status for import 1974 TOYOTA COROLLA aficionados. Robby wanted to achieve something truly different than the typical old-school Toyota crowd had a crossover of updated JDM gear on an older Toyota.
Obtained by Robby after a twisting and convoluted story, this ride was in exquisite shape with no rust visible anywhere, which made the rebuild process much easier. This car looks like something that rolled fresh off the factory floor. It’s so clean and well done that you would never think that it was completed in the span of only 30 days for HIN.
His wife, Junko, is from Japan and was a great help in both sourcing parts as well as doing some of the nitty-gritty work where her small hands were perfect for tasks such as refurbishing components like the front grill.
“She does all the ugly stuff the stuff I don’t wanna do like sanding parts and what-not. I wouldn’t have been able to pull it off without her,” Robby said.
The build is exceptional, featuring a number of parts that set this ride apart. Most noticeable is the Cement-Gray custom paint job paired with the hand-painted matte black and red stripes on the sides of the body. Combined with the steel fender flares, the Banzai Racing Equipment Equipment Bosozuks are absolutely huge. It’s one of the biggest fitments I’ve ever seen on a ride of this type with a 10-inch contact patch in the front and 12-inch in the rear. No rubbing-all wheel. It’s awesome.
The front headlights have been swapped with a pair of custom color change LEDs originally meant for a Jeep. The body lines are also augmented by exquisite de- tails such as the front chin spoiler, the low-slung rear wing, and the custom diffuser and side- skirts that aren’t usually found on a car of this make.
The engine is a 4AGE swap from a 1986 Corolla aka “hachi-roku” and has been given a proper once-over to bring it up to more modern standards. The interior has been lovingly updated with leather bucket seats, a modern stereo receiver and a vintage Momo steering wheel.
Known as Mr. and Mrs. Frameman, this is a great example of a loving couple who do everything together. Being tied at the hip, Junko and Robby both worked very hard on this ride. Robby feels that there are always ways to include your spouse or girlfriend in a collaborative partnership to build something incredible. Together, they’ve built something truly special.
