1969 Toyota Corolla Sprinter 4AGE Swap Classic JDM Build California

Romy Tabora Jr.

1969 Toyota Corolla Sprinter

Instagram: @69rolla

Photographer: Marvin Recinos

Instagram:  @mr2mivin

Performance Stats

Original motor: 112HP (haven't dynoed yet with current ITB setup). With the whole build weighing just 1,600 pounds, the power-to-weight ratio is proper. Original motor for this car was 60hp, so the upgrade makes it so much fun to drive.

"That's the problem with car guys—can never be satisfied with any builds. Always room to grow and learn, that's why we do it." – Romy Tabora Jr.

Born Into the Scene

Romy Tabora Jr. from Milpitas, California, has been into cars since the early 90s. "My dad and uncles had the coolest cars," he recalls. "Some people are just born into it." That family influence runs deep—his dad made him rush to the bank the day this 1969 Toyota Corolla Sprinter became available, recognizing immediately that they were about to own a piece of automotive history.

Romy acquired the car from a friend back in 2010, intercepting it before it was even listed online. "All of a sudden we had a piece of car history in our garage and we had no idea how much we would learn from it," he says. Fifteen years later, they're still learning daily.

Before Fast and Furious Changed Everything

Romy and his crew were neck-deep in the scene before the first Fast and Furious release. "We had already been drag racing out on all the favorite 'runs,'" he explains. "We could never afford crazy Honda or muscle car builds at the time, so we drove whatever we had just to fit in."

His first car was a 1987 Toyota Celica GTS—his first manual, which he had to learn to drive. "Back then it was different, people were respectful and just rolled with each other's crews." The first Hot Import Nights show they attended in San Mateo in 2003 was their exposure to big shows. "Been in love since."

Now, 20+ years later, they're lining up with a new team, filled with car lovers who share the same respect for the culture.

The Lucky Find and an Unexpected Connection

When Romy bought the car in 2010, he had no idea his future teammate owned the same car—a 1969 Toyota Corolla Sedan (KE-10) with an insane JDM-style build featuring a blacktop 4AGE from Japan (20-valve). "The first time I met him and parked next to him at a car meet years ago, he comes up to me and says, 'I like yours better, nicer grill,'" Romy laughs. "Been friends ever since, but I didn't get to join his team until recently. Now we go to all the shows together."

"I've never seen anyone with our car—such an awesome find," Romy says. While the motor is relatively common in the area with available parts, the body is another story. "If anything breaks, you have to go out of country for parts (not fun with new tariffs)."

Behind the Wheel: Pure Driving Joy

"As far as driving it, it is the dream," Romy says. The 4AGE engine is an awesome fit for the bay, paying homage to the AE86 bloodline pumping power through that 1.6-liter motor. "We've never dynoed the thing yet, but it should be putting up solid numbers with that side draft—the Webers sound great."

Everyone has goals and wishes for the motor, but Romy's priority is simple: "I just want to keep driving it. When everything is running properly, all air and fuel is synced, there's no better feeling getting to punch that throttle."

Complete Build Specifications

Engine and Performance

• 16-valve 1.6-liter 4AGE engine
• Weber 45 DCOE carburetors
• Headers
• Magnaflow exhaust
• Racing cams
• Original 60hp upgraded to 112HP (estimated higher with current setup)
• Weight: 1,600 lbs total

Transmission

• T-50 transmission from 1986 Toyota MR2

Interior

• Schroth harness
• Bucket seats
• Nardi woodgrain steering wheel
• TRD racing tachometer
• Air/fuel ratio gauge
• 1-of-1 custom shift knob by Romy's dad

Wheels and Tires

• 13x9 Rota Panasport Racing Wheels
• Toyo Proxes R888R tires: 205/60/13 (rear), 185 (front)

Suspension

• Rear air shocks (adjustable height)
• Leaf springs with 2" lowering blocks

Exterior

• Custom 1-of-1 wing and air dam made by Romy's uncle
• Currently signed by all friends of the build

Who Did the Work?

The motor was shipped from the Philippines and assembled at a shop in Daly City, California. "The original owner's cousins drag race out in Manila, so he had the shell here and asked them to ship a motor for it," Romy explains. They sent the T-50 transmission to go with the 4AGE from a 1986 Toyota MR2.

The custom wing and air dam? Made by Romy's uncle. The 1-of-1 shift knob? Crafted by his dad. This build is truly family-built with friends who've become family.

Future Plans

"Who knows? The market these days for these type of builds is through the roof currently, and who knows what's going to happen to all the classics," Romy says. They have a turbo ready to throw on—they'd just need to fabricate an exhaust manifold and keep the ITBs. "That'd be amazing, best of show type stuff."

The real goal? "Build the same exact setup outside of the car with all that forced induction and just be able to swap it in with exact measurements implemented. That process can start any day, just depends on the resources available."

The current goal is simple: "To keep all the classics alive and well in the car scene. And maybe start a whole classic Toyota collection."

Community and Culture

Romy is proud to roll with:

• @team_highoctanetuners
• @jdmoldschoolinvasion
• @nakayamamotorsports
• @calicreaming
• @oldskool_lyfe
• @giftedlifestyles

And massive respect to the photographers and supporters: @mr2mivin, @gps_julian, @misofresh, @stzypics, @dave.carmeets, @ca_radhaus

Dream Car

1967 Toyota 2000GT

Final Thoughts

Fifteen years of ownership, countless hours of learning, and a family-built classic that weighs just 1,600 pounds with a screaming 4AGE and Weber carbs—Romy's 1969 Toyota Corolla Sprinter is a testament to patience, passion, and keeping the classics alive.

"To keep and maintain old school builds like these you need a team, people around you that have the knowledge and creativity ready for anything," Romy says. "We've owned it for 15 years now and we're honestly still learning from it daily."

Call to Action

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