The Perfect Daily ( 2000 Echo )

So I know I don’t post about my beloved Toyota Echo that much. But for a long time I’ve been wanted to make it out of this world awesome. I though about a motor swap for more power, but that to bush league. I love the power it had, but at time I fell as if I couldn’t get it all to the ground. YOU KNOW, ALL 85HP OF IT HAHAHA. So with Covid shortening times at work. I figured let make my dreams, a reality. The start to achieve the perfect daily.

I’m not going to go into depth and detail of my car. Just the bigger/major things. This my become a story as I work on this. So forgive me if it gets lengthy. Lets get into it.

In late August 2017, I was shopping for a car to keep me warm daring the cold season. While my friend Blake new that a normal car was not my flavor at all. The prior mouths we looked at new cars like at the Mazda Miata ND, Fiat 124 Spyder Abarth, Lexus GS-F, the list goes on and on. We even looked at imports. Well, by the end of it all. I have to pick between two cars. A full built 1991 Nissan Skyline R32 GTST in Deep Sparkle Blue…. and a little beat up 2000 Toyota Echo in what is left Red. Blake and I came to the conclusion that see the Echo first ( because it was closer ) was easier. So we road on up to see the Echo. I test drive it, and there was so many things wrong with it. No power, miss fires to no fires, cracked window, no tires left, smelled bad, really dirty. BUT, Even with all the wrong I did like the little Echo. Plus, it road really nice. So we left and Blake and I talked about it for a bit.

That next day we set out to South Carolina to see a dream car. We got to Japan Direct Motors, and We look at a lot of very awesome cars that we never got, and then there it sat. The R32 in Deep Sparkle Blue, and lord it looked good. We test rode in it and it was everything I could have dreamed of and more. Rode like it was on rails, it did. When we get back I called up the loan company right then and there. After, a hour of walking around and looking at all the other cars. I got a call back saying that I didn’t get approved. So in defeat, We rode back home and the next day we headed out to do get the Echo. The first ride in the Echo is a story I love to tell. I get to the highway and it starts running on only 3 cylinders. We get a good length down the highway, and we are almost home and it started running on 2 cylinders. By miracle I get it home running on dam near 1 piston. I get out and Blake says to me I look the part for driving that Little Red Echo. YOU KNOW MY HOMELESS LOOK HAHAHAHHAHA.

That same night we head up the the AutoZone to get Coils and Plugs. We get back home and I put the new stuff on the car. Then I start it up and it runs perfectly. There is Valve noises, but I knew that was due to the oil lol.

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Now that the story is out of the way, time for the car itself 🙂

The very first thing I did was put a “Cold Air intake” on it. Not for power, Just for the sound. Let be real here, cold air intake don’t do a dam thing with out a tune.

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Now I love music, and as much as I hate to get ride of this OEM. I know it is just not going to work out. So I got a Kenwood head unit and then for speakers I only changed the rears out. This oddly enough got the audio where I liked it.

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This was my setup for about 2 to 2 1/2 years, nothing changed but the oil and filter in and on the motor.

In early February 2020, I started to set things in motion to make this the fastest Echo I could.
1. StopTech Slotted Rotor ( Front only )
2. CarboTech XP8 PAD ( Front only )
3. BC BR Coilovers
4. Poly Sway Bushing with Shorter bolts
5. MLP Shifter knob ( Derpy Ball ) ← as a call it
6. MLP Shifter boot
7. Headlamp: S-V.4 H4
8. Sylvania: stop lamp bulbs and center stop light
9. Door cards reskinned to MLP Fabric
10. Braille: G20 GreenLite Battery ( 4lbs ). Started with a B106 ( 6lbs )
11. Wheels and Tires Daily: Crager AstroStar2 15×7 offset 42mm with Yokoyama ADVAN Fleva V701
12. Wheels and Tires Spirted: Advanti Racing Storm S1 Titanium 15×7 offset 35mm with Toyo R888R
13. Wheels and Tires AutoCross: KONIG Rewind 15×7 offset 40 with Bridgestone RE71R
14. 949Racing Wheel Lugs ( RED )
15. Scion XA Driver Seat
16. LED Dome/Map Light
17. Ebay Cold Air Intake

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I’ll update this over time 🙂