Tegiwa GT86 Rally Build: The Build Begins

After stripping our Toyota GT86 down to its bare bones, it was time for the exciting part – building it back up into a proper rally weapon. This phase of the build focused on three crucial areas: suspension, braking, and creating a purpose-built interior that prioritises both safety and functionality.

Suspension and Handling: The Foundation of Performance

We kicked off the rebuild with what we consider the most critical aspect of any performance build – the suspension setup. For this, we turned to our trusted partners at Yellow Speed Racing, fitting their 2-way rally spec coilovers. These aren’t just our go-to choice for any reason; they’ve proven themselves time and again in demanding conditions, offering the perfect balance of adjustability and reliability that rally driving demands.

But suspension is only part of the handling equation. To maximise our setup potential, we installed every available Hardrace component for the GT86 platform. This comprehensive approach included camber arms, chassis braces, and anti-roll bars – essentially giving us a full arsenal of adjustability options for when we dial in the car’s alignment. Having this level of fine-tuning capability is crucial for extracting maximum performance from any chassis, especially when you’re asking it to perform across the varied terrain that rally driving throws at you.

Braking: Proven Performance Under Pressure

When it comes to stopping power, we once again looked to Yellow Speed Racing. Our long history of using their products on multiple event and championship winning vehicles speaks volumes about their capability in the toughest conditions. In a stroke of perfect timing, we had just the components we needed – the calipers came straight off our 700 horsepower Time Attack Honda NSX, which had just received an upgrade to YSR 600R calipers.

This hand-me-down approach might sound casual, but these calipers have already proven themselves at the highest level of motorsport. Taking components that have successfully managed 700 horsepower and applying them to our GT86 build gives us complete confidence in their ability to handle whatever we throw at them on the rally stages.

Interior: Safety First, Function Always

With the mechanical foundation sorted, attention turned to creating an interior that would keep our crew safe while providing all the functionality needed for competitive rallying. The centrepiece of this transformation was the Safety Devices roll cage – the same brand that supply the mandatory cage for Type R Trophy and Swift Sport Challenge cars.

One of the more dramatic modifications was cutting a roof scoop-shaped hole to accommodate our carbon fibre RRS WRC roof scoop. This modification serves a vital purpose. With air conditioning stripped out for weight savings, keeping the occupants cool becomes a real challenge. The dual vent system provides dedicated airflow for both driver and co-driver, with a thoughtful water run-off feature for those inevitable wet weather conditions.

Seating and Safety: Lightweight Without Compromise

The seating upgrade delivered impressive weight savings without breaking the budget. The lightweight carbon fibre RRS Control bucket seats tip the scales at just 7.5kg each – less than half the weight of the standard 18.4kg seats. At under a grand each, they represent exceptional value compared to other seats in this weight category, proving that serious weight reduction doesn’t always require enormous financial sacrifice.

Safety harnesses are where we never compromise, which is why we chose RRS R6 Light Evo harnesses. These have become our go-to choice thanks to their user-friendly design featuring large toggles and easy adjustability – crucial factors when you need to make quick adjustments or get out of the car rapidly.

Functional Upgrades: Every Detail Matters

The handbrake received a significant upgrade with a Motamec hydraulic unit. While the OEM handbrake performed adequately, we know that once stickier tyres are fitted, we’ll need something more aggressive to reliably lock the rear wheels when the situation demands it.

Fire safety got serious attention with an OMP fire extinguisher featuring four nozzles strategically positioned throughout the car. Additionally, a handheld extinguisher sits below the co-driver’s seat for immediate access – hopefully never needed, but absolutely essential for peace of mind.

The driving experience benefits from Luke’s favourite steering wheel, a suede Personal Neo Grina 330mm, mounted to an NRG quick release boss. This combination is popular among racers and tuners for good reason – with the cage and bucket seats creating a tighter cockpit, the ability to quickly remove the steering wheel transforms entry and exit from a struggle into a simple procedure.

Digital Control: Modern Technology Meets Rally Tradition

The OEM dashboard was completely ripped out and replaced with a lightweight fibreglass alternative. With air conditioning deleted and all the associated vents no longer needed, the heavy factory dashboard became redundant weight that served no purpose in our rally build.

The new setup received a high-tech upgrade with the Haltech IC-7 digital display, which integrates seamlessly with our Haltech 1500 ECU. This setup allows constant monitoring of vital engine parameters – crucial information when pushing hard on stage.

The centre console now houses the Haltech traction control controller, putting power management literally at the driver’s fingertips. A simple dial adjustment lets us decide exactly how much electronic intervention we want, adapting to changing conditions or driving preferences instantly.

Our new Tegiwa 8-button panel works like a PDM unit but at a fraction of the cost. Completely customisable, it can handle everything from lights and horn to windscreen washers – whatever controls we need are now right where we need them.

Safety regulations also meant installing one of our new Tegiwa battery isolater kill switches positioned for immediate access. This is a game changing product as the traditional pull cord style systems end up going stiff which isn’t ideal when you need to use it.

The Final Touches: Vision and Communication

A Tegiwa 38cm wide-angle cage-mounted mirror maximises the driver’s field of view – crucial when you need to know what’s happening all around the car at speed. Above it sits the ZeroNoise amplifier, which filters out background noise to ensure crystal-clear communication between driver and co-driver. The bonus audio output feature means we can record high-quality audio for our onboard videos, sharing the experience with everyone following our rally adventures.

Ready for the Next Phase

With suspension dialled in, brakes capable of serious stopping power, and an interior that prioritises safety and functionality, our GT86 is transforming from street car to serious rally machine. Every modification serves a purpose, every component has been chosen for its proven performance, and every detail contributes to the overall goal of creating a car capable of competing at the highest level.

Next up is perhaps the most exciting stage of the entire build – an engine swap in the form of a Honda K-Series built by none other than 4Piston Racing! This is going to be absolutely epic, and we can’t wait to share this incredible transformation with you.