Mf Baker here with a '93 Corolla Wagon ready to get to it!

[MF Baker]

Hey all! My name is Baker, im in no way new to the mpg game, but have been away for a while doing the race car thing. Im glad to be back, im here with a beauty of a platform imho, one that is not messed with much, which is always how i like to do my builds, unique.

I have a bone stock AE102, aka 93-97 USDM Corolla DX Wagon. I am well versed in these cars, i have owned 7 other cars with the 4A engine in them, 3x 93-97 Geo Prizm, 2x Corolla AllTrac Wagons, an AW11 MR2 supercharged, and an AE82 Corolla FX16 GTS race car with supercharged 4agze and custom 6 speed c160 transmission, among other extensive modifications.

My love started with the 93-95 Geo Prizm, i built one for mpg specifically about 15 years ago and was able to get to a documented 40/city 50/hwy. I had this car when the second gen prius came out, and i realized that its not only possible, but cool and fun, to build a cheap ass mpg mizer, by cheap i man compared to buying a hybrid. I moved to the bay area california in 2008, and my my hypermiling mizer self reclused, there is almost no need here, the traffic does not allow optimal mpg, so i went the other way and applied my mechanical skills and efficiency snobishness to fast cars. Btw my FX16 did 0-60mph in 3.93 seconds on a stock usdm 150hp at the crank engine, and would get 30mpg highway if you could possibly refrain from keeping kff the peddle, which was very hard because you know at that speed it was just too fun to smoke 911s.

Hence i am back into the mpg game. I have always wanted a AE102 wagon, since day one. To me this vehicle represents the best of both mpg efficiency and storage space with out having a bed, i feel its in the top 5 of overall versitile behicle for sure, and its one i could actually afford, well, not to mention actually even find!

I am currently bone stock and average anywhere from 30-36 mg per tank. Commuting in the bay area is less than ideal for hypermiling to put it mildly lol. I often run the gears to red line many times a day driving around, shift to 3rd at 60mph, **** like that, but still 30mpg aont bad for that type of driving. I have yet to actually do a road trip or full tank of actual highway driving, soi dont have a whole lot of baseline right now, but i am guessing 38mpg on the hw at 60ish is easily attainable right now. I am confident i can get this thing into the mid 40s without touching the powertrain aside from bolt ons.

I have a couple of pretty sweet mods lining up right now, i will post pics of the starting car and mods soon in this thread, and will begin a full build thread shortly after as well.

The AE102 has a 3 things working against it conpared to my 50mpg Prizm sedan. First, its a wagon, more metal, more glass, more weight, slightly less aero. Second, the wagon is only offered in the 1.8l 7a engine, never came with the 1.6 4a in the states. Third, the wagon has a 2 inch highrise roof compared to the sedan and hatchback. So its more weight, more displacement, more frontal area. However, if you look at the powercurve of the 7a, it offers more torque and at a much lower rpm, whoch is ideal in the long run. I used to think the 1.6 was the ultmate, but i am curious how a properly tuned 1.8 would actually do in a lighter sleeker sedan. Another project for another day!
Cheers!