by Michael Kitchens

Like most Street Pulse drivers, Jeffrey Soriano has a love affair with the automobile.  He says that his love for cars started with LEGOs, then model kits after being given a Chevy S-10.  “I just fell in love with cars and trucks after that.”  His first car was a 2002 Dodge Neon that he still drives as a beater when he’s not cruising in the 1985 Toyota Corolla GTS Coupe gracing this page.  In his short time on Earth (compared to yours truly),he’s owned everything from Nissan S13’s, a 1992 Honda Civic EK, to a 1987 Buick Regal lowrider.  His passion, however, is the late 80’s Toyota Corolla Coupe.  He’s owned four of them and doesn’t plan on selling his current ride anytime soon.

“I would buy them stock, build it up, and then for some reason, I’d just sell it.  This one, however, I’ve become really attached to.  I just can’t let it go.”Lucky for him, he has a supportive fiancé, Kathleen, who has said in no uncertain terms “Keep it.”  Jeffrey purchased the car for around $4000 and has invested in building the car to his specs.  With great support from his spouse, Jeffrey is hoping to take the next step and build the motor to complete the current package. “I’m not too much of a motor guy, but that’s one area I’d like to concentrate on.”

As much as he’d like to drift his current ride, Jeffery didn’t get his driver’s license till his senior year, which brought him late to the party when it came to the drift scene.  “The last drift event at the track was my birthday, so it was kinda sad.”  Regardless, he’s in tune with the drift culture and wouldn’t hesitate to take it to the track.  “This hachi is still set up for the track, but since there’s no track, I just decided to keep it as a weekend warrior.”

Jeffrey is more of a “reliability” type of guy.  He likes to drive a dependable car, one that’s safe, comfortable, but has the street-cred cool and the ability to romp on it when he wants to.  You can see the care and attention to detail given to the car on the interior and exterior.  Overall, this is one of the cleanest Corolla’s I’ve come across.  The paint is beautiful as a light pastel blue with just a hint of metal flake and the exterior plastics and body panels are fresh-faced.  In truth, the entire car looks like it came off the showroom floor.  “It’s not every day that you see an old-school Corolla on the road.  I keep it simple and reliable.”

Inspired by OG hachi-owners like Royce Fujimoto, Jeffery evolved to his own trademark fashion, which he shows off when he enters car shows…as well as running with other hachis in Section D, a local car club.  “I like to inspire the new generation, to inspire new guys to build something, and keep the culture alive…to keep it going”  It’s hard to argue with that logic when your ride is as clean and cool as Jeffrey’s.