Featured in

A Starlet Is Born
Interview by Arnie Flores
Text and Photos by Chris Alcobendas

These days, paying tribute to the original import race cars takes a creative mind and extreme dedication to a vehicle commonly driven by folks who purchased them off the showroom floor 15 to 30 years ago. Tito Solis of Red Star Racing in Hayward, CA has been one of the successful racer/tuners of these vehicles.

Starting in the Philippines when he was twelve years old and eventually immigrating to the U.S., Tito has had a long history with Old School cars, and he's used his experiences to obtain the highest quality in building and racing them.

As the 1996 SCCA Autocross OSP Champion, Tito has proved his automotive excellence on the course as well as under the hood. His 1981 Toyota Starlet boasts a 4AG motor, commonly found in the latter Corollas, and many other extensive modifications for the ultimate performance in the Auto Cross circuit. Modifications incorporated the utilization of a dual Weber Carburetor set-up to feed the fuel, Electromotive HPV-1 Ignition system, headers, exhaust, TRD Limited Slip Differential, 4/5 Gear ratio, Coil over springs, Tokico Illumina shocks for the front, GAB shocks for the rears, roll cage, full TRD bushing kit, and a complete TRD body kit including the Box-Flares.

Although Tito prefers new technology to old, he has matched the two types of technology to work in conjunction with one another. He says he prefers Imports mainly because he feels they are easy to fix, upgrade, and work on.

Tito's plans are to transfer all of his go-fast mods to a recently purchased Starlet, which he has ready for the transplant. Tito plans to employ a new twenty valve 4AG motor and Individual Throttle-Bodies (Sport Injection) by the time the transplant is complete.

He says he will be ready for the upcoming season, but his cars may not be. In the meantime, he's currently using a friend's early 70s Corolla.

Tito is one guy who definitely keeps the heart of the Old School alive and is always ready to race, whether it's auto-crossing, drag-racing, road-racing, you name it. Tito is striving for pure excellence and possesses the attitude and skills of a true champion.