1982 SR5 Convertible (pics) engine needed?

[Looby]

hello this is my first post on here so i appologize if im not following protocol or something but just have a couple of quick questions about my friends car.

he has a 1982 Corolla SR5 with Mercedes Benz convertible top and was first wondering anyone else on here own one of these?

and the real question is he REALLY needs a motor and trans (preferable manual) for this thing and i figured you guys would know if there is a place to get a replacement engine or a RETARDEDLY EASY swap or something. he has NO mechanical skills and i cant be around to help him but if there is a place to get another engine so he doesnt have to pay out the nose for it that you guys know about please tell me. also if any of you live around Atlanta, GA and have an engine/trans for sale (relatively) cheap please let me know. any help would be appreciated

edit: i know this is a noob post to you guys but idk anything about Toyota's or their engines so please dont flame me too bad i am just trying to help a friend out

and here are some pics






Kid in driver seat is owner not me im no where near that stupid looking lol



engine

[Looby]

anyone? any help would be great like i said im just trying to help a friend out


edit: 38 views and no one can help? or at least throw in a suggestion?

[jlrolla]

OK the motor he has in the car is a really good platform to build on. The 3tc makes allot of torque compared to other 1.8L 4cyclinders and people have modified the hell out of these engines modifying it to run EFI/turbo. I would just rebuild the engine, and do a 5 speed swap, and get rid of the emissions
crap and put a webber carb or maybe dual webbers on it. But if he really wants a different engine, the front subframe(minus the steering rack) is the same as the 85-87 corolla so he could swap a 4age into it if he wanted to but he would have to convert to a fuel injected gas tank or race cell and then there would be a ton of wiring. But your best bet is really just a rebuild and then swapping bigger carbs on it . But as for other engines your "could" put in it that i have seen :

22re*
22re-t
3s-ge
3s-gte
3t-gte
2tg-jdm
2tc
4ac*
4a-gze
7ac bottom end/4ac head *
5m-ge
7m-gte
1jz-gtte
2jz-gtte
1uz-v8

*possible but a downgrade

here a what a 3tc looks like with an aftermarket carb on it


and then here's another one with a efi and turbo setup.

[Looby]

thanks for the response

um like i said i dont know anything about toyota engines how hard is a rebuild? he would most likely have to do it himself because he cant afford a shop rebuild. i have worked on my engine (1990 mazda mx6 F2 engine) and am willing to help him but if its really difficult then idk if he can handle it.

also would it be a better plan to go to a jy and grab and engine (same) if they have one and rebuild it or rebuild his?

engine was swapped after first engine had 700,000ish miles on it (body has over 1,178,000miles on it now his grandfather was a mechanic) he claims there is some type of mazda engine in there now even though the pic you posted looks the same so im just concerned if it is a mazda the 3tc will not have the same connections as the one in their now but if the 3tc is easy rebuild and the mazda thing is hard id rather go for easy.

and one more thing where can i get parts for such an old car? pistons, rings, seals, etc.? and to be done correctly im sure someone has done this what is he looking at cost-wise if we do most of the labor?

thanks again for replies

[jlrolla]

Ok yeah it looks like a 3tc to me . I don't know many carb'd mazda engines that people swap into it. Even if you knew how to overhaul the engine would you have the tools/space/time to rebuild it. Your best bet might be a re manufactured engine i mean you might save $200-$300 doing it yourself but you save time and you have a warranty just in case anything goes wrong if you buy a re manufactured one. On a scale of 1 to 10 . 1 being an oil change and 10 being dropping a jet engine in it and getting it to run on the blood of orphans i would probably put a engine swap at about 6 and and overhaul at a 8 . Yeah with basic automotive knowledge and tools and a good factory service manual you could probably pull the engine and put in a reman one with ease but pulling one and rebuilding it yourself from the oil pan up is very intimidating and time consuming your first time and there are a couple tools most people don't have on hand you will need. So if i were you or your friend i would start looking for a place that rebuilds them because your going to save it in effort and time. But roughly the prices i've seen for the parts runs around $580-750 depending on how "complete" the rebuild is and about $800-1200 for a rebuilt/remand engine. I hope this helps .

[camryfour]

Nice! It looks just like mine, but without the convertible top lol. The 3tc is a great little engine, well worth the rebuild. They are almost bulletproof.

[REN69]

I like it! do a 1UZFE v8 swap and you'll probably never look back... you'll probably need a roll bar though.

[ernest t bass]

That motor shown is surely a 3TC.
They are torquey and reliable. and you can build them a mean as you want.

Having owned the same car minus the convertable top, I'd recognize it anywhere.

I had the 1981 1/2 sr5 sport coupe hardtop.(just like the picture)(same color too) which was introduced later than the other bodystyles.

['81_TE72]

Guarantee you it's a 3T-C engine. I have the '81 SR5 Sport Coupe Hardtop. Haven't built her up yet, but I plan on taking her far.

[slimwhitman]

Looby - I just saw this post and was hoping you could tell me a little more about this car. Do you know what company converted it? Companies that were making convertible Corollas were: Convertible Specialists Inc., Sparlingco, American Custom Coach, Matrix3, & Griffith. They usually placed a label in the door jamb or glove box. Let me know if you find out. I am doing research on these coach convertibles for a future article.

See info that I wrote here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coach_convertible

[slimwhitman]

By the way.... I later found out this car was converted into a convertible by Matrix3. In case anyone cares.

[casperolla]

i think that vert conversion looks horrible, personal opinion,
that is a 3tc and i would try to find a used 3tc to swap in or
go to the junk yards and look for the same car. i bought my
81 sr5 coupe for 500 running with a 3tc in it in wyoming,
so you better be able to find a used one in a junk yard
for cheap, cause i live with 250l people around me haha

so go hunting in those huge junk yards and find the same
engine and swap it

[AustinTXMR2]

Originally Posted by slimwhitman

Do you know what company converted it? I am doing research on these coach convertibles for a future article.

See info that I wrote here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coach_convertible

I walked up on this car at the San Antonio Pick N Pull on Saturday. I thought enough of it to capture a pic on my cell (sorry for the poor quality). American Custom Coachworks LTD is what the tag reads on this one. Manufacture date is January of 1983 on the door jamb Toyota plate.
John

[slimwhitman]

Originally Posted by AustinTXMR2

I walked up on this car at the San Antonio Pick N Pull on Saturday. I thought enough of it to capture a pic on my cell (sorry for the poor quality). American Custom Coachworks LTD is what the tag reads on this one. Manufacture date is January of 1983 on the door jamb Toyota plate.
John

So sad. Thanks for posting. These really are rare. It amazes me still that they are worth so little that most coach convertibles land in the junkyard. Even some that cost $30K or more when new in the early '80s (that's Rolls Royce money).

By the way..i wrote that article and posted it on wiki. Find it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coach_convertible

They are nice looking cars as convertibles.

[MUNZIR ALI]

That's very beautiful corolla you have there.