"New" 82 Corolla

[Yota_Boy]

Looking to buy a 1982 corolla and was looking to find some tips or suggestions as to what to look for. I might be a little late posting this as I am going to go look at the car tomorrow morning but just out of curiosity I wanted to see if I could get some quick responses. Also what should I expect to pay? It looks like the exterior is decent but paint is gone, interior is ok... i guess for the age. Mechanically it should be sound (according to what the guy said).

Im really just looking for a work beater so I could care less about looks. I just want it to be reliable. It supposedly had all belts and hoses replaced recently, new struts and shocks, newer tires, also supposedly has only 166k original miles.

If you guys can think of anything specific to this model to look for please let me know. oh its a 4dr w/5sp d by the way.

... I think it will look nice next to my 2010 tundra DC

[hardtopte72]

A couple of things to watch out for are
Front end: Being so old expect to need new tie rods, idler arm, pitman arm, and sway bar end links
Brakes: Being so old expect all of the brake hoses to be dry rotted completely. There are about 6 hoses total to usually be replaced. Also by now the brake calipers are usually locking up
Seals: The rear axle wheel seals are common leaks
Maintenance: Every single time I have bought an 80s Corolla I have done a full maintenance service. This includes a rear main seal, water pump, clutch, spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, distributor rotor, clean out carb, oil pan gasket, valve cover gasket, and if you are up to it and timing chain. This will bring the car into the 20th century and bring lots of trouble free miles. It can be pricey around 600-800 bucks in parts if it needed everything. But will be nice and smooth sailing.

[Yota_Boy]

Originally Posted by hardtopte72

A couple of things to watch out for are
Front end: Being so old expect to need new tie rods, idler arm, pitman arm, and sway bar end links
Brakes: Being so old expect all of the brake hoses to be dry rotted completely. There are about 6 hoses total to usually be replaced. Also by now the brake calipers are usually locking up
Seals: The rear axle wheel seals are common leaks
Maintenance: Every single time I have bought an 80s Corolla I have done a full maintenance service. This includes a rear main seal, water pump, clutch, spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, distributor rotor, clean out carb, oil pan gasket, valve cover gasket, and if you are up to it and timing chain. This will bring the car into the 20th century and bring lots of trouble free miles. It can be pricey around 600-800 bucks in parts if it needed everything. But will be nice and smooth sailing.

Thank you for your input!

the following parts and service were replaced and done within the last 6 months: alignment & balance, all new inner and outer tie rods idler and pitman arm, new front struts and rear shocks, new electric fuel pump, new dual 12" electric fans, new master cylinder, new calipers new and brake pads, all new belts, new radiator, new alternator and regulator, new SS 4-1 header, new weber 32/36 carburetor kit, new 2" exhaust with a new 2" in and 2" out flow master muffler. the tire are in great shape and have allot of tread left on them, also has a MSD coil, new cap, rotor, ngk plugs and ngk plug wires, aftermarket rpm gauge.

I know it does have a leak in the front of the rear end and he said the oil pan is leaking (I questioned if it was the rear main, but he said it was not and it was leaking from the drain plug

[hardtopte72]

Nice so over half the work is done. I would still replace all the brake hoses, the water pump, front and read seals, oil pan gasket, valve cover gasket, and call it a day.

[Yota_Boy]

^^ Again, thank you for your input. Is there any DIY's for any of these things on here? Im assuming yes, but if you know the correct subforum or know where the link is off the top of your head, pointing me in the right direction would be awesome!

Thank you!

[hardtopte72]

3tcgarage.com will have all the info you need. Let me know if you need help and can't find it there.

[Yota_Boy]

^^Thank you again!

Well I did not buy the car yet. I just got back from looking at it. The car ran like a top, engine seemed great, transmission was great. However as he said the interior and exterior are completely shot. The inside the dash is all cracked, the seats are torn. Which I completely understand that all of that is indicative of its age. The outside is very rough, someone used a rattle can to spray paint it before he bought it and its like a flat-red primer color, its got some hodge-podge body work and filler done here and there and there is some rust around the rear quarters right after the rear wheels, again I am sure this is normal for this type of vehicle. If the price was better I probably would have jumped on it. He is asking $2k and when I told him I thought that was a bit much, he asked me to make an offer then after I refused to make an offer (afraid to offend the guy because he is super nice and met me half way and was willing to drive the car home to my place if I bought) he then asked if I would take it for $1800. Still, for the shape the body is in (even though its not my primary concern) I just cannot justify spending that kind of money on a 30 year old car in that type of shape, especially since there are going to be unknowns with it. I told him I would mull it over but I dunno, maybe it is worth what he is asking but in my eyes a car like that should be about 1k at the most. I do not want to offer him that though, as I said, I am afraid to offend him.

[hardtopte72]

You arent going to offend the guy. I will assume not being prejudice he is either puerto rican or of Hispanic decent. They are the principal owners of these cars these days. I saw a guy not long ago asking 1000 dollars for a rusted shell with no engine. The carb in that car alone costs 400 bucks remember that.

Offer him 1000 and work from there. The worst he can say is no. The rust is common when they are not taken care of and the interior is an easy fix (dash cap is 80 bucks on eBay) and the seats from a MK2 Supra or MK1 MR2 work with slight modification. If it has all that stuff it.

[Yota_Boy]

wow thats crazy these things hold their value so well. Ok so is this a good dd or is this better as a toy or weekend hauler? Your actually making me more confident in wanting to buy this thing even though its so rough on the outside. I am sure he will have no problem meeting up with me tomorrow if the price is right or at least in a few days or whatever.

Thank you so much for all your insight! Oh and you are right about his ethnicity, he is cuban. He also has a pretty nasty 78 that he uses to drag race. He has also said he has had several of these in the past so he does know about these cars pretty well.

[Yota_Boy]

Well lol... he was stuck on the price and I just decided what the heck. I bought it. I am going to pick it up after he fixes the pinion seal leak. I asked him to do that because I would need a buddy to help me put the brake on as I wrenched on the bolt that holds the end of the drive shaft on the rear end and my schedule with my friends is no good.

Anyway, I will post some pics up when I get it. Also what is really cool of him is he said whenever I have a problem I can contact him and can even bring it down to his shop and he will help me work on it.

I cannot complain about that. Never thought I would gain a really cool mechanically inclined friend in the deal as well. So... yeah I am excited to say the least.

[hardtopte72]

I will go out on a limb and give these cars legendary status. They were/are rally raced, drag raced, road raced, work vehicles, daily drivers, family haulers and they do it reliably every day.

They are one of the best cars Toyota ever built and yet one of their least acknowledged. The 3TC engine is bullet proof rock solid OHV true Hemi motor. It can run with a rod out of the block, no oil in it, blown headgasket, and take some severe abuse. They can be built turbocharged, DOHC, all motor, Fuel injected, blow thru carb set up, and more. They sky is the limit with that engine. Check out PSIracing.com and 3tcgarage.com and see some of the stuff that you can do with these cars.

From there you figure there is still tons of aftermarket support for these cars. Short of a window seals or random interior moulding there is almost nothing you can't get to make that car stay on the road. The rust is common. I would fix it before it gets worse but even if it does it isn't like the car is going to not run because of rust.

As far as a DD my Corolla was my only DD for 3 years. It started up and drove every single day I needed it to. In that time it had a stock engine all the way up to a high compression huge cam build and I still drove it everyday.

Be confident. While you may have to put some money in it. This is a car you can still keep for another 10 years. And when you see what it looks like with wheels and coilovers I am sure you will want to start building it up.

[Yota_Boy]

i am already thinking about what to do with next years income tax return and he is giving me ideas lol oh no! Another addiction! I was thinking about getting rust neutralizing paint and using it on the rust until i can fix it the right way. its minimal and seems to be minor surface rust.

I am soo excited. I know I said that a few times already but man. I bet before its all said and done if I know the way I am, before I know it I am going to have a little sleeper lol. I am going to try to keep the exterior as crappy looking as possible for that extra... wtf was that and how the F is it that fast lol

[hardtopte72]

Awesome to see you bought it. That rust neutralizing paint is a good place to start.

Check these out







These are what you can expect.

[Yota_Boy]

That last one is VERY similar to how mine looks. except for mine is shot lol. Holy crap I love how that car looks! Thank you so much for helping me out! you have been nothing but helpful and definitely just created my next addiction. WOW! I am psyched! WOO!!!!

[hardtopte72]

Glad I can help. Keep the old school alive.