Arthur Dent's winter beater - 1987 Toyota Corolla

[Arthur Dent]

So I gave up on the Jeep as it was going to cost $1500 or so to get safely on the road. Just not worth it especially since that price is me doing all the work on it. So I needed a set of wheels for commuting duty. The requirements are pretty modest:

1. Must be able to pass a safety check with minimal work. I don’t mind replacing a set of brake pads but don’t want to be rebuilding an engine.
2. Must be cheap. On the road for well under $500 is the goal. We’ll see how it goes.
3. Decent parts supply in the local junkyards to keep running costs to a minimum.

A few other factors would help as well like simplicity of the vehicle which limits the number of things to go wrong and helps with the ease of fixing them. Fuel economy concerns probably take out any big land barge style cars. There are a number of reasonable candidates locally with most being late 80s to early 90s economy cars or small, rear wheel drive trucks. This is in the sweet zone for my requirements – anything older has usually disappeared from the junkyards and the newer stuff often is more complex and pricy to buy.

Last time doing this I ended up with a 1986 Chrysler LeBaron. It was rusty and had many, many flaws but around the city was very reliable. I bought it for $160 including a valid safety inspection. The LeBaron lasted me eight months or so relatively trouble free and I put almost no money into it. I doubt I will do so well this time but I've started off with a 1987 Corolla that I bought for the grand sum of $80. It is automatic but can't be too choosey at this price range.

Will take a few more to get it reasonable and on the road but hopefully I can keep the total cost well under three hundred. Off the top of my head I know it needs a rear tail light lens, one small rear window and a wiper blade as well as some sort of exhaust work.

I've got a picture or two at the seller's place but it is ugly.

[safristi]

 ARTHUR ..........you have sunk to a new LOW.......................


   a Corolla and $80 BUCKS................

[Arthur Dent]

ARTHUR ..........you have sunk to a new LOW.......................


   a Corolla and $80 BUCKS................

I can't disagree with you. It *might* be better than the old LeBaron ... not sure yet.

[Mike]

ARTHUR ..........you have sunk to a new LOW.......................


   a Corolla and $80 BUCKS................

I can't disagree with you. It *might* be better than the old LeBaron ... not sure yet.

2JZ swap?

[5 Wheel Drive]

Wow, I think I took driver's ed in one of those.

[Arthur Dent]

ARTHUR ..........you have sunk to a new LOW.......................


   a Corolla and $80 BUCKS................

I can't disagree with you. It *might* be better than the old LeBaron ... not sure yet.

2JZ swap?

The engine is the best part of it and you want me to swap it out? haha. Engine swaps would be tougher than needed since this bugger still runs a carb and you'd need might pressure fuel lines and fuel tank upgrade.

[Mike]

ARTHUR ..........you have sunk to a new LOW.......................


   a Corolla and $80 BUCKS................

I can't disagree with you. It *might* be better than the old LeBaron ... not sure yet.

2JZ swap?

The engine is the best part of it and you want me to swap it out? haha. Engine swaps would be tougher than needed since this bugger still runs a carb and you'd need might pressure fuel lines and fuel tank upgrade.

plus it would need to go RWD.  Maybe that engine should go in the Mazda?

[initial_D]

It is a Toyota, it should last forever.

[Arthur Dent]

ARTHUR ..........you have sunk to a new LOW.......................


   a Corolla and $80 BUCKS................

I can't disagree with you. It *might* be better than the old LeBaron ... not sure yet.

2JZ swap?

The engine is the best part of it and you want me to swap it out? haha. Engine swaps would be tougher than needed since this bugger still runs a carb and you'd need might pressure fuel lines and fuel tank upgrade.

plus it would need to go RWD.  Maybe that engine should go in the Mazda?

The might get an engine swap one of these days. I'd need to improve the brakes first - they are quite poor even though I redid them. Just how they are from what I understand. A Miata motor would be perfect for the Mazda - not too much and still in the family.

[mrthompson]

It is a Toyota, it should last forever.

The engine, yes.  The body, not likely.   

[Flinter]

I'm sure you'll get your money's worth out of it. Just keep an eye on those brake lines.

[Oldsguy]

Haven't seen one of those in years. Haven't seen that price for a car in a lot longer.

That is from Toyota's "angular" styling era. Designed with a ruler and a triangle.

[2hondas1BMW]

Wow. My mom had an 84' Corolla sedan (kinda like that one) in light blue back in 98'. It ran great!! Started up every time in -45C Saskatoon weather. It needed a few rust touchups every spring though, but other than that, it ran mint.

[dr_spock]

Congrats.  It is nice to see angular styling again.  Missed that in my old 1988 Sentra. 

[Arthur Dent]

Any cheap car needs a bit of work when you get it. Double that for a really cheap car. I’ve got a little list of things to be done on the Corolla before I get it on the road for real. The first thing was to grab a few parts as we passed through Calgary. They have a larger scrapyard and thus a better chance of finding a similar Corolla. Online they claimed to have four of the correct years and I figured at least some of those would be front wheel drive sedans. When I got there they had exactly one. A 1986 example in brown but it would do.



I was tempted to grab the fenders but they were quite rusty so left them and hoped I could fix mine up a bit. For $30 I got a new tail light and the small window for the rear door.



It took only a few minutes to replace the broken one.



In replacing it I also opened the trunk for the first time. This car was quite clean inside so it didn’t have any crazy stuff in it. This is the contents on the trunk. One empty garbage bag, two window cleaners, new brake pads (but for one side only so they are useless) and the stock tool kit for the jack.



The glass cleaner is actually a reasonably good degreaser. I cleaned up the engine compartment a bit to make it less of a mess to work around in. Not sure I’d use it on a fancier car but it was there and not much to lose here.

Small progress but getting there.

[safristi]

..I'm betting there is a coupla hundred grand DRUG MONEY in the air Filter...ya lucky bastard.............

[Gamefreak]

That interior reminds me of my mom's old Citation. 

[mmret]

There is something intensely fascinating about cheap cars.

[Snowman]

There is something intensely fascinating about cheap cars.

Yes, my Winter Beater Tercel served me well.