Presenting My Vintage Corolla!

[Jaliya48]

and then that "maara charter" moment when the part doesn't fit. this happened to me too man. hang in there. ohoma thamai.

I Know, right?! I'll be ringing the dealer up tomorrow to check if the other part in Wattala is the correct one. If not, to the chopping board with this!

Uh well, at least the fender mirror is the real deal.

[Octanehead]

thought you might like this!

[Jaliya48]

Hmm...that's a KE70. Seems decent, but needs FENDER MIRRORS! Nothing says old school like fender mirrors.

Here's a general update on my '72; I finally fixed the new lenses onto the original rear lamp frames. (and it *only* took me two months!) Thanks to sound advice from Davy and another veteran friend of mine, the new lenses were mounted using silicone. Seems alright for the time being, but I'm not too happy with the RHS rear light as it's the first one I tackled. I didn't use sufficient silicone and now I feel that the amber lens isn't secure enough. Ah well, live and learn!

Before installation I gave the new lenses two coats of clearcoat to prevent (or at least delay) UV fading. After they were mounted, they were given a coat of wax as well.

I also changed the bulbs as the LHS bulbs were all 24V for some odd reason! Rs 300 later they're good to go. In the meantime, I also cleaned and polished the front turn indicators. They're noticeably brighter now.

Enough of my thesis, here are the photos!

From this-

To this-

A close up of the lenses after they were mounted-

Beautifully shiny!

Ignore the damage on the rear quarter panel, this was before I was in command of the old lady!

Here's a 'night' shot-

I'll post better photos out in the sun tomorrow.

Thanks for viewing!

Regards.

Edited January 14, 2013 by Jaliya48

[Komisiripala]

Ooh niiice!

[Jaliya48]

Ooh niiice!

Thanks! It makes the two months I slaved away using my sister's hair dryer and a screw driver worth while!

[Komisiripala]

Thanks! It makes the two months I slaved away using my sister's hair dryer and a screw driver worth while!

that sounded so wrong at so many levels. sorry, naaki walaa here

[Jaliya48]

that sounded so wrong at so many levels. sorry, naaki walaa here

:speechless-smiley-003: :speechless-smiley-003:

I shudder at the thought...

[iRage]

thought you might like this!

Nice....just dissapointed that the front does not match the rest of the car. Or did the high-roof actually come that long ago ?

[Jaliya48]

Nice....just dissapointed that the front does not match the rest of the car. Or did the high-roof actually come that long ago ?

This is actually a KE70 wagon and these were the models released in 1979 to 1983. There were a few facelifts (the quad lamp wagon and sedan fits somewhere during those years as well). The wagon we're seeing on our roads are the JDM wagons and commercial vehicles that were in production till 1987 or 1988. The highest grade wagon has better creature comforts and a parcel rack among other things. These got facelifts as well, but the internals are very similar. The engine is different due to Japanese emissions laws for commercial vehicles at the time, hence the "-J" abbreviation on my engine (4K-J). The models that were sold in the US, UK and Australia had different engines (4K-C, 3A-C and a rare 3T or so I've read).

I'll see if I can dig up examples of the various wagons.

EDIT: this model looks suspiciously like an Australian example, even though it has a Japanese plate.

Edited January 14, 2013 by Jaliya48

[Schiffer]

machan a small suggestion..

why not paint the nut heads of the tail lamp black??

[iRage]

There were a few facelifts (the quad lamp wagon and sedan fits somewhere during those years as well). The wagon we're seeing on our roads are the JDM wagons and commercial vehicles that were in production till 1987 or 1988.

The high/mid-roof didn't come till, as you say, late 83 (Aug) whilst lamps on the picture fits something from the 79-83 KE70 wagon (79-83 years) and I didn't think this particular front-end with those colored turn signals came for a JDM....which leads me to believe that this is a 83+ KE-72/74 with an older KE70 front end.

Not to mention the rear side markers...were those JDM ?

Japanese wikipedia has a small write up on the JDM versions (sorry the URL has japanese characters and when I paste the URL the mumbly stuff appears...but I think the link still works)

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%88%E3%83%A8%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BB%E3%82%AB%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A9

Also from the JPN Toyota site since someone was looking for catalogues..

early KE71

General Info:

http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/vehicle_lineage/car/id60003567/

Catalogue

http://toyota.vo.llnwd.net/o29/toyota/digitalcatalog/60003567/pageview.html#page_num=1

early KE72 (low roof from 82)

General info:

http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/vehicle_lineage/car/id60003633/

Catalogue:

http://toyota.vo.llnwd.net/o29/toyota/digitalcatalog/60003633/pageview.html#page_num=1

But then the following is not something you see everyday either

and this guy took a quad-circular light (probably 79-83) panel van and transplated it on to the front end similar to your's...

http://photozou.jp/photo/list/318796/1244987

Respect you keeping your's stock

Edited January 14, 2013 by iRage

[Sampath Gunasekera]

iRage,

Many thanks for the links. I was searching for them for years.

You can read Japanese link in English through following link.

http://translate.google.lk/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25E3%2583%2588%25E3%2583%25A8%25E3%2582%25BF%25E3%2583%25BB%25E3%2582%25AB%25E3%2583%25AD%25E3%2583%25BC%25E3%2583%25A9&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhttp://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%2525E3%252583%252588%2525E3%252583%2525A8%2525E3%252582%2525BF%2525E3%252583%2525BB%2525E3%252582%2525AB%2525E3%252583%2525AD%2525E3%252583%2525BC%2525E3%252583%2525A9%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3DnnI%26tbo%3Dd%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=X&ei=iMb0UL_4EYfvlAXgwIDQBg&ved=0CDIQ7gEwAA

[Jaliya48]

iRage,

The rear side markers are usually found in the Australian/US/Europe models, that's what led me to believe that this is not JDM. There's an interesting write up in English regarding the *E7* lineup which you can read here-

http://speedhero.wordpress.com/2010/07/06/%E2%99%A5-e7/

...and that KE70 with the Trueno front end? Apparently the owner was able to find an AE86 front end than a KE70 front end!

Thanks for the links as well, that red panelvan looks alright although I would've prefered the quad lamp front. Looks aggressive!

@Schiffer; the original screws were silver/unpainted, so I thought of leaving it that way. I'm interested in painting the heads black though, I'll find another set of screws and try it out.

[iRage]

@Sampath: You are welcome...sorry i didn't post it earlier Here is the link for the rest of the family tree in english

http://www.toyota-global.com/company/history_of_toyota/75years/vehicle_lineage/family_tree/index.html

@Jaliya: Nice write up....when they say

"Least popular, but sadly most common, are what I call the Cheese Slices. Big Orange triangles. Japan was lucky enough to get them in crystal. Everyone else? not so much."

That means the the big orange triangles were clear colored in Japan ? or am I understanding this wrong this wrong ?

I have seen one of those slant grilled transplants over here....they apparently took the front end of a Sprinter of the same vintage with the slant and put it on the wagon.

The red car looks nice and mean..used to like that front end in my younger days but for some reason I have fallen in love with the quad-light front end...no idea why. I guess growing old means liking older stuff ??

At the end of the day seems like that Corolla provides a frame for some clean work done. Octanehead's picture is one good example...I guess you need to have good taste to pull it off. When I was a kid I was fascinated with the TE73 GT...who knows..maybe someday when i am back in SL I can build one up ..well that or a A60 series GT <but probably won't happen though>

As for the Trueno front end...you can always count on an interesting Frankenstein out there. I once saw a Skyline wagon with a GT-R front end <actually that looked pretty nice>

By the way Jaliya: Noticed the body colored vent shrouds in the back. Did that come as a factory option ? Seen the black ones <most common>, silver greyish ones and the white one...and it doesn't seem to be reflective of a grade or anything of the sort...

Edited January 15, 2013 by iRage

[Jaliya48]

iRage,

Yes, JDM wagons had clear lenses which were for 'parking lights' (or so I think).

Note the blacked out turn indicators and the fact that this is a *E7* Sprinter Coupe.

I think I've seen a 'slant nose' Australian model rusting away in some police yard. I've not stopped to take a closer look, but it looks very similar. Maybe a handful was imported long time back. The Australian models were built in Australian factories apparently. I love the quad lamp front end too, they look very aggressive when lowered and with the right stance!

Re. the rear quarter panel garnish; mine are original. I've got a scan from the Corolla wagon catalog and that shows the same colour scheme too. I've seen a completely gray and completely black variation but I don't know if they were originally that colour.

[iRage]

Yes, JDM wagons had clear lenses which were for 'parking lights' (or so I think)

Yes they were parking lights, not sure about the Aus/Euro versions but in the US versions they were turn-signal+parking lights but then there was a variant with that just being the parking light and small shell lamp on the side for turn signal

Re. the rear quarter panel garnish; mine are original. I've got a scan from the Corolla wagon catalog and that shows the same colour scheme too. I've seen a completely gray and completely black variation but I don't know if they were originally that colour.

I think the black and the grey are originals too...back in the day my dad brought down quite a few KE72/74s and they had a combination of white/grey/black and we didn't do anything to them...hard to imagine the japanese owners did anything either. Just thought that they might be grade specific or at least some kind of option selectable through the dealer. Oh well..

and if my memory serves me right, whites (body color) were the most common and anything other than white out of the factory was a bit more expensive. Needless to say a lot of people were repainting their C-wagons

[Jaliya48]

Yes, JDM wagons had clear lenses which were for 'parking lights' (or so I think)

Yes they were parking lights, not sure about the Aus/Euro versions but in the US versions they were turn-signal+parking lights but then there was a variant with that just being the parking light and small shell lamp on the side for turn signal

I think the black and the grey are originals too...back in the day my dad brought down quite a few KE72/74s and they had a combination of white/grey/black and we didn't do anything to them...hard to imagine the japanese owners did anything either. Just thought that they might be grade specific or at least some kind of option selectable through the dealer. Oh well..

and if my memory serves me right, whites (body color) were the most common and anything other than white out of the factory was a bit more expensive. Needless to say a lot of people were repainting their C-wagons +

Yup, white is the most common because these are commercial vehicles. I don't mind though, I love white cars!

[Schiffer]

cheers mate

[Davy]

The tail lights are looking good! Well done!

[Jaliya48]

Thanks, Davy!

[Jaliya48]

Welcome to 1989!

I like this one the best!

Here's the new RHS fender mirror-

It looks scratched up, but the steel mounting hardware was in pristine condition. I was quite surprised by it, in all honesty!

That's about it for now. Thanks for viewing!

[iRage]

Nice !

[iRage]

Now here is an idea if you decide you want a few more horses ...drop in a 4A-G

Edited January 15, 2013 by iRage

[Jaliya48]

Thanks, iRage! I've come across so many KE70s & 72s with 4AGEs (some even have the famed Yamaha beams engine/gearbox from the Altezza/RS200!) but I'm fond of the little 4K. I'm still an unemployed bum living with my parents so this engine is very economical to run (that and I drive like a grandpa!). This car has silver vent trims as well.

Do you know what those three Japanese characters on the door mean? I've seen a similar decal on a lot of Hiace vans here. It has something to do with commercial vehicles I thought. I'm currently making the maximum load capacity decal that is supposed to be originally pasted on the tailgate. I'd like to make the other decals as well, but I need clear photos of them.

[iRage]

I am sure sourcing an engine of the sort and putting it in probably will cost too much in SL as well ?

If you are referring to this:

http://img2.blogs.yahoo.co.jp/ybi/1/6c/af/tuburajiiexport/folder/469627/img_469627_32606501_1?1243914437/img_469627_32606501_1.jpg

<sorry it doesn't let me embed the picture>

It means "private".It is a decal that was used on commercial type vehicles being used for private use. So I guess dual-purpose vehicles had those? I don't know if they use the decal anymore, at least I haven't paid attention to it. and I believe you can buy it at auto-stores in Japan

The kanji characters of the decal in the KE7x pic is not clear. Some people these days put funky words on their old school commercial cars for nostalgic reasons.