70s Corolla ?

I was on you tube and saw a mid 70s corolla. I really liked the looks, but never really noticed them before. When I searched all I got was 80s corolla stuff. 

How are these as a “fun car/project”?

i assume RWD and light?

parts available?

easy swap options?

thanks 

Hard to find them although a guy in Chicago has a 1971 project for $5800.  

RWD - yes   Go to the JCCS webpage and look around at the Corollas.  Trueno 

https://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/cto/d/two-cars-1971-corolla-project/6519472138.html

I want an early Asian car project badly, but they are so hard to find any Japanese tin nowadays, and I'm in Texas where they don't rust.

What is the JCCS? Thanks

I've got a 1973 TE27 Corolla roller in the garage. If I can find an appropriate engine and transmission it will become my next Challenge car.

In reply to DeadSkunk :

1uz

Stay away from the automatic transmissions, they are the most soul sucking of all automatic transmissions ever built.

If you end up with a 2/3TC engine and don't want it someone like me will happily take it off your hands.

They were extremely popular in the Latino  drag racing scene.  Those that didn't  rust into the ground after a year or two were sacrificed to the gods of low elapsed times.

I had a later one in H.S.  (1980)  It was a great little car--- sort of a poor-man's BMW 2002.   I'd love another, but they are either all hacked up, or people ask crazy prices for them.  

here's an old, gainy pic of mine during it's transformative state:

This is a good source: http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/forum/forum/garages/toyota-garage

I came across a few in California. Even there they rusted pretty hard!

Oh the little “Mango”! I love these guys. I second a phase I 1uzfe swap. But the Puerto Rican’s have it figured out. 3tc all day. Or rotary swap if that’s your thing. 

Thanks for the info. 

Deadskunk what engine and transmission are you looking to do?

Also I have seen a few examples of “semi rusty” basket cases, on CL searching. 

Seems like they are asking 1500ish for some. Is this about the going rate?

In reply to Somebeach :

I've been looking for a V8, just cuz. I've never owned a V8 car, and to play at the pointy end of the Challenge you almost have to have one. All that aside, it would get some post-Challenge use as a rallycross car if I were to put some sort of 4 cylinder in it. It's a case of "I'll know it when I see it' as soon a something tickles my fancy on Craiglist. And this roller only cost me $250, so a fair amount of budget cap left to play with.

My grandmas neibor has a 70s 200sx and Sentra, original owners and have been garage kept but barely  driven. Sadly they won't budge at all on letting them go

Not easy to find anymore.  I recall that my college roommate had a 1974 Corolla.  It was poop brown.  Had the 4-speed.  We did some crazy stuff in that car.

NMNA:  https://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/d/1979-toyota-corolla-liftback/6502018773.html

I had a couple of beater Corollas back in the late seventies. We all had beaters for winter use in Quebec. Great fun for hooning on winter roads. The heaviest model (the wagon) was right around 2000 pounds, two door sedans were noticeably lighter. My Challenge Corolla is the SR5 model, so has a 5 speed trans and would have had about 108 HP back in the day. I had a Datsun 510 around that time and it was slightly heavier and less powerful, but fun anyway. It would lose to an SR5 though.

I would love to have another early Corolla, but they are so hard to find now, and often quite rusty. Here are some pictures of my 1978 Corolla when I had it back in high school.

I’m just dreaming here , but anybody know if you could do a 2.3t Ford into one of these? 

Like:https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/201x-classifieds/88-turbo-coupe-enginetranswiringcomputer-cleveland-nmna/137760/page1/

Whats that gotta do with cool old Corollas?  I remember this one guy ran a pretty fast early one down at Brotherhood Raceway.  For sure you don't see them anymore.

In looking for a motor for mine I always run into a length issue. From the radiator support to the firewall is only 29 inches. That's really short, too short for my Miata engine to fit easily even. The cars are nose heavy to begin with and a 2TC isn't a very big motor, so setback would be needed for space and weight distribution. I'm assuming that my firewall will have to be removed or relocated no matter what engine ends up in it.

For a street driven car the nose heavy could probably be OK if you used a light 4 cylinder. According to the infallible interwebz a 2TC only weighs 260 pounds. I'm not aware of any motor that weighs less and is readily available. Once I get to constructing the car I'll be weighing everything to see if my target weight is even attainable.

13B is a very short motor .

I think the early 80s rwd stuff is still pretty common in Florida areas...not sure if I see many of the 70s stuff. 

aw614 said:

I think the early 80s rwd stuff is still pretty common in Florida areas...not sure if I see many of the 70s stuff. 

You see 4-doors and wagons, but very few of the 2-door sedans like the one I had.  These were the lightest of the Corollas IIRC.   I like the simplicity of the boxy body style, from 1980---1983.  They had a  pretty nice looking hatch model, but those were options-laden (for a Corolla) and heavier.   I've had my eyes open for one like mine.....but for beat up, hacked examples they still want $5K or more!   To me, that's crazy talk.....these are Corollas after all!   You do see lots of wagons and 4 door sedans, and plenty with autotragics.   These were (and still are) hugely popular with our Latino / Puerto Rican automotive brethren.   Those guys drive the prices way up.   

$4500 for a manual '78 in nice shape but no engine (says it was a rotary conversion)...DC area

https://frederick.craigslist.org/cto/d/1978-toyota-corolla/6494867457.html

Or for $3000 a '79 liftback with original engine and autotragic

https://annapolis.craigslist.org/cto/d/rare-1979-toyota-corolla/6527671564.html

https://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/d/1976-toyota-corolla-wagon/6518728366.html

Any body have any thoughts on the one in Detroit. That is not too far from me.