AE85 Corolla - Non-Running and Rough, But Straight and Rust-Free-Ish. Scrap Price. Worth My Time?

There's an AE85 Corolla at a local garage which caught my eye. The story is that the timing belt broke (apparently as it was being driven across the country) and the car was abandoned at the shop. It has 220k on it, paint is toast, the interior is rough, and it is an automatic. But it is from Oklahoma, quite rust free, and straight.

So I am wondering if this car would have any value to the drifter kids or those who still have Initial D fever.

I think I could get it for scrap value, $200 or so. I'm thinking it shouldn't be too hard to throw a $30 timing belt on it, so it would at least drive around.

What say ye, GRM brethren?

I think you could make some money on it, especially if you can get it for $200. The automatic is a big negative but to the right person, that's easily disposed of. Bottom line..........it has potential.

It is not worth your time. It is, however, worth my time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhNQg-_UE_s

Do not click that link.

Knurled wrote: It is not worth your time. It is, however, worth my time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhNQg-_UE_s Do not click that link.

Are you truly interested? It is about 5-6 hours from you.

Clean it up, swap 5 speed + 4age, profit.

I would really like a 4agze one myself.

Is it a coupe or hatch? If it's a hatchback you will get a LOT of interest in it. If it's a coupe you will still have a ton of offers well above the price you paid. Rust free examples are harder and harder to find. In 20 years these cars will be worth a lot of money imho.

Still in Oklahoma?

4AGE is an interference engine, it's going to take more work than just changing the belt :/

If it's an automatic, it's probably not a 4AGE. Is the 4AC an interference engine?

mr2peak wrote: Still in Oklahoma? 4AGE is an interference engine, it's going to take more work than just changing the belt :/

Neither 4age or 4ac are interference engines. If it is just a timing belt, you will be able to get it to run.

JamesMcD wrote:

Knurled wrote: It is not worth your time. It is, however, worth my time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhNQg-_UE_s Do not click that link.

Are you truly interested? It is about 5-6 hours from you.

I'm truly interested if it was priced at scrap value. I would have no use for the engine currently in it.

EvanB wrote:

JamesMcD wrote:

Knurled wrote: It is not worth your time. It is, however, worth my time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhNQg-_UE_s Do not click that link.

Are you truly interested? It is about 5-6 hours from you.

I'm truly interested if it was priced at scrap value. I would have no use for the engine currently in it.

I'll buy you a 6pack of your favorite brew if you stick the BP in there just to fire back at all the 4age Miatas rolling around.

That is all the motivation I need.

I was thinking more about the 13b though.

Meh, 13B has been done too many times in PR.

Hell, even a 4AC with a cam, carb and exhaust is fun in that chassis. We 1-2ed our class at nearly every event in Rallycross last season in one.

Tons of fun.

You could buy that and sell it as-is to the drifter crowd for twice as much.

Swank Force One wrote:

EvanB wrote:

JamesMcD wrote:

Knurled wrote: It is not worth your time. It is, however, worth my time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhNQg-_UE_s Do not click that link.

Are you truly interested? It is about 5-6 hours from you.

I'm truly interested if it was priced at scrap value. I would have no use for the engine currently in it.

I'll buy you a 6pack of your favorite brew if you stick the BP in there just to fire back at all the 4age Miatas rolling around.

Only if by BP you mean Bridge Port.

Because that's what I would do. It'd be like having an RX-7 with less weight and more headroom.

auto would mean not a 4AGE... at least not in the USA... Speaking about the USA... it can't be an AE85 if it is a USDM model. AE85 was Japanese home market only

OK, I thought AE85 meant non-GTS. I don't know much about these. I seem to recal something now about all US models having AE86 VINs, is that right?

Here are some pictures:

The worst of the rust:

The rest of the car is quite rust free.

Keep in mind that the car looks 3 times better than it actually is in these pictures, due to the uniform dew covering. The interior has problems. But it is a very straight, unmolested (original cassette deck) RWD Corolla.

OMG NOTCH

JamesMcD wrote: OK, I thought AE85 meant non-GTS. I don't know much about these. I seem to recal something now about all US models having AE86 VINs, is that right?

Yup SR5 have AE86 VINs and GTS have AE88 VINs.

Buy it, fix the engine, put another 200k on it?

I vote 1uz swap for funsies.

OK, I made a deal with the guy for $250 delivered to my house. I figured that was fair. The catch is that he's waiting on the title from the person who abandoned it, and he says if he can't get it, he'll have to send it to the yard. I need to look into the ins and outs of titling an abandoned car in IL and MO (my brother lives in STL, we can pretend it's his), and try to figure out if there's a way around this.

Can you do a title bond?

https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/rtopr26.pdf

Get ben to title it in Indy and sell it to you. They'll title anything there.