3k: Conquest Swapped: 1982 Toyota Corolla Wagon, I4 Turbo Swap
The E70 generation Toyota Corolla was built from 1979 to 1982 and featured a variety of underpowered boat anchors pushing puny power into the rear wheels. Thankfully the Corolla has a decent sized engine bay and the world is full of nuts who have spare engines sitting around. Find this 1982 Toyota Corolla Wagon with Mitsubishi Starion/Chrysler Conquest 4G54 I6 swap for sale in New York City, NY for $2,500 via craigslist.
The E70 generation Corolla isn’t much to look at, but at least the wagon version is cool in a “don’t see them often” kinda way. This one is covered in a classic chocolate brown coat of paint and rides on some non-stock wheels, not sure if they come from another Toyota or something else – perhaps a reader can help us out in the comments below.
This wagon is now powered by the Mitsubishi Astron 4G54, a 2.6 liter inline-4 turbocharged and intercooled single-over-head cam (8 valve) engine that puts out something around 145 horsepower stock, a few more if pushed.
The interior seems to be in a state of overhaul – speakers are sitting in the passenger seat, but the seats, dash and steering wheel look useable. Budget a few hundred dollars and a few weekends to sort everything out and get it into driver condition.
See a wagon with a bigger rear bumper shelf? email us here: tips@dailyturismo.com
Neat (conceptually, not as in neat-and-tidy) and quirky swap. A friend of mine used to race Plymouth Fire Arrows in SCCA ITB and IIRC the achilles heel of these engines was the balance shaft. If this thing runs it should be entertaining and have plenty of room for increasing the output in the future. $2500? not a terrible price, especially if it actually works.
Those wheels on the front were optional on the E70 Corolla SR-5. I also remember them on the SR-5 AE86. My first car, an '82 SR-5 hatchback had them. The wheels on the back are from a same vintage Celica I believe.
Crazy I own this car now and happen to run into this forum by chance. I payed $1900 for it and was looking to re sell it with weld rims and many extra parts I got for it. She turns over with no problems and runs strong as heck. Just wondering if I should keep her and finish her up. Don't need much to do so. Any feed back would be great. Thank you. Alfonso.
That's a great little sleeper you are putting together. From my perspective, looking at a lot of cars as I do, you are doing a good job of staying away from overkill. I like the wheels you have on the back better than the ones you have on the front, but anything wilder and chrome-ier would seem like too much. Also the tinting is a bit dark. I like the steering wheel and the non-gastrointestinal brown.
There's a sweet spot in the cars I see where there are enough subtle clues to tell you something interesting is happening, without going over into an obvious "look at me" situation. When I see those kind of cars, it reminds me of when my boy was younger and he used to jump up and down whenever he sank a basket or aced a serve. "Be cool, son, and people will notice," I always told him. Now he is ice until the end of the game and gets all the right kind of attention.
I say, finish it up and let us see the result. I bet you'll want to keep her, but if you decide to sell, I'm sure DT would be interested in an update on the posting.
KBZ nailed it. "Something interesting is happening" is my personal I Ching vis a vis automobile customization. The ducktail, not a whale tail; remove the rubber strips, not the entire bumper; 20mm drop, not 2 inches; etc. Your car, Alfonso, is on its way there because you are making it interesting. I dig it, bro.
So I decided to keep the wagon and do what is needed. For now I got some weld aluminum rims 15" a HKS sequential blow off valve and a fuel/air and boost tack to put in. Also a bunch of motor parts I found missing or old. The body is good but found rust along the bottom of the car and a hole by the driver foot well, hopefully it's not to far gone that I can't get it fixed. Going to have that checked out. I drive a truck across U.S so soon as I get back going to get started on my new project.