5k: Vulcan Neck Pinch: 1978 Corolla V6
The third generation Toyota Corolla is a classic Japanese style rear-drive econobox built from 1974 to 1981. Stock power came from a variety of K and T-series overhead valve engines that ran like squirrels in cages, so getting an example with a cool engine swap is the way to go. Find this 1978 Corolla with Ford Vulcan V6 for sale in Porland, OR for $3800 via grassrootsmotorsports.com forums. Tip from slowcarSLOW-MPGlol.
The Corolla was available as a 2 or 4 door sedan, 2 door hardtop coupe, 2 door liftback, 3or 5 door station wagon and a van, but this is correctly described as 2 door sedan (E31). It isn’t a bad looking car, a bit boring perhaps, but the 4 spoke wheels help to sportify the otherwise grandpa looks.
Pop open the hood and you are greeted by a 3.0 liter V6 from a Ford Aerostar minivan. The Vulcan (named after the Roman god of fire and iron working) is an all iron hunk of metal. It puts out about 130 horsepower and 150 ft-lbs of torque when stock, but this one is megasquirt DIY fuel injected and could put out more with a competent tuner turning the virtual knobs.
Chassis wise, it’s not stock either. Someone has done some significant work to this Corolla and has converted the steering to a front-steer rack and pinion and added a Ford solid rear axle in the back. The interior leaves something to be desired (namely – the donkey phallus Ford shifter) but that just means you should be able to haggle on the price a bit.
See a better V6 swapped classic? tips@dailyturismo.com
Right on. Cool to see a swap that isn't completely over the top and also the manual transmission. I am guessing the transmission is not original to the car. It is probably no hot rod, but you will likely not have to worry about bottle-necking traffic, either.
I love how you mention its "grandpa looks" because my grandpa owned this exact model (minus the V6) back in 1976, 2-door, 4-sp, brown Corolla. Nice. It was a ballsy move on his part, he lived in a town where probably 30-40% of the households had someone working at the local Chevy plant. He had been a loyal Chevy owner up until the oil crisis then he went looking for something else with better fuel economy and reliability. He ended up buying Corollas for himself, my mother, and my uncle. Great move on his part, aside from pissing off the neighbors, they all were still driving them 12-15 years later until they started to succumb to road salt.