Vehicle Description
1978 Toyota Corolla Sedan
Third generation Corollas went through a bit of a makeover, with a
raised center section in the grill that led to an angular body.
Five third generation models were made available. The first was the
basic 2 door sedan with a 1.2-liter engine. Then there was a 4 door
sedan, a 2 door hardtop, the sporty SR5 hardtop, and a 5 door
station wagon, all with the 1.6-liter engine. Due to raised
emission standards, catalytic converters were added to all Corollas
starting in 1975. To cap off the third generation, Toyota added a 3
door hatchback called the Liftback to the lineup in 1976.
Calling all JDM fans...why not wet your whistle with the
consignment gracing our Hallowed Halls from the land of Mr. Roboto.
A 1978 Toyota Corolla sedan sporting a non verifiable 26,295 miles
on the odometer. Wearing a new interior, fresh Chrome Yellow paint,
snappy polished wheels and JDM mirrors, this car will look right at
home at any Midnight Club less than legal racing events.
Note: Due to modifications of the emissions control devices
installed by the manufacturer, please check your local, state, and
federal laws to determine if this vehicle is applicable for use on
public highways in your area
Exterior
Finished in a fresh coating of Chrome Yellow, this unique little
car can perhaps best be described as compact by the standard of the
day, as the cars from States were being downsized but were still
large and in charge. What better place to start than the front and
although the flat front creates an abrupt end and the square
bodywork sculpted around round headlights is akin to the styling of
the day, save for the chin spoiler leading the way. The rear
bodylines present with more squared off styling. On the way back, a
true boot, and the blacked out bumper hovering below the tail
lights have a sporty, if not aggressive presentation. Sexy JDM
fender mounted mirrors replicate what one would see on the streets
of Tokyo and C-pillar vents provide a distinctive design cue, and
the ultra dark tinted windows add to the allure and mystique. Four
lug 15-inch Weld DragLite wheels have staggered size tires and are
accentuated by the black bolt on flares. Imperfections include
lighter paint spray on the very bottoms of the panels, a few
bubbles, paint drips, chips, and various areas of body filler.
Interior
Simple black vinyl door panels have embossings for a little pizazz,
and the black motif continues onto the door release, window cranks
and armrests. Newly covered front bucket seats greet our posteriors
upon entrance and we simply melt into the smooth black vinyl
bolsters and diamond stitched inserts. The rear bench shows in the
original black vinyl upholstery, smoothly bolstered and with
knitted vinyl inserts and is in nice shape with molded plastic side
panels, ashtrays included. A faux wood rimmed 3 spoke steering
wheel has the Toyota logo on the horn button and this sporty wheel
fronts a basic 2 podgauge cluster which contains only a
speedometer, temperature and fuel gauges. To the left we note
warninglights and to the right, in a small pod is an aftermarket
tachometer. Dash central contains an AM/FM/CD radio, vents, and
some switches, along with the heater slides. All of this is based
in a textured plastic dash that is as no frills as it gets. Riding
the hump is a yellow knobbed shifter and flooding the floors is new
black loop style carpet in fine fashion and a worn white foam
headliner is above. The trunk is finished in a mix of black paint
and matting and is surprisinglyroomy considering the size of the
car.
Drivetrain
Under the hood is a diminutive but clean 1.6 liter inline 4
cylinder Hemi engine rated at 75 horsepower. It sips fuel through a
2-barrel carburetor and power is sent to the 4.10 geared rear axle
via a 4-speed manual transmission. The engine bay has a power
booster for disc brakes in the front and the drums in the back.
This car may not have much in terms of options, but it does have
power brakes!
Undercarriage
Impressively clean underneath where basic transportation
configuration is efficiently constructed. Not much surface rust to
speak of but there are a few spots of oil including on the rear
diff, and some residual oil on the pan. We note various flooring
repairs that have been performed and a few areas of invasive rust
in the unibody along with a slight crush to the one front unibody
rail, possibly from errant jacking. A single exhaust makes a
beeline for the back and encounters a stainless steel muffler
before exiting stageleft of the rear bumper. We note the absence of
a catalytic converter. For suspension, the car has an independent
arrangement up front with Macpherson struts and leaf springs in the
back.
Drive-Ability
Between the power brakes and the stout suspension, this is a
tossable little sedan with great visibility and a banality that is
appealing after driving complex, computerized modern stuff. The
mini Hemi fired up and into first gear we went, piloting this JDM
around our test loop, rowing the gears and finding the sweet spot
amongst the 75 horses. It's not a bad ride at all and the limited
functionality did not disappoint with the exception of the reverse
lights not lighting and some notable exhaust leaks. While Classic
Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time
of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be
working at the time of your purchase.
These cars used to be everywhere in the good old U.S. of A and why
not, they were efficient, sporty, affordableand reliable. Many have
succumbedto the rigors of daily use, less than skilled teenage
drivers, and the dreaded tin worm. While our example isn't perfect,
it'sa great way to get into the collector car hobby without having
to sacrificeyour retirement and you'll look good doing it. Swing by
our ever changing mall halls and have a look for yourself...domo
arigato, Mr. Roboto!
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
