Hello from Alberta

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Moderators: BOBLOOK, AE25, pufito18

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WagonLou
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2015 5:51 am
Location: Alberta, Canada

Hello from Alberta

Post by WagonLou »

Hello and greetings,

My first toyota was a 81 SR5 liftback with a 3tc, when I bought it I was 19 that was in 97. The car had went past the million kilometre mark and the odometer had stopped at 162k+. I knew the son of the original owner who who drove the car for 10 years before he sold it.

Fast forward to 2011 when I bought another Corolla wagon, this one being an 83 with the 4ac from a friends grandmother. The 83 was originally from Paw Tucket, RI and only had 126k miles on the odometer was basically all original. Put a new set of tires on it and been my daily driver till summer of 2012(bought a new truck) still drive the wagon most of the time even in the winter!! Runs great warms up quick and has great heat plus way better mileage compared to my 1ton diesel.

I've done the water pump, timing belt had to replace the harmonic balancer (lucky I could find one here at the time) as when the pump went in January of 2012 in the dead of winter the belt locked and shredded separating the rubber element....on the side of the highway at -25C....brrr LOL
Since than replaced all the brakes, hoses, struts, shocks, ball joints, tie rods, rear shocks....it rides really rough in the rear still.

Over the years of regular driving the rust has eaten the rear quarters and it had plenty of surface rust but is still solid underneath. Been searching for a parts car for nearly 4 years and finally got a break when a 83 wagon was listed at a pick n pull in Edmonton!!....I was a happy camper... Was until the told me I couldn't purchase the complete car!!!...against their policy...f$@kers!!! This one was in mint shape in comparison! So last Wednesday I went up and stripped all the doors, hatch, dash, steering column, every light assembly with harnesses plus whatever else I could fit in my pockets!!' LOL I still might go back up and get the rest of the drive train and the power steering and rack from it?!
Plans are to do a 3tc swap, maybe a turbo in the future and lots of metal work to prep for fresh paint, when...well we shall see!??

Question for you guys, will my current 5spd be a simple swap to the 3tc? And what would you recommend for the rear suspension? I am also curious about upgrading the front struts and suspension to lower it for some stance. I am on a budget, but now that I have access to more parts for the rest of it, time is on my side!! All insight would help me out and keep this wagon on the road for another 30 years!!

Thanks for having me!
BOBLOOK
Posts: 2334
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 7:32 pm
Location: Under a bonned in Netherlands.

Re: Hello from Alberta

Post by BOBLOOK »

Welcome !
The day we learn to think
pufito18
Posts: 376
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 8:35 pm
Location: florida. usa

Re: Hello from Alberta

Post by pufito18 »

welcome to 3tc bro
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