Aussie 73 RT81 Corona 22151 miles from new!

Hi guys,

I've just purchased a 1973 Corona Sedan yesterday (7.12.13) for those interested in the story read on, for those interested in the car skip to the photos!

The inspiration struck one Friday night (22.11.13) when Dad and I were sitting around and he asked me if I'd seen the Shannon’s auction listing. Essentially there was a Datsun 1200 wagon for sale. I started thinking and went and looked and even made a bid on the 2nd of Dec. I didn't win and was a bit disappointed / all riled up to own a Japanese classic.

Through the week I was sitting in a hotel room in Balart after leaving a business card on a 70's Crown I’d just seen when I started scanning Gumtree and EBay for anything pre-80's Japanese RWD.

I stumbled across an ad for
"1973 Toyota Corona Sedan
$3,000.00
Model SE. Immaculate all original car, has been stored unregistered in garage for 23 years. 22,000 miles!"

It was close to home and a nice pastel green color which is nicer than the cream / mustard combo Datsun I'd been looking at.

The next morning (6.12.13) I rang at 8am and set a time to be there on Saturday (7.12.13) at 9am for a look. I took Selo from this forum with me and a jack, some basic tools and a piece of cardboard to lie around on the ground with.

After an hour and a half of scanning the car very thoroughly I'd shaken hands on a price and was off to find a car trailer. I got her home by 3pm that arvo paid for!

Now at this point it’s:

Driveline: 4cyl 1600cc Auto column shift
Int: brown seats black dash
ext: pastel green
Miles: 22,159
mods:
Holden horn
mud flaps
awesome factory stuff:
steering wheel
toolkit
radio!

The story about the KM is the vehicle was purchased new by an older woman in Wandon VIC. she lived on a farm and the car was shedded unless it was church or the shops. In 1989 she became chronically ill and soon passed away. The vehicle was last registered in 1990 with the registration sticker still on the window.

Late 2011 / early 2012 the man I purchased the car from was lopping down some trees at the farmhouse readying the property for sale when the husband asked if he also did clear-ups. They negotiated a price but it was too high so 2 EK Holdens and the Toyota were bargained into the deal. It was driven home in Jan 2012 to Avonsleigh VIC (I have an unregistered vehicle permit with that date) and was then shedded again until the seller advertised it in November for sale and I came along.

The old man fitted a Holden horn to the car for his wife as it was louder. It's incredibly loud and I'd guess it came off of the EK. Unbelievably it also seems to have Nasco EK mud flaps fitted to it.

Here’s some pics documenting the "before"

Exterior -








Eng. bay -






Interior





If you are wondering who am I and what I've built in the past / where I've come from please check this thread here. It has tonnes of pics and lots of detail.



My first prroad registered project car
http://www.calaisturbo.com.au/showthread.php?t=110705

my project car that this corona will drag me away from! http://www.calaisturbo.com.au/showthread.php?t=147258