Shite Down Under - Elderly Motors For Elderly People - Let There Be Light

[MorrisItalSLX]

Well, I think it is time to spill the beans. Drum roll please

Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Ta Da! That's right, it's a Corolla. More specifically its a 1990 Toyota Corolla Seca CS Twin Cam that set me back $1800 (A hair under a bag of sand in quids).

It is carbureted for extra stimulation, 3 speed badermatic for extra giffer points and finished in the finest shade of Jewish Racing Gold. Inside we find a sea of brown plastic and beige cloth, complemented with the original cassette stereo for playing my excellent* mix tapes.

It has covered 160,000 Kilometers, been through 2 previous owners and has rego until August. The service history is limited, but consistent, the cambelt is a lottery special and the rocker cover gasket has ceased to be.

But most importantly of all, it has air conditioning and it works. Result.

The purpose of this exercise was to give the Jag a rest, it has been my everyday car for 2 years and it needs some time off for some remedial repairs and titivation which should commence shortly as the Rego is due soon and it has been depositing petrol on the floor more than usual.

[mercrocker]

Well, I kind of got the colour right.    Giffer badge of honour on the n/s/r arch too.   

[MorrisItalSLX]

Heh, blokey was looking $7,900 for that one... though in fairness, I was surprised to find when I was out there that there was really no such thing as a cheap car in Australia.

 

Being used to driving £250 knackers in Norn Iron (and it's still impressive to see what £250 will buy you), it was a shock to find that even a beat-to-shit Ford Laser with accident damage, burned-off paint, shot suspension and an interior that had apparently been home to several generations of possums was well over the $1000 mark (the Avante set me back $1800 from a dealer in Brisbane, in 2005 money - and it was very much a heap. It was a toss-up between the Toyota and a white Camira with a red crushed-velvet interior that looked like a bordello on wheels for the same price, but as we know, ALL HOLDENZ ARE SHIT M8.)

 

Very interested to find out what you've come home with...

It is amazing how expensive cars are in Australia, alternatively, it's amazing how cheap cars are in the UK.

 

You really need a minimum of £1K to get a road legal car in Australia, anything cheaper will probably last about 5 minutes before blowing up or has been to the moon and back via a demolition derby.

[MorrisItalSLX]

Giffer badge of honour on the n/s/r arch too.

That was actually done by a teenager!

 

Once you go giffer, you never go back.

[LightBulbFun]

Well, I think it is time to spill the beans. Drum roll please

 

Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

image1.jpeg

 

image2.jpeg

 

image3.jpeg

 

Ta Da! That's right, it's a Corolla. More specifically its a 1990 Toyota Corolla Seca CS Twin Cam that set me back $1800 (A hair under a bag of sand in quids).

 

It is carbureted for extra stimulation, 3 speed badermatic for extra giffer points and finished in the finest shade of Jewish Racing Gold. Inside we find a sea of brown plastic and beige cloth, complemented with the original cassette stereo for playing my excellent* mix tapes.

 

It has covered 160,000 Kilometers, been through 2 previous owners and has rego until August. The service history is limited, but consistent, the cambelt is a lottery special and the rocker cover gasket has ceased to be.

 

But most importantly of all, it has air conditioning and it works. Result.

 

The purpose of this exercise was to give the Jag a rest, it has been my everyday car for 2 years and it needs some time off for some remedial repairs and titivation which should commence shortly as the Rego is due soon and it has been depositing petrol on the floor more than usual.

 

so the Jags gotten old and incontinent and this is its semi replacement is the TLDR? 

 

Nice write up and I look forward to seeing how you get along with it

[MorrisItalSLX]

so the Jags gotten old and incontinent and this is its semi replacement is the TLDR?

 

Nice write up and I look forward to seeing how you get along with it

Indeed, The Jag has entered retirement where it can be used leisurely and receive the maintenance it deserves without the pressure of needing it to get to work tomorrow. Additionally, there is no longer a bus that can take me to work when the Jag FTPs as the timetable has been reduced to a blank sheet of paper.

 

Hopefully the Corolla will be uneventful, but you can never be certain with this end of the automotive spectrum.

[stuboy]

i learnt to drive in one those back in 1993, though was a manual and go faster grey

[Datsuncog]

Cor, that's nice. Well bought!

 

Hopefully this will see you mobile again with a modicum of reliability, and now able to ponder at your leisure the Jag's forthcoming phoenix-like ascendency.

 

Good to see that $1800 remains the Australian base unit rate for a slightly dinged twentysomething Toyota, too.

[MorrisItalSLX]

Cor, that's nice. Well bought!

 

Hopefully this will see you mobile again with a modicum of reliability, and now able to ponder at your leisure the Jag's forthcoming phoenix-like ascendency.

 

Good to see that $1800 remains the Australian base unit rate for a slightly dinged twentysomething Toyota, too.

Gold Toyotas are for WINNERS.

 

Even though this one will be celebrating its 30th birthday next year, feel old yet?

[MorrisItalSLX]

Time for the 3 day progress report.

New wipers have been fitted all around, including a 4 inch longer blade on the drivers side that actually wipes the bit of the windscreen a man of my height looks through. I also reattatched the trim on the driver's rear door with some double sided tape.

The Giffer scrape has been T-Cut to remove the transfered paint and the bare metal was treated and painted with my windscreen wiper touch up paint. I'm thinking that I will wob it up and paint it properly in the long run, but this will do for now.



The Interior light bulb has been replaced.



Ditto the boot light bulb.



I discovered that the cubby hole in the dash is specially designed for cassettes, so that was filled up accordingly.



The LCD display in the stereo has dead segments, but that is the least of its problems.



The stereo will definately be upgraded, the tape deck clicks and is slow and 2 speakers is not enough. After much deliberation I have decided to fit a slightly more modern factory headunit that is rear speaker compatible with a pair of rear speakers. Ideally I would get a pair of factory rear speakers from a breaker, but they were only fitted to the top spec cars and are subsequently rare so a pair of 6X9s from my Dad's old Hilux will go in for now, complete with the rough as guts plywood boxes my Dad made from scrap he had lying around.

And finally, the most important job.

[stuboy]

Time for the 3 day progress report.

 

New wipers have been fitted all around, including a 4 inch longer blade on the drivers side that actually wipes the bit of the windscreen a man of my height looks through. I also reattatched the trim on the driver's rear door with some double sided tape.

 

The Giffer scrape has been T-Cut to remove the transfered paint and the bare metal was treated and painted with my windscreen wiper touch up paint. I'm thinking that I will wob it up and paint it properly in the long run, but this will do for now.

 

 

The Interior light bulb has been replaced.

 

 

Ditto the boot light bulb.

 

 

I discovered that the cubby hole in the dash is specially designed for cassettes, so that was filled up accordingly.

 

 

 

 

put them tapes aussie up side down as dirt stick to the 'tape'

[tooSavvy]

How did I miss this....

 

Another '90s JapKrap

 

 

Does the A/C labour the engine [clutch engage] and have you a comparative mpg...

 

Likely you will take the hit happily vs. turkey roast!

 

 

Keep the updates acomminn..

[MorrisItalSLX]

The A/C engine labour is beyond comical, it is like a low-range gear box! But it is very cold and effective.

 

Petrol tank as been brimmed and trip meter zeroed in preparation for MPG calculations. The A/C will be in operation throughout the examination period, because Australia.

[tooSavvy]

Look @my cambox seal jobbie....

 

Generic ebay [not dealer $$] but double squigee of Hylomar and DONT lean on the nuts!

 

GIB

[MorrisItalSLX]

Look @my cambox seal jobbie....

 

Generic ebay [not dealer $$] but double squigee of Hylomar and DONT lean on the nuts!

 

GIB

Linky Linky Please

 

It should be noted that my cam cover leaks like a government department.

[Conan]

Do you come with a shite down under?

 

Congrats! That looks great! Does it have 20V Black Top? When is it getting one? 

 

CS being a 4A-F engine, with PAS and Auto I presume? 4A-F is a non-interference engine so the lottery is a relatively less risk one.

 

These was until 1994 correct? Unlike ROW where they were until '91. But I assume this makes parts availability even nicer.

[MorrisItalSLX]

In short, Yes.

 

We got this generation of Corolla from 89 to 94, but fuel injection became standard in 92 with the exception of the SE which was the only model to have the 1.4 6A-FC.

 

CS does not necessarily mean auto, but in my case it was optioned, as was my air conditioning and metallic paint (ooh la la).

 

Liftback models from 92 could be had with a 7A-FE!

[tooSavvy]

Linky Linky Please

It should be noted that my cam cover leaks like a government department.

 

 

The kit I bought included 'polo mints' (on the plug tubes) + 3x seal/washer for screwing down the cambox cover.

 

Hylomar is petrol resistant nonsetting gasket gel...

 

Prise out polomints and use a big socket to brapp in the new ones.

 

I cleaned the groove.. ran a bead into the groove and this holds the rubber pre-shaped gasket.. ran a bead around the gasket where it will touch the head face.

 

I rubbed the head face with thinners/solvent to make sure it was totally clean and dry! You can easily see where the seal will be!!

 

Drop the cambox down and tighten the domes/seals (blob of Hylomar again) but just tighten to give a good firm 'clamp' >> not to totally squige/crush the rubber gasket.

 

The kit had a halfmoon rubber bung... I left the old one in!

 

I reckon this is good enough

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/BGA-Cylinder-Head-Cover-Gasket-Set-RK6388-BRAND-NEW-GENUINE-5YR-WARRANTY/152968075999?ul_ref=http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?ff3=2&pub=5575376664&toolid=10001&campid=5338268676&customid=737aee82-da74-4181-a983-ac3b3feeb26a&lgeo=1&item=152968075999&srcrot=710-53481-19255-0&rvr_id=1921859698765&rvr_ts=e8c5d21b1690ada1d8d4073affde9996&_mwBanner=1&_rdt=1&ul_noapp=true&pageci=a2ae1319-b914-4464-9d97-ea66c9bc7996&epid=1620886331

 

[MorrisItalSLX]

Today on Mildly Modify My Ride, we upgrade the stereo whilst maintaining the original appearance of the dashboard.

 

As documented above the original radio is kaput, so a replacement was sourced via the Bay of E.

 

 

It is from a 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series and has all the features I need

- Cassette deck

- Clock

- Rear speaker compatibility

- Not coded

- Identical plugs

 

Unfortunately for you, the installation was painless and only required the use of a hammer once.

 

 

And the outcome is I now have a functioning clock and cassette deck, yippee!

 

The next step is to fit the rear speakers which should be a matter of plugging them in, but you all know how it goes with old cars.

[Conan]

I like the OEM Plus route you're going with this car. 

[MorrisItalSLX]

I am all about the OEM look, the rear speakers will be 6X9s in plywood boxes in the boot but will be replaced with standard items when I get my hands on them even though the 6X9s are probably better quality!

[tooSavvy]

My radio/tape/aux jack AIWA is located where your tape cubby is...

 

I got a plug adapter and promptly cut the heads off = reconfigured to AIWA and slotted it all back in. I use a chinkkie ciggy-plugin to read a Stick or stream from my phone.

 

 

Works a treat...

 

Nice car

[mat_the_cat]

I am all about the OEM look, the rear speakers will be 6X9s in plywood boxes in the boot but will be replaced with standard items when I get my hands on them even though the 6X9s are probably better quality!

 

You'd probably be able to get some decent speakers in the original sizes, to keep the OEM look. That's what I've done on the Stellar:

 

Looks completely standard...

 

 

...but underneath is a fairly hefty mid-bass driver!

 

[MorrisItalSLX]

You'd probably be able to get some decent speakers in the original sizes, to keep the OEM look. That's what I've done on the Stellar:

 

Looks completely standard...

 

DSC_0005.JPG

 

...but underneath is a fairly hefty mid-bass driver!

 

DSC_0007.JPG

That is what I had in mind, but I’m missing the brackets and speaker grilles which is the big issue.

 

I’m going to pick up some Velcro strips to stick to the bottom of the speaker boxes to hold them down to the carpet in the boot.

[MorrisItalSLX]

Today a letter arrived from an odd bloke in Wales and the contents was affixed to the rear window.

 

 

In stereo news, the new head unit is working a treat playing my mix tapes of fantastic* and timeless* music that predates the car. The rear speaker installation has been delayed as I have run out of spade connectors.

[New POD]

Your cam cover gasket change looks like a piece of piss.

 

Compared to the meal I made of doing one of the 2 on my omega. Step one remove wiper arms.

[New POD]

Step 2 arrange emergency dental appointment.

[MorrisItalSLX]

Step 2 arrange emergency dental appointment.

 

You really got dealt a shit hand with your Omega, what an absolute bastard.

[New POD]

You really got dealt a shit hand with your Omega, what an absolute bastard.

It's the pertang factor. What I should have done was loosen the nuts but leave them on, whilst tugging at the arms.

[MorrisItalSLX]

Today I noticed that the trim under the passenger headlight was not fitted properly.

 

 

STOP EVERYTHING!

 

 

And breathe.

 

In other news, it can do excellent hand brake turns on gravel.