Old School and Other Rotary Old School and Other Rotary Powered Vehicles including performance modifications and technical support

1978 Corolla?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 19, 2005 | 08:20 PM
  #1  
boostedfe3's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Kingsport, TN
1978 Corolla?

hey guys I found a 78 corolla 2-door for 200 dollars. My plan is to swap in a 13b rotary motor. this car will be street/strip car leaning more towards drag racing mostly. My question is that Im having trouble finding some parts for this model. I searched on the internet for it and all I find is stuff for 70-74 model corollas. Let me know if you guys think I should go ahead and buy this car. the only downside is that it doesnt have a title which i may be able to get in time. thanks for any info.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2005 | 08:25 PM
  #2  
Turbo II-FB's Avatar
Rotary Freak
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,879
Likes: 0
From: Austin-Houston Texas
its a 78 he whould pay you to take it off his hands
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2005 | 08:37 PM
  #3  
boostedfe3's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Kingsport, TN
So is the 78 model not worth the effort. This car would end up being back-halfed, with a ford 9 inch and 4-link suspension. Im pretty much looking for a car to drag race with.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2005 | 09:20 PM
  #4  
puntorotary's Avatar
Rotary Mechanic
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 531
Likes: 2
From: Jacksonville, NC
not a bad find! theres many of those in Puerto Rico rotary,its a good body for a rotary.I have a 74 rotary
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2005 | 09:22 PM
  #5  
StinkyTurbo's Avatar
Senior Member
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 683
Likes: 0
From: Jersey City, NJ
Yes its worth it. The puerto ricans have been doing this swap for decades. They either swap a 3tc motor in their or 13b it. Just ask rx7 club member ssglopezvm. He has a rotory powered 81 Starlett. Ask him for details.
Reply
Old Nov 19, 2005 | 09:41 PM
  #6  
Matt22's Avatar
Fear The RE
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,743
Likes: 2
From: Oregon, USA
whats does that year corolla look like. I liek the old toyotas myslef. I had a ae82 hatch, and i totally like the 4age motor i had. pretty peppy. its is something i have definately considered. Matt22
Reply
Old Nov 20, 2005 | 10:59 AM
  #7  
Crit's Avatar
No distributor? No thanks
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (6)
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,438
Likes: 6
From: Outskirts of Road Atlanta
What parts are you having trouble with? I've got a few places I check that are usually pretty complete.
Reply
Old Nov 20, 2005 | 01:30 PM
  #8  
hbeemerman's Avatar
Newbie
 
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: midwest
those cars are pretty wasteful....wouldnt sink to much money into them
Reply
Old Nov 20, 2005 | 05:17 PM
  #9  
puntorotary's Avatar
Rotary Mechanic
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 531
Likes: 2
From: Jacksonville, NC
Originally Posted by hbeemerman
those cars are pretty wasteful....wouldnt sink to much money into them

you have no clue what your talking about!!
some thing like this is not wastefull.

http://pistonvsrotor.com/secciones/p...mages/0001.jpg
Reply
Old Nov 20, 2005 | 08:08 PM
  #10  
Crit's Avatar
No distributor? No thanks
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (6)
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,438
Likes: 6
From: Outskirts of Road Atlanta
Is that your car? What parts are you looking for?
Reply
Old Nov 20, 2005 | 10:07 PM
  #11  
boostedfe3's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Kingsport, TN
Damn puntorotary i like that corolla. that is pretty much what i had in mind for the 78 im looking at. I havent bought the car yet but im looking into getting a title for it if I can get ahold of the old owner. As far as I can tell these cars weight around 2000lbs. does that sound right. Thanks for all the info guys.
Reply
Old Nov 20, 2005 | 10:21 PM
  #12  
Matt22's Avatar
Fear The RE
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,743
Likes: 2
From: Oregon, USA
Originally Posted by puntorotary
you have no clue what your talking about!!
some thing like this is not wastefull.

http://pistonvsrotor.com/secciones/p...mages/0001.jpg

HMM i would have to have to put that up for debate.
Reply
Old Nov 21, 2005 | 07:22 AM
  #13  
puntorotary's Avatar
Rotary Mechanic
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 531
Likes: 2
From: Jacksonville, NC
Originally Posted by boostedfe3
Damn puntorotary i like that corolla. that is pretty much what i had in mind for the 78 im looking at. I havent bought the car yet but im looking into getting a title for it if I can get ahold of the old owner. As far as I can tell these cars weight around 2000lbs. does that sound right. Thanks for all the info guys.
Yeah sounds about right. It aint my car just one of the many that are in Puerto Rico that we use to drop a Rotary in and make it fly!! That car is PP + NOS, it will be in the 9's for sure,i dont really think i would debate.
Reply
Old Nov 21, 2005 | 07:29 AM
  #14  
gerbraldy's Avatar
wtf's a piston
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,717
Likes: 0
From: Englewood, FL
Originally Posted by puntorotary
Yeah sounds about right. It aint my car just one of the many that are in Puerto Rico that we use to drop a Rotary in and make it fly!! That car is PP + NOS, it will be in the 9's for sure,i dont really think i would debate.
pwnd, I had that same 78 but is was a 4door, didn't do anything with it though, saving the engine I have for a KP61 Starlet whenever I can get my hands on one.
Reply
Old Nov 21, 2005 | 11:45 PM
  #15  
Matt22's Avatar
Fear The RE
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,743
Likes: 2
From: Oregon, USA
hey puntorotor, that car looks like crap though.
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2005 | 09:52 AM
  #16  
13btnos's Avatar
Rotary Enthusiast
Tenured Member: 20 Years
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 797
Likes: 4
From: VISTA
Originally Posted by Matt22
hey puntorotor, that car looks like crap though.
I'd rather be fast than look good! But that's just me probably why I have a Datsun 1200 can't beat the power to weight ratios. I have had rx7's and rx3's, 2 each to be exact, they don't even come close to the weight of my current 1200. I'm looking at under 2000lbs with me in it and that's with all the factory glass still in it. Have to keep the glass in it because you never know when you might want to drive it on the streets.
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2005 | 11:12 AM
  #17  
saltyslug's Avatar
Senior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 458
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
13btnos you can get lexan and just replace the windows with it and still have them functional. I seen bug guys doing it all the time. Its pretty cheap from home depot. I seen a front window on a cadillac cts race car that just hadmetal tabs holding it in. That was a 200+ mph race car.

I think anything old school toyota and really fast is cool. Is that a rotary in that race car?
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2005 | 12:00 PM
  #18  
puntorotary's Avatar
Rotary Mechanic
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 531
Likes: 2
From: Jacksonville, NC
Originally Posted by Matt22
hey puntorotor, that car looks like crap though.

First off i rather have an ugly fast car than a nice shiny slow car,just like 13btnos said,second the car aint done yet,it still has some details to get finished...ummm like the paint job.
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2005 | 12:58 PM
  #19  
gerbraldy's Avatar
wtf's a piston
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,717
Likes: 0
From: Englewood, FL
Why bother having a track car look like a show peice, flat black is all you need as long as the car is fast.
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2005 | 01:12 PM
  #20  
diabolical1's Avatar
Moderator
Tenured Member: 20 Years
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 10,998
Likes: 349
From: FL
keeping in the spirit of random comments, i like the 78 Wagons ...
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2005 | 02:06 PM
  #21  
Crit's Avatar
No distributor? No thanks
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (6)
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,438
Likes: 6
From: Outskirts of Road Atlanta
Well, forgive me for getting back on-topic, but I found a lot of 78 Corolla parts at rockauto.com. They're the best source I've found yet for old steering parts and stuff like that. Give it a shot.
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2005 | 10:19 PM
  #22  
Matt22's Avatar
Fear The RE
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,743
Likes: 2
From: Oregon, USA
so you would rather have that toyota than an all stock RX3SP
or a all stock R100 even a Cosmo 110S?
Reply
Old Nov 23, 2005 | 09:55 AM
  #23  
13btnos's Avatar
Rotary Enthusiast
Tenured Member: 20 Years
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 797
Likes: 4
From: VISTA
Originally Posted by Matt22
so you would rather have that toyota than an all stock RX3SP
or a all stock R100 even a Cosmo 110S?
Hell yes I would that car is an easy 9 second 1/4 mile car! The car is 3/4 chassis with a 13B PPort and knowing Puerto Ricans will be shooting atleast a 200 shot of Nitrous through it. Sorry but I am a fan of the rotary engine plain and simple and to be able to drive something like a PPort nitrous car hell I'd be the first one in line. I've had a clean '85 GSLSE and mint '79 RX7 also had a TurboII powered '73 RX3 and clean '74 13B streetported RX3. I just can't seem to stay away from these smaller cars like my Datsun 1200. If you have ever been in a 1200 with a rotary and say something like 300+HP you would understand why people love them. And I'm looking to make a lot more than 300HP in my 1200.
Reply
Old Nov 23, 2005 | 10:47 AM
  #24  
puntorotary's Avatar
Rotary Mechanic
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 531
Likes: 2
From: Jacksonville, NC
I like anything old school with a Rotary.
Reply
Old Nov 23, 2005 | 11:37 AM
  #25  
saltyslug's Avatar
Senior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 458
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
I wish I had this 12a when I had my b210 datsun. I had a 76 or 78(I forget), with 4 doors and it had the 1400cc witha rare automatic. I should have put a rotary in it instead of scrappin it when the auto trans went out *sad day*. yeah anything old school with a rotary is good stuff. it seems the old jap cars are better for these conversions( well old german cars also).
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
cleann88
General Rotary Tech Support
4
Jan 15, 2022 11:28 AM
sctRota
Old School and Other Rotary
7
Nov 10, 2015 12:57 PM
tonka_1956
1st Generation Specific (1979-1985)
1
Sep 2, 2015 05:55 PM
dhs
1st Generation Specific (1979-1985)
3
Jun 29, 2003 06:18 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:18 AM.