EX55IV

Worth a pretty penny now, there is one in a yard in my suburb that I see when I walk my dog among other hugely rare makes and models. I've always wondered what these 2 door Corona's look like in 100% condition.

I'll pencil this event in, I hope to make it!

My Parents bought one of these wagons brand new, a couple of months before I was born! and I was driven home from the hospital in it - in a cane basket on the backseat next to Mum!! how times have changed... They bought it from Bill Buckle Toyota at Brookvale, it was white and also manual, a CS model. Dad had a 'Pierce Simpson' brand tape deck fitted to it before he picked it up. My earliest childhood memories are attached to that corona - family holidays listening to ABBA, Boney M, Chicago and John Farnham on cassette lol. Then there was those early mornings dropping the car off for a service at Phil Gilbert Toyota with Mum (Sis and I still half asleep in our jammies!)Dad would pick us all up in their second car - a 1974 VW Beetle 1600 Superbug. Anyways, thanks for sharing your Corona, why not try a decent buff on the paintwork first? I think it may do wonders and save a heap on a respray for now. Have fun with it!

Just scored a Venetian from a very good friend for $100! which I will fit next weekend, to preserve the top of the back seat and the colour in the crocheted rug (Granny rug) that my Grandmother knitted for me 30 years ago. Plus I don't mind the classic look of a 'vaneesh'. Now, I'm in two minds here, the tyres - the Goodyear Grand Rally 'S' are well roadworthy albeit probably close to 20 years old. I'm thinking of fitting new 1/4 inch white wall tyres of the same size. Do you think this will be over doing it? or just leave them plain Jane?

I have a collection of hand written notes which I keep in the car with me, when I see an older Japanese car that appeals to me, I just sling one of them under the driver's windscreen wiper. No luck yet, but hoping that these owners will want to update or get too old for driving at some stage and keep my info. Alternatively, they just seem to pop up for sale on the side of the road somewhere, normally at the most inconvenient time - like just after I've paid a rego on another car or something! but if I really really want it, I'll make ends meet.

Thanks guys, My family have a farm in Western NSW with plenty of dry shedding. Grace will eventually end up there semi retired along with some other older Japanese cars (will all still be used occasionally to keep in running order) I'm looking to make a collection plus parts to sit along side my Dads Original and immaculate Holden FJ and old farm machinery and tractors. They are all well cared for.

I sold my old KE55 in search for one in a bit better condition. I found this one, out of the blue and strangely enough, same colour - almost same everything! Sitting on a backstreet in Stanhope Gardens in Sydney was this 1981 KE55 SE, I had nearly given up hope finding another one for a sensible price. I called the number on the sign and made an offer which was accepted pretty much on the spot. It belonged to a fragile elderly lady who was in a nursing home, she had not driven the rolla in 3 years and it had just been sitting in her carpeted garage in her villa. She had given instructions to her daughter - who I was speaking with - to please sell the car to someone who will look after it. She obviously loved her little car! The sweet old lady sadly passed away 2 weeks after I bought it. So I call the rolla 'Grace' in her honour. It is a 1981 KE55 SE Auto. Ivory Glow in colour - I say cream, however a lot of people seem to thinks its green - depends on the light. It has had a few repairs over the years to keep it in tidy condition, as expected. I have no garage for it at the moment (taken up by 1969 Mazda 1500 deluxe) and no rust at all has popped out. It has a few cracks in the dash as expected and the obligatory ding in the rear bumper (I have seen very few KE's with out one for some reason) The trim is almost as new. The radio and gauges work and don't drop out as is common. The engine is original and has done not even 120 000kms yet. It is very quiet to drive, no rattles or knocks. I love driving Grace!

Thanks guys for the pos feedback. Yes true, I bought this car for $700 but with no rego about 3 months ago in the condition it's in. No repair's were needed for the registration inspection. I have no idea what these cars are worth, not that I am going to sell it any time soon. Future plans? well I have considered lowering it, on the tilt, lower at rear than the front, white walls and rear venetian. At the moment it just serves as a run around to get to work and back. I will update pics with engine bay and interior as soon as I can get around to it! ta.

Hi Everyone, I've been looking around here for the past few months at everyones rides so I thought I'd share a couple of pics of mine. I don't know much about my rolla, I bought because I was looking for a cheap run around as a 2nd car (paid $700 for it) but I've kinda fallen in love with it now!! It's a 1980 KE55 SE in Ivory Glow, well I call it 'bowls beige', with beige interior. It has the original 4K and auto in it, total granny spec. I'm the 2nd registered owner and it was originally bought new from Terry Shields Toyota in Parramatta. Hope the pics work!