Ke20 From Costa Rica

[jfgarro]

Hi everyone! My name is Jose Garro, and I'm from Costa Rica, Central America. Last year, I bought a 1974 KE20 from a friend's uncle. In general, the car is in a very solid state, and because of previous modifications, has good potencial as a project. It has a 5k engine, a 5 speed T50 tranny, and a OEM brake booster (I believe from a newer Corolla or Starlet). The previous owner put in a set of wide 12" wheels, with low profile tires, and because the bad roads we have in Costa Rica, the suspension (bushings, dampers) and the underbody was in a very bad condition. Also, all the body rubber is, literally speaking, toasted, and the rust problems tipical of this Corollas are present and in very advance state: airbox, firewall, around the wheel openings, in the floor, in all the doors (in the lower parts), around the front and rear windshields, and in the trunk. The electrical was another nightmare, with bad wires, incorrect connections, and so on. My plan is, in a period of (hope for) 2 years, restore it using new or OEM parts, but with a few upgrades. To this date, this is a short list of the work I'm done:

 

- Suspension: new KYB dampers, arms and tie rods, and new bushings all around, keep the stock front springs and rear leafs. I need to replace the pitman and idler arm, working on it.

- Brakes: reconditioned drums and brake cylinders, new brake shoes, new hand brake cables, replaced brake fluid.

- Engine: new water pump, belt, spark plugs, filters, oil, restored electronic distributor, new distributor cables, regulator and coil, new mounts, new OEM carburator.

- Transmission: new OEM clutch kit, replaced oil, new mount.

- Electrical: new engine bay's electrical installation, new connectors, proper wire to the alternator, starter and battery, reconditioned starter and alternator, new battery, cleaned and checked all the interior (under the dash) wires, connections and switches, new ground connections.

- Lights: New H4 sealed beams, OEM front and fender turning lights, OEM rear lights and license lights.

- Body exterior: painted all the exterior plastic parts, SR5 grille, Formula 13" wheels (I can't afford real Minilites) with new Firestone 205/60 tires, lowered suspension in the back using wood blocks, installed a used but like new Cusco strut tower bar, new mirrors.

- Interior: new OEM dash pad from Japan, reconditioned dash plastic parts, Nardi 36cm leather steering wheel, OEM like new steering column plastic cover, made a new tray behind the rear seat, new seat belts, cleaned and reconditioned gauge cluster, new 5 speed engraved shift knob, new OEM interior light/mirror combo.

- Other: cleaned and checked the fuel tank and lines, did a water pressure wash in the underbody and repaired (temporaly) with glass fibre all the rust holes in the floor and trunk.

 

At this moment, the car is driveable again, and passed with flying colors the local inspection. The engine has lots of torque and is very economical, but because of the stock differential, the terminal speed is low, 120 kph tops, beyond that the aerodynamic instability and small carburator put a solid wall to the fun. With the new tires, the handling is good, but no brilliant. I'm working in a dash central piece, my idea is recreate the Levin/Trueno part, using VDO gauges (tach, ampmeter and oil pressure) in place of the stock radio, and instead of the heater controls, I plan to create a mini glove compartment for put in small items, like the cell phone or glasses. Also, I like to test front fender flares for cover properly the front wheels (with this wheel and 205/60 tire combo, the front wheels excel about 1 inch of the fenders).

 

I'm looking for all the windshield (front, rear) rubber, also for the doors and the door's glass, a good condition rear bumper (the actual has damage from a old accident and is very rusted because of the tailpipe) and a proper accelerator pedal. In the near future, I plan to make all the electrical system new, my idea is update it to make more room for other items, like a modern radio and amplifier, an alarm, internal lights, etc., using relays, an updated alternator and actual technology. Also, the seats need to be upholstered, and I want to upgrade all the suspension bushings using urethane (of similar) parts. And then, I need to save big money for repair all the rust problems, and at the same time, add reinforcements using bars in strategic points, my idea is to gain structural stifness but without using a proper roll cage. And of course, paint it in a period correct color (the actual color is very, let me say, colorful, and not period correct). But I'm thinking in a 2 year period for do this.

 

I like to thank all the people of this forum for their help, advice and of course, OEM parts (I can't remember all their names, so please forgive me). And of couse, some photos of my car...hope you like it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[altezzaclub]

Well, it looks a lot better than I was expecting from reading the description! There must have been a lot of work to get it looking like that, well done.

[nerfbat]

and its a 4 door..!

awesome mate

keep an eye on the for sale threads. lots of ke20 gear goes through there