Basically a 1978 RT104 Corona donor car was taken with its 18R 2.0 litre motor and 3 speed automatic. I am not sure why but once it was start it just ballooned from there. (insert picture) The chassis has good wish bone style front suspension and not so good leaf spring rear suspension.

Car Construction

Engine fitment

From this base the engine was fitted with suitable engine mounts constructed to bolt to the standard chassis mounting points, which strangely enough had two different positions. These engine bays are no that big because of the wishbone suspension. This and the share size of the engine lead to the following problems.

1. Steering box hitting the engines head.
2. no radiator room.

The engine was purchased complete with steel case 5 speed gear box fitting via and adapter plate to and original automatic bell housing.

It looked something like this but with different extractors.

So from here a corolla KE70 rack and pinion was purchased and mounted up on the rear cross brace to from the new steering giving the required space.

Body

The body went through a few stages before it reached it final state.

Stage I

Basically it was striped back to steel , straightened,  the rust removed, eitch primed and undercoated. In order for the bonnet the shut there had to be a lump put in it. This was made out of fibre glass and riveted to the bonnet. The car also required flares to cover the 14 x 8 inch rims with 265 and 245 SF330 tires. Some fibre glass flares were adapted and stuck to the front guards which were completely straightened and repaired. since I also wanted to remove the bumpers and replace them with some sort of spoilers. This was done by chopping up a commadore copied front spoiler to fit. The car looked as follows.

Stage II

This was all a big learning and it was realised that for the body to look good over time and the custom parts to be to be reproducible if any incidents were to occur during it life, there would have to be some a bit more radical done. This involved using the modified panels the create fibreglass molds for each of the panels. So after lots of work molds were made of the bonnet, guards, front spoiler and rear spoiler. This now allows new panels to be made at minimal cost.

Stage III

Final the body was painted along with numerous other bit with cinabar metallic paint.

Brakes and suspension  

The brakes were upgraded by using Holden ventilated rotors and Wilwood superlite 4 spot callipers on the front and Holden ventilated rotors modified to fit the LSD 10 Bolt differential and Wilwood 2 spot superlite callipers and handbrake callipers. The brackets were custom made to mount then up to the car. A PBR replace HQ master cylinder and original boost were used to drive the system along with a Wilwood bias adjuster to set the correct balance. The suspension was simply upgraded by replace the shocks with GT gas shocks and new nolathane bushes. A custom adjustable rear sway bar was also made and fitted. The rear differential was replaced with a Chevy 10 Bolt LSD item, which was fitted to the original leaf springs. This may be changed if it turns out to be unsuitable.

Due to the brake upgrade the mags   would not fit so larger and new designed ones were purchased. These are MAK sprit 16 x 7.5 inch rims with Kumo supra 245/45/16.

More stuff to be added when I get time

Engine build up

The final car