69 Corona.

[dmonictx5]

Hi guys, just a few questions about a little pale yellow corona that I will be inheriting in the next few months.

My uncle and dad have had a little 1969 2 door hardtop since new (i think this is whats called an rt52). It has spent the last 10 years or so covered up in a shed and started once or twice a year.

It has been a really long time since I have seen this car but they want me to have it and are going to help with the finances of restoring.

They have both told me that it is quite a rare car (apparently only 40 of this model came to Australia) and that is why they have kept it. I have been looking for some info about what this car has standard and I cant really find anything that matches up.

I have been told it's a 1900cc twin SU carb, 5 speed manual with front disc brakes. Apparently this car is all original and was meant to a rally car but got sold as a private vehicle. Can anybody fill in the blanks about what this car is.

Should hopefully be visiting where the car is in a few weeks and will take some photos to show everyone.

[Chobis]

First thing I will say is that I couldn't be more jealous! You're inheriting a very rare car, something that a lot of classic Jap-tin fans would kill for, especially the Toyota lovers like myself.

The next thing I will say is........ please do not modify or do anything stupid to this car! Keep it original. If you start cutting anything to put a big stereo in or different engine or gearbox etc etc..... you will devalue this car immediately. Lowering with a different set of rims is no worries, but keep everything that you swap out in order to be able to return it to factory. At the end of the day it will be your car so you can do whatever you want, but that's my advice.

With all that said........ I can't give you much info on them........... however I will point you in the direction of a forum that will be able to help.

www.japanesenostalgiccar.com/forum

If you do a search on there for "RT52 Corona" you will find several posts about them, or start your own once you have the car.

Good luck with it dude. Hopefully you keep to your promise of putting up pics for us all to enjoy.

[dmonictx5]

Cheers for the info and the forum link. Before I realised what I was actually getting my hands on I was thinking of putting a 20v 4age or even an 18RG in it, but after the bit of the research I had done I was starting to think that classic resto would be best. For myself and everyone else that would be able to see/enjoy the car at shows etc.

As soon as lay eyes on it again and get some pictures I will post up the as is condition. I'm pretty excited to get it home and start the journey.

The only modifications that I can see myself doing is getting rid of the vinyl roof and colour matching it or painting it gloss black, Re trimming the interior with a mix of leather and cloth and probably putting some sound deadening material under a full floor carpet just to make it a bit nicer inside. Then yes some 14 or 15 inch super lights or similar with white walls on a lowish ride height.

[Chobis]

Wait..... I just noticed you are in SA?!?!?! That's even better news. Hopefully at some point I will see this car at All Japan Day..... or maybe Bay to Birdwood this year????

Yeh I think classic resto is the way to go. If you want to do an engine upgrade into something to have a bit of fun then I recommend something a lot less rare. Personally I would probably keep the vinyl roof on as well but I guess it depends what sort of condition it's in. Also...... I'm not sure about on RT52's, but on other cars that came out with the vinyl roof, they were often prone to rusting underneath the vinyl..... so if that is an issue for this car then, yeh, I would remove it as well. All your plans sound good though. All the best with it. Also if you are putting a stereo in it I would try to conceal it under dash and have the speakers mounted under the seats or something so as to not be cutting holes in door cards or the parcel shelf.

[dmonictx5]

Hi all so I was finally able to go to my uncles and have a look at this little thing. Turns out it's a Mark 2 RT72SL import. I have posted a few pictures up on the shovel corona restorers and modifiers Facebook page if anyone wants to have a look and let me know what you think.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ShovelnoseCoronaRestorers/543503919123527/?notif_t=group_comment