The pride of the bowling club carparks was revolutionised through a pair of camshafts
During their first 20 years in Australia, Corollas sold largely to conservative customers who appreciated the car’s simplicity and durability. However, complacency set in and by the 1980s the Corolla had slipped behind the likes of Honda’s Civic and the Mazda-sourced Ford Laser.
Change was not accepted willingly either by those who bought Corollas or those who designed them and the shift in 1986 from rear to front-wheel drive must have come as a shock to some.
At that time, the basic Corolla shape changed as well, with the company promoting a two-box hatchback shape where the majority of cars previously sold here had been sedans.
|2021 Market Review: Toyota Corolla/Levin/Corona 1963-1994
The AE90 range launched in Australia during 1986 was fresh and very different, with 1.6-litre engines and competitive pricing. Most local Corollas made 67kW from their single carburettor engines but 1987 brought a version that went out on a limb to bring performance to the mainstream Corolla market.
SX versions were available as a five-door hatchback or the sleeker, liftback Seca. They still had only 1.6 litres, but fuel-injection helped the AE86 engine deliver 86kW and a class-leading top speed of 189km/h. The SX was also quicker off the line than the turbocharged Nissan Pulsar ET although not very frugal; using 11.6L/100km against the Pulsar’s average of 9.5L/100.
Considering the Corolla was almost the cheapest car in its category (just $180 above the less powerful Laser TX3) it did a decent job of keeping the occupants comfortable and entertained. Air-conditioning and a radio/cassette system were standard, plus four-wheel disc brakes and alloy wheels.
| Buyer’s Guide: Toyota Corolla Seca SX Liftback
86kW SX versions remained the duck’s nuts of Corolla variants until 1989 when a 100kW replacement was released and the dynamic shifted again.
The new car was even faster than the old one – 210km/h possible from the longer, sleeker Seca – and acceleration times, despite a bit of extra weight, matched the SX. Seca equipment levels improved to include power steering and central locking, accompanied by wider tyres.
In 1991 and only 18 months before AE92 Corollas were replaced by an all-new model came the best and rarest of the 100kW cars. The Corolla GTi borrowed its badging from Europe but remained very Japanese in aspects such as build quality and cabin design.
GTi Corollas came only as a Hatch, with no Seca alternative, and the price climbed to $21,000. In a market where similar money would also buy a 1.8-litre Mazda Astina, GTi Corollas weren’t big sellers, and their initial scarcity is reflected by the current market.
Early in 2022 we found just one GTi for sale via mainstream sales sites; a car that looked to be in decent condition and priced slightly below our recommended value for ‘Excellent’ cars.
The best place to look if you are in the market for a late 1980s-90s Twin Cam will be car shows that cater to Japanese vehicles. Don’t confine your search to the cars on display either because a wander through the visitor car park might reveal others worth considering and a card left under the wiper can do no harm.
Value range Corolla twin-cam (SX 1987-90)
Fair: $2500
Good: $7000
Excellent: $12,000
(Note: exceptional cars will demand more)
BUYER’S CHECKLIST
Body & chassis
Finding replacement panels in decent condition for an older Corolla is tough but not yet impossible. People continue to wreck damaged cars with minimal rust and there are abandoned projects as well providing bonnets, mudguards, doors and bumpers at $150-400 apiece depending on condition. To avoid the expense of a major body revamp, take some time for a scrupulous pre-purchase check to ensure the car hasn’t been in a big crash or suffering serious rust. Ensure that bumpers are sitting squarely and don’t have broken clips. Used parts such as lights, door hardware and even a good grille at $100 pop up regularly but New Old Stock (NOS) items have become scarce.
Engine & transmission
If you find a Corolla with a sound body that is struggling in the underbonnet area, don’t be dissuaded. Mechanical parts are easily found and not too expensive. Around A$1000 buys a basic kit of pistons, bearings, gaskets and head bolts. Add new timing gears, camshafts, a water pump and crank grind and that doubles your parts cost. Oil smoke from the exhaust and tappet rattles that don’t go away as the engine warms signify costly problems. Cars that are hard to start and stutter when accelerating may need a fuel injector overhaul and perhaps even the injectors replaced. Five-speed transmissions are durable and will keep going even when worn and noisy.
Suspension & brakes
Simple suspension design brought mediocre handling but did make for longevity and easy maintenance. Heavier front springs and uprated shock absorbers are available, however going too extreme could wreck the car’s ride. Some Corollas when new received bigger wheels and lower-profile rubber which helped improve grip without doing much to harm the ride. Excessive bouncing from the front means new shocks are due but that’s not a big job. Upgrading brake rotors and pads when doing an overhaul is sensible.
Interior & electrics
SX and GTi interiors have proven to be durable and survivor cars can still be found with their original seat fabric intact and looking OK. If the seats are originals, check frames to ensure they aren’t bent or cracked and the recline/tilt mechanism locks. Dash cracks are almost unavoidable and replacement dash shells seem to be unobtainable in Australia but covers cost $50. Kits of body rubbers cost around $1000 and new carpet sets are available locally. Complete new alternators and starter motors can be found through various suppliers with prices starting at around $300 each.
1986-1992 Toyota Corolla Twin-Cam specs
NUMBER BUILT: N/A
BODY: All-steel integrated body/chassis five-door hatchback & liftback
ENGINE: 1587cc four-cylinder with overhead camshafts and fuel injection
POWER & TORQUE: 100kW @ 6800rpm 147Nm @ 6000rpm
PERFORMANCE: 0-100km/h 9.5 seconds, 0-400m 16.8 seconds (Twin-Cam Seca)
TRANSMISSION: Five speed manual
SUSPENSION: Independent with struts, coil springs and anti-roll bar (f) Independent with struts, coil springs & anti-roll bar (r)
BRAKES: Disc (f) disc (r) power assisted
TYRES: 175/65H14 radial
From Unique Cars #467, Jun/Jul 2022