This car shows 9,622 miles on the odometer and the seller says that as far as they can tell from the paperwork, those are the original miles. Whether it’s 9,622 or 109,622 this 1976 Toyota Corolla SR-5 Liftback needs work after sitting for who know how many years, or decades. It’s listed on eBay in Howell, New Jersey with a current bid price of a buck-and-a-half! Yep, $1.50. There are still six days left on the auction, so hopefully this somewhat rare and certainly unique car sells for more than that!
You can see that it was sitting for a long, long time. That right rear tire is flat on top, a physics conundrum if I’ve ever heard of one. Of course it’s from wheeling it out of the garage where it had been sitting when the seller bought it at an estate sale. Thankfully, a full set of original wheels are included. The Corolla Liftback is a really unique design and, at least for me, unique is usually much better than not being unique. This YouTube video shows a 1976 Corolla SR-5 Liftback commercial. You can see that there’s quite a bit of rust to deal with, but I don’t see much in the way of rust-through. There are a few dents and dings to work through, but this one gets a new paint job anyway. Or, ideally it would if anyone were to take on this restoration project.
How about those bumpers?! “Good night, Mrs. Calabash, where ever you are”… Other than those monstrosities I really like the design of this car. Toyota didn’t receive the best reviews for the Corolla Liftback, however. Reviewers thought that it was “large, heavy, and expensive” compared to the Datsun B210 and Honda Civic. Hey, for a buck-fifty I’m on this one! Wait, then there’s always that pesky $800 in shipping, bummer.
With no underside photos it’s hard to tell the extent of any rust that may be there, but something is going on with the carpet as you can see from the photo above. I hope that isn’t rust coming through from the floors. As with any restoration, the interior will be stripped out of this car and in goes new carpet and repaired seats and the whole bit. The dash looks uncracked which is a huge bonus. The interior in general looks great for being over four decades old and having been in storage under obviously not the best conditions. The full gauges are nice and the hatchback, or liftback, area looks good as well. The back seat looks new and it appears that the driver’s seat has just a tiny tear in both the vinyl bolster and the seat bottom. Maybe this car does have just over 9,000 miles on it? The interior doesn’t show the wear that a 109,000 mile car would, and yes, this is a 5-speed manual.
This is Toyota’s 2T-C, a 1,588 CC / 96.9 cubic-inch inline-four that supposedly “starts right up with starting fluid and sounds great.” I would have an uncontrollable need to save this car and bring it back from the brink if it didn’t include $800+ in shipping costs. Have any of you owned an SR-5?
There is a snow tire on the left front rim. My bet is 109,000 miles.
Definitely not 9,000 miles. Does anyone seriously think this car only has 9K? Think about it. The interior and engine compartment would not look like that with only 9K. Assume there’s no 6th digit on odometer. Why say “109,000”? Not uncommon to see old Toyotas of this vintage with 209,000.
I’ve got a ’93 Toyota 1/2 ton that I bought new. I had the speedometer changed out at 138k. It now reads 3700 miles. When I had two different state inspections the guys asked both times if the mileage was correct because the truck is so clean. SO, IMO that Corolla has a lot more than 9k on it.
I owned one of these nearly (20) years ago. . . Got it free from my sister-in-law as she didn’t need it any longer. 1979 E51 Liftback, showing approximately 9,500 miles.
Now, I knew that car well and I knew her well, and I knew how the car was driven. That 9,500 represented was actually 309,500, and ran out another 40k on my watch. This one is sporting AT LEAST once around, but more than likely twice.
I’m not joking even a little bit when I say that I literally tried to kill my little Corolla, and that car simply wouldn’t die. The bracket for the alternator kept coming loose and falling off and I’d keep driving that car, listening to the sound of coolant furiously boiling in the block and expecting that the following day it would either be dead entirely with a crankcase filled with milkshake, or blasting out a vicious white cloud from the tailpipe.
Neither of those things happened. No oil changes, indifferent maintenance, abusive driving tactics, and almost regular overheatings sould simply not kill that car. By the time that I sold it the floor pans were completely gone on both front seating positions, and the carpet was all that kept one’s feet in the car.
Best and worst car I’ve ever owned. If this were right next door I’d actually consider it for a few hundred dollars.
Poor mans Volvo P1800es maybe..interior does look like the stated miles could be accurate. Jersey weather has taken its toll on exterior though..
You have to be rich to own a P1800ES?
There is a snow tire on the left front rim. My bet is 109,000 miles.
Notice the clever photography? All the twilight shots. All the well-placed shade. Take a closer look again at pics. There’s plenty of rust there. Looks like a tired 41-year old car to me. Wow…”Estate” sale. That means it has to be only 9,000. Bottom line — Seller is a flipper who knows nothing about the car. Buyer beware. Nice “story”.
Had a girlfriend who had one in 1976……….looking at the interior gives me a bad case of deja vu! I don’t recall the safety bumpers…..but they must have just melted into the seventies vibe of the car. I was driving a ’52 MGYB I had brought back from London so I was dismissive out of hand of anything modern. Ah youth….
That’s a great color. If it we’re not for the rust, it would be great just to get it
running and put some more miles on it. I don’t like Toyotas of the 70’s compared to Datsun’s, but this might be the exception.
Sexy little car then and now….snow tires or snot….looks like little rust from that part of the world….better looking than the Datsuns which were past their early 510’s….think some one might steal a good one here….
I was 2 years old when we owned a 1972 Toyota Corolla don’t know if it was an SR5…….after graduating from high school I’ve been in search of a Corolla between ’65 and ’72 to turn it into a project car and keep it in the family just like when I was a little boy
This is pretty silly for someone to think this car has under 10K miles. Do sellers really think people are that gullible? Apparently so, as it never seems to stop. These were really nice cars. Like the early Celicas, it was probably the nicest Corolla. The 5 speed really made this car a better cruiser. I guess it could be fixed up, but it’s probably “toaster time” for this old Corolla.
Howard, I do not think so. The seller posted the miles on the car. Miles are for interpretation. It is up to the buyer to decide. There are many tell tale signs I won’t have the space to go over but comes with experience. You need to see it in person. Certainly most who frequent this site are knowledgeable enough when a hand is placed on it. You can’t blame the seller for thinking anyone is gullible. He has to post “something” Also because it has a lone snow tire is no way to determine either.
A friend just found a 1960’s Pontiac with 14,000 original miles. The person bought new when in their 50’s and lived in town. Drove it daily about 4-10 miles a day.The person quit driving in the 1970’s and died in around 1980 and the family kept it. It had been in a garage with a dirt floor tires were shot and it had rust. It was later pulled out and parked in the elements for some years. So with junk yard wheels and tires what do you suppose it looked like? Not a 14,000 mile car…but is.
You cannot always judge a book by its cover.
Also way off on “toaster time” too. (you must be referring to a Scion xB) The Japanese collector market is gaining momentum. This is one of the cars that started putting a crimp in GM’s style as more American’s wanted a reliable fuel efficient car. (still do) My guess is a 30’s something individual all ready into Asian cars would be very glad to have it. Or as others have posted have fond memories of one (just don’t tell the wife your old girl friend had one hehe) A little Toyota wagon with 9K 109K 209K miles is all good here. It is a Toyota.
Agree 100%. There is no way to tell from photos. Time, and especially humidity, will age a car as much or more as miles driven. After 40+ years, you have to get up close and personal, and check it out. From the interior shots, it has a chance.
The one thing you CAN count on, is that the same folks will pooh-pooh virtually every low-mileage survivor that appears here and call the seller a fraud. I’m not sure why that is. There are plenty of cars out there that, for whatever reason, weren’t driven, and were then stored badly. Usually an unexpected death is involved. This car may be one of those, or it may have 109K on it, but unless you can see it in person and check the evidence that most of us here would know to look for, then……You. Don’t. Know.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve acquired a sad-looking motorcycle with unbelievably low miles showing, but when I start taking it apart for restoration, there’s no doubt whatsoever that it’s true. I have an old Chrysler from the 70’s on which the paint has failed, and it looks pretty bad at the moment. I know the history of the car from day one, and it has 43,000 original miles on it. But I can guarantee that if it were posted here, some folks would trip over themselves to be the first to say (with absolute certainty) that it was 143K, or 243K, and call me a liar.
Thank you cyclemikey!!!
Exactly what he said!!!
I would love to buy this, if the undersides are not eaten up, which I’m afraid they probably are, given the geographic location!!!!
cyclemikey,
Excellent followup. My elderly neighbor bought a new 77 Mercury Cougar (his last new car) Drove it every day until he retired sometime in the 1990’s. It sits in his garage now. When he retired he retired the car too. it hasn’t been out since.
He was a fussy owner. despite driving it in the wind,rain,snow he took pretty good care of it. It has 270K miles on it. It shows 70K but has rolled over twice. Looking at the car it is impossible to tell as he was the only driver. The interior shows very little if any wear including the floor mats. The motor and drive line is clean as is the chrome and trim etc. He just happens to have a log book to prove the mileage. He wrote down every time he got gas/oil changes etc.
He has often said had he made it to 300K on it before he retired his plan was to take the car to Detroit to Ford Headquarters.Park it out front and give it to them with a note simply saying it was one great car.
Frankly, I find the seller refreshing. Here’s what I see; it’s up to you to make your own judgement call; because I don’t know the value, it’s listed for no reserve.
How much more of an open book do you need? It’s about time buyers started being responsible for themselves instead of always crying wolf about the terrible sellers they will never buy anything from.
I had one of these, though not the SR5. performance-wise it was a biy of a slug, but it was built like a little jewel. It was put together better than probably any American-built cars of the time, including Cadillacs.
Currently owning a couple old corollas One being a 96,000 mile 83 that thing definitively looks like a 9000 mile car it still has the tool kit rust is all exterior carb looks clean as hell it’s probably a solid $1500 car and it’s gonna need another 1500 to drive safely every day because I’m sure that the fuel tank is full of rust and every piece of rubber has perished
My father owned the exact model car with the 5-speed and all. His was gray in color. It was a great little car, fun as heck to drive and very economical on gas.
Those bumper guards are an aftermarket add-on. Over the yeas, I’ve noticed a lot of cars in the N.E. (N.Y., New Jersey, etc) seem to have these added as a deterrent to “parking by feel”, LOL! In the S.E USA, you mostly see this type on 70’s/80’s vintage Chevy/GMC pickups.
I, am the guy with this car for sale. I bought a house with the car inside the garage. I would be glad to share more of the story if any wants to know. As for the car having 9k miles, things like the gear selector having no play, the peddle pads having almost no wear, the steering wheel having no wear, I am no pro but things like that would indicate the mileage being accurate. I will say I did a pore job taking time (as I have very little) to go threw the car to give it a better value. I just figured that someone will get a little jem. It looks very solid under and I may pull the add and relist when I find time to go threw it and get better pics.
On a side note I found a receipt in the car today for a cap and rotor for $5.85 dated 1978. pretty cool
do you still have this car? I used to own one and I loved it!!