Need some help with a Toyota celica

[mj.clark001]

Hi, im after some help from people who have had alot to do with this.
Im looking at buying a 1977 Toyota Celica RA28 18RC, it is in fairly good condition, it runs, comes with a RWC and rego. The guy has done alot of work replacing bits and pieces, minimal rust (had a respray).
He is asking 9.5k is this to much? How much are these going for?
The faster I can get a reply the better.
Thanks.

[SilverRA23]

They range in price from $3k to $15K. And people ask $25K.

For $9.5K I would be disappointed to be buying a car with any rust.

Photos tell a thousand words, show us what you are looking at.

Cars are worth what someone will pay. RA28s are quickly becoming rare and hard to find in decent nick. If you want one you do have to pay for the privelege.

[lexsmaz]

I would be looking hard at the rust repairs, as there are cheap & nasty ways of doing it which is to basically dig / grind out the rust & then bog the area & the good way as in cutting out rusted area & welding in new metal, they both look the same initially but long term & structurally the metal is the only way, you will need to look hard over the car & run a fridge magnet over the panels, especially around the lower area that rust & if its been repaired well the magnet will stick & if full of bog the magnet will not stick & I wouldn't touch it, walk away from it ..

How long ago was it repainted & if only done recently it makes me think why is he selling it now as he has possibly spent a fair bit getting it painted ??? makes me think he realises how bodgy the rust work was done & its going to come back in time

Even repairing it well the rust can still come back, it depends on a few things but one is treating the panels with a rust rid compound before painting etc & if bogged it will come back with a vengeance without doubt & I have seen some bodgy work done that the rust has come back within 12 months ..

Also you call it fairly good condition, that's a fairly big price to pay for a fairly good condition car ..

My 2 cents worth ..

[mj.clark001]

Thanks with all your help so far, this link will probably be the easiest way to show the pics and a full description the seller has written.

http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/Toyota-Celica-1977/SSE-AD-3114614/?Cr=2&sdmvc=1

[SilverRA23]

Photos suggest mismatched paint.. paint that doesn't have much shine...looks like the paint is patina-d on the roof and panel under the front screen...... an interior that needs some tidying up... its not a bad one, but its not a great one either.

I would feel better about paying 5 or 6k for that car.

[mj.clark001]

Yh ok thanks, I have my brother having a look at it this evening who is a mechanic and hopefully will be able to get the price down.
Not sure if this guy will budge on it for 6k but hey stranger things have happened.
Thanks heaps for your help.

[lexsmaz]

As Adam has said the paint is VERY Poor & has humidity looking blisters on the drivers rear guard too, it basically needs a full respray & possibly stripped back to bare metal in some places especially where there is humidity blisters & the like, so more money than just a normal respray .. In know of guys spending $10,000 on a very good paint job & as this needs stripping back in possibly lots of places it wont come cheap for a good job ...

And look closely at the car for damage etc as to why the front passenger guard & possibly bonnet is a different colour ..

He talk's about heavier / stronger bearings in the gearbox than standard ?? why is it needed ?? ( stock motor & it was good enough for the factory to pass it !!! ) & you cant physically fit a bigger / stronger bearing in a given place & the original bearings would have been jap ones which are some of the best, so to me he's dribbling on big time & also he has done a lot of things really strangely, rebuilt the bottom end at 37,000km or whatever it was & then rebuilt the head at 57,000km or whatever it was, that's just a stupid way of doing things as the head was already off & so no extra labour or time there & it would have been worn out then too, but throws it back on !! ... And 3 goes on replacing bits in the carby & then a rebuild & I think in that order but the k's he talks about get a bit confusing at a quick glance ..

As Adam said too I think its still to much for the work it needs & ask to see the receipts for the Engine rebuild etc & if nothing comes forth don't take it as Gospel as to what he is saying ..

Would like to see it at Como Park this Sunday maybe before you buy it, put a holding deposit down before hand ?? your call as quite a few of us can give it a once over for you on Sunday ..

PS, make sure your brother looks over it well for rust & the body condition as Mechanicals are relatively cheap in comparison ..

[mj.clark001]

If I can get the price down I may end up buying it, if he does take it to the show having anyone look over it that knows what they are on about would be great.
I eventually want to work on it, just want to get someone for now that I can drive as a daily for about a year until im ready to go at it.

[lexsmaz]

Not sure if its a car I would be buying for a daily as its now some 37 years old, your call but I would be buying it as a secondary car to drive not the primary one, as bits are not all that available & also if you biff it it will probably be written off even in a lightish hit & driving it everyday obviously increase that chance ..

[mj.clark001]

Yh sweet, by daily I will be driving it to work then home which is no more than a 10min drive lol.

[lexsmaz]

Just thinking a bit more about this car & did the guy say it had a respray or was that your interpretation, as when you think about it & that it Definitely needs a full respray regardless of what he has said its way to dear as by the time you do some more work & then a respray & interior etc you could be looking at close to $20,000 including the purchase, if its painted professionally & then it might be a good presentable reliable car ?? but you could possibly get a Granny spec original untouched one for $10-12,000 which will be better car in every way, you might not have the stronger gear box bearings though ..

Also I'm guessing your still not in NSW ??

[ToyTA22]

I could be wrong with this particular gearbox, but a few gearbox places used to machine gearbox main case to fit larger BMW roller bearing. These gearboxes were used behind six and v8s. Castlemaine rod shop and Mal Wood in Queensland used to do conversion.

[lexsmaz]

As far as the bearings go no doubt if there is enough meat around the housing on the original bearing location & the original bearings are weak under high torque different motor applications, things could be done but in this case its a Stock 18R motor so I seriously think in this case the guy has his hand on it, as it would cost quite a tidy sum if at all its possible with this box & as I said earlier why would you do it !! And if its a stock size bearing in all ways then there is no such thing as a stronger bearing, it has to be physically different ..

[lexsmaz]

It makes me smile too when he talks about resprayed bonnet & guard in holts red blah blah colour, its a bloody spray can paint job & the colour's not even correct & the finish well a blind man could see how poor that is ..

[mj.clark001]

Yh ok thanks for the info. Still waiting on the feed back from my brother and wether or not he will go as low as 6k.

Yh im still in NSW.