Faults:

There has not been much to go wrong with the car. I replaced the brakes - complete with master cylinder, front rotors and calipers.

Replaced valve cover gasket and radiator hose.

Replaced fuel pump.

The car has rusted in Michigan.

General Comments:

I originally purchased this car for my son. It was not much to look at, but ran like a smooth sewing machine. The interior and exterior were not put together as well as the mechanical portion of the car.

I was concerned with him driving such a small car as a first car, so we got him something bigger and I drove this, and am still driving it. Not sure of the miles on the car - either 200k or 300k.

I love the manual transmission and rear wheel drive. Gas mileage is 25-32 for the wagon model. It is a great utility style vehicle, but I would not want to drive a long distance because of comfort.

Parts are readily available and easy to obtain.

I wish I would have bought this car new and driven it since 79.

Faults:

Water Pump

Shocks

Froom brake pads / rotors turned

Rear drum brakes

Oil pump

PCV valve

Belts

Tires

Clutch

Clutch master & slave cylinder

Brake master cylinder

Leaky window & trunk seals.

General Comments:

This car was a fairly rough example of a rugged economy Corolla from the Carter era. I've gradually resurrected it and used it as a daily commuter for a 100-mile round trip.

Corners beautifully with new shocks - parallel parks in any spot (and you get a minor upper body workout too) - comes to life slightly with a new clutch. Beats most construction vehicles off the line.

Conquers flat highways easily - has some trouble passing on hills.

Shifts and handles potholes like a truck. Desperately wants a 5th gear. Difficult to shift into reverse - you need to wait a second or two from neutral.

Gets 22 - 26 mpg - not bad for no fuel injection, but not stellar for its size.

Carburetor hates anything resembling cold weather starts.

Faults:

Most recently, oil in cyl 4, could use head work.

2 clutches in 260000 miles.

2 front brake jobs win 260000 miles.

1 water pump in 260000 miles.

1 radiator due to user error.

2 clutch slave cyl due to wrong part (pre 79 slaves fail, wrong size)

Rust around back hatch.

Uphostry... all of it shot after 200,000 miles.

General Comments:

Stock it had a top speed of 120mph, which I timed on man trips to California. Best time Seattle to L.A. was 14hours. Shockingly it seemed to handle better then a 1988 Celica all track turbo. There are many upgrades to improve the stock engine, not the least of which is a DOHC.

I averaged 30mpg most of it's life, my old 76 without a cat got 40 with the right gas. Last check it was closer to 28mph.

To this day it's operational, though a rebuilt head would be in order at this point. The compression tested solid after 340,000 miles.