You know some folks just can’t quit working, and they go on well past their prime; even well past their retirement age. Such is the case of this old late ’70s Corolla wagon, a tough worker, hanging in there despite all appearances.
Yes, one more scrappy find from the streets of San Salvador. And this one, I believe, the transport of a gardener. I’ve constantly written about how relevant Corollas and Sunnys (Datsun B210) of the 1970s were in this region, and this barely surviving one is a perfect example. The cars may be nothing more than rolling scraps, but they somehow keep on going. And as you can probably surmise, crashworthiness is a low priority around here. Rollingness, on the other hand, ranks high.
Nope, there isn’t one straight panel as far as I can see on this old Corolla, and I know that lax vehicular law enforcement helps keep this old heap on the roads. But still, it’s rather remarkable to see it in any working condition.
Now, the wagon is certainly the product of desperate handiwork; wobbly panels pushed into place, added bits of metal and wood, and more that my eye –and imagination– can’t wholly figure out.
No matter its poor presentation, there’s love in this wagon; makeshift remedies of all sorts appear throughout. Additional lights on the bumper to… do the work the headlights no longer perform? New –and dangling– rearview mirrors, and a hand-painted coat of white to cover the rusty bits. Sort of.
Even some hand-painted accents on the grille. I leave it to you CC readers, is this love or desperation? I, for one, will choose the former.
Another view up close. I’ve no idea how many maladies one can pick from this shot, but there are plenty. And if this car wasn’t in San Salvador, I would call its condition beyond terminal. But being here, I’m sure it’s got a few years of work ahead of it.
That’s quite the “CC find” interior. A barely working cabin, yet, I believe an efficient enough “working space” for this manual worker. It even serves as a rest and pleasure area, as that beer can by the hand brake shows. Though I hope its consumption occurs between shifts if this old ride is to survive.
That said, just about a couple of hours before typing this piece I saw this wagon drive by my home. Its driver looking sober, and heading home after a day of hard work. So, worries aside, I do feel this old one will remain on the roads for some time to come.
My favorite thing is the little pine-scented air freshener dangling from the rear view mirror. Because if your ride doesn’t smell piney-fresh, what have you got?
I don’t think I’ve ever seen the two-door wagon version of this generation Corolla before though, the northern ones were all four doors if memory serves.
An impressive find though in this state, and it deserves its own theme music, perhaps Gloria Gaynor’s “I will survive” would be most appropriate here.
I agree with Jim that the best part is the Little Tree. In fact, if I worked for Little Tree, I’d want this Corolla for a lobby display at corporate HQ, and in return I’d offer the gardener a slightly newer pickup (done up with Little Tree logos, because gardener…tree…that works). He’d be set for life.
I have two friends from high school/college days who both drove Corolla wagons of approximately this vintage (4 doors, I believe). They loved those things dearly and constantly proclaimed their near indestructibility. Unfortunately for them, they lived in the US vs. Central America (although one does live in Central America now and may still have a ride that looks like that) and so their Corollas were taken off the road before they got quite as tattered as the subject car. Pretty close though. I do know for a fact that both of those guys (their wives, not so much) would still rather be driving the late 70s Corolla, even if the doors no longer latched.
While I prefer my classics pristine (who doesn’t), there’s a lot to be said about this car rolling on for nearly 50 years doing the good deeds. Praise!
Fist-thump to the chest for both auto and owner. In my mind’s eye, they’re equally hard-working. Mucho respeto…
My neighbor across the alley has been driving a mid-seventies Datsun King Cab for all of the 20+ years I’ve lived here. It has a driver’s seat, a stick shift, and no grille. Recently, when something caught fire in the engine bay, he finally threw in the towel and bought a Honda Ridgeline.
There’s the new-ish Honda with the (t)rusty Datsun in the foreground. Rest well, my friend, you’ve earned it.
BTW, there are two more non-runners in the garage to the left (where the new Honda should be).
A mate of mine bought one of these in OZ cheap it was rough not as bad as the posted car, but it ran great and did approx 2 laps of Aussie loaded and needed a gearbox after that easy fix, roadworthy in northern WA and roadworthy in NSW are very different and eventually it was put off the road and became yard art.
You mention crashworthiness, Rich. That poor Corolla doesn’t look like it could go fast enough to crash!
It looks to have what would be terminal cowl rust in most countries. The passenger’s side looks to be sitting higher than the driver’s side.in the front view. I don’t think it’s just that the hood isn’t/won’t shut. I’m not surprised the tyres are bald, such structural twist would make the best alignment job merely theoretical.
Which makes me wonder – how bad would a car have to be before the authorities did something?
This one reminds me of the average daily drivers in Guatemala when I lived there .
Incredibly mangled, be cause they still ran and drove they’d get “fixed” after each bash or injury .
Worthless except to those who owned and used them .
-Nate