An $11,000 Toyota GR Corolla sounds like a cheap way into a fun daily driver. Getting this one ready for the road, though, meant taking much of it apart.
Ben, of Gears and Gasoline, bought a wrecked 2023 Core model through Facebook Marketplace. It had just 15,000 miles on it. New-car prices and dealer markups had put him off buying one.
His Toyota habit already included a Tundra and an MR2 race car. He had bought his mother a Corolla hatchback, too. This purchase came with a salvage title and crash damage down the passenger side.
The seller had bought it at auction after a wreck in Florida and planned to fix it. Ben took over a project that came with some spare parts, a cracked windshield, and a bent front frame rail.
Family Resemblance
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The GR shares its name with an economy car, but its engine and drivetrain help explain Ben’s interest. Toyota’s specifications list a turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder with 300 horsepower, a six-speed manual, and all-wheel drive.
“I’m not going to spend exorbitant amounts of money to own a Corolla, no matter how cool it is,” Ben said. He put the price of a retail example at about $40,000.
Some standard Corolla parts could help keep his wreck’s repair costs down. Ben pointed out shared doors, a shared windshield, and headlights shared with newer Corolla hatchbacks. A spare rear door already matched the paint.
Before the frame-shop visit, the crew replaced the windshield and took off damaged body panels. Mark and David used Toyota software to clear the airbag light. Some faults in the driver-assist systems remained. Those needed the front end put back together first.
A Bigger Pull
Kevin had worked in body repair for 25 years. He gave the bent front rail a pull on his frame machine, but the metal was too badly damaged to keep.
“Even if I was to pull it and it all popped back out, it won’t hold up in another collision,” he said. Replacing the damaged section meant cutting farther back, where the engine blocked access for welding.
Ben also learned that the subframe was bent. With both repairs ahead, he removed the engine and transmission so Kevin could reach the area.
Taking the car apart brought a few welcome surprises. Fresh bolts came loose without the rust Ben was used to on older cars. A hole in the control arm let him reach a subframe bolt. A stubborn coolant hose still gave the crew trouble.
Once the subframe was out, Ben planned to keep its sway bar and scrap the damaged subframe. He found used subframes listed for about $500. He chose to replace a control arm as well.
In Kevin’s Hands
Back at the body shop, Kevin drilled out spot welds and took off the damaged metal. He checked that the new rail pieces lined up before welding them into place.
Rear body damage took more pulling and fitting. Kevin welded on a plate to grip the metal and pull it outward, working to restore the gaps around the rear panels.
The episode ends with the rebuild still in progress. Kevin has the taillight fitting into place, while another gap near a rear bracket still needs to close.