1972 Toyota Corolla: Undercarriage Teardown

Become a Patron: / joellaurino
Instagram: joellaurino
Spotify Playlist: open.spotify.com/playlist/43R...
_________________________________________________________________________________________
In this episode, I did a teardown of all the suspension and brake components on the undercarriage. This is the first step in getting this car ready to be tipped over on its side for an undercarriage restoration.
Overall the car was in surprisingly good condition, I didn't find one seized bolt on the car. This being my first teardown, it was quite a learning experience, and I even had to buy some "specialty" tools like a ball joint separator.
I tried to document the process as best I could for audience experience, but mostly so I can look back at this video when I have to put the car back together.
Let me know what you think.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
0:49 - Seats
1:11 - Drain Fluids
2:09 - Exhaust Removal
3:30 - Driveshaft Removal
5:09 - Drum Brakes + Emergency Cable
7:08 - Drop Rear Axel
13:42 - Front Suspension
17:20 - Strut Removal
18:21 - Blow Torch
19:21 - Ball Joint Separator
20:15 - Control Arm
21:07 - Outro

[@AlicePearlJam]

For someone who claims not to know what they’re doing, you’re doing a great job! Excited to be able to follow the progress of this classic car. Also, thank you for your attention to detail with videography and editing. It’s a pleasure to watch a car restoration channel without the jarring, shaking, headache inducing camera shots.

[@sansberlin]

Thanks so much, means a lot! Yes, the attention to detail is for audience enjoyment, but mostly so I can go back and watch what I did when I have to put it back together haha. KZbin is a great teacher for now with the disassembly. But I'll have to read up and either get the car's original manual or someone with experience to help put this back together correctly and safely.

[@rodneynoriel1528]

AndI love the Bandaid on the finger.. Hate looking for a bandaid when im in the middle of getting a bad bolt out.

[@sansberlin]

@@rodneynoriel1528 hahaha ya I was just covering up some cuts, ended up duct taping the finger instead 😆

[@yellow_noise3]

There is a Czech cartoon from past, named "Pat & Mat". I am sorry, but it look one to one the same. Honestly, I cannot understand the admiration to the people who don't now what they doin' and are proud of this.... what is the value of this video?

[@camerong8395]

Try putting some superglue in and over those cuts. It dries up like a second skin if you apply it right. A convenient fix that still slows you to use your bare hands.

[@angelgoindoo4518]

One advice: don't just put parts in zip lock bags and mark them with a marker sometimes it rubs off. Write on a piece of paper what it is and put in the bag. Best of luck on this build.

[@sansberlin]

Noted, thank!

[@AM2prunejuice]

Yes. I will even blue tape the nuts to the part sometimes.

[@badledgend1172]

Former restoration shop employee. This. Or if you can find bags that have the white labels where they can be written on, but just writing on the clear plastic is a no-go. Tags are another must, get them in bulk and you can throw some tags in the bags as a safe bet. I'd also consider noting if any stuff taken off was missing hardware so you're not scrambling around looking for something that was always missing later on. Last, take lots of pictures and document everything. Can't tell you how many times I've had to look back at photos months later when it came time to reassemble.

[@AM2prunejuice]

@@badledgend1172 I was in a shop that had these awesome little cloth bags with a cinch string at the top. I'd love to find some of those to buy.

[@badledgend1172]

@@AM2prunejuice oh interesting, didn't know that was a thing

[@bigjohnson7415]

PLEASE get Safety Glasses! I was 17, in High School Auto Shop class. Back in the 70's, they didn't know any better, but I was doing a brake job and a spring popped off into my eye! Been legally blind in it ever since! I'm 61 now.

[@sansberlin]

There have been multiple comments on safety glasses and I will definitely listen!

[@arizonacolour8793]

Omg nooooo 😢

[@homeless5019]

3:12 my thought exactly

[@homeless5019]

Oh and not to mention the hand gloves

[@ddave7026]

Yes! Former welder here . I've seen some bad injuries from grinding hammering and what not. Bad stuff

[@threeam____]

"The why is the most important & the how will follow." I like that.

[@denizsezerer6579]

70s Japanese car designs have so much character. Very much looking forward to seeing this build.

[@sansberlin]

They do, but so small, i'm 6'2, i'll need to get longer seat rails to fit in this thing more comfortably hahaha. The ultimate classic jdm in my opinion look wise is the Hako

[@ReasonablySkeptic]

THIS IS LITERALLY MY DREAM! I wish i could take a car apart, restore it, and build it back. *_THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME LIVE THOUGH YOUR JOURNY!_*

[@arizonacolour8793]

You CAN! Just find a car you like, get some money maybe 5-10k and someone to help/guide you....

[@uxhive]

Oddly satisfying to watch this. Please keep uploading more!! I don't wanna miss even a single small step. Thank you for sharing!

[@sansberlin]

Really appreciate it! Trying to make it fun for everyone, while at the same time documenting every step so I can put it back together

[@uxhive]

@@sansberlin Thank you so much. Hope this channel will outreach more and more.

[@harrisonblyth4096]

agree

[@kaiorodriguesmatos4356]

brazilian music while work in the car is the requiem of life

[@sansberlin]

It’s the little things

[@gordonclark7632]

It's nice to see someone get excited when a cheap tool works.

[@sansberlin]

hahaha

[@robbiemer8178]

Nice looking car! It is definitely going to be fun watching you sort it out. Thanks for bringing us all along! Also, Spend a couple bucks on some safety glasses and wear them.

[@sansberlin]

lots of votes for safety glasses, i'll listen. and thanks, glad everyones along!

[@skwerldeath]

Ya beat me to it! I was wincing when he was rattle-gunning bolts, cuz I’ve been hit by supersonic stray particles. Great vids, though. And that is a beautiful little car.

[@fernandoherranz4095]

Yes safety glasses for sure, and I've seen some restorers even wear gloves to keep some chemicals and rusty metal slivers out of fingers. I'd even put more blue supports under that bad boy if possible. Best of luck!

[@gamby16a]

This is fantastic! I've been into cars forever, but never really did heavy wrenching like this. I appreciate that you're discovering stuff as you go along. I have a feeling you're going to have a decent number of subscribers as thus goes along. Probably helps that Sarah N Tuned is doing a pretty major oldschool Celica build right now and the algorithm will put your videos up for her half million+ subscribers. I just subbed to your channel BTW. Best of luch with this.

[@sansberlin]

Thanks man, appreciate it. I actually just got recommended her video on the Celica! She seems to be doing quite the restoration with bigger engine, and transmission etc. I should probably watch and learn a thing or two because they're basically the same car!

[@gamby16a]

@@sansberlin It's going to be a pretty serious restomod with a bunch of fabrication, but then she'll do something like pull the heater assembly and break that down. Hee builds are super detailed and very entertaining. You're off to a very good start tho.

[@michaelgill7994]

This cat has such simple engineering it just makes me smile.

[@sansberlin]

Perfect for a beginner, i've enjoyed the process without a ton of sensors and wires.

[@celsobarrios4810]

Grew up around Celicas and Corona Toys...this is nostalgic 😢

[@user-dy8vj6gl9i]

you are actually inspiring me to work on my mx32 that have been stopped for 5+ years , I'm gonna take that journey with you buddy keep on the good work❤‍🔥

[@sansberlin]

There's nothing stopping us, get out there and fix that Cressida, film it, it might be useful to others doing the same resto!

[@itsaboutfam]

Thank you YT for suggesting this. I look forward to your restoration. Older cars still can be great daily drivers.

[@sansberlin]

Appreciate it! Hopefully it will be a great daily

[@dannygloversshotgun211]

Your overall excitement, enthusiasm, and motivation towards every task and part of this project really carries this series towards a fun and engaging build/rebuild. Looking forward to every bit of content that comes from this!

[@dylandajhharwood5566]

Working on cars your best friend is safety. Hand and eyes at a minimum. Looks like a great build!

[@sansberlin]

Will do, thanks for looking out

[@MammothBehemoth]

Since you've had it lifted and removed things undernesth the car, I would suggest some sort of rust converter paint then a sort of bed liner paint to protect the underside (assuming after you fixed the worn out rusted parts)

[@sansberlin]

That's the plan. After I get this on its side, i'll sand blast it, repair the rust, and apply some either rust converter and paint. I saw people doing the raptor liner, but was worried it might trap moisture. Any thoughts?

[@VeyronBD]

@@sansberlin Its might if its not preped correctly, as you're blasting it that should give you a perfect surface. Most of the underside just needs a good tough paint and then stone chip in the wheel arches or high impact areas (raptor liner is a good choice here). You will notice the areas that were stone chipped and the others that were just painted from the factory.

[@callmecamo]

​@@sansberlin I use POR 15, I daily drove a 1969 cutlass for 8 years and it worked wonders.

[@terryjackson4538]

@@sansberlin Not sure if you have it in the states but I've been using the KBS coatings here in Oz. Come as a kit - Rust Blast, Aqua Klean, Rust Seal. Works very well at a good price. POR-15 is also very good.

[@anthonypostivka]

Love everything about these videos. The car with character, unlike most car build channels, the music choice, the simplicity... Good stuff!

[@andrewredman517]

Great vid series starting. Have to say, your enthusiasm when breaking things loose is awesome. Cracks me up to be honest and brings a wonderful sense of simplicity that is refreshing in a world where everyone is a "pro" on KZbin. Keep it up!

[@sansberlin]

Well said, I also want to see people in the process of learning, makes it seem like there's a barrier to perfection I need to cross if there's only pro's

[@trevormcculloch5011]

Thanks for sharing. I am grinning ear to ear with the ball joints.

[@sansberlin]

They were so fun haha

[@rickwicks7524]

Great videos! so at 17:40 in the vid, the nut you removed held the spring under tension, so thats why the spring was so loose at 17:57. At 19:00, thats just a lock nut (usually some kind of plastic or nylon so the nut doesnt slowly back itself off from vibration). Cant wait to keep watching more of this build, thanks for putting in the time to make these!

[@sansberlin]

The thing is I swear the springs were never under tension in the first place, they were rattling around....i'm not sure if thats common or not, but the next ones will be an upgrade. Appreciate it!

[@zeroyon4562]

She’s pretty clean for a 50 year old car. I hope you keep the 2T. You can wash the bearings in parts cleaner and then repack them with grease by hand later. I use Redline CV-2, it’s good stuff. T3 (techno toy tuning) is good for suspension parts.

[@sansberlin]

Thanks for the advice, really appreciate it! I'll be keeping the 2t, and i've checked out techno toys, I think its my best bet for new suspension. Although I was wanting Bilstein. I dont want it to be all race oriented

[@crespo03]

SAFETY GLASSES! SAFETY GLASSES! SAFETY GLASSES! Other than that, really great looking project and you're doing great for someone who has never done this before!

[@KartikeyaVashisht]

Idk why but its very satisfying to watch, glad I stumbled upon this journey on yt

[@Nick-ig8rx]

watching this feels therapeutic for some reason👌

[@sansberlin]

I'll start chanting half way through the video

[@BroseidonGaming]

remember,: just start. the why is the most important, and the how will follow love it!

[@threeam____]

I am LOVING these videos man. It aint hard to tell youre havin a good time workin on your car. Just a man & his ride. You love to see it. Keep up the great videos man Im enjoyin every second.

[@sansberlin]

Its been a blast so far, appreciate it!

[@jquanisgone]

Loving the toro y moi playing in the background

[@AlejandroRamos-hw1eh]

I love how excited you get every time you use a new tool. It's really wholesome, wish I was helping you out too with the project. Keep it up!

[@sansberlin]

It's a new world for me, i'm sure there will be a lot more moments like that

[@Jb-Raja]

Back in the early 80s I used to own a silver 4 door 71 Corolla. Beautiful car smooth and quiet. Not very powerful but it was charming. Looking forward to your build.

[@Rondo2ooo]

Maybe it's my long gone childhood, but I love a lot of the 70s Japanese car designs. Corolla, Celica, 929, RX-7, 240 Z....

[@mhatt9552]

I love the reaction every time he gets a part off with the ball joint puller lol. Nice video I'm trying to get my 79 280zx ready to be daily driven so this gives me some confidence

[@sansberlin]

These cars need to be driven! hahaha thanks, its the small things

[@criss.acteur2671]

"just start' is why a lot of Classic cars end up in boxes

[@thesambehindtheslaughter8843]

Currently working on a old lexus and seeing your videos has given me alot of inspiration to get outside n start working again. Cant wait to see the finished corolla things already beautiful

[@sansberlin]

Get out there and work on it! Appreciate it, thanks man

[@innercityprepper]

Man, everything is so tiny and not rusty! This would be a dream rebuild.

[@WolfMimirMori]

Don't know why, but amateur restoration videos of cars is always a favourite. You've found yourself a subscriber. Looking forward to seeing this car become what you're visioning.

[@nomayor1]

How sentimental. We used to have one of these when I was a kid. It was red. I still remember the number plate, 40 years later.

[@carloalfano334]

this is entertaining to watch. The excitment when parts come off is hilarious.

[@Griff_Zero]

It's like My Summer Car, but in reverse. Awesome to watch. Thanks for sharing! 👍

[@albertfermin8496]

I’m like you. Never done this before, little mechanical experience, but love old cars and dream of rebuilding one myself (after getting married in a year). I’ve looked around on KZbin and gotten more and more into the car scene, have learned a lot, but haven’t found videos of someone in a similar position to me. These videos are exactly what I’ve been looking for. Thank you for this series and I look forward to watching your journey!

[@oldrcrich]

So glad you are documenting this...i need to do many of the same things on my 71 and i have something to reference now 🙂

[@sansberlin]

This right here is what it’s all about. Good luck on it!

[@williamtufts3600]

Small piece of advice. Never pull a drain plug without pulling the fill plug first. You don't want to drain a fluid and not be able to put any back in. And get some glasses. Especially if you are laying on your back. And NEVER pull the shock nut off of the strut without compressing the spring! You were very lucky to not damage the vehicle or hurt yourself. They can be under immense pressure. And if you pull that nut off it can instantly release that energy and cause serious damage.

[@sansberlin]

Thanks for looking out, and the advice. With the shock, the spring was loose before I took the nut off. Is that common? Are all strut assemblies compressed? Was something wrong with my strut to begin with?

[@williamtufts3600]

@@sansberlin some are some aren't. Depends on the make and model. Best to treat all of them as compressed until you can confirm if they are. You did good by making sure that it was loose first.

[@Corsair_Cowboy]

Music choices alone have earned ya a sub😂.

[@dheitz5830]

You just popped up on my suggested videos and I subscribed almost immediately. I love how you're putting these videos together. Please keep this up.

[@TwistyTrav]

You've immediately earned my subscription!

[@sansberlin]

Thanks! Means a lot

[@powerd061]

We have very similar tastes in music and that has elevated my enjoyment of this video so thank you.

[@lohostege]

I love the fact that you show shots of just the underside, and we see everything. Also, you had fun with that popper tool

[@ANG-249]

Loving the random monke laughs and grunts very relatable

[@DarkwaterV2]

Your enthusiasm from learning and succeeding bit by bit is really fun to watch.

[@nickis_speedshop]

Massively cool videos man! Love the style and your enthusiasm. I'm doing a similar project with a Subaru BRAT. All the best from Denmark

[@sansberlin]

Really appreciate it! The little El Camino, very nice, i'll have to come check it out.

[@Formula1-Dave]

I love this content. The detail and quality is top shelf. Please never do time lapse videos. Keep doing what you are doing. Subscribed!!!

[@ForbiddenTechs]

dude I am so excited about this project. I can only drive automatic but just looking at the classic beauty of this car makes me want to drive stick and get into restoration...

[@johnmiller5922]

I just started watching today but this is going to be a great series and I think you are doing that Corolla justice! One thing which someone may have already mentioned: Working on a car is a good reason to invest in some protective eyewear and work gloves! The best of luck to you and THANK YOU!

[@Keegan3005]

loving the video mate, and also absolutely loving the music selection - 10/10!

[@sansberlin]

Appreciate it man!

[@cones-n-bones]

The production quality is amazing. I definitely will be following this series. Makes me more motivated to fix up my ol 92 d21 that’s currently engineless

[@a.majidkhokar827]

Hey that's a great start for a project, also you're encouraging people too. Way to go buddy. All the best.

[@XanderStander]

I love the pure joy of your reactions. Awesome video!

[@GreyRoom2809]

This gives me the same pleasure as watching Wheeler Dealers when they had Ed.

[@victoreguchii]

Loved the Brazilian playlist at the beginning! Keep up the great series, man, congrats! Best wishes from Brazil.

[@weirdopepsidude]

KZbin sent me here. This was a really enjoyable experience, the dead mall atmosphere adds a lot to a car restoration video.

[@Rosten]

Great video. Also so funny to see youre excitement while dismantling this thing. Especially the balljoints. Really brings some memories when i was about 14y old and did these things first time by myself. Keep it going man!

[@elliottlatorres6322]

This has been so great to watch, and I never comment on videos. I’m happy you found a good project. Can’t wait to see how you’ll make it run!

[@sansberlin]

Really appreciate it!

[@AlexandreSchwarz]

Awesome playlist on the background!

[@mewanksta11]

thank you for sacrificing that clean floor for us

[@sansberlin]

hahaha

[@val3r.e]

hope this series continues to grow! makes me wanna learn myself 😌

[@albinoblacksheep7826]

love the commentary while u work and figure it out

[@ThomasPowers]

I wish I loved anything as much as this dude loves pulling ball joints.

[@sansberlin]

Lol

[@matthewkinney5474]

I'm not the most experienced person ever, but I guess I have a decent amount of experience tinkering with cars. Anyways, to answer some of your questions during the video. 1) 14:42 The reason the nut came off easily is the design is a tapered roller bearing and the nuts tightness (so to say) is there to set preload. There are many videos out there on setting wheel bearing preload. 2) 15:51 My guess for the reason there's no brake fluid is that either the line has collapsed (unlikely, but you should replace old rubber lines anyway) or the fluid had drained enough out of the back. 3) 16:31 As far as storage, I would keep them coated with the grease until you're ready to reassemble so they don't flash rust. Perfectly OK to touch with fingers as long as you clean and repack the bearings before reassembly. 4) 17:32 When removing the struts, just remove the 3 mounting nuts. The center nut holds the entire strut assembly together and on a car with stiffer springs that could definitely get sketchy. 5) 18:54 This just looks like a Nyloc nut. The plastic insert is to prevent loosening of the bolt. Usually, you replace nylocs when they are removed. Anyways, that's all for now, excited to see the video and I can try to answer questions to the best of my ability. Good luck!

[@lesklower7281]

Came apart resonably easily for a very old Toyota Corolla only needed heat once and one thing you won't have to replace is the exhaust system nice and shiny

[@sansberlin]

Was very surprising that it all came apart, but it was kept indoors. The exhaust was put in by me, so nice and new!

[@lesklower7281]

@@sansberlin It is interesting some Australians are restoring okder Japanese cars because its worth it l myself have a 1997 Toyota Hilux a lot more recent that your Coralla and my brother has a 1976 Toyota Corolla and uses it as his daily driver and older Japanese cars are beginning to fetch good prices l know because l keep an eye on the market l have seen them sell for some quite good money

[@MeneerShaniel]

bro i was always looking for someone who i can relate to so i understand that you want to make this car into a granny car and who can work on these classics. you motivate me already so i wish you all the best with this project.

[@sansberlin]

Grandpa cars for life, man. I just want to cruise down the street and enjoy myself everyday. Go out there and work on that car man

[@fedesxxxxxx]

such a beautiful car, following your progress!

[@jfgarro]

The good old japanese cars! with a basic set of tools and great determination, one can performs like a real pro! Thanks for sharing!

[@P1Gman]

So good! The first car I bought myself was a 77 Corolla. It was yellow and looked almost just like this one. Same body style, but some different trim. It was a tank. I've had 2 other Corollas since. A 93 and my current 2015. Corollas are the best cars on the road.

[@mag0420]

so nice to see people still appreciating such classics, this car being my grandpa's, i always wanted to see one in a good condition with a bunch of modern touches and upgrades, curious about the suspension and what you're gonna go for. Looking forward to the whole build, good luck.

[@baaaharev]

Good work, man! Looking forward to take a look at the next episodes. Best regards, Nick

[@RobBread1]

I did the same thing on my 74 corolla SR5 coupe back in the late 80's. That car was a blast to drive. I think you're doing a pretty good job so far.

[@aleks4098]

Can't wait to see this beauty done

[@TexMexThe3rd]

The orange original colour would be amazing on this car. Please consider it!

[@sansberlin]

I know! Being that the black is not original I was hoping to go a dark green, but i'll consider it! Some funky 70's colour would be great

[@stillme_1]

Another Mat Armstrong-like enthusiast. Keep up the good work bro

[@masoudadami]

What you doing is inspiring for me Thank you and good luck with your restoration

[@mattetc]

was not expecting Phone Call to be playing! love that whole tape :)

[@obstinacy1621]

Holy shit I can't wait to follow this series, beautiful car and so much fun to learn alongside you! Amazing editing and pacing to top it all off, keep it up!

[@sansberlin]

Thanks so much, means a lot!

[@SetajLadd]

beautiful car, it stands the test of time...

[@Freco1967]

This is an amazingly cool looking car. Good luck with her!

[@boomi4782]

I just discovered your channel, this is my dream car and I’m hopping in to see your journey with it, will be waiting for more updates!

[@guillermoyelamo5816]

This is honest to god content. I like the fact that you are learning as you go along, and that makes the whole process very special, not to mention the car you've chosen to work on, I just love old Toyotas from the 70's. Will follow very closely from now on. Subbed!

[@abnpthfdr2934]

Just subscribed to your channel. I learned how to drive in a '72 Toyota Corolla, not exactly the peanut, it was a pickle, but still holds a special place in my heart. I wish I can find one of them to buy. Edit: It looks like somebody put in some work into it. For example: The exhaust and the hangers look fairly new and the grease on the front suspension bearings look good as well (it looks green which is a good thing). I have to go back and watch the first video in this series (which I will do right now), and then watch the one where you pull the engine. Good video!!!🤙🏼 Edit 2: Now that I've watched the first video, I came back here to say that my father's car was the original Toyota orange as well. He had re-painted once, but kept it the same original color.

[@sansberlin]

I like the back and forth edits hahaha Yes I had the exhaust professionally done, but it was a bit like putting lipstick on a pig. The car needed basic work before making it sound good. I'm not sure the extent of the previous work, but I only had the rockers, carpet, and exhaust put in.

[@greentenrninja6452]

This makes me miss my 73 Corolla that had a 3tc motor swapped in it with dual side draft mikuni. Can’t wait to see all the work you do to this!

[@randyloomis2313]

Nice car. Can't believe how much it looks like a 70's Nova. Keep up the good work.

[@allansayson5587]

Loving your project. Can’t wait to see the final result. 😊

[@sansberlin]

Appreciate it!

[@amritbalraj6049]

Great video, I'm in for your journey. I feel the elation when you get difficult bolts off.

[@Baked1s]

Wow, huge fan of your content already after your two videos, its so clear and direct and I love this sort of content. Also, wondering where you are working on your car it looks quite spacious

[@sanzidulislam5543]

i m gonna binge watch all of your video now

[@justascatman5708]

2:49 amazing music taste

[@ravagewenches5997]

Those castle nuts aren't supposed to be very tight. They are for your wheel bearing preload. You need to look up the spec for them on re-assembly

[@sansberlin]

Definitely will. I'm currently looking for an original manual for chassis reassembly. Thanks!

[@sideways4life993]

I just found out about your channel, and I’m here for it.

[@sansberlin]

Thanks! I'll keep it fresh

[@sideways4life993]

@@sansberlin hopefully you’ll bring the car back to it’s original colour 🥺

[@mustufa_k]

love the honesty, great trait to have

[@sansberlin]

Appreciate it, we're all beginners at one point

[@jasonmanley5287]

You’re doing exactly what I would be doing in your position…turning it into a “grandpa car”! I like cars that run really well and make the driving experience better. I got over the desire to make my vehicles loud and fast about 15 years ago!

[@sansberlin]

Exactly, the car's got an old soul and it needs some smooth daily driving and to be appreciated. Thanks!

[@ryenjarvis300]

Wonderful quality video with great attention to detail. I'm excited to follow your journey! :)