1968 Toyota Corona Pampered Since New Is a True Time Capsule

Toyota entered the US market in 1958 with the Toyopet Crown, but the venture was a flop, as the car deemed overpriced and underpowered. In 1961, Toyota retired the Crown from North America, introducing the Land Cruiser and the Corona. The latter helped Toyota become the third best-selling import brand by 1967.

The third-gen Corona, introduced in 1964, was particularly successful due to its numerous standard features and more modern technology. Which brings me to this 1968 two-door hardtop, perhaps one of only a few unrestored Coronas still present on US soil.

The Japanese compact was spotted at a local auction in Florida years back, but it is worth checking out if you're into time capsules. This Corona is one of those classics that has been pampered since day one. It was never parked outside and spent little time on the road relative to its age.

The odometer showed only 65,000 miles (104,607 km) back in 2019, when the coupe was already 51 years old. The vehicle had been parked for a whopping 32 years at the time but emerged with next to no damage from its heated garage.

Still finished in the original light blue, the Corona was all-original except for an eight-track player and a few paint touch-ups. You'll notice them on the doors, the driver-side rear fender, and the trunk lid. It's amazingly clean, and, needless to say, nearly impossible to find in such stunning condition.

Our host didn't look under the hood, but I found an online ad for this exact car, and I can tell you that it has a 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine and a two-speed Toyoglide automatic transmission. This 3R-series unit was the largest available in the third-generation Corona. The powerplant was rated at 90 horsepower and 110 pound-feet (149 Nm) of torque.

In 1967, Toyota introduced a performance version with a 1600GT badge. Developed as a more affordable alternative to the exclusive 2000GT sports car, the 1600GT featured a 1.6-liter four-cylinder that combined the 4R block with the Yamaha-built head of the 2000GT. Rated at 110 horsepower, the 1600GT was produced in only 2,222 examples over 13 months. 

The third-gen Corona was available with an array of other four-cylinder powerplants, displacing 1.2 to 1.6 liters. In addition to the two-speed automatic, Toyota also offered three-speed and four-speed manual gearboxes.

This 1968 Corona sold for $5,400, a sticker in line with third-gen Corona prices back in the late 2010s. The info I found shows that the same car was sold for $3,200 a month before the Florida auction.

I have no info on the current whereabouts of this Corona, but I hope it's getting the love it deserves because it's a very cool time capsule. Hit the play button below for the full walkaround.