"The Nomad" my 84 sr5

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timothygodden
Top Notch Member
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:45 am
My tercel:: 84 tercel 4wd sr5 lifted, modified head, delta cam, 2" exhaust
Location: seattle wa

"The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by timothygodden »

I bought my sr5 tercel with 154k in Sep. 2012 for $200. Didn't know anything about it and definitely didn't know how awesome it was. It had a blown head gasket, leaked oil, bald tires, the tired factory clutch, shocks were shot, brakes and rotors were thrashed, bearings toast, and so on and so on..... I soon after lost my home and the tercel quickly became my limbo residence. I put 20k on the car (in its rough condition) getting myself back on my feet and into a new home. to my surprise the car never failed me not once. I fell in love, started researching the car and I found this forum, and realized I wasn't the only one who thought this car is amazing. I've used this forum to find parts and all the info I could ever need. I have a fully rebuilt the head ported polished shaved combustion chambers matched delta cam, full suspension swap (barto/synth lift), kyb shocks, replaced the front bell housing and diff, 2" side dump exaust, removed the ac, 14" mr2 triangle wheels, bigger tires, new brakes, replaced the clutch kit, replaced every seal and gasket I could, and replaced a number of broken and ruined interior components including original plaid seat skins, plus a large array of other small parts and pieces that I can't recall at th moment. It's been two and a half years 43kmiles and a lot of good times with this car. Rebuilding a block for it now, hopefully a Weber soon as well. Thanks to everyone on this site for all the all the invaluable information.
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dlb
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 7305
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by dlb »

wow, good for you. i love hearing of people taking a car that most others would sell to a wrecker or scrap metal yard and fixing it back up into good shape so kudos to you. more pics of the nomad!

btw, your car has a theme song courtesy of brazilian metal band sepultura:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52nhSRD38hU
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Gottolovem
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Posts: 1637
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 4:28 pm
My tercel:: 1985 SR5 with snow plow,1987 auto 1984 parts car,1987 FX-16 GTS
Location: Reno

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by Gottolovem »

Their amazing little cars that become family members :oldgeek:


I gota find me one if those hotwheels :oldgeek:
4doorVIP
Top Notch Member
Posts: 289
Joined: Sun Aug 29, 2010 9:59 am
My tercel:: 1988 SR5 Wagon
Location: Vancouver Island

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by 4doorVIP »

welcome to the club dude
I shared the photo of your dog with my family - that is an awesome photo and I can tell your pooch is smiling lol
2JZGTE-powered Tercel SR5
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Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by Petros »

Great story, congraduations on your recovery from being homeless, and on a great job on the saving of your Tercel4wd. Looks like a decent car to fix up, all of those problems are fairly straight forward to fix, and well worth it.

funny how these funky little '80's econo boxes wrap themeselves around your emotions, I have owned a number of them, most I have fixed up and sold to loving owner, many have joined this forum. Two I parted out because they were rusty and/or had heavy body damage, even so I felt guilty leaving them at the scrap yard. One had been a daily driver for almsot two years, I only paid $200 for it, and it had a lot of damage to the chassi (bent frame, heavy rust, etc). I got those dreadful emotions you feel when you have a very sick pet that you have to have the vet put down, you just hate to have to betray the trust of a loving pet even though it is the only logical and humane thing to do. Never thought I would ever feel that way about a rusty old inanimate car, but it happened none the less. I have NEVER felt that way about any car, or anything else I have ever owned.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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irowiki
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Posts: 3463
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:02 am
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by irowiki »

We spent $450 saving Buck instead of scrapping her, and I think it was money well spent!
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
Posts: 6369
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by ARCHINSTL »

I never thought another car could ever replace my affection for my various Morris Minors - but Goldie did.
Actually, I guess my first T4WD, "Whitie," laid the groundwork, as 20 years later I bought Goldie - and our friendship will be 10 years old in May.
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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Petros
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Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by Petros »

where in Washington state do you live?

Tthe local puget sound (and sometimes our Canadian members, with others from Oregon, Idaho and Montana) get together for a local Tercel4wd meet, usually in the summer.

I have been looking at small toy cars in junk shops and toy collections for a Tercel4wd for over five years and have yet to find one. Some day I will.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
timothygodden
Top Notch Member
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:45 am
My tercel:: 84 tercel 4wd sr5 lifted, modified head, delta cam, 2" exhaust
Location: seattle wa

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by timothygodden »

Just got all the pieces for my engine rebuild into the machine shop can't wait get it back together and on the road again.
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Petros
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 11930
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by Petros »

red is a fast color: if it looks fast, it will feel fast. those 62 hp need all the help they can get!
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
timothygodden
Top Notch Member
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:45 am
My tercel:: 84 tercel 4wd sr5 lifted, modified head, delta cam, 2" exhaust
Location: seattle wa

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by timothygodden »

Petros wrote:where in Washington state do you live?

Tthe local puget sound (and sometimes our Canadian members, with others from Oregon, Idaho and Montana) get together for a local Tercel4wd meet, usually in the summer.

I have been looking at small toy cars in junk shops and toy collections for a Tercel4wd for over five years and have yet to find one. Some day I will.
I am out of shoreline right around the corner from Synthdesign, I am down for tercel meet ups I enjoy the company of people who love these car, we are the econo-BoxCarChildren.

My girlfriend found the toy car on eBay for me. Bid went up to 50$ before others quit bidding against me.t
timothygodden
Top Notch Member
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:45 am
My tercel:: 84 tercel 4wd sr5 lifted, modified head, delta cam, 2" exhaust
Location: seattle wa

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by timothygodden »

dlb wrote:wow, good for you. i love hearing of people taking a car that most others would sell to a wrecker or scrap metal yard and fixing it back up into good shape so kudos to you. more pics of the nomad!

btw, your car has a theme song courtesy of brazilian metal band sepultura:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52nhSRD38hU
Thanks it has been a journey but I love the car a little more ever day even when I can't drive it like now. Thanks for the song should wire it up to my horn.
timothygodden
Top Notch Member
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:45 am
My tercel:: 84 tercel 4wd sr5 lifted, modified head, delta cam, 2" exhaust
Location: seattle wa

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by timothygodden »

Gottolovem wrote:Their amazing little cars that become family members :oldgeek:


I gota find me one if those hotwheels :oldgeek:
You are right about that, my tercel is most definitely a member of my little family now. And many thanks to you for the front diff that kept that family member alive.

Little car was quite the score. It is a Tomica brand Sprinter Caribou I haven't actually seen one as a Tercel 4wd. Might help you find one.
timothygodden
Top Notch Member
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:45 am
My tercel:: 84 tercel 4wd sr5 lifted, modified head, delta cam, 2" exhaust
Location: seattle wa

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by timothygodden »

4doorVIP wrote:welcome to the club dude
I shared the photo of your dog with my family - that is an awesome photo and I can tell your pooch is smiling lol
That is Archer my OEsheepdog/AUSshepard he's a good boy and loves the tercel he has been quite confused about us not driving in it. Took him awhile before he would get into the Oldsmobile on his own.
timothygodden
Top Notch Member
Posts: 163
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:45 am
My tercel:: 84 tercel 4wd sr5 lifted, modified head, delta cam, 2" exhaust
Location: seattle wa

Re: "The Nomad" my 84 sr5

Post by timothygodden »

Prep for the new block.
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