Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

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Mezzbob
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My tercel:: 1983 Tercel SR5 Wagon

Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by Mezzbob »

So I had the 1983 Toyota Tercel SR5 Wagon I purchased for my father as a retirement gift arrive last week all the way from NC. The seats and interior door panels/trim were much more worn and sun faded then I originally thought.

I stopped by a local pick n pull junk yard the other day and they just happened to get in a 1987 Tercel Wagon 2WD. My current interior color was a brown/tan color scheme. This 1987 interior is a slightly darker trim color!

I already took the front seats, seat belts and all 4 door inside panels and rear speaker and hatchback compartment cover since they were in amazing shape. From what I can tell they look exactly the same as my current door panels and trim panels, so I was assume they should just pop in and and screw down.

I know there were slight changes to the outside of the car and the grill area in 1986 I believe but I never read where any modifications were made innterior was other then different color combo options throughout the 83-88 year range.

Is there any interior parts (steering wheel and column, dash, interior trim and door panels ,etc....) that won't cross over?

I ask because if so I may go back this week and strip the rest of the interior out of the 1987 Wagon at the junk yard and just swap out the entire interior.

Only thing I thought might require modification would be the complete front dash because there would not be a mounting spot for the inclinometer on the 1987 dash.
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ARCHINSTL
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Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by ARCHINSTL »

There are several threads available on the installation of an inclinometer.
Active member dlb has an excellent thread, with photos: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=7617
Inactive member GTSSportCoupe has a step-by-step: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=389&p=7829&hilit=inclinometer#p7829
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Mezzbob
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My tercel:: 1983 Tercel SR5 Wagon

Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by Mezzbob »

The 1983 SR5 has the Inclometer in it already, it would be swapping in a different front dash that had not had one installed so I think some slight modifications would be needed.
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rer233
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Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by rer233 »

Sorry to hear your new baby wasn't quite what you'd expected. Good to see you found a donor car 'tho. As far as interchangeability, you're gonna have a few problems. First of all, the rear seats are completely different FWD as opposed to 4WD. FWD bottom seat cushions are hinged at the front so they can be folded forward to allow the backrest to be completely level with cargo area when it's folded down. 4WD bottom cushions are fixed and the backrest doesn't sit quite level with the cargo area when folded down. Also, the FWD rear seat is maybe 1-2 inches farther forward, and the cargo cover is correspondenly longer to make up the difference. You can however modify the FWD cover to fit by cutting off the necessary material to make it fit (I've done it.) You say the front seats swap- I've never tried that so I don't know. As you noted, there's no problem swapping door parts.

Another interior problem you're gonna have is our wagons went from fixed steering columns ('83 & '84) to tilt columns ('85 and up.) The upper and lower column surround trim panels are completely different and won't swap over unless you swap the entire column over (if that's even possible- I've never tried that.)

Also, you'll find the carpets are different (front and rear) between 2 and 4 WD as is the radio surround "cubby."

You might want to verify that you HAVE an SR5- the VIN should start out JT2AL35, if it's JT2AL25, you've got a DLX in sheep's clothing.

Good Luck, welcome to the club, and I hope this helps!
if it aint there, there's a good chance it won't break!
83 SR5 Silver/Blue (Snowmobile/work beater)-totaled but drivable
85 SR5 Blue
88 SR5 White (the 'good' one)-not anymore-totaled
87 fwd silver wagon a/t
87 4wd dx Cream (a/t- not anymore- now m/t)
Mezzbob
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My tercel:: 1983 Tercel SR5 Wagon

Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by Mezzbob »

So I have no issue with the rear seats not working, I am not swapping those out! I have not officially confirmed the front seats do just bolt in but from what I see I dont see why they would! The interior door panels and trim are what I really wanted to fit so I am happy there! The current carpet color is a brown anyways so not going to worry if I dont swap that out.

I may try and take the entire steering wheel column off the donor car and give it a look, but if nothing else the actually steering wheel portion should be swappable correct? Just unbolt he original and then bolt on the other from the donor car leaving the current fixed column portion already on my 83.

Also my 1983 is for sure a SR5, I have confirmed that and my vin starts with the proper JT2AL35.

I am sure I can figure out how to make the rear cover section fit, I plan to installed the FWD rear speakers and everything even if I must drill new holes in the trim.

Once I get all the interior parts and the Tercel back from the shop I will make sure to take before and after pictures of the interior swap!
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Petros
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Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by Petros »

steering wheel will swap over. I would not try swapping out the tilt steering unless you have a reason to want the tilt wheel (I like where my '84 steering wheel sits so I left it, I had a parts car and considered swaping it out for the "newer" style tilt wheel be deiced I did not need the extra weight or possible fitment issues). you may have compatibility issues from the rack, as well as the plastic column cover. It is easy to just paint the plastic trim over the steering column to match, I painted mine flat black to match the trim around the instrument cluster, looks nice.

most interior trim and parts should swap over from one year to the next if both models are 4wd. everything from the front seats back is different on the 4wd vs. 2wd, but most parts should fit the same forward of the front seats.
'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)
Mezzbob
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My tercel:: 1983 Tercel SR5 Wagon

Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by Mezzbob »

So petros as long as I am not swapping out the the rear seats from a FWD to a 4WD, or the actuall carpet from a FWD wagon to a SR5 4WD all the other stuff like door panels/ trims are same.

I do see where the rear cargo cover for the FWD is 2 inches longer but I can easily modify that to work as the actual rear side speaker/trim is exactly the same as the ones off the 4WD.

I am thinking due to the different in color to s of trim off of the FWD and the SR5, I should just leave my current dash and everything the same and just swap the actuall steering wheel but adding the cover I got for it should make the wheel the same color as the old one. I can swap out the center horn section off the original wheel so the wheel itself should go with the color scheme up front still!
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Petros
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Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by Petros »

Mezzbob wrote:So petros ... all the other stuff like door panels/ trims are same.
yes, that should work fine. I have used the mirrors, sun visors, window regulators, and many trim pieces, etc from 2wd in the 4wd.
'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)
Mezzbob
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My tercel:: 1983 Tercel SR5 Wagon

Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by Mezzbob »

So as you all had mentioned the steering column cover I took off the 1987 Tercel Wagon does not work with my 1983 due to the change in the tilt wheel. I was able to get the top section of the newer cover to bolt up to the lower section of the original cover as a temporary fix as the original cover the top section was cracked and broke into pieces while trying to remove.

The colors don't match for the two sections I currently have bolted together and I noticed the cover that was on there when I got it was different then the front dash and side trim color anyways so was looking to replaced it. Doubt I can find the proper brown / tan color cover so was considering going with either a black or gray as those seem to be the most common.

I found this used one on ebay, thing says it came off a 1985 Tercel however its clearly a steering wheel column cover that was made for a non tilt wheel. from the pictures this looks exactly the same bolt pattern and everything as the one off my 1983.

Would this work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/172484931412?it ... m=&vxp=mtr
jimcrazy
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Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by jimcrazy »

mezzbob I may have the covers, have a 83 sr5 non tilt wheel brown in color, will look tomorrow they will be in Canada s
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rer233
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Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by rer233 »

Cover pictured is def. for a non-tilt wheel- should work!
if it aint there, there's a good chance it won't break!
83 SR5 Silver/Blue (Snowmobile/work beater)-totaled but drivable
85 SR5 Blue
88 SR5 White (the 'good' one)-not anymore-totaled
87 fwd silver wagon a/t
87 4wd dx Cream (a/t- not anymore- now m/t)
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rer233
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Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by rer233 »

Good news- just went thru my stuff and found upper and lower column covers off my long-departed '84 SR5, brown in color! PN's are 45287-16030 (lower) and 45266-16040 (upper.) Only issue is one of the bosses closest to the steering wheel is missing 1/4" of half of it- nothing a little judicious application of JB Weld couldn't take care of (or a longer screw for that matter.)

PM me if interested. Rich.
if it aint there, there's a good chance it won't break!
83 SR5 Silver/Blue (Snowmobile/work beater)-totaled but drivable
85 SR5 Blue
88 SR5 White (the 'good' one)-not anymore-totaled
87 fwd silver wagon a/t
87 4wd dx Cream (a/t- not anymore- now m/t)
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Petros
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Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by Petros »

the color is always an issue, there were sometimes slight changes from one year to the next. also if one got more sun than the other parts, it may not match. In fact I noticed the different types of plastics used on the interior fade a different rates, so what may have once been a matching interior eventually fades to different shades of gray.

I just painted my steering column cover flat black, and put a few coats of clear over it. looks better than stock, match trim around instrument cluster, radio and heater controls. Also, they become brittle with age, so I have glued plastic washers in the bottom of the screw recesses to prevent it from cracking out. I have also used epoxy to fix cracks, and to strengthen it.

That ebay listing is incorrect, if it is for the non-tilt column it will only fit '83-84. it looks like the gray color. And it costs too much.
'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)
Mezzbob
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My tercel:: 1983 Tercel SR5 Wagon

Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by Mezzbob »

Petros I agree with your opinion on the Ebay posting. I actually found Toyota parts sites that still offer a back replacement cover option for about $40 brand new so the used one is well overpriced. I could go the new black cover route but also think the brown one Rich has should work and at least will go somewhat with the interior color scheme. I already gutted the 1987 Tercel Wagon at the junk yard and will be putting in the front seats and all door panels and trim that fit so there will already be a few shades of brown in the interior.
Mezzbob
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Re: Interior parts interchangeable for all years?

Post by Mezzbob »

Also I am still very new to these forums. I went and clicked on private message to send to Rich. It shows I submitted it and hit send but when I click on private messages of mine it shows it in my outbox and not in my sent folder so does that mean it was not sent to Rich? Never done a private message prior so want to make sure I doing the right things to make it go.
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