1981 Tercel Hatch

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irowiki
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Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 10:02 am
Location: Farmington, NM

Re: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by irowiki »

Mark, they should all have a cat converter here in the US. And the fuel canister should be there but probably needs clean, and it should have the electronic ignition.

I agree with Peter, finding 1st gen Sr5 seats will be like finding unicorn teeth. You tend to be able to find those though :D

Bryan, you'll want to save ALL the inside of that white car if you can. The seats, door panels, every piece of plastic trim, the glove box, etc.

I had an 81 sedan and loved it but we had to trim our fleet.
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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Mark
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Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:49 pm
My tercel:: 1984 Automatic, 1981 sedan
Location: Victoria, B.C.

Re: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by Mark »

irowiki wrote: And the fuel canister should be there but probably needs clean.
Mine has the charcoal canister, but it's only for fuel vapour from the fuel tank. The line from the carb bowl wasn't put in until the second gens (up here anyways). It sounds like in the US, the 1st gen was more advanced (pretty much identical to the 2nd gens) than the version we got up here.
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irowiki
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Location: Farmington, NM

Re: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by irowiki »

Yeah, I remember reading in the FSM for the 1st gens, Canada got a pretty basic model, but the emissions in the first gen was pretty similar to the second gen in the US, except for things like the EBCV. Instead of that, 1st gen had this fancy funky vacuum valve with like 8 ports on it.
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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bryanthompson
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Posts: 263
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:38 pm
My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Re: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by bryanthompson »

Thanks for the tips, as always, folks!

Wow, the car came out so nice. Back from Austria, and was delighted to find that all went well. So many new parts, that the car actually handles and drives like new. I took some more photos today. I saved the perforated vinyl from the sedan rear seat in case I can't find a set of SR-5 plaid seats, and that way I can have the inserts in the front seats replaced with factory correct vinyl. Also, I picked up a SECOND Camry that's a twin to my 84. This one only has 47,000 miles on it, and its actually much nicer than the first one.
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GLet71
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Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 11:09 pm
My tercel:: '87 6-spd SR5 4wd Wagon
Location: Nelson, BC Canada

Re: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by GLet71 »

Nice looking ride you've got there.
Currently:
Majorette France Tercel 4WD - Fini
Formerly:
'87 6spd SR5 4WD modified Wagon (Ron, the post-apocalyptic summer ride)
'87 6spd dlx 4wd Wagon (Pinkman Got Nuthin', aka Pinky)
'87 Auto dlx 4WD Wagon (Otto, temporary parts car)
'88 6spd SR5 4WD Wagon (Perry, the parts car)
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bryanthompson
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Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:38 pm
My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Re: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by bryanthompson »

Hey, folks,

I have an update on Gillem, the 1981 hatch DeLuxe today. He is officially, completely dent-free!

This was a tedious process, but the best way to retain the original paint. I highly recommend Mira at Dentlez. He's done all my cars, and they turn out flawless. (Are we allowed to share links to people we like to work with? If not, I'll delete, but, otherwise, here you go: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dentlez-playa-del-rey)

For the interior, the seats and headliner are under way as well. After much deliberation on whether to source the proper factory-correct vinyl, I decided to collaborate with my Color and Material Design colleague from my Nissan Design days, Anke Bodack, and we developed instead a period correct plaid, that, while not original, will give the car a bit more charm, and is kind of an homage to the optional SR-5 plaid. We tuned the orange thread in the fabric to match the orangey-copper exterior paint, so this should be quite nice when finished.

The final fabric used is the one in the photo that shows the sample by itself.

Enjoy the pics!

BT
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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: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Yes!
How cool is it that you are able to follow a passion (some might say "whimsy," but I do not!)?
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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bryanthompson
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Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:38 pm
My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Re: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by bryanthompson »

ARCHINSTL wrote: Sat Jun 24, 2017 3:49 pm Yes!
How cool is it that you are able to follow a passion (one might say "whimsy," but I do not!)?
Tom M.

Thanks, Tom. I love rescuing these little forgotten orphans, especially the ones that were once well cared for. I gave it a lot of thought before departing from the original vinyl seat inserts, but in the end, I'll keep the vinyl I sourced with the car in case anyone ever wants to return the seats to factory spec (in the distant future when there aren't any more of these cars left.) In the meantime, the occupant experience should be something special.

Best, always. BT
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by Petros »

i have no problem with making the car better, it is especially fun to keep it "period correct", but yet customizing it so it makes it a better driver. i do not thick these cars will ever be valuable enough to consider what you are doing will detract from it collector value, particularly since this was Toyota entry level car, there are many details that can be improved.

I have a vision of someday making a set of "picnic blanket" plaid custom seats in all leather (or almost all leather), with some extra shape in the lumbar, seat and thigh area, so it looks like a factory option up grade, for the "GTS" Tercel4wd that toyota never offered, but should have. That one will come with a 16 valve EFI power plant, and a few other nice tweaks as well. All toyota original of course!
'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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bryanthompson
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Posts: 263
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:38 pm
My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Re: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by bryanthompson »

Plaid is happening!
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bryanthompson
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Posts: 263
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:38 pm
My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Re: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by bryanthompson »

So proud of the craftsmanship going into this humble little car. It's already come such a long way.

As you guys may know, I'm such a purist when it comes to restoration, but this little fella needed something extra.

I'm looking forward to ice-cold a/c drives in this plaid perfect pod!
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Petros
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Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by Petros »

personally I have liked leather seats for long drives, though real wool is the next best for comfort.

Someday I want to build up some "SR-5" type seats out of leather, with a few "improvements" to ergonomics, just for fun. not stock of course, but keeping with the style and spirit of the Tercel4wd.
'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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bryanthompson
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Posts: 263
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:38 pm
My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Re: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by bryanthompson »

I'm quite happy with how this humble little car came out. It just needed some love and care, and a little plaid pep inside
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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: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by ARCHINSTL »

I'm sure I am predicting that ALL will say "WOW" on the car - esp. the interior!
Bigga bucks invested!
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
User avatar
bryanthompson
Top Notch Member
Posts: 263
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:38 pm
My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Re: 1981 Tercel Hatch

Post by bryanthompson »

Thanks, Tom! I just registered the little guy for JCCS this year, so if anyone wants to see him, I'll be there with both the little Tercel and my Honda City R complete with Motocompo Scooter!
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ARCHINSTL wrote: Fri Jul 21, 2017 11:51 pm I'm sure I am predicting that ALL will say "WOW" on the car - esp. the interior!
Bigga bucks invested!
Tom M.
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