1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

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bryanthompson
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My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

Petros wrote: Tue Nov 07, 2017 9:08 pm they used to, but I found this site that does list by year and model: http://www.paintscratch.com/cgi-bin/select-color.cgi

they show two tone for '83 tercel as Vehicle color code 2J6. That should be #147 silver metallic and #884 Dark blue metallic
Thank you very much!!!
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rer233
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by rer233 »

Bryan-

I've got the EXACT same car as your project ('cept mine's WAY more rusty) that I'll be parting out shortly- hit me up if you need any obscure trim parts. I'm in Baltimore, MD, so shipping on any bulky stuff could be pricey... BTW- the paint code is on the firewall ID plate (not the door jamb.) My car # is 2J6 (same as yours.) Can't wait to see your finished product!
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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bryanthompson
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

rer233 wrote: Wed Nov 08, 2017 8:00 am Bryan-

I've got the EXACT same car as your project ('cept mine's WAY more rusty) that I'll be parting out shortly- hit me up if you need any obscure trim parts. I'm in Baltimore, MD, so shipping on any bulky stuff could be pricey... BTW- the paint code is on the firewall ID plate (not the door jamb.) My car # is 2J6 (same as yours.) Can't wait to see your finished product!
Thank you! I'd love to see photos of yours, too. If your car is an east coast vehicle, I bet it has some unbaked interior components. Mine is an Arizona car, so it has some burnt interior top sides.

Specifically, I'd love to source nice sets of interior door panels, inclinometer hood, luggage cover (who doesn't?), shift knob, steering wheel, etc.
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bryanthompson
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

Here are some shots of the exterior surfacing work.

One of the most satisfying parts of this project has been addressing the shoddy body work done back in 1986 after my stepmom had an accident.

In taking the car all the way back to bare sheet metal, we learned that the poor surfacing work done 30 years ago was because they never actually finished straightening the crumpled panels and, instead, built the entire rear quarter's A surfaces with body filler!! Take a look at that crinkled, tortured metal. It's so nice to see it done correctly now, albeit 3 decades later:
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bryanthompson
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

One of the trickiest parts will be to correctly replicate the two-tone paint division line between silver and blue around the rear door opening near the wheel arch because the blue paint must extend into the rear door jamb in order for the highlight to read correctly. (Otherwise, you'd see a small amount of silver just aft of the rear door, as shown in the brochure image, which features a preproduction car that isn't accurate to how they were painted on the assembly line). See here:
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These images show car with factory correct paint:
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Petros
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by Petros »

most body shops do crap jobs, hiding their poor metal working skills under body filler. it is shameful.

It is very common, every "professional" body shop work I have seen was like this. One example, we inherited a nice low mile 2001 civic from our elderly mother in-law (who can no longer drive). I went over the records and back in 2003 there was insured body repairs from a minor accident. when I went to change the 15 year old timing belt, I discovered the body shop "forgot" to install all of the plastic wheel well liners, the splash pan, and the plastic ducting that goes around the radiator. It did not seem to harm it, but those liners are there for a reason, and the insurance was charged for those parts. what crooks. figured the "old lady" would never know. Ass-hats, so typical.
'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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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

Petros wrote: Thu Nov 09, 2017 8:41 pm most body shops do crap jobs, hiding their poor metal working skills under body filler. it is shameful.

It is very common, every "professional" body shop work I have seen was like this. One example, we inherited a nice low mile 2001 civic from our elderly mother in-law (who can no longer drive). I went over the records and back in 2003 there was insured body repairs from a minor accident. when I went to change the 15 year old timing belt, I discovered the body shop "forgot" to install all of the plastic wheel well liners, the splash pan, and the plastic ducting that goes around the radiator. It did not seem to harm it, but those liners are there for a reason, and the insurance was charged for those parts. what crooks. figured the "old lady" would never know. Ass-hats, so typical.
Wow, what a nightmare!

I just remember in 1986 my dad being very disappointed in the work that the body shop had done. But I was too young to understand why. When I found the car in 1992, by then it was just a used car that had had several owners, and by the time I retrieved it in 2002, there were so many beat up panels that the poor bodywork from 1986 was lost in the disarray of the other beat up surfaces.

But now, having seen the bare metal, I understand why my dad was so upset all those years ago. It almost appears as though that body shop cut out the mangled panel and then actually reworked it and then reattached it. It doesn’t appear that they even used a new panel. The one good thing about this, I suppose, is that that means the whole left rear side is still the original sheet metal. And now it’s been reworked to perfection.
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Petros
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by Petros »

I have worked for others in the past that did a complete strip and rebuild of a uni-body car, but I have been too afraid to try it myself. I might end up doing a lot more body work than I planned.

most of our very used cars, including my 34 year old SR5 T4wd, have a lot of very minor dents and dimples, not even harming the paint. I have wondered if there is a good way to fix these kinds of minor dings that is not too much trouble.
'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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helipilot77
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My tercel:: 1984 SR5 wagon
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by helipilot77 »

Paintless dent repair guys have really perfected a lot of techniques to remove small dents and dings using plastic tools to massage the dent out from the back of the panel
A lot of dealerships use them to fix small dents.

https://youtu.be/-l5ZD7sEpBk
. / TOYOTA
./_| |/|/ |]
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splatterdog
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by splatterdog »

Incredible effort for an econobox! Undoing previous work is always fun. I have a saying- it's always easier when it's only as bad as the factory made it! I am NOT a body guy, but cutting a section of body off and reattaching it sounds like a crack head maneuver. Maybe it was just pre paint booth days..

Makes me feel a little ashamed that I only finish them off, with the consistent efforts of MnDOt's car killing ways. I think we need less chlorides and more winter tires.

I doubt anyone will ever top your T4's story!

Will this be a driver or in a glass case?
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bryanthompson
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

splatterdog wrote: Tue Nov 14, 2017 11:32 am

I doubt anyone will ever top your T4's story!

Will this be a driver or in a glass case?
THANK YOU!

I suspect I will drive it. I just bought a second car, with 15k miles that I think needs to be the garage queen. Cars are only original once. As we all know, these cars were pumped out of the factory so quickly back then that they were like appliances. So the robot-painted panels have orange peel, and there are little flaws. All that will be gone in my car because it’s all being lovingly restored.

There is something lost when that originality is gone. Even though it was a sign of disposability at the time, that is part of the charm that my perfected little car can never have again.

Here are some photos of the 85 I just bought. It will be an invaluable resource for matching details as closely as possible to factory specs. Nuances like how the two-tone paint was handled, and how many millimeters above the wheel arch highlight it should follow, etc. are now all available for this restoration. I'm really excited!
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Petros
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by Petros »

great addition to your fleet. I could not think of a better person to own it, good for you.

a very nice car, I can not afford it, and if I had it I would need to drive it, making it worth less the longer I own it. you saved it from the normal fate of these cars.
'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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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

Petros wrote: Wed Nov 15, 2017 1:18 am great addition to your fleet. I could not think of a better person to own it, good for you.

a very nice car, I can not afford it, and if I had it I would need to drive it, making it worth less the longer I own it. you saved it from the normal fate of these cars.
Thank you! That means a lot to me. I had some hesitation because it's an expensive purchase for me as well, but I finally decided that 15k original mile SR5's with two-tone paint only come around every NEVER... It's definitely a special car that I hope to preserve for years to come. I have a 1983 Camry in similar condition, and I think they will be happy garage mates.
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helipilot77
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by helipilot77 »

I am so glad that you have such an appreciation for these 80’s Toyota’s. If I had my way I would probably have a garage full of old Toyota’s too. My wife makes sure that doesn’t happen though.
. / TOYOTA
./_| |/|/ |]
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bryanthompson
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

helipilot77 wrote: Wed Nov 15, 2017 8:57 am I am so glad that you have such an appreciation for these 80’s Toyota’s. If I had my way I would probably have a garage full of old Toyota’s too. My wife makes sure that doesn’t happen though.

Eventually, I'd like to have a series of 83-85 Toyotas, all in pristine condition. I've always had a thing for the 85 Celica Convertible.

Not sure if I've shared my 83 Camry with you guys. It's not the one in my avatar. This car is like the Tercel I just bought. It's literally a brand new car:

http://picturecarwarehouse.net/cars/7722/toyota/camry/
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