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

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Mark
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My tercel:: 1984 Automatic, 1981 sedan
Location: Victoria, B.C.

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

Post by Mark »

My '84 Camry Hatchback (white) was the car I had before the Tercel wagon.
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It was the only car I've had with power everything (locks, steering, windows...). It was an auto transmission (unlike the mechanical linkage/centrifugal valve shifting in the Tercel's transmission, the Camry was electronic with solenoids). There were buttons near the shifter (normal, economy, power) that you could use to change the shift points. I had it for about 5 years before the transmission destroyed itself and I didn't have the skills or money to fix it. I still see a few driving around here and, like with most cars for me, the older they get the cooler they look.
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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
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

Mark wrote:My '84 Camry Hatchback (white) was the car I had before the Tercel wagon.
obj118geo119pg1p369.jpg
It was the only car I've had with power everything (locks, steering, windows...). It was an auto transmission (unlike the mechanical linkage/centrifugal valve shifting in the Tercel's transmission, the Camry was electronic with solenoids). There were buttons near the shifter (normal, economy, power) that you could use to change the shift points. I had it for about 5 years before the transmission destroyed itself and I didn't have the skills or money to fix it. I still see a few driving around here and, like with most cars for me, the older they get the cooler they look.

Just saw this! I love that car. And in white, its so appliance-tastic!
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bryanthompson
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My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

Hi guys!

More progress today. Surgery in progress: The donor car donates its front end to the recipient.

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

Post by bryanthompson »

Saw the Tercel4wd today:. This is actually a massive amount of progress. The frame is true and straight now. Next step is to drop the engine and clean and paint the engine bay. Feels good to see the car sitting straight and true now! Excited to start seeing the pretty things happen now.
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ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
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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: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Bryan -
What a labor of love! You have certainly set many of us to thinking about "What happened to my first car?"
If I ever win the Lottery - I would be on the hunt for a '46 Ford V8 convertible!
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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Mattel
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Posts: 1788
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2004 12:11 am
My tercel:: 1988 Corolla 4wd Wagon (AKA Corolla All-trac) 5speed, AC, Power Sunroof, Windows, Mirrors, Steering, Locking, Diff Lock, 14" Corolla SX Alloys with Silica Hankook Tyres, 4afe, King Springs, Upgraded Headlights, Full Synth oils, 210,000kms
Location: Melbourne, Australia

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

Post by Mattel »

Thanks Bryan for the update. I admire your tenacity with this project!
Previous: 83 Tercel SR5 4wd, 84 Tercel SR5 4wd
88 Corolla 4wd Wagon 5speed, All power options, Fact Sunroof, Diff Lock, 14" SX Alloys, Hankook Tyres, 4afe, King Springs, Upgraded Headlights, Full Synth oils, Tow Bar, 210,000kms
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

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

Post by Petros »

Brian,

Nice work.

these cars are kind of flexy flyers, the light frame will flex with bumpy roads and going up driveways diagonal etc. you can hear them creak and pop, the older it gets the worse the flex as the spot welds fatigue and the chassis gets tiny cracks in it. Particularly if it was in an accident or otherwise severely damaged at one time.

While your car is apart you might consider "stitch welding" all of the important structural seams to stiffen it up. It will make it more durable and have less flex. This should improve the ride, handling and make it more quiet as well. If you do not know, stitch welding is where you put a bead of weld, about 3/4-1" long every 1.5 to 2" along the seams. It will not distort the frame and will allow it to flex a little without cracking the welds.

If I ever have my car stripped down that far I would like to do that on my project Tercel that is getting the 4age swap. all cars can benefit from such strengthening, and since you have the car apart, and are welding on it anyway, it would be a nice thing to have done at the same time.
'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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rer233
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My tercel:: Multiple

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

Post by rer233 »

Any updates?
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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My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

rer233 wrote:Any updates?

Hi guys!

Thanks for asking. It's slow-going, but progress is imminent.

The two cars, donor and recipient, are side projects for the shop owner, to help me keep costs from skyrocketing. But next step is to remove the engine and restore the engine bay.

And just today, this arrived:
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Early Christmas gift for the Tercel Restoration. A nearly impossible to find New Old Stock exterior mirror. Nothing warms my holiday spirit quite like the scent of "shiny new."

Happy Christmas Tercel People!
BT
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helipilot77
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My tercel:: 1984 SR5 wagon
Location: Seattle, WA

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

Post by helipilot77 »

Those are a mirage and can't possibly actually exist! :o
. / TOYOTA
./_| |/|/ |]
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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 »

helipilot77 wrote:Those are a mirage and can't possibly actually exist! :o
I feel the same way. I actually placed it on my night stand, so I could check on it periodically in the night, to see if it was still real... :D
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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 »

Hey folks!

A long awaited update today, but happily with massive progress. Now that the frame is straight, the powertrain has come out, and over the next month or so the engine bay and chassis underpinnings will be refurbished. This should be a very nice phase, as it means we will start to see things looking new again.

Also, we selected the sheen and hue for the alloy rims and those are being sent to be refurbished.

Please enjoy the latest visuals and hit me up with comments / questions.

Best!

BT
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marlinh
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My tercel:: 'Everett' Blue 87 4WD Wagon (Rocky 86, recently retired)
Location: Kootenays

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

Post by marlinh »

Great pictures and awesome dedication! I so wish I had a hoist....
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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: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Bryan, you are fulfilling a dream that 99.9% of us can only dream about doing: Props!
Now, if my Powerball numbers finally come in, I can start a search for a certain '46 Ford V8 'vert ...
'Course, I might have to inquire about the Gillette Company's records ...
Tom
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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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 »

:: Tercel Restoration Update ::

Doesn't look like much, but this is a big turning point. Now that the engine bay is all decontented and straightened it will be painted next week. This marks the end of the tedious engine bay phase. But I want it to be perfect, so it's time well spent. Enjoy the pics!

BT
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