Tercel4WD.com

Up by Reno.

Unfortunately, time runs short and the parts supply is even shorter. We're still having trouble getting a rebuilt transmission assembly. When we pulled the old one, though, we found Pick n Pull markings all over it, so this may be part of the reason for it's demise.

Yes, we removed the exhaust just before the cat, so that the pipe exits out just under the cat heat shield. Though for our new Mad Max theme, we're thinking about routing it up the passenger side A pillar like a Kenworth.

We did remove just about everything from the car, including the inside ...

After much discussion (and pulling the old tranny), it seems we're keeping a Tercel tranny in it, but we're undecided about which motor to use still. We'll take photos of whatever we do, though.

Speaking of photos, you can see our car in the 24 Hours of LeMons article in the new Car and Driver.

Getting stuck in 2nd gear is exactly what happened to us during the last Lemons race. We still got a couple of hundred miles out of it like that, though.

We went with the 4WD Tercel origionally because it was about all we could find in the price range. Now, it's simply a matter of revenge. Well, that plus the car is already stripped, has the rollcage installed, etc.

We may be able to pickup an 86 4WD in town that's been in a front ender for real ...

We've thought about that, but without having a front differential under there, it shouldn't be to big a deal to drop it 6 inches or more.

We'll check those things, of course. But we're also going ahead with the feasibility study of a 22RE swap. Everything is measured, now. The 3AC is 22 inches from the front of the pulley to the back of the block, with 2 inches between the radiator and the pulley, and 2.5 inches between the back of ...

Yes, several PCV valves have broken off and fallen inside the cover. There's a little washer thingie on the back end of it that keeps dissapearing.

We were running the track in just front wheel drive.

About the motor - even if we got the engine back up to a brand new from the factory state, I'm ...

Engine problems are as follows:

Loosing about 1 quart of oil every 100 miles.
Several PCV valves are located somewhere in the crankcase cover.
Serpentine belt is eating through the timing cover.
Won't idle.
Had 250,000 miles before we ever got to it.
But mostly, it's just so anemic. Even after ...

Because the stock transmission nuked itself, I think we'd like to upgrade to something a bit tougher for the race.

I'll rehost some photos after a bit to a server friendly to this site.

If any of you followed the coverage of the 24 Hours of LeMons last weekend, you may have noticed a white and red Tercel 4WD cruising around the track. That was our car (team name: Tercelators). We were doing allright for the first part of the race, but then our 85 SR5 would only go into 2nd gear ...