1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

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dpowers
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My tercel:: Former owner of two 1983 SR5 4WDs. Currnet owner of 1981 and 1986 4X4 Toyota Pickups

1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by dpowers »

Sadly selling my 1983 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd Wagon. Located in Durango, Colorado. 194 K miles. Includes an extra set of nearly new snow tires on rims and some various spare parts. I'm asking $1500. I also have a good transmission for $350 (the one hard to source part). If I remember correctly the transmission has around 140 or 160k miles on it. I'll throw the transmission into the deal for $1700. I have used this vehicle for my daily commuter for over two years and have put over 15K miles on it with very few issues. I hadn't planned to sell this car, but I don't have time to keep it maintained as well as I would like and have two 80's Toyota pickups to maintain too. I also just purchased a used Toyota Matrix wagon for commuting, so now I've committed myself to letting her go! Oh, and I should mention, this car is named Buck!

This is a fairly clean little SR5 wagon with no power steering and AC (AC would need updated to work) There is no rust and the previous owner (Irowiki) and I have done a lot of work to improve this vehicle.

The Good:

New tires, new steering rack, new front wheel bearings, new inner tie rods, new valve cover gasket, new fuel pump, new rubber fuel lines, dropped the fuel tank and had it and the fuel pickup lines professionally cleaned, replaced all of the fluids. The engine runs strong and has been running Mobile 1 synthetic oil for several years. Transmission shifts good and the car runs down the road good. The car consistently gets 28 to 32 mpg.

Just before I purchased the vehicle the PO (irowiki, please correct me if I'm wrong!) installed a new catalytic converter, new battery, new plugs, wires, rotor, and distributor cap, new front brake pads and rotors, replaced the carburetor with a good used unit, replaced the transmission fluid, replaced the vacuum advance, coolant and washer fluid bottles and the 4wd shifter seal.

The Bad:

I just fixed some fuel system issues and the car is running great now. However i've only put a few 20 mile trips on it since, so hoping the issue is fixed for good. The car leaks a tiny bit of oil from the oil pump seal or camshaft seal, but nothing significant. Probably around a quart every 1500 miles. The brakes are a little soft and could use bled. The back door latch is a little finicky but works fine. The rear drivers side door is stuck locked right now. Ski rack not included. I might leave the crossbars on the car if someone really wanted them.
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Last edited by dpowers on Fri Dec 15, 2017 8:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Petros
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Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by Petros »

nice looking T4wd, sounds like a good price too.

Those wheels look like the kind only from the rare 1988 model year.

Good luck.
'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)
newplaner
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Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by newplaner »

No power steering? I thought all SR5s had PS.
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irowiki
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Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by irowiki »

newplaner wrote: Fri Dec 01, 2017 3:38 pm No power steering? I thought all SR5s had PS.
Wasn't until 85 that PS was standard on SR5.

:lol: I had to laugh though, I didn't pay attention to the title, and I was like "that looks like buck with blue seats swapped in"

... wait a second!
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Rednecklawrence
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Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by Rednecklawrence »

My 2 85 SR5's have no PS...
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irowiki
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Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by irowiki »

I think that might have been a Canada thing!

We have a spreadsheet somewhere with all of this in it...
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

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87 Corolla FX16, 105k
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oldfaithful
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Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by oldfaithful »

My 84 SR5 doesn’t have PS and my 83 SR5 that I bought from Texas doesn’t have it either. Personally I like the non power steering better.
jimcrazy
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Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by jimcrazy »

same here my 85 sr5 has no p/s but has tilt wheel
brfoisel
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Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by brfoisel »

If you don't sell the tranny, I'd be interested in it in a couple months...
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irowiki
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Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by irowiki »

brfoisel wrote: Tue Dec 05, 2017 3:43 pm If you don't sell the tranny, I'd be interested in it in a couple months...
The epic transmission journey continues :lol:

I forgot to Mention that out of every Tercel Wagon I ever owned, Buck was the BEST (at least after I got all the bugs out, that's how we named her Buck).
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87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
dpowers
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My tercel:: Former owner of two 1983 SR5 4WDs. Currnet owner of 1981 and 1986 4X4 Toyota Pickups

Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by dpowers »

Sold!

Buck has gone to a good new home in Wisconsin! A long time Tercel aficionado took a bus all the way from Wisconsin to Colorado and drove her home. He needed to replace his 85 Tercel that was just totaled by a distracted driver, and wanted a rust free car. Buck made it within 200 miles of completing the 1300 mile journey, only to have the new fuel pump go out. After hearing about Irowiki's experience driving Buck from CA to NM, I think Buck is just destined to take haphazard road trips across the country, breaking down along the way.

I still have the transmission and the alloy wheels and tires in the pictures, if anyones's interested.
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irowiki
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Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by irowiki »

I am speechless, though if it was an "old" new fuel pump I have had them do that to me too.
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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Petros
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Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by Petros »

that is too bad, I usually carry a spare fuel pump on road trips. though I never had one fail, they are very reliable fuel pumps, but without a spare you temp fate. And than you almost certainly will have one fail.

The do not cost much, the problem is depending on where you break down they may have to order one that is several days away. One of the hazards of driving a 35 year old car. Parts are not as commonly available, so I try to carry all the spares for items that if they fail, will leave me stranded.
'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)
dpowers
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My tercel:: Former owner of two 1983 SR5 4WDs. Currnet owner of 1981 and 1986 4X4 Toyota Pickups

Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by dpowers »

The pump that failed was a brand new cheapo brand pump (the only one the local parts store had in stock). I tried to convince the new owner to take all of my spare parts, which included another new fuel pump I had just purchased. Because he had no tools with him, he decided he didn't want t0 haul the spare parts home. Personally, I would had bought a $10 basic ratchet set and taken all of the spare parts just in case. Especially since he knew the car had given me fuel troubles recently.
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Petros
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Re: 1983 4wd SR5 Wagon in Durango Colorado

Post by Petros »

I never drive a 30 plus year old car without carry a tool kit, let alone a cross country trip.

with just a 12mm socket wrench, and your spare fuel pump, he would have been back on the road faster than a tow truck could show up (and a lot less money too).

even on a very reliable car like these Tercels, when it is that old, anything can wear out or fail at any time. And these communist made parts are no bargain, half of them are junk right out of the box. A very used factory fuel pump from a 30 years old wrecking yard car is more reliable than a new pump made in China. If I had a choice I would try and buy the same brand as Toyota, if I can not get that, than any Japanese made part is a good bet, or american made if you can find it.

Of course often you do not have much choice, you can not wait for a mail order part so you go the local parts store and all they have is communist made parts, or just as bad "remanufactured" replacements. There is no savings if you have to replace it again soon after you install it.
'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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