One Man Found The T4WD Of His Youth

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Goldie Forever
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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

One Man Found The T4WD Of His Youth

Post by ARCHINSTL »

This member, Bryan Thompson, had an account of finding the T4WD of his youth on the Board at one time and it was lost at some point. I asked him to send along the info for a reposting and he complied. This is what he sent:
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HI Tom!
I love the old Avanti. Was and still is a beautiful and modern design.
Here is the story I wrote for Bravo about my Tercel along with the photos. You are welcome to repost it on the Tercel site.
Nice to hear from you. I hope to restore this Tercel soon; I just need to find the right restoration shop that "gets it." They need to be able to handle the Tercel with the same love they would for a Maserati or Deusenberg.
BT
+++++++++++++
When I've had a tough week at work and I finally get a day to relax and unwind there is one place I love to go. The old car junkyard. Call me weird but I love the rusted metal, the dried out fabrics and the smells of motor oil dirt and plastics. After I pay my dollar to get in I head straight for the area for old 1970's Japanese cars. I poke around and I get excited if I see a rare Datsun Honey Bee or an F-10. Then I go home, euphoric and ready to take on the challenges of a new work week.

My love of old Japanese cars began with a neighbor's Datsun Honey Bee. It had tiny wheels, awkward styling and a giant decal of a Bee plastered on the side. At three years old, I was in love.
Later, when my parents went looking for a new car I knew exactly what they should get. I was only 8 years old but I pitched a fit until they purchased a Tercel Wagon 4WD with blue plaid seats and gigantic windows everywhere. To say I loved that car is an understatement.
Many years later I was done with college and I had money from my first real job. So I spared no expense searching for my old Tercel. Not one like it, mind you. I wanted THAT specific one. I had the VIN number, searched the Internet and miraculously I found it. The guy who owned it said it was in a ditch. So I went all the way from San Diego to Idaho in the dead of winter to get it pulled out. I spent $600 for a car that some people might pay double the price to get rid of.

70's and 80's Japanese cars are the best. They are horrendously ugly, gorgeous and cool at the same time. If you don't believe me rent "Cannonball Run," "Smokey and the Bandit," or episodes of the old "Rockford Files" TV show. There's something strangely sexy about a chrome bumper, all that metal and glass and not a single air bag. The radios and steering wheels are works of art. I lust after them. The day a neighbor I didn't know rolled up in a 1978 Subaru was the day I became a stalker. I walked my dog Lou two blocks out of our way to see it. I took photos of it in the middle of the night and I searched until I found one just like it.

I may be crazy, but I am not alone. There is a growing trend and these once disposable second-choice cars are becoming desirable. So many of them have been put to pasture over the years that they've become quite rare. All over the Internet, sites are popping up for these cars, and the traffic on the sites is higher than you might think. Who would have thought that there would be a sight devoted to the preservation of "vintage" Subarus? Apparently 17,000 members thought about it, according to (1) http://www.ultimatesubaru.net moderator Todd Peters. Or even better still; check out this site devoted to micro cars of all Japanese makes and models, (2) http://www.thelittlecartrader.com.

It goes to show how meaningful things from our childhood are. They can grab a hold of us forever. I love rolling down the boulevard in my junky Subaru. The windows are down and the cassette tape deck is blasting Eddie Rabbitt's "I Love a Rainy Night," Crystal Gayle's "Half the Way" or that one they sang together "Just You and I." People stare and I don't care.
I challenge you to try it sometime. Go to a junkyard and find that old car from your youth. I promise that even though it's no longer going anywhere it will move you.
Bryan Thompson
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Bryan and his Dad camping in the early '80s - T4WD in the background.
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Towing it from the ditch.
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First step to CA.
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
MootsMan
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Location: White Bluff, TN ( Nashville area)

Re: One Man Found The T4WD Of His Youth

Post by MootsMan »

that is very cool !! is Bryan still a member here ??
1984 Tercel 4wd Dlx. - 192K miles.
1985 Tercel 4wd SR5 - 185K miles (not running)
1986 Tercel 4wd Dlx - 210K miles (dd)

Only 3 to go for the whole set ! lol
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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: One Man Found The T4WD Of His Youth

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Yes, he is - his nom de Tercel is bryanthompson.
He said he would keep us posted on progress on his Wagon - I dunno what the current status is.
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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sdoan
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My tercel:: 1983 Tercel 4wd DLX 2nd owner (sold), 1984 SR5 3rd owner (sold), 1984 with 4A engine and factory sunroof SR5 3rd owner.
Location: Bellingham, WA

Re: One Man Found The T4WD Of His Youth

Post by sdoan »

Great story and very well written.
teranfirbt
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My tercel:: '86 SR5 4WD, 5AFE, lifted rear, 195/70/14 tires
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: One Man Found The T4WD Of His Youth

Post by teranfirbt »

That's awesome... Sadly the car of my youth (66' Mustang coupe) can never be recovered, it was sent off to the scrap yard when it was stolen, used in a robbery, and then dumped in a ditch.
What's funny is my current Tercel is the exact same color and trim level a couple friends of mine grew up in, it always puts a little smile on their faces when I give them rides.
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emmahumpfritter
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My tercel:: 1985 tercel 4wd
Location: St. Cloud Minnesota

Re: One Man Found The T4WD Of His Youth

Post by emmahumpfritter »

sdoan wrote:Great story and very well written.
ditto...:)
260K with no end in sight....
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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: One Man Found The T4WD Of His Youth

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Here is the latest from Bryan:
Hi Tom-
Here is a little piece of trivia that I have been looking forward to telling you for a while: The last car I designed before leaving Nissan was unveiled today. It's a commercial van called Nissan "NV." When I was working on this project, I wanted to find a way to pay homage to my favorite car, that little econo-box of asymmetric quirkyness, the Tercel Wagon 4WD. (I've told you before about my emotional connection to Tercel wagons and the one I resurrected that once belonged to my father.)
Well, here is a link to a photo of the Van. Can you guess where the design influence turned up? I'll give you a hint: It's to the rear, and just left of center...
LINK: http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/2011-nissan-nv/#7
Long live Tercel. Things are going well. The Tercel is in dry storage in Arizona. Someday I will complete a full restoration. Until then, it's safe and sound (and not rusting!)
Best,
BT
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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Neu
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Re: One Man Found The T4WD Of His Youth

Post by Neu »

Image

Damn that's funny.
Imran
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My tercel:: 2007
Location: Usa

Re: One Man Found The T4WD Of His Youth

Post by Imran »

It is really a great story written by you.I liked reading it.Thanks for the share and is Brian still a member here???
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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: One Man Found The T4WD Of His Youth

Post by ARCHINSTL »

"Yes" to his continuing membership; he checks in from time to time.
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
jaxrevenge1
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Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2012 2:30 pm
My tercel:: 1988 Toyota Tercel SR5 4WD Wagon

Re: One Man Found The T4WD Of His Youth

Post by jaxrevenge1 »

I bought one that was just like the one I had as a kid and put over 300,000 miles on it. Now I'm starting over with a new one that only has 63K miles on it.
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Sold my 2001 Audi TT AWD Coupe to buy a 1988 Tercel 4WD wagon, second one had a 1985 Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon in the 90s.
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