Rebirth after 300K

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SynthDesign
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Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:42 pm
My tercel:: The General, 85 SR5 w/ Sunroof,Olive Drab paint, Black Interior, custom steel bumpers, Barto BC lift, 1.67L BUILT 3AC w/ Weber Carb. 346,000 miles and counting since restoration
Location: Seattle WA
Contact:

Rebirth after 300K

Post by SynthDesign »

So after totaling my 83 SR5 T4WD, I had to find another donor for my 3ac overbore motor.

After looking around for a bit, I realized my best option was already in the driveway collection moss. About a year ago I purchased a white 85 SR5 T4WD with power sunroof. The car interior was beat. So was the replaced 4ac motor with a blown head-gasket.
After stripping the interior and scrubbing down the interior/exterior, I have a beautiful rust-less chassis with 303k on it. The interior now smells remotely of new car and I have completely removed the rotting carcass baked in the sun smell. I also had to remove all the sound deadening under the driver seat as an AMSOIL spill completely loosened it and turned it to goo. It scrapped right out with a putty knife to reveal clean gray primered uni-body. I'll replace it with some Dynamat and some for the front fender wells.
I've vowed never to own a white car so I've decided to paint it olive green on the exterior.

It will get the leopard print interior and all the goodies from my 83. Bumpers, lights and all.

So here's where it starts.
4ac.JPG
new whitey w 4ac.JPG
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Vintage and Classic Toyota; Have you loved your Toyota today?
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blade
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Posts: 241
Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 5:54 pm
My tercel:: No tercel. (stolen)
Location: Okanagan Falls

Re: Rebirth after 300K

Post by blade »

cool looks like you are going to have a blast with your new toy
Jahmez
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Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:48 pm
My tercel:: '86 SR5 4WD STRIPPER SPECIAL
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: Rebirth after 300K

Post by Jahmez »

Dood, hook it up with some pics of it stripped!!! Also, show that impeccably white engine compartment while you're at it. I can't believe you got that thing so clean.

James
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sdoan
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Posts: 392
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2007 2:02 pm
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: Rebirth after 300K

Post by sdoan »

Synth - that looks like an excellent starting place. And pictures of the stripped interior would be great.
SynthDesign
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 826
Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:42 pm
My tercel:: The General, 85 SR5 w/ Sunroof,Olive Drab paint, Black Interior, custom steel bumpers, Barto BC lift, 1.67L BUILT 3AC w/ Weber Carb. 346,000 miles and counting since restoration
Location: Seattle WA
Contact:

Re: Rebirth after 300K

Post by SynthDesign »

My roommate took his digital camera back so I'm waiting for him to finish cleaning it.

Should have pics soon. Kinda wish I could of taken some to show how filthy it was. Still quite far to go. I've spent close to 30 hours so far,just cleaning this grease pig.


Color Update:
I'm going Olive Drab on this one! Leaving the interior shell and engine compartment white though.
Vintage and Classic Toyota; Have you loved your Toyota today?
2016 Toyota Tacoma Quad Cab LB TRD OffRoad
2005 Toyota Sienna, work van
85 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd (The General)
85 Toyota Tercel GTS 4wd (4AGE Swap)
85 Toyota MR2 (Blu)
83 Mazda RX-7 Mariah Widebody
danzo
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Posts: 537
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2008 11:01 am
My tercel:: '86 SR5 6 speed
Location: The Colony, TX

Re: Rebirth after 300K

Post by danzo »

SynthDesign wrote:I'm going Olive Drab on this one!
Good choice! Are you going to spray paint 'er? That way it will have the non-shiny texture, perfect for hunting. I have always loved green on cars and hated white ones even though I've accidentally owned two white cars. Lesson learned - don't drink and ebay.
It's a scientific fact that in a twin engine aircraft, when one engine fails there is always enough power in the remaining engine to make it all the way to the crash site.
SynthDesign
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 826
Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:42 pm
My tercel:: The General, 85 SR5 w/ Sunroof,Olive Drab paint, Black Interior, custom steel bumpers, Barto BC lift, 1.67L BUILT 3AC w/ Weber Carb. 346,000 miles and counting since restoration
Location: Seattle WA
Contact:

Re: Rebirth after 300K

Post by SynthDesign »

Lots of oil behind the drivers seat.
IMG_0080.JPG
This is how nasty the engine compartment was.
IMG_0089.JPG
Here's how clean I got it.
IMG_0097.JPG
And the progress on the paint.
IMG_0107.JPG
In this pic you can see how the Amsoil completely dissolved the sound deadening without damaging the primed uni-body too.

At this point I'm waiting for motor mounts and rack bushings before the motor goes in.

The shell has its first two coats and just got wet sanded. I'm about ready to do the final coat on the chassis and getting started on painting the doors. The windows should be dropped off at the tint place on Thursday.

Any input on tinting options? I was thinking doing 10 on the back windows and 25 on the two front windows. This will be my first tinted car so I'm not sure if I should just go 25 all around or go darker in back. The price is the same either way.

The dash is out and I'm about to start putting in the black dash and new stereo head unit I got last week.

Still so much left to do.
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Vintage and Classic Toyota; Have you loved your Toyota today?
2016 Toyota Tacoma Quad Cab LB TRD OffRoad
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85 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd (The General)
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85 Toyota MR2 (Blu)
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Rebirth after 300K

Post by Petros »

what is that ugly cake pan looking thing on the hood over the carb area? Someone make room for a weber carb with the tall aircleaner?

What did you use to clean the engine compartment?
'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)
SynthDesign
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 826
Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:42 pm
My tercel:: The General, 85 SR5 w/ Sunroof,Olive Drab paint, Black Interior, custom steel bumpers, Barto BC lift, 1.67L BUILT 3AC w/ Weber Carb. 346,000 miles and counting since restoration
Location: Seattle WA
Contact:

Re: Rebirth after 300K

Post by SynthDesign »

Petros,
I have no Idea what the hood cancer bump was made for. It looks like a Dodge pentagram and is made from galvanized steel. Yes, it is truly ugly!!
It was put on so the air filter and carb for a 4ac crate motor from a fork lift could fit. YES A FORKLIFT!! The carb is much taller than the stock 4ac. By 4" inches or more!

As for cleaning the engine bay and pretty much the whole car inside and out; Water, PurplePower SimpleGreen, about two dozen roles of paper towel, a box of gloves, some green scrubbies and way too much time. I spent about 30 hours cleaning the car total. Well worth it now though.


I can now say the inside no longer smells like an animal died in it and and then was baked in the sun for 6 months. Definitely an achievement!! :D
Vintage and Classic Toyota; Have you loved your Toyota today?
2016 Toyota Tacoma Quad Cab LB TRD OffRoad
2005 Toyota Sienna, work van
85 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd (The General)
85 Toyota Tercel GTS 4wd (4AGE Swap)
85 Toyota MR2 (Blu)
83 Mazda RX-7 Mariah Widebody
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Rebirth after 300K

Post by Petros »

SynthDesign wrote:Petros,
I can now say the inside no longer smells like an animal died in it and and then was baked in the sun for 6 months. Definitely an achievement!! :D
That is nasty! I did not need that graphic an image thank you.

It did not occur to the owner who put the crate motor to just swap the intake manifold and carb? way eaiser than butchering the hood. What twisted minds get to work on cars these days. There are at least 3 good Tercel4wd hoods in the Arlington PAP right now, I was just there on Friday.
'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)
SynthDesign
Highest Ranking Member
Posts: 826
Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:42 pm
My tercel:: The General, 85 SR5 w/ Sunroof,Olive Drab paint, Black Interior, custom steel bumpers, Barto BC lift, 1.67L BUILT 3AC w/ Weber Carb. 346,000 miles and counting since restoration
Location: Seattle WA
Contact:

Re: Rebirth after 300K

Post by SynthDesign »

I spent a Saturday at pull-a-part in Arlington digging for parts. I managed to find a good set of front 90+ tercel brake calipers as well as a few other miscellaneous pieces I was needing.
IMG_0111.JPG
So as of Saturday night the motor is finally in! Another set back was destroying the coolant exchange tubes for the heater core. Time for another heater core.
IMG_0113.JPG
So the dash has to come back out again. But it looks soooo good!
IMG_0107.JPG
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Vintage and Classic Toyota; Have you loved your Toyota today?
2016 Toyota Tacoma Quad Cab LB TRD OffRoad
2005 Toyota Sienna, work van
85 Toyota Tercel SR5 4wd (The General)
85 Toyota Tercel GTS 4wd (4AGE Swap)
85 Toyota MR2 (Blu)
83 Mazda RX-7 Mariah Widebody
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sdoan
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Posts: 392
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2007 2:02 pm
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: Rebirth after 300K

Post by sdoan »

Man that is cool! Looks great.
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ARCHINSTL
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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

Re: Rebirth after 300K

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Yes! Congrats!
Tom M.
T4WD augury?
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takza
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Re: Rebirth after 300K

Post by takza »

SynthDesign wrote: Another set back was destroying the coolant exchange tubes for the heater core. Time for another heater core.
Dude! Don't even think about it. You can reform that pipe if you don't put any stress on the end that attaches to the core.
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Petros
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Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: Rebirth after 300K

Post by Petros »

looks good synth,

looks like you got a blanking plate over the fuel pump location, going to electric pump?

I see the camo on the valve cover, is this car going to go camo too? That would be too funky cool!

I was also back at the Arlington PAP on Saturday (from about 12:30 to 3 pm) sorry I missed you, had I known I would have been there earlier. I grabbed an insturment cluster from one of the two MR2 they had there to try and adapt to my 4age conversion Tercel. It looks very similar to the SR5 cluster except it red-lines at 7500 rpms, and also has a volt meter and oil pressure gauge, in addition to the temp and fuel gauge. It also maxes out at 150 mph! Looks like it will take some rewiring and some cutting and fitting, but it should look "sleeper" stock once it is in.
'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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