Utah in a Tercel!
- LittleRed4wd
- Top Notch Member
- Posts: 188
- Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:36 am
- Location: Boulder, CO
Utah in a Tercel!
This past weekend I went on a quick trip out to Utah with some friends. We loaded up the Tercel with camping gear and off we went.
All loaded up with my new to me 205/75/14 tires.
There was lots of headwind going up the passes. That and a little car with three people and gear made for a slow drive. We stopped in west Vail for food and to make sure all was good with the car.
From there it was easy going. The tercel would cruise at 75, though it seemed most happy at 70. The big tires helped with the freeway speeds. We stopped in Grand Junction for last minute camping gear and gas and continued to the desert.
Off the Cisco exit towards Moab:
We cruised through the canyon, stopping at a few cool places. Our friend John was on his way over to meet us, but a few hours behind so we were in no hurry.
On the Colorado river:
We got into Moab, hung out and got some shakes. Then we went up to the Sand Flats Recreation Area and found a campsite.
Later that night, John and his friend showed up in his Landrover LR3. We woke up the next morning ready to run Fins n' Things, one of the popular Moab trails.
On the trail:
Had I not been so freaked out driving down the slickrock "Fins" I would have gotten a pic of the maxed out inclinometer!
The rear wheel lift you see in the last pic caused the rear end to slide into a bump resulting in this:
And this:
John took his LR3 straight down this one which caused him to do a bit of plowing:
I took an angled approach and got hung up on the rear tow hook/ bumper:
One of my favorite pics:
More inclinometer maxing-out slickrock:
On a cliff!
Forum shot!
I'll put day three in another post
All loaded up with my new to me 205/75/14 tires.
There was lots of headwind going up the passes. That and a little car with three people and gear made for a slow drive. We stopped in west Vail for food and to make sure all was good with the car.
From there it was easy going. The tercel would cruise at 75, though it seemed most happy at 70. The big tires helped with the freeway speeds. We stopped in Grand Junction for last minute camping gear and gas and continued to the desert.
Off the Cisco exit towards Moab:
We cruised through the canyon, stopping at a few cool places. Our friend John was on his way over to meet us, but a few hours behind so we were in no hurry.
On the Colorado river:
We got into Moab, hung out and got some shakes. Then we went up to the Sand Flats Recreation Area and found a campsite.
Later that night, John and his friend showed up in his Landrover LR3. We woke up the next morning ready to run Fins n' Things, one of the popular Moab trails.
On the trail:
Had I not been so freaked out driving down the slickrock "Fins" I would have gotten a pic of the maxed out inclinometer!
The rear wheel lift you see in the last pic caused the rear end to slide into a bump resulting in this:
And this:
John took his LR3 straight down this one which caused him to do a bit of plowing:
I took an angled approach and got hung up on the rear tow hook/ bumper:
One of my favorite pics:
More inclinometer maxing-out slickrock:
On a cliff!
Forum shot!
I'll put day three in another post
86 Silver SR5 "Silver Bullet"- 3in lift, 205/75/14s, torque cam, big brakes- Sold
86 Red SR5 "Battle Wagon"- 2.5in lift, 205/75/14s, rebuilt 3ac, chalkboard hood- Totaled
86 White DX "The Gateway Drug"- All stock-Totaled
86 Red SR5 "Battle Wagon"- 2.5in lift, 205/75/14s, rebuilt 3ac, chalkboard hood- Totaled
86 White DX "The Gateway Drug"- All stock-Totaled
- LittleRed4wd
- Top Notch Member
- Posts: 188
- Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:36 am
- Location: Boulder, CO
Re: Utah in a Tercel!
The next day we drove towards the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park. It was about 70 miles.
We decided not to camp in the park, so we pulled onto a BLM road and drove it till it narrowed into a canyon. We didn't want to stay in a wash because of the flash flood risk so we turned around.
The end of the road:
I was driving through a wash and my battery came disconnected somehow leaving me like this:
I fixed that and we found a sweet campsite. We set the table in the middle of the road and didn't have to move it for cars at all. There was no one out there.
The next day we went hiking in the Needles:
And I forgot to take pictures but we drove back to Moab and camped in a designated BLM site near there. The next morning we gassed up and drove back across the divide to Boulder. No problems whatsoever!
It was a great trip, I wanted to go next week for longer but my job situation made this a better time for a quick one. I hope you all enjoy the pics! I was very impressed by the tercel's off road ability as usual. It got lots of compliments from people in their built up jeeps and such.
We decided not to camp in the park, so we pulled onto a BLM road and drove it till it narrowed into a canyon. We didn't want to stay in a wash because of the flash flood risk so we turned around.
The end of the road:
I was driving through a wash and my battery came disconnected somehow leaving me like this:
I fixed that and we found a sweet campsite. We set the table in the middle of the road and didn't have to move it for cars at all. There was no one out there.
The next day we went hiking in the Needles:
And I forgot to take pictures but we drove back to Moab and camped in a designated BLM site near there. The next morning we gassed up and drove back across the divide to Boulder. No problems whatsoever!
It was a great trip, I wanted to go next week for longer but my job situation made this a better time for a quick one. I hope you all enjoy the pics! I was very impressed by the tercel's off road ability as usual. It got lots of compliments from people in their built up jeeps and such.
86 Silver SR5 "Silver Bullet"- 3in lift, 205/75/14s, torque cam, big brakes- Sold
86 Red SR5 "Battle Wagon"- 2.5in lift, 205/75/14s, rebuilt 3ac, chalkboard hood- Totaled
86 White DX "The Gateway Drug"- All stock-Totaled
86 Red SR5 "Battle Wagon"- 2.5in lift, 205/75/14s, rebuilt 3ac, chalkboard hood- Totaled
86 White DX "The Gateway Drug"- All stock-Totaled
Re: Utah in a Tercel!
Nice pics, love The Needles, Chesler Park, Elephant Hill, Druid Arch... makes me want to head south, maybe this fall.
- 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: Utah in a Tercel!
Thanks for the shots! Beautiful scenery! No rubbing with the new tires, even a little?
OT, but - will you need to get a windshield for a license inspection?
Tom M.
OT, but - will you need to get a windshield for a license inspection?
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
"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
- dlb
- Highest Ranking Member
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- Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:03 pm
- My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
- Location: bc, canada
Re: Utah in a Tercel!
excellent pics! those are definitely some frightening inclines. the pic you mentioned as being your fave is also mine, it should be in an off-road magazine or something.
the tires look awesome. are you back to stock suspension now that you are no longer low riding? it's tough to tell with such big tires.
the tires look awesome. are you back to stock suspension now that you are no longer low riding? it's tough to tell with such big tires.
- LittleRed4wd
- Top Notch Member
- Posts: 188
- Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2010 11:36 am
- Location: Boulder, CO
Re: Utah in a Tercel!
Thanks for the comments!
Tom there is a bit of rubbing at full lock in the front. With the car fully loaded with gear the rear wheels will sometimes rub the wells when flexing. There isn't any inspection here, just emissions testing so thats not a problem. I've been working on getting a cheap windshield through the dealer I work at though- It's hard to see out of this cracked one!
DLB- I've got pathfinder springs and t-bird shocks in the rear and 2 inch spacers in the front. The lift is for sure needed with these tires
Tom there is a bit of rubbing at full lock in the front. With the car fully loaded with gear the rear wheels will sometimes rub the wells when flexing. There isn't any inspection here, just emissions testing so thats not a problem. I've been working on getting a cheap windshield through the dealer I work at though- It's hard to see out of this cracked one!
DLB- I've got pathfinder springs and t-bird shocks in the rear and 2 inch spacers in the front. The lift is for sure needed with these tires
86 Silver SR5 "Silver Bullet"- 3in lift, 205/75/14s, torque cam, big brakes- Sold
86 Red SR5 "Battle Wagon"- 2.5in lift, 205/75/14s, rebuilt 3ac, chalkboard hood- Totaled
86 White DX "The Gateway Drug"- All stock-Totaled
86 Red SR5 "Battle Wagon"- 2.5in lift, 205/75/14s, rebuilt 3ac, chalkboard hood- Totaled
86 White DX "The Gateway Drug"- All stock-Totaled
-
- Highest Ranking Member
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- My tercel:: 83 tercel v20 B/T (The ROCKET)98 toyota t100
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Re: Utah in a Tercel!
Moab is a realy unique place, been their twice had a great time. Your pix are sweet like the high center photo,nice diary.
- Petros
- Highest Ranking Member
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- Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 6:31 pm
- My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
- Location: Arlington WA USA
Re: Utah in a Tercel!
Great shots! shows the Tercel as a pretty capable off road machine! I bet toyota never envisioned this kind of use for the T4wd (it was designed as a "bird watching car"). Oh, and I love the tire on the roof, makes it look rough and ready (even if it does affect the fuel economy).
I suspect you consumed about half the amount of fuel as all the other 4x4s there. Ha! "green" off-roading.
I suspect you consumed about half the amount of fuel as all the other 4x4s there. Ha! "green" off-roading.
'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)
'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)
- GLet71
- Highest Ranking Member
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- Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2012 11:09 pm
- My tercel:: '87 6-spd SR5 4wd Wagon
- Location: Nelson, BC Canada
Re: Utah in a Tercel!
Thanks for presenting us with these photos, it is truly inspiring to see what our how big an ambition our little cars have!
Currently:
Majorette France Tercel 4WD - Fini
Formerly:
'87 6spd SR5 4WD modified Wagon (Ron, the post-apocalyptic summer ride)
'87 6spd dlx 4wd Wagon (Pinkman Got Nuthin', aka Pinky)
'87 Auto dlx 4WD Wagon (Otto, temporary parts car)
'88 6spd SR5 4WD Wagon (Perry, the parts car)
Majorette France Tercel 4WD - Fini
Formerly:
'87 6spd SR5 4WD modified Wagon (Ron, the post-apocalyptic summer ride)
'87 6spd dlx 4wd Wagon (Pinkman Got Nuthin', aka Pinky)
'87 Auto dlx 4WD Wagon (Otto, temporary parts car)
'88 6spd SR5 4WD Wagon (Perry, the parts car)
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- Top Notch Member
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- My tercel:: "Bones" 87 SR5 4wd wagon
- Location: Dawson City, Yukon
Re: Utah in a Tercel!
Great shots and narrative! Thanks for sharing. Looks like a place I would like to see first hand
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Re: Utah in a Tercel!
They are great pictures you took , thanks for sharing .
-
- Member
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- My tercel:: 1984 Tercel Wagon SR5
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Re: Utah in a Tercel!
sweet terc man. i now know what size tire i want to try and get under mine eventually.
why party when I can spend friday nights working on the terc
Daily driver- 1984 tercel wagon
Project on hold- 1993 toyota pickup dlx with sas
Daily driver- 1984 tercel wagon
Project on hold- 1993 toyota pickup dlx with sas