'81 Tercel

[Mark]

Here's the '81 Tercel I just picked up:
Meeting the wagon:

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The driver's side keyhole has a hole through the door near it:

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There's a bit of a dent on the driver's side:

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The trunk lock is missing the "turning knob":

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[Mark]

One of the rear taillights has a crack in the body near it (from some kind of bondo repair?:

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The bondo repair from inside the trunk:

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The rear half of the car seems to have been painted an almost "primer red" colour over the original red.
A bit of overspray around the window seal:

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Here you can see the original paint and the "primer" re-paint:

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Inside the trunk:

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The classic "paint over the jack instead of removing it":

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[Mark]

The interior:

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I've seen this black interior in pictures of other Tercels and I assumed it was a custom restore job, but now I think it must have been an original option:

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The for sale ad said that it had leather seats, but I'm pretty sure they're vinyl:

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Some tears in the driver's seat:

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Rear seats:

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Dash:

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Low km's, but no trip counter:

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Original AM radio:

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[Mark]

Engine Bay:

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The distributor, etc. that I hope to eventually replace with the 2nd gen electronic distributor:

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non-round 145 tires. I'll be replacing them with newish 155's from my '83 hatchback. I assume they'll convert over fine:

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Up next:
Full fluid changes
Tire replacement
Fix holes in body (rust prevention)
Replace distributor?

[dlb]

that interior actually looks pretty sporty. so what does your better half think of the new addition, and of slowly accumulating a fleet of tercels? next you'll need the 3rd and 4th gens, in sedan, coupe, and hatchback...

[4doorVIP]

that 1st gen is really really clean, congrats on acquiring one!
I have the same setup, a tercel wagon (87) and a first gen (81) - your two are in way nicer shape, though

[irowiki]

My 81 has the electronic ignition, if that helps broaden your search.

I think you have the 3A engine, unless it has a cat?

The car looks amazing!

[Mark]

I think all the tercel engines I have say "3A" on them, but they're all 3AC since they all have a cat. I'm going to have to figure out the wiring for the distributor. I assume yours was a replacement distributor?

[Mark]

that interior actually looks pretty sporty. so what does your better half think of the new addition, and of slowly accumulating a fleet of tercels? next you'll need the 3rd and 4th gens, in sedan, coupe, and hatchback...

She has always liked the 1st gen Tercels as well so she understands. It's my early midlife crisis and it's cheaper and less douche than a Ferarri. When the seller finally posted some pictures she saw the black interior and the red steering wheel cover that it had. She looked a bit scornfully and said "it looks too modern to be a tercel". I'm glad I'm not the only one who likes old cars. The sellers couldn't believe that someone would actually want a car this old. I don't mind the 3rd gen hatchbacks, but I draw the line at the rest. I'm actually going to get rid of the 2nd gen hatchback to free up some room. Ideally I'd like someone to keep driving it, but there's really too many problems with it for most people to bother with:
-Big cracks in windshield. There's rust around the windshield frame and in the corners of the dash where it leaked.
-Passenger side window gear is stripped and the lock/handle doesn't work.
-General rust.
-Shocks completely gone.
-Needs muffler and rear exhaust piping.
-Headliner was shredded. I replaced it, but the glue didn't hold so it's sagging down.
-Torn up seats, holes cut in carpet.
-Etc...

I'll probably start stripping it down of all useful parts. I especially want to keep the trans since I know it's good. I'll remove everything removable in the engine bay. I don't have a hoist for the engine so I'll probably leave it. The tires/distributor will go to the '81. The catalytic converter might go to my wagon (I think my wagon's is plugged. When the muffler fell off on a logging road, it didn't get much louder). I might even take off the fenders since they're the same as my wagon's. The heater core will go to my wagon since that one is leaking. Etc...

[irowiki]

Ah, in the US, if it had the old points style ignition, it didn't have a cat and was classified as a "3A engine" instead of "3AC" for the 1st Gen Tercels.

If I had to choose, I'd trade in the sedan for a 1st gen hatchback, more room for cargo!

[dlb]

It's my early midlife crisis and it's cheaper and less douche than a Ferarri.

no joke, a few months ago i saw a kid from the local high school driving a ferrari in mill bay. it was sitting at a stop light and it sounded like hell. i thought, that can't be that mint ferrari that sounds like it's about to die. then the light turned green, and the car didn't move. light went back to red, and a few moments later i heard the ferrari fire up again. the kid kept revving it up super high to keep it from dying. traffic was piling up behind the car now. the light went green again, and the ferrari barely managed to crawl on to the highway, going downhill, and the kid stopped it in the middle of two lanes of traffic and sat in the car, dumbfounded i guess. luckily, some middle aged guy who was blocked by the broken down ferrari got out and pushed the car to the side of the highway while the kid steered. i couldn't stop staring and laughing at the scene. if ever there was a poster boy for rich, spoiled, useless brats, that kid was him.

sounds like a good use of the hatchback, and i have always liked the 1st gens a lot, so good for you. and lucky you that your gf is also a fan of your cars!

[Mark]

Ha! That Ferrari guy probably didn't want to pay $5000 or whatever it is for an oil change and let it go too long or something.
Irowiki: I just assumed mine had a cat. I didn't look under the car for it yet. I always assumed every car as recent as the '80s had one.

[Mark]

So I found out this evening that the 1st and 2nd gen tercels have different bolt patterns on the wheels so I can't just swap tires that easily. I also found that the sadistic Toyota engineers tried to bury the 2nd gen heater cores as deep under the dash as possible. After an hour or so I gave up in frustration. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow.

[dlb]

shit, i didn't even think to mention that. yes, 2nd gen and up are 4x100 mm bolt patterns but 1st gens are 4x114 mm. i think that equates to 4x4" and 4x4.5", respectively. the good news is that you can now buy these 14" celica wheels off of my dad and put them on your 1st gen! they've been sitting in his yard for years.



i'm joking but if you're actually interested in them, i will get him to sell them cheap to you.

[Mark]

Anyone else would say yes, but I'm trying to keep it stock (except for the distributor eventually). By the way, Irowiki, what size tires do you have on your Tercel? I have 145's on mine and the label in the glove box says to use 145 SR13 or 165 70 SR13. I don't know if these sizes are still available.