Need help funding Toyota Tercel suspension project.

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HMB_Turdcell
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My tercel:: 1986 SR5 4WD

Need help funding Toyota Tercel suspension project.

Post by HMB_Turdcell »

I'm trying to get the Tercel ready for the Gambler 500 but I'm running into some money problems, primarily with the suspension. I need help funding this project, anything helps. Thanks.

https://www.gofundme.com/broke-college- ... suspension
The Professor
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My tercel:: 1987 Tercel SR5 4WD wagon
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Re: Need help funding Toyota Tercel suspension project.

Post by The Professor »

I don't want to come off as a jerk or a curmudgeon, but asking for a handout just so you can go on an adventure comes across as entitled. Based on your description this isn't even school related or that you're using it as the basis for a future school project or credits, it sounds like it's just for your amusement.

Look, I was in college not that long ago, so I know the plight of a college-aged petrol head. It's hard to do fun things on a student's budget, but I would start by looking for jobs on campus or in the local mall/shopping area. I worked for the school bookstore and in the mall while in college, along with some other, less savory jobs and was able to have fun while studying.
1975 Subaru SuperStar wagon
1984 Subaru Turbo-Traction wagon & hardtop
1987 Subaru RX 3-door
1987 Subaru RX Type-RA 3-door
1987 Toyota Tercel SR5 wagon
1999 Subaru Forester S
2002 Subaru WRX sedan
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Abletobecain
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My tercel:: 1983 4WD DLX, 1986 4WD SR5, 1985 4WD SR5, 1983 4WD SR5
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Re: Need help funding Toyota Tercel suspension project.

Post by Abletobecain »

Well said Professor. Not saying this applies to you HMB but this gofundme stuff is getting ridiculous. People just asking strangers for money? And online?! I remember when bums would sit on a corner with a sign...now they have cell phones and the loot just rolls in. I just finished my Master's degree and worked the whole time to support myself and my hobbies. Yeah it was tight, yeah there's plenty I didn't do, but I never just asked random people for money. Maybe it's a generational thing...maybe it's an integrity thing...idk. At least you're being honest about it though. I had a roommate that bailed on rent and bills and said her mom died and that she had to pay for the whole funeral. She set up a gofundme for help. Found out later her mom just lives in Japan. Reported that one real quick.
1977 BMW R100S 1WD ("Brunhilda"/Summer Fun)
1983 DLX Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Charlie"/Daily Driver)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Sprocket"/Off-road-Camping)
1985 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Lucky"/Project)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Cadaver"/Parts Car)
1985 Ford F250 6.9IDI ("Franklin"/Hauler)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Ravensburger"/in a million pieces)
2006 BMW 530XI Wagon ("Inga"/Roadtripper)
1969 Mercury Montego MX Convertible ("Big Ed"/My Dad's Old Car)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Al"/for sale soon)
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Abletobecain
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My tercel:: 1983 4WD DLX, 1986 4WD SR5, 1985 4WD SR5, 1983 4WD SR5
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Re: Need help funding Toyota Tercel suspension project.

Post by Abletobecain »

Also...I learned long ago. on the streets of NY, that people are more likely to give you money if you're funny about it. A guy followed me and a friend for about a block telling us jokes...they were so good we stopped and listened for a minute...then he asked us for money. Gave him a $20. The fellas sitting there all mopey with a cup out I mostly walked past. Just saying...if you're gonna beg for money maybe spice up the gofundme description with some funny details or some promises of pictures/videos...idk...something to garner interest instead of just holding a cup out to the digital world.
1977 BMW R100S 1WD ("Brunhilda"/Summer Fun)
1983 DLX Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Charlie"/Daily Driver)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Sprocket"/Off-road-Camping)
1985 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Lucky"/Project)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Cadaver"/Parts Car)
1985 Ford F250 6.9IDI ("Franklin"/Hauler)
1987 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Ravensburger"/in a million pieces)
2006 BMW 530XI Wagon ("Inga"/Roadtripper)
1969 Mercury Montego MX Convertible ("Big Ed"/My Dad's Old Car)
1983 SR5 Tercel Wagon 4WD ("Al"/for sale soon)
larry mcgrath
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My tercel:: 83 tercel v20 B/T (The ROCKET)98 toyota t100
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Re: Need help funding Toyota Tercel suspension project.

Post by larry mcgrath »

I would agree with all the posts, I'm 72 have worked since I was 8yr old NO one has ever given me S--t. Get off your but and get a job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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ARCHINSTL
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Re: Need help funding Toyota Tercel suspension project.

Post by ARCHINSTL »

You have to pay to play: A good lesson for life as well ...
Tom M.

P.S. to Larry - I thought you were further away from this 1940 kid than that!
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
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Petros
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Re: Need help funding Toyota Tercel suspension project.

Post by Petros »

it is not hard to earn $400-600. doing odd jobs. when I was out of work I would do some mobile auto repair among my fellow collage students and family friends. I could earn good money in cash, and charge about half of what the local repair shops would charge to unsuspecting students. Just routine maintenance (brakes, spark plugs, filters and oil changes, etc) made good money and did not need any special tools or knowledge, even on the newer cars.

OTOH this crowd funding thing is an interesting development. But I see a lot of people just asking for money because they can not afford to take care of their home or car or something themselves. Usually is not even essential, they were offering nothing in exchange. If you have a new invention you want to market, and the crowd funding offers participants purchase discounts, or when there are truly needed families that have a medical emergency they can not handle, than there is a reason for people to give money. One is they like the new idea and get a chance at buying it first, or when generous people are willing to help out someone in true need, save a life, or support a cause.

The professor is correct, there is no reason anyone should be motivated to support your hobby. You either have to find a hook or motivation that strangers should take an interest in your endeavors, or it comes across as self serving begging. If there is some charitable organization that you can support or promote as part of your racing program, that might be a reason for people to support you. it would be even better if it was car related. What comes to mind is there are local charities here, often promoted by a local auto parts store, that will do free safety, minor maintenance, and other simple repairs for free to single mothers, the unemployed, or needy families. Locally they have these events several times a year, anyone in need can bring their car (usually at the autoparts store) and volunteer mechanics will check out the brakes, lights, condition of tune, etc on cars for free, and replace the parts for them. It looks like a lot of fun and I thought about volunteering to help out, but it never lands on a good day for me (I usually made other plans when I learn about the next one coming up).

If you go to the supporting auto parts store, offer to paint their logo and address on your car, and the date of the event in big letters, they might give you a discount on the parts. than you put your plan (with pictures of your paint job) on the site, and get people who want to support the charitable event to send you money.

Another popular cause is private military veterans support groups, since auto events, particularly 4x4 events, are popular with military vets, it would be a good cause to bring attention to with your car in an event like that. once you have some kind of official approval from such a group, you can also solicit local parts suppliers to donated or give discounted parts. if you go that route, ask for like $2000 (work up a reasonable budget for fixing and entering the car in the event). Perhaps put a min of $1000, with an upper limit of say $5000. Than any extra money you raise, that you do not use, would get donated to the charity. Also, make sure you list how many hours you will be putting into the car preparation and the event, and list it as donated time (to show how generous you are).

This would give a good reason for strangers to support your project, and you might actually be able to raise some money for a good cause. the less self serving it is, the better your chances of getting people willing to donate money to it.

Some years ago I was invited to a small fishing village in Mexico on the Yucatan to help to teach the younger men how to build boats using locally available materials. I would have had a nice place to stay for free. the idea was that the village is full of subsistence fishermen, and most of the young men could hardly afford to feed themselves, let alone get themselves a boat. They have to leave the village and try to find work at a distant resort or even further distant big city. the Village was drying up. With a home made boat, they not only can go fishing and raise some money, but they can also find good paying work taking out tourist divers or fisherman out in the beautiful tropical waters in the gulf. It allows them to stay in their home town, get out of poverty and than get married and raise a family. the village stays alive and even thrives. since I have built about 30 small wood boats using hand tools, and usually with salvaged lumber, this sounded like a fun thing to do. the time spent I would loose income, but that is typical for self employed people when we take time off. the hardest pill to swallow was that flying from the US to central Mexico, and than taking a local flight to a local airport, and than hiring a taxi to take me the remaining 60 miles down small local roads, would cost about $4000 or more round trip (and of course when I told my wife about it the first thing she said was "you can't go unless I can come with you", so for me, that is $8000!). I had considered driving the 4-5000 miles there, down through Texas, and than down along the east coast of Mexico, but the person that invited me strongly advised against it because some of the remote areas we would be driving through are not friendly to tourists, and often even the local cops are crooks (local crime boss). Not a good idea with my wife along either. Thoght once there, she could act as my assistant, and she actually knows a little Spanish (I know almost none), so I told her she can come only if she brushes up on her Spanish. But this sounded like an adventure she did not want to miss out on, so she would do it. I kept putting it off even though I thought I could make a reasonable cause to have strangers, out of compassion for these villagers, would support the cause (I would promote it on boating, fishing and travel websites, where guiltily feeling successful people might frequent). But I would have to take some time to put together a compelling presentation, with pictures of the villagers, and if possible video clips of me perhaps building a wood boat with hand tools. I never put it together, but the better the presentation, the more likely you will be successful in raising funds. I might still do it if I ever retire from daily work. But that would be a viable way to raise money for a charitable cause, and get my wife and I a fun adventure/working vacation.
'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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splatterdog
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Re: Need help funding Toyota Tercel suspension project.

Post by splatterdog »

You did pick a car that is notoriously cheap to fix. Does the Gambler allow for cars stickered/painted up with sponsors? I think you will only find advice and some used parts here I'm afraid.

I've read that street corner begging can be lucrative. My 30+ year old car only needs to go another 500 mi could be the sign. Maybe make it look like you live in the T4. Borrow a baby for a prop..

Good luck with the car and the Gambler!
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