1987 Corolla FX 16

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irowiki
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1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by irowiki »

"Hey Dad, that looks like a Tercel" as we drove by. My first thought was it was a Tercel EZ but no, it's a FX 16 with a 4A-GE! Going to go check it out in the morning as I was thinking of something light to tow behind the RV.
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87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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Mattel
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My tercel:: 1988 Corolla 4wd Wagon (AKA Corolla All-trac) 5speed, AC, Power Sunroof, Windows, Mirrors, Steering, Locking, Diff Lock, 14" Corolla SX Alloys with Silica Hankook Tyres, 4afe, King Springs, Upgraded Headlights, Full Synth oils, 210,000kms
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by Mattel »

My friend Mick has a pretty nice one as well as a sweet All-trac. Only came out as a 5 door in Australia

https://www.instagram.com/p/CD8W446HPzt ... hare_sheet

https://www.instagram.com/p/CD8W446HPzt ... _copy_link

Image
Previous: 83 Tercel SR5 4wd, 84 Tercel SR5 4wd
88 Corolla 4wd Wagon 5speed, All power options, Fact Sunroof, Diff Lock, 14" SX Alloys, Hankook Tyres, 4afe, King Springs, Upgraded Headlights, Full Synth oils, Tow Bar, 210,000kms
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irowiki
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Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by irowiki »

We've been wanting a restoration project that isn't a carbureted car and this is pretty close to what we were looking for!

wow I wish we got the cooler cars like that here in North America
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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irowiki
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Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by irowiki »

Only 101K miles

they want 2K or offer for it so if everything is in good running shape I might offer 1.5, we'll need tires though that tires are shot
Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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dlb
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My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
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Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by dlb »

Neat. I think former forum member Gottolovem had one of these and really liked it. I don't think I've ever seen one in Canada. They remind me of the toyota Starlet.
The Professor
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Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by The Professor »

Didn't that model come with alloy wheels? Those look like steelies.
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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irowiki
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Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by irowiki »

Bought her for $1,000 due to the various issues.

I think I'm going to make a subforum for 4A-GE stuff... since people swap those in anyway we can consolidate and I can ask technical questions there, perhaps people will know.

The Professor: This is the base model, with 13 inch steels standard with options for 14 inch steels/alloys.

Does have four wheel disc brakes though!

The idle is a bit low, and she'll stall sometimes when you stop at a light. I'm thinking maybe a tuneup?

We also found out the brake lights don't work.

OD light flashes and it won't manually shift into second, but it automatically shifts through all the gears fine.

The coolant overflow cap was busted... and it promptly shot coolant out the side of the car after a hill :lol:

The tires were rotten with half the sidewall gone so the first thing we did was clean up the alloys we got from Dan like 6 years ago, and installed 14 inch tires:
new wheels.jpg
Looks almost like a GTS now!
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Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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NWMO
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Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by NWMO »

Congratulations irowiki,

That looks like a fun car!

Chris
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Petros
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Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by Petros »

those are awsome little hatchbacks. I think under appreciated, they look like econo box toyota, but with that engine, light body, disk brakes, can be made in a real sleeper. I find them every so often, one time a non=runner for like $500, but it needed too much work, and were I live I kind of need the 4wd. if I had lots of time and money, doing a sleeper mod rebuild/restoration would be fun. Rare, fast, and reliable/ modern high powered engine (with lots of performance parts available for the engine), a nice lightweight and simple hatch back body style, it could make a hair raising little ride. they are also very reliable too. I met a guy with one and he said his BMW friends would make fun of his car, but he could beat those heavy and costly cars in a race. they did not laugh at him any more.

as I recall, they also came with similar seats to the T4wd SR5, with the side grab handles. too bad you got an auto trans, most of them are 5 speeds. even so, I am kind of jealous, would love to see that one on the road. all the ones I have seen are kind of rough and neglected.
'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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SirFoxx
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My tercel:: 1981 Toyota Tercel w/ 7age

Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by SirFoxx »

I'm definitely onboard with the idea of a 4age forum section!
1988 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon w/ weber (RIP)
1985 4wd Tercel SR5 (RIP)
1986 Base 2dr Hatch (RIP / PARTS)
1986 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon with ???
1985 DLX 2dr Tercel Hatch w/manual swap
1981 2dr Toyota Tercel w/7age (RIP)
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel w/Turbo 4AGE
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel SR-5
Toyotadude
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Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by Toyotadude »

What a deal !
If it ain't broke, I can break it !
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splatterdog
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Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by splatterdog »

Still remember driving a Chevy Nova "twin cam", the only one I ever saw or at least worked on. It was more fun than the Iroc Camaro I drove the same day.
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Petros
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Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by Petros »

splatterdog wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 4:41 pm Still remember driving a Chevy Nova "twin cam", the only one I ever saw or at least worked on. It was more fun than the Iroc Camaro I drove the same day.

was that an option on the nova labelled corolla. or something an owner created from a GTS twin cam? Never seen that before in the Nova trim.

It was not that unusual for a Corolla GTS twin cam, but it could have been more popular if toyota had marketed it differently, If they used noticeably graphics and grill on the outside, up graded seats and special alloy wheels and low profile tires. as it was you could not externally tell it from the SR5 corolla, despite drastic differences mechanically. it had the same boring all grey interior as the SR5 corolla, I guess it reflects the view of the manufacturer, they appeared embarrassed to sell a performance version of the car and wanted to hide it.
'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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irowiki
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Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by irowiki »

Petros wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 10:00 pmwas that an option on the nova labelled corolla. or something an owner created from a GTS twin cam? Never seen that before in the Nova trim.
Yeah all the parts specific to the FX16 so far also listed a Nova in the same year range. So it would have been the Nova version of the FX16. Guess it was rare?

She still stalls when put into gear. Going to replace plugs/wires/cap/rotor and check timing before digging into that one much further.

Fixed the brake lights, the 3rd brake light bulb socket came loose, the bulb then exploded and shorted out the fuse. In diagnosing that, figured out they stole the fuse from the 12v outlet which is why that didn't work either. But, after I fixed that the brake lights were staying on all the time. Turns out there's a little rubber bumper on the brake pedal that contacted the switch. Car sat so long the switch impressioned into the rubber. Replaced it with a nut and bolt for now.

In my parts ordering I have found out the upper radiator hose was specific to the FX16 (AE82) and is no longer available. It makes quite an interesting bend around the side of the engine because the engine was first used for RWD applications!
PXL_20201010_033143119.jpg
I'm considering finding two different hoses with the right bends and joining them in the middle with some pipe.

The entire blower housing was full of a mouse nest, the flapper valve was set to recirc (so it was in the up position) and the mouse built on top of the flapper. As soon as I set it to outside air the whole thing fell down into the blower cage. Got the whole blower box out and got that sorted out.
PXL_20201008_221355666.jpg
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Former Tercel Enthusiast (not a practical family car anymore but they still have a place in my heart)

Site administrator, if something is broken, PM me!

87 Corolla FX16, 105k
94 Jamboree RV (Ford E-350), 90k
95 Camry Wagon, 170k
97 4runner, 275k
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
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Re: 1987 Corolla FX 16

Post by Petros »

for that radiator hose, you can likely fab up a length of aluminum tubing and just use two short 90 deg hoses. I good muffler shop can bend you up a nice length of stainless tubing where you should only need two short lengths of rubber hose and 4 clamps.

you might also consider a very long "universal" type radiator hose, correlated to allow it to flex in any direction.

typically when an auto trans car stalls, it indicates a vacuum leak somewhere.
'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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