Tercel 4x4

morgsie · Post by **morgsie** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 3:09 pm

I'm not sure if this is the right forum, so if it isn't i'm sorry ahead of time. I orignally posted this over at toyotanation.com but was directed over here.

I'll just be forward and get to my question: Is it possible to swap the 4x4 components of a wagon into a (I'll say 81-85) tercel car? Well maybe that's a bad way of putting it because with enough time you could swap anything into anything. Would this (for the most part) be a "bolt-in" deal? I know for sure there would be the issue of driveshaft length and the bigger issue of a driveshaft tunnel and anything else that is affect by the difference in length between the two. But in general did Toyota keep most of their stuff interchangeable or is the wagon a whole new ball park? Has anyone done this or ever researched it?

And there is a reason to my madness. Aside from a winter project, I play on a paintball team. We are looking for a small (smaller than the Ranger 4x4 which we are currently using), economical 4x4 vehicle. I was thinking it would be neat to swap the 4x4 from a wagon into a car since we already have a tercel car at our disposal. Maybe I'm asking for too much, i mean a small 4x4 4 banger...

Thanks,
Morgsie

brianp · Post by **brianp** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 3:27 pm

You mean the tercel hatchback? I don't know if anyone has tried it, I'll let the more experienced people here answer its feasibility.

The tercel wagon is already small and economical though, I'm not sure why you'd want anything smaller.

Have you looked at subaru Justy's? They're hatchbacks with 4wd. Don't know how common they are.[/u]

morgsie · Post by **morgsie** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 3:36 pm

Guess I should have given more info on the vehicle(s). My cousin has a running and driving tercel hatchback, but it's been parked or a couple of months now. He has said it's mine because he just wants to get rid of it. And a firend of mine has a line on a 85 tercel 4x4 wagon that was rear ended and deemed unroadworthy. I'd rather swap the stuff into the car and use what I have rather then find another wagon. Plus as I said I'm looking for a winter project and I enjoy a challenge. Just wanted to ask people who are fimilar with these vehicles to see if I have a chance in hell to do it.

jetswim · Post by **jetswim** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 4:36 pm

I have both and 87 Tercel 4X4 wagon and an 87 Tercel Hatchback and it doesn't look like it would be a bolt on transfer. The wagon is definately bigger than the hatch and the engine is a completly different set-up too. Just use the hatchback as is. I drive mine through mud, snow, farmers fields, etc., and it just keeps going!
Good luck.

GTSSportCoupe · Post by **GTSSportCoupe** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 9:05 pm

The main issue is the completely different suspension geometry and connection points in the back of the two cars (2wd vs. 4wd). Otherwise, the engine/trans layout is very similar between the 4wd wagons and the 83-86 hatchbacks.

That said, there is a fellow who occasionally visits this forum that has the user name 20vtercel. He did convert a fwd tercel into a 4wd. He used an RX7 IRS suspension setup in the back of his tercel hatch back. It was some pretty serious custom work. He has documented some of it on this site. Use the search function and see what you can find.

Let us know how it goes for you.