1987 Tercel 4wd project

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dlb
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My tercel:: '87 sr5, '83 dlx parts car
Location: bc, canada

Re: 1987 Tercel 4wd project

Post by dlb »

Mark wrote: Sun Jan 15, 2023 9:49 am
What's the "Economy" light for? (edit: I just realized you already answered this). It seems like a strange system since it would require an extra switch and wiring just to let you know how far you were pushing the gas pedal.
I agree, it seems both more complex and less useful than a regular vacuum gauge, but I still love it because of how 80's it is. My grandma's 1982 Volvo came stock with a fuel economy gauge in the cluster that I loved watching when I was a kid.

At first I had assumed this 'economy' button was just an A/C indicator, since tercels with A/C have that economy button by the climate controls.
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Mark
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My tercel:: 1984 Automatic, 1981 sedan
Location: Victoria, B.C.

Re: 1987 Tercel 4wd project

Post by Mark »

My old '84 Camry had an economy button for the auto transmission that changed the shift points to sooner for better fuel economy. At least I think that's what it did. I never really noticed much of a difference.
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Nordical25
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My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
Location: Finland

Re: 1987 Tercel 4wd project

Post by Nordical25 »

You both are absolutery right. That economy light is pure 80's after 70's oil crisis time. E70-corollas had economy meter but somehow Tercels received a economy light similarly to E80-corollas etc. The basic idea would be to have green light when driving all the time but you all know how it works in reality. I start to enjoy more my Tercel when that light goes yellow...

By the way A/C, powersteering or automatic transmission were not available in European Tercels as far as I know so you got totally different accessories. We got inclinometers, economy light and simple bumpers. So in my eyes European Tercels are just different from NA ones with both having their benefits. However best equipped Tercels were Japanese ones. They had all of these options plus more as you may know already.

And the economy light got even more weird in 90's Toyotas. It got integrated somehow with ecu and fuel injection. It meant that you needed to accelerate harder to get out of "economy" zone. So the car would recognize economy acceleration and normal acceleration. I ended up usually choosing full throttle when driving late 90's Toyota because of that weird economy system.

And it is predecessor for Toyota hybrid "powermeter" in my opinion. Some newer Toyota hybrids from 2010's have powermeter instead of tacho. And as you may guess, there is still that economyzone. So Toyota has been addicted somehow economy lights, economy gauges and economy modes since late 70's/early 80's.
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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 Tercel 4wd project

Post by Mattel »

Australia got the best bits I think. All our Tercels were manual 4wd wagons in DL and SR5 trim - we got euro bumpers and front end and AC / PS / sunroof options. we also got SR5 sports seats with the handles and inclometers.
However we did not get the economy guage and headlamp washers you guys were mandated to have I think!
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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Nordical25
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My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
Location: Finland

Re: 1987 Tercel 4wd project

Post by Nordical25 »

Mattel wrote: Mon Jan 16, 2023 9:55 pm Australia got the best bits I think. All our Tercels were manual 4wd wagons in DL and SR5 trim - we got euro bumpers and front end and AC / PS / sunroof options. we also got SR5 sports seats with the handles and inclometers.
However we did not get the economy guage and headlamp washers you guys were mandated to have I think!
You are right. I forgot to mention AUS Tercels. They sound a bit like a mix of European & NA Tercels with improved options. There is not a lot of videos etc. online of AUS Tercels left so that is why I have missed to compare them. Japanese Caribs (early ones) got also plaid seats by the way. My favourite thing in Caribs was that late model inclinometer with altitude meter. Many of Caribs were Automatic so I agree in that way that AUS Tercels are a solid choice.

Headlight washers and mud flaps were mandated in Finland but not economy light. Anyway, you may be right that some European country could have had that still economy light mandated, because Tercel was sold in Europe at least into 10 different countries.

I have driven at least 10 different basic cars from 80's and none of them except Toyotas had economy lights or gauges. Only a bit more luxurious cars like Volvos Opel Mantas, BMW etc. had them in Finland. So economy gauge or economy light was a sign of "better equipped car". You may remember also this from 80's Knight Rider episodes: the more power, accessories, lights and switches, the more fun. Same applies to every 80's car.
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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 Tercel 4wd project

Post by Mattel »

We also got a remote release for the rear hatch.

European Tercels seemed to all have the rear fog lamp in the licence plate holder except UK which had a small foglight on the right hand side of the rear door looking like it was bolted on after a trip to the auto store. I beieve that the original fog light spot was to far to the left for RHD countries so it was kept blank with this monstrocity attached to the side

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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Nordical25
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My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
Location: Finland

Re: 1987 Tercel 4wd project

Post by Nordical25 »

The remote release for rear hatch + fuel tank hatch was found also from some European Tercels like Swedish and German ones. And I know that Swiss ones don't have fog light but NA + Japan style molding. That is why I like to quick summarize "Euro Tercel" even if there is no Euro Tercel to be exact but many different but enough similar cars from different countries. The whole story is too long to tell every time.

That UK Tercel fog light is definitely funny addition, I did not know that one before this conversation. I have also seen that RHD Tercel speedo in tacho cluster starts from another point than LHD speedo. So it is possible to recognize LHD speedo from RHD one, which is also interesting.

Did AUS cars have also breaker points? I have understood that they had them similarly to European ones.
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Nordical25
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My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
Location: Finland

Re: 1987 Tercel 4wd project

Post by Nordical25 »

It took approximately one month to get some improvement to my carb. I first decided to rebuild my carb with no success, which took three weeks. Fixed carb started very well but somehow got stuck to choke and resulted into wet spark plus after running 2 minutes. I made only new seals insted of repair kit. Maybe I should try such next time.

Luckily I have gathered several carbs and I did not disassemble my best working carburetor. So I put it back and it run a bit better after swapping gasket and an aluminum plate between carburetor and intake manifold. It did not still have choke. However today I got choke working. I used carb cleaner to all levers and springs and it became more lively. Then I reassembled automatic choke system, which was not assembled correct in the first place. I swapped also leaky seal between carburetors lowest and middle part.

Idle is still a bit over 1000rpm but I got a bit leaky exhaust. I wonder if that could affect my idle? If not, I need just to screw idle screw further.
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Nordical25
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My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
Location: Finland

Re: 1987 Tercel 4wd project

Post by Nordical25 »

Finally spring 2023 is arriving. I have been doing some minor jobs like installing a center console and front window trims.

Today I finished repainting a 1987 US/Canada/Japan grille and of course I wanted to test it right away. So I attached some pictures of these jobs.

My another 1987 project will be ready from paintshop in the beginning of June. Then I can start to assemble my original Tercel project that I have been dreaming to restore since 2007. So more red 1987 Tercel 4wd content coming hopefully very soon.
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SirFoxx
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My tercel:: 1981 Toyota Tercel w/ 7age

Re: 1987 Tercel 4wd project

Post by SirFoxx »

Nordical25 wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 12:44 pm Finally spring 2023 is arriving. I have been doing some minor jobs like installing a center console and front window trims.

Today I finished repainting a 1987 US/Canada/Japan grille and of course I wanted to test it right away. So I attached some pictures of these jobs.

My another 1987 project will be ready from paintshop in the beginning of June. Then I can start to assemble my original Tercel project that I have been dreaming to restore since 2007. So more red 1987 Tercel 4wd content coming hopefully very soon.
do you still have your euro spec grill?
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
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Nordical25
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Posts: 307
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2022 11:49 pm
My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
Location: Finland

Re: 1987 Tercel 4wd project

Post by Nordical25 »

SirFoxx wrote: Fri Apr 14, 2023 12:58 pm
Nordical25 wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 12:44 pm Finally spring 2023 is arriving. I have been doing some minor jobs like installing a center console and front window trims.

Today I finished repainting a 1987 US/Canada/Japan grille and of course I wanted to test it right away. So I attached some pictures of these jobs.

My another 1987 project will be ready from paintshop in the beginning of June. Then I can start to assemble my original Tercel project that I have been dreaming to restore since 2007. So more red 1987 Tercel 4wd content coming hopefully very soon.
do you still have your euro spec grill?
Yes I do. I try to save always every single intact part because spare ones are harder and harder to come by in the future.
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Nordical25
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My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
Location: Finland

Re: 1987 Tercel 4wd project

Post by Nordical25 »

Progress!

My first 1987 T 4wd was just finished by a paint shop. The paint surface was excellent. I spent two weeks to put it together with some external help.

I have still some work to do but I managed to get it into driveable nearly complete condition. It will still need a lot of cleaning and completing remaining details. I will take it next year to an inspection and assemble it further during my vacation on autumn 2023 before that.

My another Tercel 4wd has been serving me well in the meantime. Soon it will get some welding and emission testing. Hopefully everything goes as planned. You never know until the car has been inspected.
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NWMO
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Re: 1987 Tercel 4wd project

Post by NWMO »

Very nice!
Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart"

In remembrance of my friend ARCHINSTL:

T4WD augury?
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Nordical25
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My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
Location: Finland

Re: 1987 Tercel 4wd project

Post by Nordical25 »

NWMO wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2023 5:13 amVery nice!
Thank you very much!
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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 Tercel 4wd project

Post by Mattel »

Great work. Did you need the sticker for the rear hatch that says Toyota? I made an illustrator file that you could take to a signwriter to print. its on here somewhere.
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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