A little project...

[autofix4u]

Having grown up with a tercel in my life, I am always on the lookout for another one. About 5 years ago we had one towed in to the bodyshop at the dealership where I work. ( Toyota store by the way). It was hit in the left front very hard and severly damaged all accross the ft.
I had serviced on this car on a regular basis for the 4-5 years prior and knew it well. It had a NEW not reman but new from Toyota short block put in about 25-30k prior to the accident and the trans overhauled at the same time. (I know I did the work).
Well the insurance co totaled the car (of course) and i bought it from them for a C note. They said it had a broken C/V shaft and would not move, So I put it in 4wd and drove it on a trailer. Put up in the barn for the last 4-5 years and know I have a need for its parts.....
be back with more of the story in a minuet.

[autofix4u]

Fast forward a few years, I have a customer who has a 84 two door hatch he bought new in 84. He is a crazy about his little yellow tercel as anyone. Always in every 3000 miles for a oil change & tire rotate, never batts an eye at what ever repair I recomend.
His little Tercel looks showroom new inside and out and runs like a Singer. But I overhauled the trans at 275k and it got some bearing noise in it again at 360k and started coming out of first gear at 390k.... Parts for these transaxles dont grow on trees anymore, and he decided to buy a new car "while I can still enjoy it, I'm 88 years old and may not see 90". A couple of weeks after he bought his new awd Matrix he called me up and said he had something for me. The 84 is mine now, no charge..
More to come.

[autofix4u]

Well now that you have the back story, Most have guessed I wish to build a 4wd Two door hatch. I have the parts, I have the tools, I have the shop manuals, and I know It will be more work than It will ever be worth, But I want to do it because I think it has to be. The slogan at work Is " If it is to be it's up to me"
So any advice or encuragement from Tercelland?
I hope to document the process here with pictures. stay tuned.....

[Petros]

you are in a good place to make such luck happen. When you swap over the trans, make sure the rear diff ratio matches (you might have to swap over the diff 3rd member too).

post some pictures of your Tercels. Where are you located?

[Tercel__jon]

I say do it! The shorter wheelbase will make it much more nimble off road. It would be like a Subaru Justy. A friend of mine had one and it out 4x4ed my T4wd thanks to a lower center of gravity.

Remember, Its not what you buy, Its WHAT YOU BUILD!

[autofix4u]

Thanks for the advice, I plan to use the transaxle and rear axle from the same car so I have no worries there.
I will try and get some pics of a 5 of our Tercels at the same time but it my be hard to do. I have 2 16 yo daughters and a 18 yo son that drive them so getting everyone at the same place and time will take some planning.
I miss driving a Tercel every day as the kids have them now, and I get the 04 v10 Excursion gas hog. I really need to put a waterpump on my camry and park the Ex.
I am in SW Mo. and work at a Toyota dealer in Springfield.

[ARCHINSTL]

Heyy - I'm in St. Louis (but I guess you gathered that from my nom de Tercel)!
I actually got my prop shaft last Summer from Powertrain Industries in Springfield - talked to a good guy named Rick, although the shaft actually came from Houston.
I'm the only currently active MO member. As far as I know, there are possibly five others in the STL Metro area - those I've actually seen.
Tom M.