Tercel Mod/Replacement Questions

[Typrus]

Okay, here goes. I have a list of things I think would be cool to see (maybe someone is working on some of them) and some stuff I'd like to know some more about. I'm fairly new to the driving scene, but have about 4 years of sporratic research on cars (newly licensed teen)

Stuff to See;
Big Brake Kits
Drum-Disk conversions
Possible body dress, i.e. skirts or the like (not like riceburners though)
Lift systems
Custom-molded speaker/sub boxes (my subs take up half my cargo space! <_< )
Possible custom light-bars/brushguards that would look smooth with the body


Know More;
Lighting possibilities (the blinkers in front can be hard to see for some people in higher vehicles and the backing light is not exactly bright)
Drivetrain Upgrades (is there a 6-speed w/EL or just the 5 speed with EL? Can burlier driveshafts or diffs be found anywhere?)
Heater/AC Console replacement (it isn't quite pretty)
Replacement vent louvres (1 of mine is broken and another has an issue with the blocker closing)
More comfortable rear seats (are they out there?)
Power options (can power ANYTHING be retro-fitted easily onto these cars?)
Cruise Control (how hard is it to find a good one?)
Suspension upgrades (sway-bars, strengthening devices, Urethane bushings.... Are performance things available?)
Engine Upgrades/Swaps (whats effective on the 3A-C? What are some good engines to swap out?)
Seat Covers (How hard is it to find ones that fit, and fit well?)
Tires (Whats good for all-season? Anyone know anything about Yokohama Avid Touring tires?)
Wheels/Rims (whats a good size to go with? Is 6 inches wide okay w/o spacers of some sort?)
Brakes (What can be done to get high performance out of stock setups? I've heard about vented disks, but know very little)
Bearings (How often do the Terc's need changing?)
Rear door (where can I find much beefier support struts?)
Transmission (Is a semi-rough "thunking" normal when applying or releasing the accelerator under certain circumstances?)



I know its a lot of stuff, but I figured I'd throw it out there so I can soak up knowledge from whoever is offering.

[tercel4wdrules]

Downey Off-Road made a lift kit which they no longer make. I've talked to them and they say they won't make it anymore.

Custom brushgard:

Someone here is working on a custom one. Haven't heard of progress for a while.

Comfortable rear seats:

They feel like your riding on a trampoline. There might be a way to fix that.

Power options:

3A-C Power and I figured out that it might be possible to use some parts off of a AE82 Corolla with the power windows. I don't know about the power door locks.

Tires:

I imagine that the Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 tires are good. They are quite pricey at $64 each. They should be pretty good snow/ice tires.

Bearings:

When the rear ones go it's annoying. You'll hear the annoying rasping noises. Terrible on the freeway.

Engine Upgrades/Swaps:

4A-GE of course, 4a-c's, 4A-FE/7A-FE, 4E-FTE, and some other ones. I would go with a 4A-FE.

[Gasoline Fumes]

Tires:
Yokohama Avid Touring
I put a set on my parents' Civic. There's really nothing great about them, but nothing horrible either. They're OK for the price. I've tried the Avid T4 too, not much difference. BTW, I think all the Avid tires have been redesigned, I have no experience with the new ones.

Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50
I put these on my parents' Civic too. These tires are great! Worth every penny. But they have a really soft tread, so you need to be nice to them. A long skid on dry pavement will probably trash them. Good for 3-4 years if you put them on late in the fall and take them off early in the spring. We still have the Avids on the Civic now.

[20vtercel]

Power options:

3A-C Power and I figured out that it might be possible to use some parts off of a AE82 Corolla with the power windows. I don't know about the power door locks.

Tires:

I imagine that the Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 tires are good. They are quite pricey at $64 each. They should be pretty good snow/ice tires.

Engine Upgrades/Swaps:

4A-GE of course, 4a-c's, 4A-FE/7A-FE, 4E-FTE, and some other ones. I would go with a 4A-FE.

opwer options... bought aftermarked PDL's 9.99 set of four. extra $5 for the power trunk. Works slick...even on remote!!!

Tires yokahama avids!!


Power options...not tor rag on your info but i must say that a 4EFTE engine is not a good choice if you plan on keeping your car. It will require alot of fabbing as the block does not have the strength in the right places for conventional placement. It was only designed for the transverse setup. There is also, no NAmer. soil trannies that will bolt up for RWD config. It also incorporates a "US" designed head and piston/rod setup. Thus it is only good for 160K miles and you must rebuild it before a rod breaks. I know from personal experience. Alltho these engines are "better" than the 3E-E or the more common 5EF-E, they still incorporate the US design. Oh, and another thing, what is the most important thing about 90% of the toyota engines produced today? THEY ARE NON-INTERFERENCE ENGINES. US designs are not. Make sure, should you use this engine, that you regularly change your timing belt!!! break one, and you'll break alot more!!!

If you say "fabbing is not a problem" then i suggest you go to your logal junk yard and grab a 3S variety engine. It will fit ^_^ and will better to you. oh oh, not to mention 115hp (mid 80's to '92) to 150hp (1997+ versions) and more frame twisting torque than your car can handle!!!

[Typrus]

Lol. Surprisingly few reponses. If I want frame-twisting torque, I'll go buy a TDI engine. 150 ft/lb 90 hp
So, does anyone think roof-mounted wide-beam lights rigged to the bright setting would be a good thing? For one thing, I'm sick of people who refuse to turn off their brights and don't care if you flash them (maybe 55 halogen watts in their face would change their mind? lol. More functionaly though, I have to watch out for deer and elk on the road and off to the side, and the more of an advantage I can get.... Is there any efficient way to mount higher up lights?
How hard is it to change a fuel sender? Mine decides to say anywhere between empty and 3/4 at any given time to I'm worried I may be almost out and not know.

[arbskynxnex]

The 4a-c is a real easy swap, and it's pretty cheap too, compared to a 4age, turboed, mr2, power windowed, superdupercharged motor. :huh: No frame twisting with a 4ac either. I would consider a different carb if you don't have emissions testing (vive la Wa). For the idiots with the brights, I'd keep a handful of paintballs handy. I'm considering (seriously) rigging up a paintball gun to fire out the back at those pesky tailgaiters, give the front of their car a new color.

[takza]

So, does anyone think roof-mounted wide-beam lights rigged to the bright setting would be a good thing? For one thing, I'm sick of people who refuse to turn off their brights and don't care if you flash them (maybe 55 halogen watts in their face would change their mind? lol. More functionaly though, I have to watch out for deer and elk on the road and off to the side, and the more of an advantage I can get.... Is there any efficient way to mount higher up lights?

How hard is it to change a fuel sender? Mine decides to say anywhere between empty and 3/4 at any given time to I'm worried I may be almost out and not know.

I've got a couple of those wide beam 55W lights (not DOT) UNDER the bumper on another car and they do real well as a supplement for the sealed beams I have and also light up the sides of the road real well. They don't cause people to FLASH even when on at night. If you put them on the roof...down goes your MPG though.

I have a writeup on mounting lights on top of the bumper...

<a href='http://tercel4wd.com/invision/index.php ... &f=3&t=221' target='_blank'>http://tercel4wd.com/invision/index.php ... 3&t=221</a>

...these are 55W driving lights that focus in a small area....I'd rather have the wide ones. Cool thing about the lights & mounting I have is if you are offroad and need some light to the side...you just get out and adjust them that way.

I haven't heard of anyone that has a working fuel gauge yet....mine is accurate at empty though...so I get by and also use the trip meter. Do know that when a Tercel runs out of gas...that's it...no warning and no extra 1/2 mile or so.

[3A-C Power]

Alot of this has been discussed so you'll find alot of good stuff with the search if you haven't already. I"m working on or planning just about everything there, but I'll comment on some things that I may be able to contribute useful information on.

Big brakes / 4 wheel disc: I'm working on that now. For bigger front brakes I'm using the calipers from a 91 Corolla GT-S and BMW rotors that have the right diametar and offset to fit the Tercel with those calipers. I'm using rear calipers and rotors from the GT-S mounted to the axle flange with a bracket made of 1/2" steel. Got the GT-S proportioning valve too, and it looks like a bolt-on replacement. Was planning to use the original master cylinder but may have to upgrade to the GT-S one with possible modifications to the brake booster and pushrod. The real pain in the ass here is getting a brake line setup that works - front might not be an issue but the rear lines are like an older rwd AE86 Corolla GT-S with discs but the AE92 calipers have a banjo fitting instead of the one that screws in. The Tercel's rear steel lines along the axle have to be cut and flared and the flex hose goes between that and the caliper. The options seem to be either use an AE86 kit with adapters or get the hose and fittings and make your own lines. It all comes down to which is cheaper, and the custom method is about $200 US for all the fittings you need. I would definitely go with new lines when doing all this work. The handbrake cable from the GT-S probably fits, but I haven't actually installed it.

Rear seats: The 4WD got stuck with crappy seats because the driveshaft hump forced them to make a different seat, and it looks like they really half-assed it. Rather than using a good solid chunk of foam like most seats, this one is just a frame with springs on the top covered by a sheet of foam. I'm doing custom seats all around (it takes forever, especially when you never work on it). I made a rear seat frame that uses the foam from an 87-90 Tercel which is very nice, and fits the 4WD chassis. I basically used the lower part of the 4WD frame and the upper part of the 87-90 frame and used drill rod (nice and strong) to hold them together at the right spacing. The foam is remarkably close in dimensions but I did have to make a couple simple cuts at the sides around where the seatbelts come out. I cut the foam with a soldering gun and a steel wire hammered flat and bent to shape as the tip. The 87-90 rear seatbacks are also a bit nicer with those built in headrests, and fit the 4WD frames with a bit of cutting, again with the soldering gun. This stuff may sound quite involved but it's not really very hard. The hard part is doing the upholstery. I've started sewing together pieces for one front seat using the original seatcover as a pattern, and it is not easy. With a lot of patience and trial and errof, what I do have looks pretty good, but it's slow going. The seams are 3 dimensional contours and I don't have a methodical way of laying the material out. I had an upholstery shop quote me $750 for doing the whole car, and that sounds unbelieveable knowing the kind of work involved. It would probably be more given that the rear seat is custom. The surfaces will be the same as the original seatcover, but the parts that stretch around the frame will be different. You probably don't want to go to the trouble of upholstering or paying for the job, so there may be an easier way that works. You could do the rear seat frame mod that I described, use the original 87-90 Tercel cover only just modify the piece that comes down in front and attaches to the frame. You might be able to find front seats from an 87-88 wagon with the same fabric. I doubt anyone would go to all this trouble to have better rear seats, but I'm doing it, so you never know.

Rear subs: There is room inside the plastic panels in the rear to put a custom made enclosure, but it would have to be oddly shaped and still smaller than ideal. I'm sure you could get a nice full sound this way without sacrificing room. I had a very thin 2x10" enclosure with horn tweeters until someone jacked it this weekend, and for $50 and a relatively crappy design, it gave me nice sound. I don't think the thieves realized how bad the speaker box was, otherwise they would have at least taken the amp as well which is worth more. I used to have 6.5" speakers mounted in the plastic and that was terrible. For those of us who use their cargo space, we could make boxes as big as possible that fit in the rear quarter panels, and mount them to the inner wall with some flat bar or sheet metal. Once one guy designs a box, it will be easier for the next guy to just cut out the pieces and screw them together. There's a CNC router table at my work, another guy there used it to make his speaker boxes, and that would save me alot of time. I'd just draw the pieces in autocad, load it up with a sheet of plywood and let it do the work. If I ever get this done, I'd be glad to crank out a few more for whoever is interested.

Lighting: I just installed my H4 composite lights from Germany, and they are an improvement. The same results can be obtained by changing the sealed beams to H4 housings like GTS has. For the blinkers, you could rewire the corner lights so they blink with the blinkers, and still have them on the rest of the time. I think you just need to add a relay that's on by default and turns them off when activated, and wire that to the blinker circuit.

[Typrus]

Cool. Now the thing about that custom enclosure.. I wasted a large peice of MDFB trying to get that figured out. Plus the shape would've made the sub sound awful. I considered a 4 inch deep box shaped to the floor but then trouble with the spare comes in. Someone smarter than I will surely get it figured out. As for better stereo, can speakers be mounted in the doors or is there too much linkeage and the likes?

[3A-C Power]

You can fit some 6.5" speakers in the rear doors where there is room. It doesn't look great because you have to mess up the door panel alot to get them in. Front doors don't really have any room. Something can be done to improve the front dash speakers - there are plastic enclosures in some AE92 Corollas that can be made to fit the Tercel's dash with some cutting. I did this in a few hours with a soldering gun. It's ugly but it's all hidden behind the speaker panels. You get a fuller sound from the front this way especially if you invest in some good 3.5" speakers. Don't get cheap ones because they sound worse than factory even if they look better. I'd think just about any sub enclosure with the proper volume would be big enough to eat up significant cargo space. I haul enough stuff that wherever I put the speaker, it's bound to interfere at some point and sometimes I just have to remove it.

[arbskynxnex]

Knowing absolutely nothing about subs, I'll still contribute my idea. You could mount them under the rear seats, and while you're at it fix the seats too. Or was that just stupid?

[Typrus]

I thought about it then realized how little space is actually under there once you set them in. I would just go about fixing it if I had the supplies and know-how but I am.. How do you say... Uneducated? I definitely want to retain rear seating, but also want my cargo space. I thought about ceiling mounting, found a way to go about it, then decided against it for the fact that it would be difficult to rig it up without puncturing the roof or the gas tank below. I also thought about extending the spare wheel well, but again, gas tank.The S.W.W. would work great as an enclosure if you could seal and insulate it, but I need a spare on the vehicle for personal security issues.I then wondered about the side opposite the jack-tool compartment and if it also had that kind of spacing, but then decided against that for lack of know-how and audial insulation. I really don't have many options. I could potentially weld stiff rods under the seat in the shape of the surface about an inch away then set in tough seating foam, but that would still really only leave room for maybe an amp and cap. If I knew proper welding and shaping techniques I could contour a support rack on the ceiling over the cargo space that had adequate displacement for my two subs, but I don't have the knowhow, and it would have to support upwards on 30 lbs (weight of current box/subs setup) and leave enough room for easy visibility. As for lights on the roof.. Again, it would be a streamlining issue, probably by means of a shaped sheet-metal housing. But thats another area I lack knowledge for. Whoa.. I just realized I left this post alone for an hour.. lol. (clicks post)

[GTSSportCoupe]

But thats another area I lack knowledge for.

:blink: Sounds to me like you have the knowledge! Education doesn't mean crap for most things in this world. I'm sure you have more experience than many of us here. I don't think I could have thought of any more ideas than that.

Personally I would just keep it simple. Put high quality speakers in the stock locations, and put modified 'cups' behind the front speakers as 3AC mentioned. I would put a detachable sub in the trunk area. Not one that takes up the whole space, but one that fits snuggly right behind the rear seat area. That would leave 2/3rds or so of the space to put every day stuff (groceries etc.). If I need to haul anything large, I would just put the seats down and shove the sub box up behind the front seats - or remove it entirely from the car. (this is what I did when I was into big stereos as a kid with my 3door hatch tercel).

[Typrus]

Lol. I just do my research. The subs I got for my b-day take up about half my cargo space. I was thinking about setting it where the seat would go and folding the seat-backs over it for times I need more crago space but that was a no-go (too tall) I hate to think about having to use a different box, because the one my sis's fiance' gave me is very sturdy and very well built, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do I guess. To give an idea of its width it fits snugly between the rear wheel wells. Well, It'll get figured out. As for more speakers, I may just try and teach myself how to mold fiberglass. I hear its easy once you have the knack of it, but it takes a while to learn. I could always go the easy route and make a semi-stiff wire support covered in some non-stick material for the first few layers leaving once side off to remove the wires.. (shrug) At some point I'll have to learn these things, preferrably before I graduate Senior High. Guess I'll just have to examine it when I get back from my relatives.

[20vtercel]

i had a box in my terc that went from the back seat to the rear of the hatch, shock tower to shock tower and floor to deck!! It rocked!!

Actually i still have it!!