1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

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bryanthompson
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Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:38 pm
My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

Thanks, guys. It's actually a bit surreal to see this vehicle that has been a basket case for almost two decades now finally turn into something once again beautiful and precious. I located the car in 1992!
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bryanthompson
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Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:38 pm
My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

Getting so close! Favorite part is the focus is on all the micro styling details. Tercel4WD Restoration is approaching completion after two decades.
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ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
Posts: 6369
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Is there an emoticon for "drool?"
Tom
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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Mattel
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Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2004 12:11 am
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: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by Mattel »

This is continuing to amaze me Bryan, Perhaps with all the old parts you can reassemble the brown car to use as an overlander or daily driver with history!
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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bryanthompson
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Posts: 263
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:38 pm
My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
Contact:

Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

Mattel wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2018 5:36 am This is continuing to amaze me Bryan, Perhaps with all the old parts you can reassemble the brown car to use as an overlander or daily driver with history!
I really like the idea of doing something creative with that brown color. It’s such a nice shell, and has a flawless interior, and many great mechanicals that we really could do something unique with that. Perhaps someone on the forum here would want it?
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
Location: Arlington WA USA

Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by Petros »

it is really remarkable that you are going to all the trouble to restore an old '80's econo box to better than new condition. I doubt there are many people that would go to that much trouble. I think most of us on this forum are really impressed that you are doing this, often when we drive our beloved Tercel4wd we are subject to ridicule or good natured ribbing about our choice of vehicle. We come to this forum as a refuge from modern cars, and to be inspired this kind of remarkable commitment to one of our little obsolete wagons.

the car will be reborn anew in 2018, but this time around, all hand built and carefully prepared. Very nice work.

I have a delusional fantasy of doing something similar, from the ground up, but rather than making it look factory new, I want to update, modernize and improve the Tercel using up grades and improvements common on many newer cars, but were rare in the '80's, and never offered on the Tercel4wd. fuel injected engine, modern sound system, custom leather seats, better brakes, improved styling details. etc.
'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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splatterdog
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by splatterdog »

If you haven't already thought of it, go crazy with sound deadeners before reassembly.
oldfaithful
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Joined: Thu May 21, 2015 2:06 pm
My tercel:: 1984 Tercel 4WD

Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by oldfaithful »

Nice work Bryan.
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bryanthompson
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Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:38 pm
My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

Petros wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2018 4:26 pm it is really remarkable that you are going to all the trouble to restore an old '80's econo box to better than new condition. I doubt there are many people that would go to that much trouble. I think most of us on this forum are really impressed that you are doing this, often when we drive our beloved Tercel4wd we are subject to ridicule or good natured ribbing about our choice of vehicle. We come to this forum as a refuge from modern cars, and to be inspired this kind of remarkable commitment to one of our little obsolete wagons.

the car will be reborn anew in 2018, but this time around, all hand built and carefully prepared. Very nice work.

I have a delusional fantasy of doing something similar, from the ground up, but rather than making it look factory new, I want to update, modernize and improve the Tercel using up grades and improvements common on many newer cars, but were rare in the '80's, and never offered on the Tercel4wd. fuel injected engine, modern sound system, custom leather seats, better brakes, improved styling details. etc.
Thank you very much, Petros.

I feel the same way about these cars. It's so nice to see this vehicle turn into somewhat of a museum piece. The project has been something to complete in the far-off-future for so long that, now that the project will soon be behind me and the car complete, I'm quite moved by how delicate and beautiful it has become. The car has that inherently priceless quality now that the handmade pre-production prototypes have when we design new cars. They look like the cars that will follow them down the assembly line, but because they are originals rather than the copies, they have more attention to detail fit and finish, and are like rolling works of art. This little car that has been imbued with so many good memories is now precious like the original design model that begat it.
oldfaithful
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My tercel:: 1984 Tercel 4WD

Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by oldfaithful »

They’re are the only car that ever became family members. JUST AWESOME LITTLE VEHICLES.
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bryanthompson
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Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:38 pm
My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
Location: West Hollywood, CA
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

I wanted to take a minute to share some appreciation for the 15k original mile car that's been added to the stable.

We are correcting some minor flaws, and giving it a proper set of factory alloy wheels as well. It's such a lovely car, and really special to experience one that is still tight and unworn. Even the texture on the shifter appears untouched. Once this car has a few little dings, decals and the black-out window tint removed, I may offer it up. Please let me know privately if that would be of interest to anyone.

For now, please enjoy!

BT
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splatterdog
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by splatterdog »

So that's what my twins looked like when new! I'm sure member DCN would even be impressed. Pretty sure he was the former champ now, for the cleanest T4.

Well done!
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bryanthompson
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My tercel:: 1983 4WD SR5 Wagon : "The Brochure Car"
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Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by bryanthompson »

Here is some rare footage of the 1983 Tercel 4WD that I am currently restoring when it was nearly new, on a family trip to Lake Tahoe in 1986. My brother Chad is the baby that has fallen on the floor that we, for some reason, decide to film instead of help. LOL!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZTF3dGq20I
tercel.jpg
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ARCHINSTL
Goldie Forever
Posts: 6369
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:52 pm
My tercel:: Goldie is a 1986 SR5 attualmente con Weber/also owned the first T4WD in STL in late '82
Location: Kirkwood, a 'burb of St. Louis

Re: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by ARCHINSTL »

Bryan, you are a ham!
Tom
T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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Mattel
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Posts: 1788
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2004 12:11 am
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: 1983 Toyota Tercel 4WD SR5 : Life in Pictures / Lost & Found: RESTORATION DOCUMENTED!

Post by Mattel »

Great Super 8 footage! Amazing how modern the car looked in context to the malaise sedans and cars of the time. They still look good today and don't look 35years old.
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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