Just bought an '85 Tercel SR5 Wagon!

[pnadram]

Hello everyone!

After dealing with the REM Auto dealer and his overpriced '88 Tercel SR5 Wagon in Van Nuys, Los Angeles...

( Refer to this thread: http://www.jaxed.com/cgi-bin/mash.cgi?cat=cp )

my two good friends and I made our way back to San Diego disappointed, which is where we stayed for the weekend. On the way back, however, I decided to give a call to the Dairy Queen Tercel owner to see if we can view the car [located near Escondido, which was just on our way home]. Now you're probably thinking: "How did you get his number?" Allow me to start from the beginning...

My name is Pedrum, I'm a 20 year old student transferring to UCLA upcoming Fall to pursue majors in both English and Iranian Studies, and I've been waiting patiently for over 3 years to find my perfect wagon. Using this website http://www.jaxed.com/cgi-bin/mash.cgi?cat=cp I would scroll through classifieds everyday, steady searching. One day I found the famous (or infamous, depending on whom you ask) "Dairy Queen Tercel." I followed the bidding religiously on eBay only to lose by $50 (The winning bid was $4,350); however, the reserve price wasn't met. I've been in contact with the guy asking questions about the vehicle, and so I called and said: "Hey, looks like your reserve price wasn't met. I'm willing to offer you $4,300 cash as early as tomorrow. I'll bus down from the Bay Area and drive the baby home." He declined and said he'd take it for $5,000. I said nope. Next day he calls me back and says he'll take it for the $4,300.

Listen, before I get harassed for spending so much money, I KNOW I paid too much (especially because the car doesn't have 4WD... more on that later); but all I've been doing is saving money from working two jobs and from various scholarships I won, so I purchased it knowing that it would be a daily driver for the rest of my life, maintaining and servicing it for decades to come.

Back to the story: I accepted the offer to pay $4,300 on a Saturday (6/18). A couple days later, however, I found these threads:

1) https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8& ... airy+queen
2) https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15 ... een#p39667
3) https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15 ... een#p49721

I called the guy on Monday and asked him about the transmission, then he said he'd call me back. He never did. So on the way back from San Diego after dealing with the REM Auto schmuck (6/24) was when I called him back. When I asked about the transmission again, he said the car isn't a 4WD. It turns out the guy I've been in contact with theretofore wasn't the actual owner, but rather the owner's best friend, summoned by the actual owner to list the car on eBay. He gives me the actual owner's number and told me that he'll be able to show us the car. On the way home, we take a detour to check it out.

The owner was an elderly man who loves fixing up cars and taking grand care of them, though he doesn't do all of the work himself. I fell in love with the car instantly, and knew I'd buy it, regardless of the disappointing fact that it's not 4WD. Someone in one of the above threads asked why the car would need a new clutch... well, as someone else correctly stated, it turns out the original transmission was destroyed by Jiffy Lube. He said he didn't feel the need to throw in the 4.1 transmission since he would never use the 4WD anyways (He was planning on keeping the Tercel, but he came across another car and his wife was forcing him to sell it.) Some people were also wondering about the surface rust beneath the car. Yes, there's surface rust, but the owner's neighbor who's a stickler about rust (a "rust Nazi") assured me that it's fine (I plan on having it sandblasted sometime in the future anyways.) I took it off his hands for $4,000.

So far all I've done is a nice high-quality tint with 25% on the front, driver, and passenger side windows; and 5% everywhere else. Oh, and a 5% visor strip on the front.

I'D LOVE SUGGESTIONS FOR THE PLANS I HAVE BELOW:
-I'd love to find some window visors, so if anyone knows which ones will fit, please let me know!
-I'd love a spoiler on the rear hatch (How much would you charge, Petros, to build another one of those sweet-looking spoilers I peeped in one of your threads?)
-I'd love a bull bar.
-I'd love a roof rack.
-I'd love to lower it (any suggestions?)
-And finally, I'd love to swap out the current transmission/clutch for an original that has the EXTRA LOW and 4WD, so if anyone can direct me to some information on that I'd really appreciate it.

As I read through this whole thing, I'm realizing that it's a little convoluted. If anyone has any questions, PLEASE feel free to ask! Thank you guys for everything!

Best,

Pedrum

P.S. I'LL POST PICTURES SOON!

[tercel4wdrules]

This is a good lesson that perseverance and hard work pays off when you really need it. As for getting the 4WD to work, all it needs is for you to swap the rear third member with a 3.73 and then both the front and rear will match. As far as I know, the guy I was going to buy this car from said he had his mechanic swap the transmission with a junkyard one, so from the information I gathered from him, I'm nearly certain that it has a 3.73 transaxle, this means it still has the EL gear, you just need the matching rear diff to be able to engage 4WD and use it.

I'm glad the car is going to someone that will appreciate it .

[Petros]

Welcome to the club!

I had not thought about making the rear spoiler, let me think about it but my time is limited and I would need to make it worth it. PM me and I tell you what I am thinking.

I have a 3.73 rear end if you want to buy it, it would be cheaper to find one locally, but I can box it and ship it for you. I am a bit confused, I thought it has a 2wd trans in it. Or does it have the 4wd but the wrong front diff ratio to match the rear?

[ARCHINSTL]

Welcome!
I still wonder... Did you ask why, with only 62K on the clock, it needed brakes, steering rack, struts, and shocks? That is curious.
Do the AC, cruise, and sunroof work?
With what you anticipate doing - are you a working student (hopefully with tools and mech orientation)?
Tom M.

[pnadram]

@tercel4wdrules: I can't seem to engage the EL gear, so does that mean it has a 2WD transmission? If what you're saying is the case, I'd love to purchase Petros' spare; however, to be honest with everyone I'm pretty inexperienced when it comes to automobiles and mechanics, so just being on this website and reading is really helping me out. I don't know how to find out what the deal is with my transmission, so I'll take it to someone to find out for me; unless of course someone can explain to me how I can go about checking myself.

@Petros: I sent you a PM!

@ARCHINSTL: As far as I know, the previous owner switched out the brakes with ones of higher quality. I'm not sure what the deal is with the steering rack, struts, and shocks; though I think he switched those out for the same reason (to put ones in of a higher quality). I'm calling him tomorrow because I forgot to ask when the last oil change was (stupid me), so I'll make sure to ask him about those [and about the transmission again, to make sure he explained everything].

And yes, the A/C, factory cruise control, and sunroof work absolutely perfectly!

I'm transferring upcoming Fall, so I quit my job recently in order to make some time to do awesome things with friends and family before I leave. I plan on doing as much to the car as I can before I transfer in September. Unfortunately, as I said earlier, I'm inexperienced with tools and mechanical orientation, but I have a bunch of friends who're pretty fluent, so they'll help me. I have a few friends who'll also be in Orange County for when I transfer, so I'll have some sources down south as well. Hopefully I can connect with some of you guys, though; that'd be the best.

UPDATE: I found a high quality camera to use, so pictures will be up this weekend.

[ARCHINSTL]

The EL only works when the trans is in 4WD (the lever is pulled back). It would appear you have a 5-speed trans (unless, of course, it is a 4WD trans and the lever is not hooked up; possible, but quite unlikely).
Unless...it does have a 4WD trans, and the lever is not hooked up because of the difference in differential ratios. If this latter is the case, the rear propellor shaft can still rotate within the trans without harm, as it is not engaged.

As far as brakes/struts/shocks/steering rack go - the "higher quality" items seem unlikely (and particularly with this seller) . These items last one heck of a lot longer than 62K miles, regardless of the years. Most of us have at least 175K on the rack and some have many more miles than that. Same with the other items, although they obviously don't last that long and still give good performance.
Goldie's OE struts had 176K on them and they still worked - soft as marshmallows, it is true, but they still worked.

Honestly - and not to throw cold water on your plans - to switch to a 4WD trans and pay a shop to do it will be some bigga bucks - just keep it as a 2WD. And it is a daunting job to do yourself, particularly with little mech experience - it's not like just installing new rear shocks.
If the rear propellor shaft is not hooked up, as it would not be to a 2WD trans - just remove it entirely; you will get a little bit better fuel economy without the shaft turning (it rotates even when the 4WD is not engaged).

Honestly - I think you need to find someone in your area who has a T4WD and have him look at it.
And - talk to the REAL owner; you've paid for the car and there is apparently no return, so maybe he will be candid with you.

Don't forget - we have a real FSM accessible on every page - and easy to download to your 'puter.
Tom M.

[tercel4wdrules]

@tercel4wdrules: I can't seem to engage the EL gear, so does that mean it has a 2WD transmission? If what you're saying is the case, I'd love to purchase Petros' spare; however, to be honest with everyone I'm pretty inexperienced when it comes to automobiles and mechanics, so just being on this website and reading is really helping me out. I don't know how to find out what the deal is with my transmission, so I'll take it to someone to find out for me; unless of course someone can explain to me how I can go about checking myself.

You can just look underneath and see if the propellor shaft (FSM speak) is attached to the transaxle. When I spoke to the seller I was going to buy this car from, he said that his mechanic had acquired a 4WD replacement trans but that when 4WD was engaged it was if it was driving with the parking brake on, a clear sign of mismatched differential ratios. If you wish to renew the 4WD, you just need to replace the rear differential.

If you wish to engage EL gear, just pull back the 4WD lever (you can do this while the engine is off) and then push the shift lever with a bit of force past first gear to the left and then up and you'll find it. Just don't drive it with 4WD engaged because you might not be able to get it out of 4WD if the drivetrain binds up.