1987 white T4WD for sale

[adespar]

This is a white 1987 Toyota Tercel wagon with four wheel drive, with a little less than 170000 miles on it. 1987 is the last or maybe next to last year this model was produced, and it has the more aerodyanmic looking grille and headlights. It has the 5 speed manual transmission with the additional extra low gear that can be used only when the 4wd is engaged. It is not a SR5 model but I put in the SR5 instrument cluster including the tachometer from another car. The interior is black and white checked cloth in good condition and the dashboard isn't cracked.

The history of the car is is this: I understand the first owner lived in Connecticut, and was driving it in western Massachusetts when loss of coolant or oil (I forget which) destroyed the original engine. Rimbach Auto in Ashfield MA bought the car for salvage in 1998 and put another used engine in it. I was driving a 1983 Tercel wagon at the time, and didn't really need another car, but this one was so clean that I couldn't pass it up. Nonetheless I preferred the feel of the manual steering in the older car and didn't drive this one much. I took it off the road in the fall of 2007 and it has been in a garage at a place we have in southern Vermont until this summer, when we've had to move it outside to accommodate other stuff. We live in western Massachusetts and I don't have pictures of it right now.

It has rusted a little since I bought it the minimal use in recent years means it is probably in much better shape than most of these remaining in New England. Miles on the replacement engine is unknown, but the compression checked out at 190, 185, 180, 185 in 2004. A replacement radiator was installed in 1999, and the starter was rebuilt in the early '00's. It has AC which I had converted to ozone-safe refrigerant. It will need to be recharged, but I don't expect it to need much more than that. The battery is a year or two old and I keep it charged. The original equipment radio worked when last tried. The rear speakers were replaced with Alpine ones. The windshield was replaced after being cracked by a long pipe I was carrying at one point. So the glass has very few scratches and pits. It starts up readily even after sitting for several months. The manual transmission was always a pleasure to shift, given the short, direct shift linkage, compared to the vague rubbery ones often found in cars with transversely mounted engines. The 4wd works well too. The clutch is a bit grabby but I've never felt it slip. I have a few records which show that I could get up to about 35 mpg out of it on a long highway trip. Emissions were about at the Massachusetts limits in the '00's it but a little tweaking could get it to pass. Requirements are different now and less of an issue with cars of this vintage I believe. It had a slow leak in the master cylinder that drained the fluid from the reservoir after sitting for a long time. I replaced it with the one off the old '83 last weekend, but alas a line under the car failed while I was pumping it. The tires all easily passed the last inspection before it was taken off the road, but new ones will be wanted before long. The low pressure line returning fluid to the power steering reservoir started leaking at some point and was replaced with a fluid-compatible hose. The NADA book lists an average dealer retail value for this model of $3225. I'll be sorry to see it go after driving these cars for more than 20 years but don't have time to put in it and am presently offering it at $1500 as is and will consider offers. i'd like to see it going to someone who enjoys these cars. The carb off the old 83, another decent tire, a service manual, and odds and ends go with it.

[MootsMan]

Do you still have this car for sale ?

[adespar]

Yes, I do. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Alan