I'm out in the Seattle area at the moment, couldn't pass up a nice little deal (I think. I hope) on an 87 Tercel hatchback. It's a DX model (rare I think) 5-spd (usually that maddening 4-spd) and all sorts of minor creature comforts. Seems to run great. Clutch is new. Dinky little 1.5 under the hood. No rust, good glass, needs tires and a general cleaning.
Looks very much like this one.
I'm wondering if any of ya'll have ever had one and what your thoughts are. reminds me very much of the festivas I use to drive. I'm guessing 40+mpg with easy driving? Is that the same motor as our wagons in there?
Not quite the same motor, but close. IT uses the same short block and a completely different 12 valve head (3 valves per cylinder) with the distributor driven off the end of the cam like most transverse engines. Later versions of this engine were fuel injected but I think your still has a carb. You will find many of the smaller items are the same as the T4wd, like the dome light, rear view mirrors, sun visors, etc. I suspect even the seats are interchangeable. The hatch back version of this car is the best looking of this model, the ones with the trunk were down right ugly.
Petros wrote:The hatch back version of this car is the best looking of this model, the ones with the trunk were down right ugly.
i didn't mind the coupe version. i honestly hate the hatchbacks, but i really like the old 1st gen tercels. the tail lights are neat! i've seen quite a few mint ones around here. they're so little too, they probably get even better MPG.
funny you should say that, I have always felt the taillights in particular, and the rear end in general of the first gen tercels were ugly. the front was not bad and typical styling for the time, but I never understood where the rear end came from. Same goes for the rear end of the current MR2, i do not care for it at all. Oh well, I guess there is no accounting for what people like in styling, good thing we have a wide variety of car styles to choose from, the further back we are willing to go, the more choices we have.
Petros wrote:good thing we have a wide variety of car styles to choose from, the further back we are willing to go, the more choices we have.
i know i'm getting OT here but have you noticed how a lot of the passenger cars (civics, fusions, focus', jettas, etc) look interchangeable? jettas used to be very distinct but now they look like everything else. boring.
Emma I almost bought one of those at an auction a few months ago, I've always liked the way they look esp the notchback (down with dlb on that). Didn't go for it because it was carbed, like Petros says they eventually injected them. Curiously the 4 speed (dubbed the EZ) is rated by the EPA to get a few more mpg's. It may have a bunch of different design features similar to what Honda did to their HF's and HV's in the '80s and '90s. Lotsa lightening, no power options, etc. But I would also go for the 5 speed too just for peace of mind on the highway and more options.
If you got it cheap enough and the carb works it should do well. You may be able to get close to 40mpg. If not just read 'n' heed takza's posts and you'll get 85 .
It's a scientific fact that in a twin engine aircraft, when one engine fails there is always enough power in the remaining engine to make it all the way to the crash site.
those are the tail lights i like, and i love the rear window too. i'd put one of those fastback sun visors on there, the slotted kind you always saw on sports cars.
Emma - that looks a lot like my very first Turtle.
They get FANTASTIC gas mileage (550-600km on a 45L tank) and as reliable as a T4, maybe more so. I put over 200K on that car and loved every single second.
Don't worry about the carb, it is scary to look at but works exceptionally well, when it goes south it is easy to rebuild.
The variable venturi design has nothing to do with those horrible Ford variants but is very much like the british SU style carbs, save for no oil required.
They cannot haul as much weight as a T4 but I was still able to put a lot of kit in it, did a 500km (1-way) move with it, 2 trips with a small trailer as well, as the car stuffed.
Now there was one time that I passed a tractor trailer and kinda forgot about the trailer on the back, fortunately the on-coming tractor didn't hit it.
You will love it almost as much as your T4.
That said, it is the ONLY car I have ever gotten stuck in snow, that day I really wished it was 4wd.
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