Differences between 1983 to 1987

jetswim · Post by **jetswim** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 10:15 pm

Well I'm finally resurrecting this 1987 4wd from the junkyard and should have it on the road next week but I've noticed a couple of 85's and 86's there as well and started to wonder about differences in the years. I haven't seen this topic up anywhere so start pickin' yer brains. Was the 4wd model in production from 1983 to 1988? Thanks for the info....
Tony (another Canadian Tercel fan)

GTSSportCoupe · Post by **GTSSportCoupe** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 9:31 am

jetswim wrote: Well I'm finally resurrecting this 1987 4wd from the junkyard and should have it on the road next week but I've noticed a couple of 85's and 86's there as well and started to wonder about differences in the years. I haven't seen this topic up anywhere so start pickin' yer brains. Was the 4wd model in production from 1983 to 1988? Thanks for the info....
Tony (another Canadian Tercel fan)

Differences I'm aware of:

83-84, and 85-88 had different transmissions and differential ratios.

83-86, and 87-88 had different front grill/headlight setups.

83-84 had inclinometer in SR5 version.

Paint and interior schemes changed through the years.

Available options may have changed through the years and by region (Canada/USA)

Where are you located Tony? Good to have another Canadian on here. Can't wait to actually have someone on Vancouver Island BC who are into these cars. It would be awesome going out 4wding with a couple of tercels.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Tue Jun 07, 2005 12:36 pm

I saw a train of 12 early Terc4wd's going through Colorado Springs, all with "New Car" plates. They were in a caravan.

The engines had slightly different setups. In the US, FED and CAL versions had different emissions gear.

Different steering wheels. I have no idea what made the difference between the ugly square, which both of mine have, versus that better looking rectangle-esque shape.

Can an airbag be retrofitted into the drivers side? My insurance will shave $10 off my monthly charge if I had an airbag.

Retroloc1 · Post by **Retroloc1** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:14 am

Also different torque curves.
The former version got it's max torque at 3800rpm, the latest cars at 2400rpm.

3A-C Power · Post by **3A-C Power** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 11:52 am

The only mechanical differences are between 83-84 and 85-88's. Different gear ratios, differential ratios, transmission shift linkages and steering racks. The changes for 87-88 years were only cosmetic. Different interior colours, grille, headlights, and in some cases, better steering wheels.

coltarms · Post by **coltarms** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 9:12 pm

In regards to those power curve changes, were those the result of gearing or ECU/Engine tuning? (ie timing, engine size, carb, etc)

jetswim · Post by **jetswim** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:14 pm

Lot's of great info in this post. So is there a particular year that is more desirable than the others? Or should I ask....What's your fave model?

clbolt · Post by **clbolt** » Wed Jun 08, 2005 10:23 pm

I'd personally like to have an 88, but headlights are expensive if you break one. I've never found an 87 or 88 in any of the junkyards I frequent.

GTSSportCoupe · Post by **GTSSportCoupe** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 7:35 am

coltarms wrote: In regards to those power curve changes, were those the result of gearing or ECU/Engine tuning? (ie timing, engine size, carb, etc)

I think the power curve changes were only in Europe/Asia. We had the same 3A© through all our revisions in North America.

RabidHamster · Post by **RabidHamster** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 10:51 pm

GTSSportCoupe wrote: Differences I'm aware of:

83-84, and 85-88 had different transmissions and differential ratios.

83-86, and 87-88 had different front grill/headlight setups.

83-84 had inclinometer in SR5 version.

Paint and interior schemes changed through the years.

Available options may have changed through the years and by region (Canada/USA)

Where are you located Tony? Good to have another Canadian on here. Can't wait to actually have someone on Vancouver Island BC who are into these cars. It would be awesome going out 4wding with a couple of tercels.

I'm in nanaimo ... I always had a love for the 4wd tercel wagon... had a lightly hopped up 1988 tercel hatch before.

I'm working on having a 4wd wagon by winter for a bad weather/camping vehicle and also as a family car... baby on the way

I would love to be able to go on some weekend excursions in the rocks around the Island once the wagon is in my possesion

clbolt · Post by **clbolt** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 11:54 pm

RabidHamster wrote: I'm working on having a 4wd wagon by winter for a bad weather/camping vehicle and also as a family car... baby on the way

The 4WD wagons are among the greats for winter driving, and for the price, they're unbeatable. What's amazing is how well suited even the 2WD wagons are on ice and snow. Our 86 has traveled hundreds of miles on impassible Arkansas roads during the last 6 winters. Salt is practically unheard of here, and we tend to have ice storms more often than snow. I get great satisfaction watching Explorer drivers careening off the road with all 4 wheels spinning as I ease by them on the interstate.

5 years ago was the big payoff, however. I had a 95 Neon at the time, and was coming home from Texas as an ice storm hit. I nearly spun off the road before I realized the roads were icing over. By the time the storm was done, we had over an inch of solid ice on the roads, and trees had fallen all over the place, blocking most of the roads. We were staying with my in-laws, which worked out well. A big limb fell at our house and ripped out the meter loop, and we didn't have power for 2 weeks.

Back in the Tercel, I was trying to get to a Wal-Mart to buy a chainsaw to clear the limbs around my house. We'd driven literally through the branches of a fallen tree the night before. As I drove up the rural 2 lane, I came across a tree that had fallen and completely blocked the road. The ditch on the side was muddy, and a Grand Cherokee was sunk past the axles. I asked the driver if he needed a ride, and he gladly accepted. Since I couldn't get around his Jeep, I turned around to take the longer route. As I drove, the man told how he was trying to get to the funeral home. His mother had been killed in a wreck when the ice storm hit, the very night I spun my Neon. He told me it wasn't necessary for me to take him all the way (it was about 15 miles out of the way), but I decided it was. As I dropped him off, he thanked me and said that was the most amazing little car he'd ever seen.

At that moment I had to agree with him.

Typrus · Post by **Typrus** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 11:56 am

Hmmm...

brianp · Post by **brianp** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 6:43 pm

clbolt, the Tercel or the Neon?

clbolt · Post by **clbolt** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 7:50 pm

Sorry about that; I was driving the Tercel. The Neon just has way too much torque for driving on ice reliably. The automatics are better, but not much.

Part of what makes a Tercel so great for winter driving is the combination of light weight and low torque. In either 2 or 4 wheel drive, they're very capable cars on ice and snow.