tercel 86 wagon 4x4 - for parts - $150 (duncan)

[dlb]

http://nanaimo.en.craigslist.ca/pts/4050864314.html

similar ad to the other one i just posted but for a different car. this one is near me. i've emailed the seller and hope to check it out tomorrow.

[dlb]

looked at this one today but it's pretty rough. the brake fluid reservoir is bone dry and the guy isn't sure why so something must be burst somewhere in the system, plus the brakes are frozen even with the park brake off. that means $150 to have it towed to my place. needs a CV axle. the radiator leaks. needs complete exhaust system. needs tires. has typical fender rust. driver seat is ripped to hell. shifter has about 6" of play so i think the bushings are completely disintegrated.

the good news is that the engine started up quite easily even after sitting for a few years, the clutch feels good, and the trans shifted in all gears ok.

with all that in mind, i'm wrestling with whether or not to get it as the next project. i have several friends requesting one so i have to give it some thought.

[dlb]

managed to get the car for $100 and have it towed home for free so i went for it. that makes 6 tercs. i'll post some pics on it soon.

[T4WDOR]

Sounds like an awesome deal, and if it's not worth fixing up. You have an engine, tranny and other parts to sell or do what you want with. Its always worth saving a tercel.

[dlb]

oh yeah. i got the car for next to nothing, it starts and runs, and i've got two forum members with tons of parts nearby so i feel pretty optimistic about getting this one back into service. i'm took some pics i'll put up later. i'm going to do a compression test and check the oil pressure before i do anything else though, just to make sure the engine is worth fixing the rest up for.

[Mark]

Nice! Let me know if you want anything else before I scrap my '83 hatch maybe after this week. I'm leaving the engine block, but pretty much everything else is being removed. I'm not going to take much of the trim, etc. So if you want any mirrors/steering wheel/door panels/handles/lights/ventilation/radio antenna/wipers/etc. let me know. The muffler is full of holes so that's no good.

[Petros]

with a leaky radiator you likely have a compromised head gasket. do not be fooled by a good compression check, they can still leak coolant into the cylinders and have it show good compression. What happens is you check the coolant level once a month, and you find you need to add a cup or two, next month, it takes a quart, 2 weeks later, another quart. And soon it will be two quarts. You might get lucky, but usually if ANY part of the cooling system is compromised, the head gasket ALWAYS is next to go. Not so bad a fix, it just takes a head gasket, some sealant, and a saturday afternoon. Might give you a chance to improve the valves and replace the valve stem seals too.