Tercel Tuesday!

"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt) 05/03/2016 at 10:12 • Filed to: Tercel Tuesday, Toyota Tuesday, tercel

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!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! almost identical to the one I learned how to drive on! Mine was white (mostly - the paint was pretty much just powder clinging to the rust), a five door, and had a manual transmission with overdrive . At 1990 lbs, it weighed in just under my key number, and got stupid mileage. It was faster than my sister’s Mirage. Unfortunately, these old Toyotas had one of the few unreliable engines they’ve ever made (It has a hollow crank. Really.). By 105k miles (just a baby in Toyota terms), a crack formed in the block and that was the end of that. We scrapped it for $300 or so. Fun fact! There was exactly 48" between the strut towers and the hatch was also 48" wide on the inside rim.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 10:17

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I want it.

gmctavish needs more space > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 10:18

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A friend of mine got one of the weird coupe ones of this generation. Auto, not watertight, no muffler, but it was free. It started making bad noises and burning even more oil one day, didn’t start again, and that was the end of that.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 10:25

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Saw a very clean one a few days ago. Too lazy to attach pic

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > gmctavish needs more space 05/03/2016 at 10:27

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Haha, I remember the notchbacks! Never saw the point in pulling functionality from the car since that was it’s only real draw. Yeah, these things were pieces of shit. There’s a reason you don’t see them on the road anymore.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/03/2016 at 10:27

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You’ll only want it until it’s time for your annual motor swap.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 10:28

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What engine was in these?

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/03/2016 at 10:30

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The 3E

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 10:30

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You just used fast and tercel in the same sentence. I think you made a grammatical error.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 05/03/2016 at 10:30

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Nope. I was highlighting how comically slow the Mirage is.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 10:31

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Would the 4AGE and accompanying transaxle from a FWD Corolla fit?

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/03/2016 at 10:32

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Don’t know. I know that a ton of parts from my A-dub are borrowed from the Tercel, so it could be possible.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 10:34

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A dub?

Michael > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/03/2016 at 10:36

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AW - series MR2 maybe?

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/03/2016 at 10:38

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It looks like the transmission used is a C family one that will bolt to a 4a block.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Michael 05/03/2016 at 10:38

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That makes a lot of sense.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/03/2016 at 10:38

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AW 11 - MR2

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 10:39

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So it’s possible. That’s awesome.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 10:40

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I should have guessed that

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 05/03/2016 at 10:41

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Yep. Whether there’s enough room in there for it is a different story, but it looks like it should drop in without having to do anything special. You won’t have to rebuild your entire front suspension using different hubs to make it work.

gmctavish needs more space > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 10:54

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There's one dude I used to see all the time with a super well kept blue hatch, roof racks and rally lights going on. Other than that, yeah I only see the newer roundish ones anymore

not for canada - australian in disguise > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 11:47

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I love the Tercels of that generation. Saw a coupe one the other day at Walmart, was the first I’d seen in a very long time.

Weirdly enough I also saw a Firefly not too long after.

Must be something in the water making people want to drive their 80s/90s economy cars around.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 12:11

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I had one of these, in blue. It was a 4-speed. It only had one door mirror, stock. And it was the filthiest car I’ve ever owned. I had to rip out the whole interior before I could get rid of the cigarette stench. I found sunflower seed shells above the headliner . I’m not even sure how stuff gets up there.

Still, it was a good, reliable car, apart from the rusted exhaust, which I replaced for $300. I sold it because it was really really slow.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 05/03/2016 at 12:28

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What year was it that it only had one mirror? Pre 88 they had A engines which are in my opinion one of the most solid families of engines ever. They still make A engines for cars.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 12:59

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Mine was an ‘89, as I recall. I don’t remember the engine, actually, only that it was carbureted. I think it was a 1.5.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 05/03/2016 at 14:56

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Yep, a 1.5 with a variable intake carb that was impossible to ever get tuned right. Worst ‘Yota ever? I’m a massive fan of 80s Toyotas. Even the ridiculous ones! I can’t stand the third gen Tercel.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 15:20

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I’ve actually also owned an ‘80 Tercel, and it might have been worse, though it looked alot cooler.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 05/03/2016 at 15:28

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In what way was it worse? I mean, if it was the base engine then it was obviously slower, but was it reliability, overall quality, driving dynamics, or just the overall feel?

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 05/03/2016 at 15:31

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It was slower, but it was a 5-speed, so it was a bit more fun. It was heavier, but I replaced the shocks and struts, so it rode better. It looked better, but it was rustier. It’s a toss-up, really. I think I liked the ‘80 more, because it was just so unique, and also because it wasn’t a rolling ash tray.

Xyl0c41n3 > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 10/31/2016 at 13:27

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Yo! Do you instagram?

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Xyl0c41n3 10/31/2016 at 13:30

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Barely. I mostly follow, but also mostly because my phone’s an old piece of shit. DiscoSynthesizers. Sexy Cat might be making an appearance at some point.