I have a 1986 what alloys should I have???

[turtle3]

Hi there I have a mark 1 registered 17 /10/1986 The car has the tear drop alloys fitted, Are these the wrong wheels??. I think my car was right on the changeover period as whenever I buy spare parts they dont seem to fit, I have been told although my car is a 86 it has all 85 fittings, is this correct?? I should have the airfilter mounted in the engine bay but the previous owner junkled it and put a k&n filter on, I purchased a replacement and it was supposed to go in the trunk I have no hole cut in the trunk for the filter and was then told I need needed an 85 filter assembly. Basically I want to know what my car should look like in standard condition and eventually restore it to standard, and when I buy parts what year shold I buy for, Any info greatly appreciated . thanks turtle

[Chris \'aka rustboy\' Amm]

the change over was in '86 and there was a lot of cars that were both a and b varients, things like early spec engines with late spec breaks that kinda thing.

hmmm your's seems to have '85 bits but the alloys should be later spec tear drops i believe and you should have the body kit too? sideskirts and a front lip spoiler?

is it a T-bar? and is the aerial on the roof or on the boot area if it's a sun roof type?

[Lauren]

Hiya, my car is a Jan 86 and there are some bits about that its difficult to tell whether or not a previous owner has tried to update it or not.

The change from MK1a to Mk1b came about in 87, but from what you say your car is certainly an early shell.

Best way to find out when its made is to check the chassis number, as i'd bet that if your car was registered in october that it was made around May time.

I'd say that you should have the early triangle alloys. Does your car have the sideskirts? Mine did but i couldn't work out whether or not they were factory fitted or fitted by an owner in an attempt to make it look like a later car. I also had the late engine vent, but i'd put money on this being added by someone.

I'm guessing your spoilers are colour coded? Do you have black paint along the lower edge of the sill (you won't be able to see if sideskirts are fitted). Is it an early interior?

Have a look at my site as it shows some of the detail changes and differences.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.nias/bodyshop5.htm

In the end with my car as it is an early model i decided to do it as an 85 model (it is only just into 86 anyway) as i wanted to emphasise that it is an early car with black bumpers and the like. Again it was impossible for me to tell whether or not my car came out the factory with black bumpers and the like as it had been resprayed at least twice.

Have you got any pics of your car?

Chris is wrong about the t-bar thing. This didn't come into being until 87 and you certainly won't find an early shell with a t-bar as there were detail changes in thicker b-pillars etc for the t-bar. So your car couldn't be a t-bar.

[stevenb]

Sounds similar to the car Im trying to buy......86 D plate, triangle alloys. sherwood toning with coloured skirts and front lip. air filter in the engine bay. I know this car is standard.
everything else looks the same as my old 88 plater...except the interior and air vent......flush fit one...

[Chris \'aka rustboy\' Amm]

whoops sorry lauren i knew it was '87 really

[sadako]

I have heard odd mixtures turning up in the changeover periods, E.G. People with post revision engines and prerevision rocker covers. Cant remember the site I got the info from though.

I think people replacing parts with that of older models is more likely. I put prerevision air vents in my post revision car because I thought they looked nicer. My replacement engine is also a blue cap. I have some prerevision switch knobs i'd like to try later but I need a spring clip for one of them, it dropped out when I got it and I didnt notice.

If i sell the car to a purist I am keeping the post revision parts

[stevenb]

I have also noticed the difference in the cabin for the heater controls. They are not as my 88 plate model was.
Manually operated.
The centre console is different too.
I think the sherwood toning was carried onto the matching sideskirts and front lip on the car I want to buy ...like an optional extra. I noticed the the rocker cover has black writing.

[Lauren]

I have also noticed the difference in the cabin for the heater controls. They are not as my 88 plate model was.
Manually operated.
The centre console is different too.
I think the sherwood toning was carried onto the matching sideskirts and front lip on the car I want to buy ...like an optional extra. I noticed the the rocker cover has black writing.

I'm not sure whether your sideskirts are standard or not, could have been an option. It is likely however, that your front lip spoiler has been painted as front lip spoilers should be black. There are lots of other detail differences between the MK1a & MK1b. For example the bumper is flatter in the front section on early cars as opposed to the more 'pointy' bumper of the later ones. Suspension geo is different on early cars too on the rear.

All engines have black writing on the cam covers. But on writing under the throttle linkage this is either blue or red. Blue denoting the early type engine and red the later one. Please note that this is not conclusive as its not hard to change the colour of the writing.

[stevenb]

And a smaller Toyota sticker on the front bumper too. Didnt know about the rear suspension being different.
Are the triangle alloys 14"? Same offset, PCD etc? Thanks

[Lauren]

And a smaller Toyota sticker on the front bumper too. Didnt know about the rear suspension being different.
Are the triangle alloys 14"? Same offset, PCD etc? Thanks

Yep geo is different. I really need to work exactly how its different as no-one seems to know. I think its that the trailing arms are a different length and mounted slightly different in the chassis. The end result is that the car tends to understeer less which is a good thing. This is why i say that the earlier cars handle better.

Wheelwise, they are 14" x 5.5J rather than the 6J of the later rims so i'd expect it to be slightly different offset wise. Yes of course the PCD is the same so you could put later wheels on, though why you'd want to i'm not sure.

[stevenb]

Thats fine...thanks for the info Lauren.
I aim to keep my car as standard as possible.
BTW are there aftermarket replacement air filter elements available other than standard paper ones? ie K&N....its about the only mod I would do....and perhaps a full stainless exhaust once the standard one ends it's life..

[Lauren]

Thats fine...thanks for the info Lauren.
I aim to keep my car as standard as possible.
BTW are there aftermarket replacement air filter elements available other than standard paper ones? ie K&N....its about the only mod I would do....and perhaps a full stainless exhaust once the standard one ends it's life..

Yep you can get a K&N that sits in the stock housing. Stainless exhaust is worthwhile. Magnex/Mongoose best bet.

[turtle3]

[Yep geo is different. I really need to work exactly how its different as no-one seems to know.

its the rear sub assembly bracket, I purchase a late 86 early 87 bracket and it was completely different to the one i needed for my car, my car seems to have early everthing apart from colour coded bumpers side skirts and later alloys?????? can post you pics of brackets if you want. cheers neve
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[stevenb]

[Yep geo is different. I really need to work exactly how its different as no-one seems to know.

its the rear sub assembly bracket, I purchase a late 86 early 87 bracket and it was completely different to the one i needed for my car, my car seems to have early everthing apart from colour coded bumpers side skirts and later alloys?????? can post you pics of brackets if you want. cheers neve
[/code]

That would be nice mate.....help me locate it if/when needed in the future.

[crazylegs]

where are you mate? if you are near me you can have a look at an early car and compare parts(?). i have a 99% standard 1985 model.

[Lauren]

[Yep geo is different. I really need to work exactly how its different as no-one seems to know.

its the rear sub assembly bracket, I purchase a late 86 early 87 bracket and it was completely different to the one i needed for my car, my car seems to have early everthing apart from colour coded bumpers side skirts and later alloys?????? can post you pics of brackets if you want. cheers neve
[/code]

Yep, please post a pic if you have one, would be interested to see this. Also would be fab if you've got a pic of a late one next to it for comparison.

[turtle3]

how do i post a picture in this forum?? i can email you one if you wish. thanks. i am still looking for one of these brackets so if you know anywhere else i could try i would be really gratefull[/img]

[Lauren]

how do i post a picture in this forum?? i can email you one if you wish. thanks. i am still looking for one of these brackets so if you know anywhere else i could try i would be really gratefull[/img]

Don't email me one as it'll make it more complicated honest!

paste the link inbetween:

link to pic here [/i m g]

obviously without the spaces.

[turtle3]

doesnt work i can copy the image but cannot paste it, i know how to email a photo if you wish, cheers more detailed instructions appreciated i only have the image stored in my photo album do i have to submit it to an online internet photobase thanks

[Chris \'aka rustboy\' Amm]

doesnt work i can copy the image but cannot paste it, i know how to email a photo if you wish, cheers more detailed instructions appreciated i only have the image stored in my photo album do i have to submit it to an online internet photobase thanks

e-mail it to me mate, i aint as lazy as lauren haha