DESPERATELY NEED a Gen2 Camry Wagon! - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

TWHansen · 01-08-2006, 04:03 AM

Well, my ill-advised trip to California with even more ill-advised traveling companions has wound up costing me my favorite car, a navy blue 1988 Camry LE wagon. I took a nap, they ran it out of oil and blew a hole in the engine the size of a golf ball. It is now a permanent resident of Seligman, AZ. If you need parts, stop by Precision Automotive there and tell them I sent you. Now we know the only thing that will kill a Toyota: negligence.

I had been looking for one with a tan interior but I'd almost prefer blue now, simply for nostalgia. Essentially I want to replace it with an identical car. I need a Gen2 wagon, LE trim level, 4-cylinder automatic in as nice of a rust-free, low-mileage condition as possible, preferably navy blue. (anything with blue or tan interior in a pinch though) A moonroof and luggage rack would be awesome.

I will pay good money and travel a substatial distance for the right car.

I have just gone through all the classifieds sites, eBay, and every single dang Craigslist city and have come up dry.

I' m currently driving my spare Camry, a real low-rent DX number with a maroon interior, crank windows, and a gas leak. Oh, and rust holes the size of my forearm. Help me!

I have a '90 Lexus ES250 in fair condition I'd be willing to include as a partial trade, as well as an '89 Toyota VanWagon LE with the dual sunroofs.

I'm in Milwaukee, WI. If anyone can help, I am standing by.
262-325-0346

Thanks again!
-Tim Hansen

Digger1 · 01-08-2006, 10:40 AM

Tim,

Sorry to hear that.

How many miles on the wagon when they blew it up?

Good luck!

chasman · 01-08-2006, 10:56 AM

Hi Tim,

If the body and transmission are in good shape you might consider installing a reman engine from ATK or Jasper. At 185K miles I put a reman ATK in my 84 Tercel and it now has 369K miles! See links:

http://www.atkengines.com/ 3 years and Unlimited miles

http://www.jasperengines.com/ 3 years and 75,000 miles

Hope this helps!

TWHansen · 01-08-2006, 02:47 PM

The car only had 214k on it at the end. I just put a used transmission in it last year. But the body really was rusted out and the LF suspension was kinda tweaked from a run-in with a curb two years ago. It tracked straight but the LF wheel sat about an inch and a half rearward of proper, scraping the inner fender when turning left. The body's not worth saving, and it's 2,000 miles away from me, so I'm calling it a day. I just want to replace it. It was my favorite car, though; I put over 60,000 miles on it myself since '02.

TWHansen · 03-02-2006, 10:23 PM

I found a tan 1991 LE wagon today with a V6 in Chicago for a reasonable price. It's more or less exactly what I want, just with the V6 instead of the 4-cylinder.

Anybody have a handle on the pros & cons of either? I like the fours, good power, great MPG, and easy to work on. I know the V6's are harder to work on and a notch down on economy, and only 30 more stock HP. Is it worth it?

TBayToyotaBoy · 03-03-2006, 12:30 PM

I'm really sorry to hear of your friends' brain damage. That's a real shame they did that to you...

Why do you want a wagon? If you're hauling shit, I'd actually suggest the V6. They're not uber-fast, but they're torque-y. I pulled a full-size 4X4 pick-up out of a snow bank/ditch last year with no problems (mine is a 5-speed, most stress is on the clutch and not the tranny itself).

If tuition didn't have to get paid, I'd be looking for a 5-speed V6 wagon right now. I agree with you, they're amazing cars (aren't all Camrys?).

chesstompowell · 03-03-2006, 06:32 PM

Hi TWHansen,

I live over here in Toronto, Canada. I'd be willing to search around this city for the car you mentioned. If I find one, would you come here or is Toronto too far?

thoughthard · 03-03-2006, 07:26 PM

There are 20 listed on http://www.cars.com

All 88-91 wagons.

TWHansen · 03-03-2006, 07:51 PM

Yeah, I'm not really crazy about paying over $1200 for one, knowing the decent stuff we've purchased for well under that....I'm going down Sunday to look at this '91. Wish me luck!

AvalonMan96 · 03-03-2006, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TBayToyotaBoy

I agree with you, they're amazing cars (aren't all Camrys?).

Yes they are, especially Gen2s!

I miss my 1988 Camry...

TWHansen · 03-04-2006, 12:27 AM

I have never, ever seen a factory V6, 5-speed wagon. Reading over that chap from Australia's posts...it's got me thinking about it.

This will be one for the long term, I think. A thing to round up parts for and get to "eventually". "Eventually" being a good euphemism for when my brother finally buys that goddamn BMW M5 he wants and gives me his 4-cyl 5-speed '89 Camry Wagon as a driver.

I'll let you guys know how the test-drive goes on Sunday. If it checks out I may well use this as a base for a "best of everything" project. Only touch of sadness is I don't think that elusive digital dash cluster ever came on the V6. Oh well...maybe Indiglos then. Other problem is that the ES250 dash didn't come in the Camry shade of tan.

I do want to do up a Camry Wagon with digital gauges and ES250 dash, eventually. Time to start hitting the junkyards again...

TBayToyotaBoy · 03-04-2006, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TWHansen

I have never, ever seen a factory V6, 5-speed wagon.

They're about as rare as the 5-speed V6 sedans, but they're out there. The family I bought my Camry from also had a 5-spd V6 wagon, and I've been thinking about looking them up this year to see if they still have it.

Keep looking, you'll find yourself another baby.