4WD Toyota Tercel Ice Trails and Close Calls | ARCHIVE Ep. 003

In this MARS Archive story, we catch up with Luke, Michigan’s go-to guy for all things Toyota Tercel. With a garage full of 80s Tercels, shelves stacked with rare parts, and a YouTube channel of over 3,000 subscribers, Luke has built a community around one of the quirkiest and most lovable off-road platforms out there.

This story dives into the time the MARS crew showed up to film a Spanners episode—and things went way off-script. Luke gives us a tour of his garage and the fleet, then takes us out in "Thunderbucket", his lifted, trail-ready Tercel. With five people packed in and Michigan’s trails coated in ice, things get sketchy fast. From near-misses that sent Jon running for the door to an actual accident that spiraled into a full-on recovery mission, it’s a day none of us will forget.

Spoiler: Thunderbucket doesn’t drive home.

Subscribe to Luke's Channel!
YT:    / @beardedwrencher  
IG: www.instagram.com/abeardedwrencher/


Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:26 - Luke’s Garage & First Tercel
2:11 - Hitting the Trails in Thunderbucket
3:37 - Ice, Chaos & Close Calls
5:07 - Things get Slick
7:19 - Aftermath
8:00 - Flat Tow
8:47 - 3 Wheeling
10:00 - Sad Phone Call
11:03 - Good Vibes & Great Memories
12:12 - Thunderbuckets Next Chapter
13:04 - Car YouTubers
14:32 - The Tercel that started a Channel
15:52 - Modern Cars are Appliances
16:14 - Outro

🚗 Love stories like this? Subscribe for more episodes featuring real car enthusiasts, their projects, and the passion that drives them. Watch now! 🎥👉    • Spanners: Season 1  

🛠️🔥 Love what you see on the MARS Archive? Support the channel and gear up with official MARS merch! From tees to hats, rep your passion for cars and adventure.
👉 mars-autogroup-shop.fourthwall.com/

🔧 Subscribe to MARS for more automotive stories and adventures!
📸 Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/m.a.r.s._mi/

#MARSArchive #ToyotaTercel #Thunderbucket #OffRoadFails #80sCars #TercelNation #TrailChaos #FlatbedFinale