Michigan's Tercel King

If you’ve ever found yourself deep in an internet rabbit hole about off-road Toyota Tercels, chances are you’ve stumbled across Luke. Luke has become the go-to guy for all things Tercel in Michigan—known for his garage full of 80s wagons, impossibly rare parts, and an impressively niche YouTube channel with over 3,000 subscribers.

Luke's been part of the MARS community for a few years now, but being more into the 80s Japanese side of things, he doesn’t always cross paths with the rest of the crew. So when we found ourselves brainstorming content ideas in the middle of a brutal Michigan winter, he was one of the first people who came to mind. He’s one of the few crazy enough to daily drive his quirky, vintage off-roaders through snow, slush, and salt—and take them off-road while he’s at it.

We reached out, pitched the idea, and before we knew it, we were hauling gear upstate to shoot what we thought would be a straightforward garage tour and trail drive.

It wasn’t.

A Tercel Wonderland

Luke’s place is everything you’d want it to be if you’re into weird, wonderful cars. The garage was packed—tight enough that moving around required a bit of choreography. A wood-burning stove roared in the corner, cranking out heat as the temperature outside dropped into the teens. Various builds sat in different phases of life: some just starting, others nearly trail-ready. Domestic Tercels shared space with JDM-imported siblings, while even more cars waited out back. Parts were everywhere—on shelves, stacked in corners, and even overflowing into the basement. It was overwhelming in the best way.

You instantly know and feel that this is Luke’s passion. His collection isn’t just functional—it’s personal. Every wagon, every gasket, every tool has a story. It’s not just a workspace—a museum, a time capsule, and a playground all rolled into one.

After a garage tour, Luke introduced us to his favorite: Thunderbucket. A lifted Tercel wagon with battle scars, trail badges, and just enough rust to prove it’s been used properly.

That’s when the plan fell apart—in the best way.

Five People, One Tercel, and a Lot of Ice

Our goal was simple: follow Luke out on a local trail and grab some B-roll of Thunderbucket doing what it does best. Instead, five of us crammed into the lifted wagon, armed with camera gear, questionable traction, and a growing sense of “this might be a terrible idea.”

Michigan had iced over the night before. The trails were slick, visibility was low, and the Tercel was doing its best to stay pointed in the right direction. Within minutes, it was clear: we weren’t filming a feature anymore—we were living one.

There were near-misses (including a moment that sent Jon diving for the door), plenty of “uh-oh” laughs, and then… an actual accident. Thunderbucket went down. Not in flames, thankfully, but stuck badly. What followed was a multi-hour recovery mission that tested everything from towing straps to team morale. We stopped filming halfway through and just focused on getting everyone out safely.

Spoiler: Thunderbucket Didn’t Make It Home

We won’t spoil the whole story—check out the episode if you want to see how it all plays out—but let’s just say Thunderbucket earned its name that day. The damage was real. The vibes? Somehow still immaculate.

Luke took it all in stride, cracking jokes and shifting into recovery mode like it was just another Tuesday. That resilience—and the way he’s built a community around these scrappy little wagons—is exactly why we wanted to tell his story in the first place.

Why We Love Making These

Not every shoot goes to plan. Some days, you get clean interviews, a beautiful b-roll, and everything wraps before sunset. Other days, you’re half-frozen, knee-deep in mud, wondering if the Tercel will start again.

This one was the latter, and we wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Here are some behind the scenes photos from the adventure.

📸 Photos: Jon Zomer