So thought I would start a thread on my '81 Trekker I bought a couple of months ago. It is my 5th Toyota truck over 20 years. (86 4Runner, '84 X-cab, 97 Taco x-cab, 2005 Tacoma, all have been 4x4)
Bought the truck off craigslist
1981 Trekker, 112K original miles, 22R, 5 Speed, 33 BFG AT's, Unknown 4" springs upfront, 3" blocks in the rear (suck), 4Runner front seats. Need to count the tire rotation sometime with truck up on jackstands to see if it had been regeared, for 33's it sure seems to do fine if it still had the stock 3.90s or 4.10s--think 81 had 3.90. My 84 with 4.10's and 33's had to hope for a push over big hills. Overall it was in good shape mechanically. Runs strong and gets about 18 mpg around town... It passed Oregon DEQ emissions test first try
Title search shows that the truck was in Alaska the same time I was stationed up there in the early 90's and has got a reddish orange paint under the blue. Makes me wonder if it is the same truck I almost bought in '91
--ended up buying my '84 instead...
Stuff I have done so far:
-new windshield and seal, extended SS brake lines F/R, cut out the junk carpeting and headliner, new mirrors, changed all the filters and fluids, fluids were in good shape, no metal filings etc so looks like it have been take care of...have got Trail Gear gusset kits and front end service kit to rebuild front end in the next few weeks...new timing chain is in the works..Heavy duty tow bar (light enough to tow with my '05)
Plans(DREAMS) include:
-half doors or tube
-IFS front brakes with fj80 master cylinder
-86+ rear end, hopefully convert that to rear disc (full floater kit would be awesome)
--wheel spacers up to match the wider rear end
-35's with 5.29's but if I find that it has got 4.88's like it seems to may just get some 33 MT's...
-High Steer
-Full Cage-May go with a Marlin or All Pro and have some loops put in the back for the rear passengers-but there is a guy on another forum that may be able to do it very reasonable.
-New springs-Marlin or All Pro Kit would be cool but think I will go with Trail gear since my budget is not as big as I wish
-Dual cases or at least 4.7's with twin stick
-8K winch or the new warn powerplant if I win the lottery
-Front winch bumper with tow bar mounts..hope to build my own--found a wire feed welder in my dad's barn he forgot he had...love'em for that..
--rear bumper with maybe a swing out tire carrier for the back bumper (probably have to plate the rear frame for that one)
--sliders with kick out
--bigger gas tank, 13.5 gallons is a bit small
--propane conversion way down the road
The build it gonna take some time, wish I could do it all at once, but with 3 kids and trying to save for college guess I am lucky to have a toy..THANKS JESS (my missus and the accountant)
Just want to thank the folks on Yotatech, been here a few weeks and have already gotten a ton of help on questions, ideas, and some good deals on parts. Yotatech has got a very friendly and helpful atmosphere...
Looking to see what slacker and the other trekker owners come up with too.
when I picked it up:
Interior shots:
Rear Before:
Herculined the back:
Only real body damage:
The lock for the rear hatch was fubarred so I picked up a set of match canopy locks off ebay and came up with this--aluminum to help strenthen the fiberglass and an aluminum striker plate on the inside lip. Need to find a new rear seal or something that might work...
While I was at it I replaced the stratched up 2 piece leaky plexi with a new 5/16's piece my next door neighbor found in his shed, your
Wally!!
Added a little bling that Kitten Holt (the sticker chick) made for me--awesome lady to work with
...7 bucks for this sticker. I have got a 4Runner license plate frame that I may try to use to fix the hole that was left from the stock broken latch...
gotta have this for trail running in Oregon--
