rustED

iTrader: (2)

I recently bought an 83’ Toyota from my dad and thought I would start a build thread on it. This is my third 83’ 4x4 and in better overall condition than the previous two that I have owned. The truck is a non-SR5 with a 22R/5-speed and is pretty much stock. The interior is in descent shape, it's running on 31"x10.50 Wild Country XTX tires. This build is going to be more of a stock build, more of a fix and repair, than a custom one off build, (but not a complete restore). My 86’ 4runner is my main project, and that is where the majority of my money is being saved toward, so most of what I do on the 83’ is going to be done on the cheap. It will probably be a slow going thread, I just thought it would be fun to have a record of the progress, and to get some input from my fellow yota enthusiasts. On to some pics!


^^^ here is a pic from last summer at my Dad's cabin


^^^ Here it is the day I brought it home. At my Dad's house they had nearly 2 feet of snow. The toyota hadn't been moved during that time, because it needed a new fuel pump, so my dad and I replaced the pump and then we had to dig the truck out of it's snow tomb. My parents driveway is really steep and was unplowed (they have to park at the bottom of the hill and hike in about a 1/4 mile) I put some tire chains on the front, then went for broke! I really didn't expect the toyota to make it out of there without getting stuck. The front end felt like it was floating at times, and I couldn't tell if the front wheels were turned or pointed straight, but I made it all the way down to the main road plowing snow all the way!!!


^^^ Here is a pic next to my 86' sas'ed 4runner


The main plan for the 83' to start is:
1.) find a complete emergency brake handle/assembly with cables
2.) find a steering column cover
3.) find a tailgate
4.) build a rear bumper
5.) replace the sagging front main leafspring and gain an inch or so of lift to level it with the rear.
6.) DIY roll on bedliner

I'll get some more pics of the interior and such posted up soon, thanks for looking...Ed.

rustED

iTrader: (2)

I thought I'd post up some interior pics. I'm pretty happy with the interior's condition, It's way better than my last 83' which was pretty much gutted inside. This one is pretty much all there. I just need to clean it up a little, get some new speakers for the doors, (the driverside is missing a 6x9) and find a steering column cover and emergency brake assembly. I'm not sure if this bench seat is original to the truck,(my other two both had bucket seats from some other make of car installed in them) any ideas on what used to be between the seats on the last pic? I'm thinking of building a center console/armrest for storage to put there.

rustED

iTrader: (2)

^^^ Looks like I have some engine leaks to fix, and will probably tear down the front axel and rebuild it this summer. You can see how flat, actually almost a reverse arch in the front springs, pretty common on these old trucks.




^^^ I got these front springs in a trade and never used them on my 4runner. Someone added a leaf, (the long one in the middle) that looks like a Chevy leaf, it measures 2-1/2" wide instead of 2-1/4 like the toyota's. I may use a combination of these springs and the stock leaves for the front. I'm wanting to gain about an inch of lift eliminating the front sag, and hopefully level it out to match the rear.


^^^ Here is a pic of the inside of the bed. Just surface rust and no holes which I'm really happy about. My dad put this box on replacing the original that was rusted through around the wheel wells. I plan on doing a DIY roll on bedliner this summer and am open to suggestions and comments on brands that any of you might suggest as I've never experimented with this before. I also hope to eventually color match this box to the cab which is a charcoal gray. Hopefully I can find a good tailgate, if not I might build my own, I also plan on building a rear bumper out of some scrap 2"x3" rectangular tubing I have.

toastyjosh

iTrader: (1)

Nice truck!!!
I wish mine was that clean!

Logan81Pickup

I would consider getting a professional spray on job done on the bed, from what I've read the roll on kits aren't that great at keeping the rust out.

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

Send trekkerpaul a message, he a a bunch of column covers and other parts

rustED

iTrader: (2)

Thanks man, I'm pretty happy with it so far, it's alot nicer than my last 83' (thus my username, lol)

Thanks for your input. I did the inside of my jeep about 15 years ago with LineX and it cost me $350 back then, I'm sure it would be alot more now, cost is definatly a deciding factor, I'll have to do some research on it, I definately don't want rust issues afterward!

Thanks for the heads up dropzone! I'll have to send him a PM.

liveoffroad

Nice lookin truck ed! i've always loved that body style. thats nice you already have lift springs for it, that will make a nice mild wheeler too!

rustED

iTrader: (2)

Thanks liveoffroad. Yeah I've always liked the first gen body style too! This one is in so much better shape than my last 83'. The last one I had, someone cut a hole in the roof for a sunroof, but they cut it to big, then just put bondo over the whole mess to try to cover it up (i ended up welding in new sheet metal to patch the leaky roof). The area where the battery goes was completely rusted out and the interior was gutted. That thing was loud inside with no interior, lol. I'm pretty happy with this one and owe my dad for the good deal!

A part of me wants to put those lift springs on and throw the 33's off my 4runner on it, then sell the 31's and the spare set of 31's I have and buy some 35's or 37" for my 4runner, lol. That would kinda defeat my original purpose of having a daily driver that gets better mpg than my 4runner, lol. My wife would probably kill me, and I know I should just keep it stock, but I can't help myself, I think the 83' would look sweet with the 33's on it!

liveoffroad

that's the dilemma for guys like us, i originally built my 4runner for 33's so it'd be my dd haha.
now i have a 2wd so that i won't be tempted to do any mods, its nice to have a completely stock vehicle that is reliable. 33's can still make for a good dd, but i'd be careful running 12.50's on a light truck, they tend to float on slick roads! i had a set of 33x10.50's on mine for a short while and loved them

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

Or 33x9.50's.

Yotaleigheehoo

If you apply por15 first, http://www.por15.com/ then apply a top coat works well. I've used this stuff all over my ranch with great results.

rustED

iTrader: (2)

You know you could SAS that 2wd and run it on 33's and still use it for a DD... just saying,... lol joking

yeah, I like the tall and skinny look on the first gens, It will probably stay as is for now, I have too many other projects ahead of the 83'...I have a offroad/camp trailer I started building last year and never finished, and I need to get a aluminum radiator for my 4runner, it never ends, lol...

Thanks for the link, I hve heard of por15, but never used it, I was looking at their site and it looks like they have their own diy bedliner thats designed to be applied over the por15, sounds like a good way to go.

rustED

iTrader: (2)

I haven't done much on the truck, been working on other projects. I did trade the 31" tires and Outlaw II wheels for a set of 33x12.50 ProComp MT's on Centerline wheels. They fill in the front fenders pretty good, and rub the passenger side mud flap a little when I'm turning and backing up. I have a set of front lift springs that I could put on, but I think I'm just going to put my other set of 31's on it, and use these 33's for my off road camping trailer project. That way I'll have a spare for the trailer and a spare for my 4runner.

rustED

iTrader: (2)

I finally actually did something on my 83'... I had a set of front leaf springs (not even sure what make or how much lift they are) that I got in a trade and never used them on my 4runner, so I decided to throw them on the pickup since the front leaf springs were sagging.


^^^ before with stock springs


After with lift springs... gained about 2-1/2" of lift




^^^decided to take off the 31's and put the 33's back on, no more rubbing when turning. The rear sits about an inch lower than the front, going to wait and see if the front springs settle any before messing around with the rear. I need longer front shocks, I'm going to take a pair of rancho's rear shocks that I have that were to short for the rear of my 4runner and mod the front 83' shock tower to work with the shocks.

liveoffroad

lookin' good! does it ride nicer?

rustED

iTrader: (2)

Thanks!.. The lift springs that I installed I got in a trade, and someone had added another leaf (looked like it was a chevy leaf, it was a 1/4" wider than the Toyotas) anyway it was stiff so I removed that extra leaf, and made a big improvement. Yeah, it definitely takes the bumps better, before it was really stiff in the front, the old leaf springs were past flat and were actually starting to get a reverse arch to them, lol. It's a little bouncy but once I get the front shocks towers modified and the shocks mounted it should be a lot better.

Any opinions on the front sway bar? I have had 2 other 83's Toyotas, both lifted and neither had the sway bar, and they road and handled good, I'm thinking I'll probably remove it since it's not at the right angle anymore, should improve the flex also...

Redeth005

Hey Ed, dude I thought I was subbed to this thread too; I guess not. I see you're doing some good progress with your 83. Nice fix.

rustED

iTrader: (2)

Thanks Richard!... Yeah I was getting bored, and couldn't leave the 83 alone, lol. I haven't had the cash to work on my 4runner, I also have my camping trailer project I want to finish, lol, luckily I already had the leaf springs so they didn't cost me anything.

Tomorrow I'm going to put on a Heckethorn "Big Yellow" steering stabilizer I have left over from parting out my 85'....another freebee!

Redeth005

Dang dude I don't know how you do it with 3 projects at once. I have my hands full with just one. Lol