When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Yeah I've been wondering too, are you still driving the old girl?
Originally Posted by 83Toyota88
How's it going?? When you gonna sell me that camper top lol.
Oh yea...she's still purring. I'm slow, that's all. lol I'm still kinda sideways on that radio install. Can get everything but the speakers figured out. 4 wires from 2 speakers coming into two wires. And something about the ground and the antenna wire going on. One of those things that just has to hit me to go play around with it and see what happens. I just don't wanna blow the radio or speakers up. Dash is all back in but the radio and that bezel and the heater switches and stuff.... but she's certainly driveable. Cranks and drives like a beast. Only weird thing there is the right wheel cylinder must be warped cause you can hear every little turn. She sounds like
Weeky weeky weeky...
That makes me want to fix the radio where i don't hear that. lol.
Anyways, she's safely tucked in the garage. I crank her every Sunday and sometimes take the sunroof out and take her for a spin.
And nope, not selling the camper top. Actually, I'm thinking I may camp some in it myself. Wife straight up says no. 30 years ago, sure...now..nope she says. Shame, we had some fun under that camper top.
But, we were much younger and more bendable. hahaha.
But thanks for checking in on us. I hope to get that radio put back in and the dash back in this spring sometimes.
On the fun stuff, I tend to take my time and enjoy the ride. I stare at her a lot.
Hope all ya'lls Toys doing fine.
Happy Easter!
I know it's been almost a year since the last post in here, but how is the truck doing? It's a beautiful truck looks like you've done a great restoration on it. Congrats on being able to keep it and drive it again after it sitting for so long.
I know it's been almost a year since the last post in here, but how is the truck doing? It's a beautiful truck looks like you've done a great restoration on it. Congrats on being able to keep it and drive it again after it sitting for so long.
Hey there, sorry for the delay. Life, getting in the way again. lol. She's fine. Staying back in the garage. I get her out every now and then.
Was disappointed to find out the radio I bought from someone doesn't work. That's what's been holding up the dash being put together. I finally took it to an audio place and they said it didn't work. Dials push. No reception.
Anywho...any leads on a stock 81 toyota radio would be appreciated!.
Thanks for checking back.
Once i get the daughter married off in August and the son off to college in the fall...well, nevermind.
I'll be broke.
Life has gotten busy, work, graduating 2 kids, daughter's wedding, etc... and Dixie here took the back seat for awhile. Just stayed in the bay in the garage. Last time I had her on the road was at least 2 years ago and she was driving ok but started to choke down when shifting, sometimes. Made it dangerous if there were a lot of vehicles around me. So, I put her up until I could get around to getting her diagnosed and treated. lol. Talked to my carb guy and he said that 30-year-old carb was done for.
So, he put in a new carb last week and unhooked the emergency brake cable that was freezing the driver rear brake so it wouldn't back outta the garage.
Drove her home yesterday from the shop and although she may not have the getup and go that she once had, she's durn near close to when I drove her new off the lot in 1981. That new carb and adjustments made the difference. Her low mileage of 83K really shows in how she drives and shifts.
Just thought I'd check back in here. Hope you boys are doing well.
Plans:
get the dash all put back together. I had bought a year radio that fits, but doesn't receive. (if any of you folks have a radio that works well, that year model, or know of where one is, please let me know). That's really all that I need to get the dash back together. Truth is I don't drive it on a regular basis and don't intend to. So having a radio in to just hold place and look original would work. But I'd like to have a working one in there.
Take the camper off and replace with a roll bar/KC lights like it was in 1983. I put the camper on when I 'grew up' about 1985-6 and drove it to college, got married and the wife and I camped and slept, and other stuff lol in that bed. We were much more foldable then.
Get the rusty spots on the single-walled bed repaired and painted.
Get that baby blue pin stripe back on like it was originally.
MAN. I'm originally from Jackson, and now live a little north of Nashville in White House.
My '80 looks like it just needs to be scrapped compared to your museum piece of a 1st gen.
I just bought my first new vehicle a year ago, at the ripe old age of 31, and got a 2017 Tacoma 4x4.
I hope I can keep it at least as long as you've kept your '81.
Those trails you had pictures of at the beginning of the thread remind me a lot of Chickasaw and Natchez Trace,
where I've spent a lot of time, and done a lot of 4wheeling in various jeeps and other 4x4's.
Keep this thing going! I'd recommend a weber car swap or perhaps fuel injection. I did electronic fuel injection
on my '80, along with 4 extra cylinders, and the thing has been rock solid dependable, and lately gets driven more
than the new truck does.
MAN. I'm originally from Jackson, and now live a little north of Nashville in White House.
My '80 looks like it just needs to be scrapped compared to your museum piece of a 1st gen.
I just bought my first new vehicle a year ago, at the ripe old age of 31, and got a 2017 Tacoma 4x4.
I hope I can keep it at least as long as you've kept your '81.
Those trails you had pictures of at the beginning of the thread remind me a lot of Chickasaw and Natchez Trace,
where I've spent a lot of time, and done a lot of 4wheeling in various jeeps and other 4x4's.
Keep this thing going! I'd recommend a weber car swap or perhaps fuel injection. I did electronic fuel injection
on my '80, along with 4 extra cylinders, and the thing has been rock solid dependable, and lately gets driven more
than the new truck does.
Hey there fellow Jacksonian! Yes, you are correct. Those trails are in Natchez Trace. BIG fun man. Don't know if I'll ever get her back in those again. She's got the Tshirt on the mud.
I'm not really the motorhead. My mechanic buddy replaced her carb and just a couple of pumps on the pedal and she turns over and runs like a top.
Hold onto that ride man. If it's the first new vehicle that you bought it holds a special place. I've bought several new since then, but that was my first.
Thanks for the support. I'm really enjoying working on her now.
I'm REALLY looking forward to finding me a rollbar, single tube, put lights on it and replacing that camper shell.
Keep in touch!
Mark
Interior update:
*THAT RADIO IS FOR HOLDING PLACE ONLY*
I did find a working, supposedly, stock radio that I should have in a couple of days. I was able to put that metal brace back in to replace the one that my buddy and I cut out in 1982 or 83 and put in an equalizer and cassette player. I just put that dud radio in to get the thing ready for the new one when it arrives. I kind of struggled over buying that radio and going to all of this trouble, because I don't drive and don't plan on driving her enough that I actually NEED a fully functional radio.
BUT, there's something about a radio in a vehicle that is just needed. At least, I think so. It connects us or something.
So I paid 170 bucks for a 30 something year old am/fm radio because, well...I just wanted it to be 'complete'.
And to top it off, my buddy that heled me botch it up 34 years ago is coming over to help me put the new/old one back in. lol.
That circle is now complete.
This console has certainly served it's purpose. I was looking for another one, similar, and was having a hard time finding one. Then I remembered this little pillow that an old woman, probably the age that I am now, lol, made for me. It was in the truck bed in a box. I recalled WHY I had that thing made.
In the early 80's we didn't have a lot of "stuff" to haul in our vehicles. And certainly not in a Toyota cab. This truck came with a blue plastic divided tray between the seats. NO CUP HOLDER. Nothing. I'd love to find one of those again if you see one somewhere, pm me.
But anyway, before buying this huge console, I asked that old woman if she'd make me a pillow to put between my seats because I had a girlfriend, buddies, etc. I needed a bench seat again. My mom HATED this truck, so there's no way she would. But the old co-worker lady agreed, I remember measuring and writing it down for what would perfectly fit between those seats and on top of that little blue tray.
So she made it and then we realized it needed something else. I made up that fantastic poem and she cross stitched it, I think it was her or my girlfriend (wife now), and sewed it onto the pillow.
It’s really dirty now because it’s been hauled around and tossed here and there. So my plans are to take out the huge rotted wooden console(done). And just leave the pillow in between the seats because it carries a great story with it of a cantankerous old woman that liked me when I was 20 years old and full of myself. It reminds me now as I age that is what we’re SUPPOSED to do as we age; encourage and be there for those younger generations around us.
I am going to get one of those little consoles that ride on the hump down by the shifter.
Sweeeeet. That dash pad looks great! Is that an aftermarket one? Wheredja get that? My interior is pretty much Mad Maxed, but I'm making some diamond plate door panels and swapping in some good seats. But my dash pad looks like I found it on the bottom of a lake, then spray painted it and left it in the desert for a decade or two...
I was in Jackson yesterday doing the thanksgiving thing with my family, since I have to work Thursday. The place has really changed since I was a kid in the 80's and 90's. In some areas, not for the better, either, lol.
Not sure if you're familiar with it, but my grandparents and great grandparents used to own Nando Jones store downtown. Stayed in business from 1926-2012 or so.
As for 4 wheelin in your old truck, I'd recommend having some fun with it, but I'd try not to beat it up, since it looks so nice after all these years.
Mine's entire purpose is off-road fun, but that goes back to looking like it was found in a lake, then stored in the desert. It came from Colorado.
Anyway, have a good one, sorry to hijack your thread. Maybe we could camp out at Natchez Trace and have a few beers sometime.
Last edited by thechief86; 11-20-2017 at 03:49 AM.
Dude, I totally lucked out with that dash pad. That is an OEM, ORIGINAL dash pad for that year model in the exact color I needed. I just was Ebaying a few years back and saw it. It was 400 bucks but like I told my wife, I may NEVER find another one that's exactly what I need. My old dashpad was beat to heck and falling apart. Real eyesore. It was amazing the difference it made to get that one on. Guy said that he had bought out a warehouse or something and had a bunch of em. Ebay your model and see if they still come up. Hope they do for you.
I remember Nando Jones very well. Bought some wild overall colors there in the 80's. lol. Fun store. Miss going in it. Downtown is rejuvinating very well, but miss the old stores like Nando Jones. FYI, Bakers drug reopened.
No, she's not getting back in the mud. Actually one of the lock in hubs doesn't work at all. For right now.
Mine's purpose is not off road at all. Mine's purpose is for show now.
I'm pretty much decided that I'm keeping the campertop on. IDK, I just like it. A rollbar would be more 80's, yes. But the camper shell always made the long bed seem shorter. Roll bar made it longer. And I can keep stuff in the back if needed.
Bought this cool bumper sticker for her rear bumper yesterday. lol.
Wooww!! Awesome thread! Very interesting story, a rebuild thread with a lot of personal anecdotes. It was a joy reading every single comment. Dixie looks very good. Congrats!
I hear you on that radio. Sheesh they're expensive. I need an original am/fm radio but I'm having a hard time justifying $150+ for one. I just keep imagining a used pile of them in some old car stereo guy's warehouse somewhere waiting to be sold for a fraction of the current asking price that the 4 remaining on the planet seem to be demanding.
I hear you on that radio. Sheesh they're expensive. I need an original am/fm radio but I'm having a hard time justifying $150+ for one. I just keep imagining a used pile of them in some old car stereo guy's warehouse somewhere waiting to be sold for a fraction of the current asking price that the 4 remaining on the planet seem to be demanding.
Man, I was thinking the same thing. Looking here and there and spending time trying to find what I need. I talked to this guy on the phone and he seemed legit, is an electronics tech and said it works. So I decided that the 170 bucks was worth my time to stop looking and finish this dash project.
04-20-2014, 11:15 AM
