Dirt Diggler

Hey yall... Im new to Yotatech just as I am to Toyotas... I am not a forum newb nor am I new to Offroading and Fab work... That being said... heres goes

This story starts about 3months ago when i traded a friend of mine a d44 and 12bolt chevy axle with matching 3.73s... and a spare 205 transfercase for his 85 toyota that didnt run with a spare hood doors and fenders(this is all very important later) anyway... I put about $200 into it and yanked the fuel injection off for a stock carb setup and been muddin the balls off it ever since... A cpl weeks ago a old guy tells me he has an old yotota that i could have. for scrap price... well i jumped on it but when i went to pick it up... there was no motor... no bed... no fenders... no doors... and the interior eas completly striped..... i said id take it for $100 since it also didnt have a title... i was gna take the trans and xfer case for a spare and scrap it... BUT once i got home... everything changed....

Remember those spare doors and fenders and hood i got...... well it came off this truck.... same freakin white with pearl clear paint job... Affter some debate i decided to put the body on the 4runner frame... BUT after one phone call all that changed too....

The same friend that traded me the 4runner called because his 77 chevy 4x4 had a small fire under the hood... winters about to hit and he needs his truck fixed but has no ccash.... so he offers to trade me my d44 and 12bolt back if i get it runnin again for him...... duh... ofcourse I did... Anything to help a friend right????

Once i droped the axles off in my small personal junk yard in my backyard I grabbed a beer
And started looking at those axles and the white yota..... and siitting just behind that (Thanks to a stupid old bitch in a f350 that run a stop sign)... was my 79 chevy with 63in rear springs.... 51in front springe..... super long shocks 400hp 350 and manual 4spd with np205 transfercase and a few other goodies.... ˟˟˟˟ IT! im gunna recyle au bunch of old ˟˟˟˟ into a lil budjet Crawler...$1500-$2000 should just about cover it..... ok theres the back story..... so here goes a stats list...

87 std cab swb truck (with awsome low riderish white pearl paint) HAHA
Motor- 400hp Chevy 350 w/ sepentine belt setup
Trans- SM465 and NP205
Axles - D44 and 12bolt w/3.73gears and welded spiders
Springs- 63in Rear and 51in Front (leafs removed to soften)
Shocks- not shur exact... stats ill edit them in later
Rollcage- modified Internal bumper to bumper Dirt Oval Track truck cage $300kit

Ok....ok... go ahead.... Flame away! LoL but keep in mind im on a $2000 bujet and im in a hurry befor winter really sets in..... 30DAYS FROM TODAY IT WILL BE ON A TRAIL!!! or so i hope lol

Dirt Diggler

THE PROJECT



THE $300 BEATER

Dirt Diggler

Heres the first parts I fabbed up for the Chevota..

Leaf Spring Hanger for the 63in Conversion

Lemmy know if my pics autoload or not... they arnt on my screen

bump530

Seems like your gonna be busy for the next 30 days. I'm in the gathering stage for my "chevota" build, but Im gonna be running a '98 4.3 vortec.

Dirt Diggler

Nice... I have a 96 vortec 4.3 that im gna swap into my 4runner just befor summer...
Did the pics load for you?

bump530

yup the pics loaded....I wish I would have built my spring hangers for my 63s (just because I like doing stuff myself like it seems you do), but I bought the stuff from Barnes4wd. I have pretty much everything to SAS/Rear Leaf Swap too. I will be doing it all at once.

Im stuck tryin to figure out what transmission to use on mine. I bought basically an entire 98 truck, so I have a 2wd 4l60e. My original plan was to use a th350, but I have since pretty much talked myself out of using it due to lack of OD. My 4runner is more of a play toy, but I would mind being able to go on a couple hour trip with it either. Im wanting to get away from an electronic controlled trans due to my plan on going to dual tcases eventually and I don't want to mess with the TV cable on a 700r4 lol. Im more leaning towards installin a manual valve body in either my 4l60e or a 700r4. Id use my 4l60e, but I either have to buy a output shaft and another adapter (already have the one that bolts to the Toyota tcase) or build a custom adapter lol.

Dirt Diggler

Yea... i work at a fab shot buildin farm equip... so i have all the material and tooling I need... i went qwith tbe sm465 cuz A i had it and B i perfer a clutch over auto...

Dirt Diggler

Complete conversion for 63in spring swap... total invested... $30 and 3 hours off my time..... monday im buildin the Hanger for the front springs... and figurin out how im gunna do that shackle setup since chevy spring spacing is 2inches wider than a stock toyota... hmmm the posobilitys runnim throu my head...

Dirt Diggler

Does anyone know of another company besides sky that offers a full width tront axle? Im debating in buying it since i dont have access to ny weld shop for a cpl weeks

bump530

I think Davez offroad does

Dirt Diggler

Got a link?

bump530

http://www.davezoffroadperformance.c...ng-hanger.html

They will make it whatever width you need

Dirt Diggler

Cool... orderin tomarrow... hope i get it early nxt week

Dirt Diggler

Well i ended up getting the whole sky kit... would have rather went Davez but was gna take to long to get to me... also ordered a set of motor mounts from Summit Racing... everything should be here by nxt wensday... mounts will be here this week... only thing left to order is my cage kit.... Should be exiting when it all gets here


edit: and a short bed that is nice and preety so i can chop it up haha

bump530

Sounds like you are getting pretty close. Cant wait to see the progress once parts start coming in.

I picked up a free AA output shaft for my 4l60e yesterday, actually planning on keeping it electronically controlled now. Wont be buying anything else for it until after Christmas tho.

Dirt Diggler

Nice score bro... i dont have the wife n kids thing and got a preety small family so i usually spoil myself lol.... i got the truck down to bare frame but got the rear all mocked up.... ready for the welder after i see how close my front and rear lift are...

Yodder

Hey, I'm 17 and doing a 350 swap in my 88 4runner starting this spring. My fund is a 84 Scottsdale. The Chevy 350 is being rebuilt (had a knock) , going to bore her out, use ported 305 heads, and a ton of "go fast" parts from a buddy i used to work for that owns his own shop. Also had a 700r4 so that's what I'm going with, seems like a good thing I'm stuck with it seeing everyone suggests it. I'm probably going to use the Toyota transfer case. Only issue is fab. I don't have the equipment or the education. Point I'm getting at is I'm 17, limited cash flow (I work for what I got, my parents are not rich by any means.) So i cant waste what I got. Yes I can afford to buy the good stuff online for the swap, but that gets pricey. More spending = less playing. So I'm wondering DD, would you do some of the fab work for me? By the pics, it looks like you really have some skill and pride in your work, and I would rather pay someone like you then a big company to do my fab work. Sorry for posting this on your build. P.s, if you wont, will you get in detail with your build?

Dirt Diggler

Thanks for taking notice... I do a little work on the side for extra cash all the time so yea i could do some stuff for you... send me a PM with ur cell number and we can txt about wjat u need done... I can deffinatly build you the motor mounts.... and possibly the trans mount.. what else might you be lookin for?

Dirt Diggler

So after fed x finally decided to drop off my boxes I finally have everything i need to get the axles mounted in the truck.. and the motor mounts to moch the motor in.. I had to buy it since my time is limited with work and huntin season


So... the good and the bad...

GOOD The welds and overall fab of the leaf hangar is very nice... Im very picky about my parts and im extreamly happy with the craftsmenship... very preety and strong welds so props tp the welder... i would have ground them out if they wernt perfect

BAD i really dont like somones company name being the first thing peole see when i pull up... so i plan tp cut the name out and box it in.... I never take credit for others work... but ill also get 3in pf grpund clearence