Bandit83 1983 Pickup Clean-Up Thread
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Bandit83 1983 Pickup Clean-Up Thread
I had been looking for awhile for a First Gen Pickup in original condition that I could use as a daily driver and fix up at the same time. I'm not into wheeling, I just really liked these trucks. I feel like they are a great utilitarian vehicle. Great off road, good gas miles, cool retro style.
I got in the habit of checking craiglist and ebay daily and finally one popped up that was just what I was looking for and it had a low (in my opinion) "buy it now" option
This is how the truck sat for about 6 years:
I got in the habit of checking craiglist and ebay daily and finally one popped up that was just what I was looking for and it had a low (in my opinion) "buy it now" option
This is how the truck sat for about 6 years:
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Ok so here are some more pictures. A friend of the original owner was selling the truck on ebay and had cleaned the truck up a bit. Here are some pictures from when I went to look at the truck the first time.
The truck still didn't run. The owners friend didn't know why, said that he could get it to fire up a few times but it wouldn't stay running. He predicted carburetor issues.
The truck still didn't run. The owners friend didn't know why, said that he could get it to fire up a few times but it wouldn't stay running. He predicted carburetor issues.
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The suspension on this truck needs some help. The front leaves sag a bit on the drivers side and it still has the original Toyota shocks all around. I don't want a lift on this truck but I can't find any stock height replacement leaf springs.
I am considering an OME system as it seams like a great all around suspension system and its a minimal lift.
Any thoughts? Also where is the best place to order OME parts? Annndd... I would love to replace all the bushings on this truck. I want black bushings, not yellow, or red. Any Ideas?
Thanks!!
I am considering an OME system as it seams like a great all around suspension system and its a minimal lift.
Any thoughts? Also where is the best place to order OME parts? Annndd... I would love to replace all the bushings on this truck. I want black bushings, not yellow, or red. Any Ideas?
Thanks!!
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The bug shield was clear.... I tossed it :/ I realized later that it was probably a dealership option. I also tossed the cracking bed liner. Found out later that they are hard to come by.
The original owner was a VW dealership mechanic and got a lot of dealership upgrades on this truck. In the first photo you can see the 8 spoke chrome off road wheels. This truck would have come from Japan with the chrome 6 spoke wheels as it is a "factory chrome option" truck it was a dealership upgrade to have them put on some wider wheels and bigger tires.
The original owner was a VW dealership mechanic and got a lot of dealership upgrades on this truck. In the first photo you can see the 8 spoke chrome off road wheels. This truck would have come from Japan with the chrome 6 spoke wheels as it is a "factory chrome option" truck it was a dealership upgrade to have them put on some wider wheels and bigger tires.
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I found a large Dealership brochure for 1983 Toyota Trucks in the USA. It has some really great photos and information on different options that were available. Here is one of the pictures and I made a quick and dirty PDF if you are interested in seeing the entire brochure.
Here is a link to the PDF file:
https://app.box.com/s/07tl84zzpqbrioz3r4at
Here is a link to the PDF file:
https://app.box.com/s/07tl84zzpqbrioz3r4at
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The suspension on this truck needs some help. The front leaves sag a bit on the drivers side and it still has the original Toyota shocks all around. I don't want a lift on this truck but I can't find any stock height replacement leaf springs.
I am considering an OME system as it seams like a great all around suspension system and its a minimal lift.
Any thoughts? Also where is the best place to order OME parts? Annndd... I would love to replace all the bushings on this truck. I want black bushings, not yellow, or red. Any Ideas?
Thanks!!
I am considering an OME system as it seams like a great all around suspension system and its a minimal lift.
Any thoughts? Also where is the best place to order OME parts? Annndd... I would love to replace all the bushings on this truck. I want black bushings, not yellow, or red. Any Ideas?
Thanks!!
Last edited by rustED; 03-20-2014 at 10:25 AM.
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Here is my debate..
Stock height front leaf springs with Bilstein 4600 shocks
or
OME front leaf springs, add a leaf in the rear with OME shocks
The OME option would be about $200 more and it would force me to upgrade my tires ASAP, which I was hoping to put off for 6 months.
arg! I don't know what to do
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This truck was having all kinds of fuel delivery problems. The previous owner had removed the fuel filter. I spliced back in a fuel filter in the appropriate location and replaced the fuel pump and carb.....
I was able to drive the truck but the exhaust still smelled real funny and I would still experience some fuel delivery issues.
Come to find out this is what the inside of my fuel tank looked like.
So I got the tank restored (sand blasted followed by resealing). Now it runs great!!
I was able to drive the truck but the exhaust still smelled real funny and I would still experience some fuel delivery issues.
Come to find out this is what the inside of my fuel tank looked like.
So I got the tank restored (sand blasted followed by resealing). Now it runs great!!
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I also had the clutch replaced. I was debating what clutch kit to get for a while. Turns out this is what the local clutch shop sold for $150.
I should mention that I met a young man selling parts on craigslist that lives in Long Beach that replaced my clutch for me and got the gas tank situation diagnosed and fixed for me.
He is in his early 20's and has an 81 Trekker and an 83 Pickup. He knows these trucks pretty well and is a backyard mechanic. He has a great attitude and great work ethic and knows these trucks better then any mechanic I could find.
It was neat having my truck worked on two miles away from where the back half was manufactured.
I should mention that I met a young man selling parts on craigslist that lives in Long Beach that replaced my clutch for me and got the gas tank situation diagnosed and fixed for me.
He is in his early 20's and has an 81 Trekker and an 83 Pickup. He knows these trucks pretty well and is a backyard mechanic. He has a great attitude and great work ethic and knows these trucks better then any mechanic I could find.
It was neat having my truck worked on two miles away from where the back half was manufactured.
Last edited by Bandit83; 03-21-2014 at 10:38 PM.