Pre 84 Trucks 1st gen pickups

78 4x4 I found, Wolverine conversion

Old 11-18-2007, 05:51 PM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
soarerjzz30's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
78 4x4 I found, Wolverine conversion

Not sure what year but I think it's a 78, and has the Wolverine 4x4 conversion. Found this at my in-laws farm, thought i'd snap some pics and share them. It sat there for I don't know how long, has a 20r in it and makes a nice home for squirrels. From what I understand the Wolverine had dana 44 axles and transfercase, haven't been able to find much info on it.







Old 11-18-2007, 05:56 PM
  #2  
Sponsor
 
Tofer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Puyallup WA.
Posts: 9,173
Received 6 Likes on 5 Posts
sweet!
Old 11-18-2007, 05:58 PM
  #3  
Registered User
 
ydopen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Brandon Ms
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Awesome I'm saving all your pics to my hard-drive might even get some framed.
Old 11-18-2007, 06:04 PM
  #4  
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
 
slacker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: BC Canada
Posts: 6,299
Received 273 Likes on 184 Posts
just wondering why your saying its a "wolverine" conversion ??


is there some sort of plate , or tag that says so ? ..

from what I know the wolverine was a 79-81 toyota/ 4runner conversion . I would be interested in seeing something that says it was a "wolverine"
Old 11-18-2007, 06:05 PM
  #5  
Donny, you're out of your element
Staff
iTrader: (23)
 
DeathCougar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Marysville, WA
Posts: 17,689
Received 53 Likes on 34 Posts
thats a home brew conversion, not a Toyota Wolverine.
Old 11-18-2007, 06:18 PM
  #6  
Registered User
 
881stGenRunner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 2,584
Received 7 Likes on 4 Posts
i was thinking this was not a true toyota eiter.

back then toyotas were made exclusively in Japan. there is no way toyota would have imported dana 44s jsut for the truck.

nevertheless it is still pretty neat. ressurect it!
Old 11-18-2007, 06:23 PM
  #7  
Registered User
 
Albert.G's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Thunder bay Ontairooo
Posts: 429
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
i like those from leafs...
Old 11-18-2007, 06:57 PM
  #8  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
soarerjzz30's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=102159
http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...highlight=mini
78 4wd camper badged wolverine on the fender.



A couple of links I found when I was trying to research this truck. From what i've read they were done around 77-78 What led me to believe this was a Wolverine, A few months ago there was an ebay auction for a 78 toyota 4x4 with a "Wolverine conversion" this guy had original documents from Wolverine who did the conversion. The truck was exactly like the one above, 5lug axles, same wheels, but only white and in a lot better shape. As far as documentation and badges there isn't any on this truck. From what I was told by my father in-law it was taken from the dealer as a 2wd then to a company that converted them to 4wd.

Last edited by soarerjzz30; 11-18-2007 at 07:03 PM.
Old 11-18-2007, 08:35 PM
  #9  
Registered User
 
rowdy235's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Sweet Home, OR
Posts: 1,803
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
The body (besides color), looks EXACTLY like my 77. Mine had the 20R 3-sp automatic.


Last edited by rowdy235; 11-18-2007 at 08:37 PM.
Old 11-19-2007, 07:59 PM
  #10  
Registered User
 
Island_Yota's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Vancouver Island, B.C.
Posts: 730
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Thats probably rare as hell, Maybe what someone did was put a stock bed and cab on a Wolverine conversion, Regardless that is awesome.. imagine the height if you did a spring over.

Judging by the steering, bump stops, shackle hanger, and spring under axle configuration makes me think its a wolverine that someone has gone and modified(cab and box).

Last edited by Island_Yota; 11-19-2007 at 08:01 PM.
Old 11-19-2007, 08:08 PM
  #11  
Registered User
 
camo31_10.50's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Vian, OK
Posts: 5,334
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
its definately worth whatever the guy wants for it.....where is it located....i would LOVE to have...heck that thing would be HUGE with a spring over
Old 11-20-2007, 02:38 PM
  #12  
Registered User
 
85toy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Arnold California
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
it looks like a home made thing to me. that front end looks way too high to be stock. and sprung under? has toyota ever done that on a 4x4 before? lol looks like a jeep wiith the srung under thing.
Old 11-20-2007, 02:56 PM
  #13  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
soarerjzz30's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by 85toy
it looks like a home made thing to me. that front end looks way too high to be stock. and sprung under? has toyota ever done that on a 4x4 before? lol looks like a jeep wiith the srung under thing.
It has jeep axles (dana) note the 5 lugs
Old 11-20-2007, 05:15 PM
  #14  
Registered User
 
Island_Yota's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Vancouver Island, B.C.
Posts: 730
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by 85toy
it looks like a home made thing to me. that front end looks way too high to be stock. and sprung under? has toyota ever done that on a 4x4 before? lol looks like a jeep wiith the srung under thing.
Its not a factory Toyota truck, A company took stock 2wd Toyota pickups and modified them under license and rebadged them as Wolverine. This one appears to be modified back into a pickup(instead of an RV).
The following users liked this post:
BLACK FLAG 1 (12-15-2022)
Old 11-20-2007, 05:18 PM
  #15  
MSR
Registered User
 
MSR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Grants Pass Or.
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
I have a customer who bought one brand new. She states that a company in so cal was buying new off the boat 77 and 78's converting them and selling as new. I'll call her tom. and see who it was and post.
Old 11-23-2007, 08:41 AM
  #16  
MSR
Registered User
 
MSR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Grants Pass Or.
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
I called her and she can't remember the name of the company but it was up in Wash. They were built on a order basis from the toy dealer. The company made not only toy's but early datsun 4x4's as well. Her's was ordered from an L.A. dealer. I'm going to try to get it and i'll start a thead on it's build up or resurrection
Old 11-23-2007, 08:56 AM
  #17  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
soarerjzz30's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cool, I'd like to see that. I was told that there some sort of badge or sticker on the glove compartment showing who did the conversion, so when I get a chance i'm gonna check it out and get some pics.
Old 11-23-2007, 09:02 AM
  #18  
Registered User
 
Greg_Canada's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Toronto
Posts: 1,231
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Originally Posted by Island_Yota
Its not a factory Toyota truck, A company took stock 2wd Toyota pickups and modified them under license and rebadged them as Wolverine. This one appears to be modified back into a pickup(instead of an RV).
Yup you are correct.
THey use a Dana 30 front end (like a cj7) and a dana 20 t-case.
They made them pre-79, when they started making their own 4x4 pickups.
Wolverine was teh company that did the SAS and t-case/lift.
Old 06-25-2010, 06:58 AM
  #19  
Registered User
 
kingman14's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
wolverine?

Ok the "wolverine" left the Toyota factory as a 2wd base model truck. they shipped them to cali to a after market company that made adapter plates and put a transfer case from a jeep cj5 in it along with the front axle from the cj. i've indeed got a truck with the "wolverine" decals on the bed. they also made adapters for the jeep axle to fit Toyota rotors on it but these busted over time and people didn't know what to do. mine was changed back over to jeep rotors so it has the jeep 5 on 5.5 lug on front and Toyota 5 on 4.5 on the back. mine is the 20r with 5speed.

the decal


the rear axle


front axle


front wheel, hub, lug pattern


rear lug pattern


truck
The following users liked this post:
BLACK FLAG 1 (12-10-2022)
Old 07-05-2010, 05:38 PM
  #20  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
soarerjzz30's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Posts: 299
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Just noticed there was a reply to this thread. I checked back with the truck and there definitely was a plaque from the conversion company but I didn't have my camera. But it wasn't a company from California but from Illinois. So it isn't "home brewed" like someone stated above. Hopefully I will remember to bring my camera next time.

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: 78 4x4 I found, Wolverine conversion



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 08:38 PM.