Need pics of her bad side

Being that it's an SR5 (I'm guessing it's an SR5 by the SR5 rims and the stripes) it automatically makes it more desirable and valuable. I've seen the 79-83 2wd SR5's go for over 6K in mint condition (more than they cost brand new back then). If the entire truck looked as good as the pics you posted, I'd say the truck could easily go for 2.5K with no problem (at least in my area).

Here's an example of an 80 SR5 that recently sold on ebay.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...157234040&rd=1


Just because it isn?t a 4X4, it doesn't mean it isn't desirable. I personally have no use for a 4X4 since I live in an area that never snows.

 

Hey, I got the same truck, but mine isn't the sr5 and i am looking for the same thing.

 

I like your pitbull.

 

Sweet truck! Are your wheels painted black? You still have the chrome trim rings? It looks really good without the stripes and with the black bumper.

Thanks, Bob! She's a sweetie.

 

Yes, my rims are painted black with the chrome ring.
It was my grandpas truck and he gor rear ended so he got it all re-painted and then he gave it to my dad with a blown engine a he got it rebuilt and gave it to me.

It has like 400,000 plus miles on it too.

 

400k! Awesome!

I will be sure to post up what I decide to do with the suspension. I pulled her into the garage last night and put her up on jackstands so I could "get her running" again. Motor runs fine, but there is a laundry list of maintenance/repairs that need to be done before I can drive her safely/reliably. I pulled the radiator/fan/belts, lower crossmember (under the oilpan) and I got stuck trying to pull the steering linkage out so I can drop the pan to look at the debris (if there is any). I guess I need one of those ball-joint separators to separate the connections. My coaxing wrenches didn't work last night. :hammer:

While I was in there, I noticed that I need new brake pads, new swaybar bushings, several new suspension joint things, a new steering stabilizer (still have the factory original one, lol), etc... I scraped probably 5 lbs of dirt/grease/oil buildup off the framerails up front, the fan shroud and the lower "skid plate" under the radiator. I fought with the fan shroud/radiator for about an hour b/c I couldn't see the nuts holding the removeable panel on the shroud b/c they were so covered up. I forgot there was a panel there and was terribly confused as to how this had never been so hard in the past. I think I need to keep her a little cleaner. A new front main seal will help things.

About the restoring thing, I have thought about it. My wife wants to restore it, keep it completely factory and drive it that way. I think it will take too much to "restore" it, so I want to fix the issues and modify it a little. I am not going to destroy the truck when I go off-road. I just like playing around in it. I am not going to try to crawl in it and bash it all up. I might try to find a trashed out Heep that I can do that with.

 

Um, wow. I was looking for 2wd spindles, and I came across this masterpiece:



I am not sure what to say.

 

I think that I threw up in my mouth a little.
that ridiculous.

 

Wife says truck must leave garage so her car can go in there. BUT, I have had a little change of plans. I have a line on a '95 F150 with the 5.slow in it. It has auto tranny, cold a/c and 122k on it. I think I am going to take the parts I need and sell the rest, including the tranny, to pay for the swap. 5.0 + T5 + 2700lb truck =

I know that I will need to do the following:
HO-intake & TB
Frankenstein fuel system
Custom oil pan
NWOR motor mounts
low-profile accessory drives
Downey torsion bars
Frankenstein A/C system
Frankenstein PS system

I want to "try" to do this with no body lift, but I may lift the body since I was going to do that eventually anyway, just an inch, though.

Long-term I am thinking 2wd, locker in back (toyota 7.5 rear), 27x9.50x14 swampers, 1.5" balljoint spacers in front, 2.5" longer shackles in rear and 1" body lift, 5.0 motor, T5 tranny. It should make for one heck of a sleeper and will have some good tug since I won't have a low-range. Plus, lots of sideways potential in the rain!

As always, suggestions are helpful and appreciated!

 

I measured my balljoint bolt spacing and they are very similar to the 4wd spacing you show on your site and the a-arms look very similar to the 4wd arms you show, not the 2wd ones for the later trucks. The inner bolts are about 2 1/4" apart, center to center. The outer bolts are harder to measure b/c the balljoint is right between them, but as near as I could tell, they are 2 3/4" c2c. I will try to get a more accurate measurement with a mic or something. I was using a tape measure and eyeballing it.

Looks like back to the drawing board on getting the front end off the ground, especially after the additional weight of the 302 is sitting in there. I will try cranking the torsion bars, I guess. Hey, it's free.

EDIT: I double-checked my measurements and they are 2 1/4" inside and 2 3/4" outside, so the 4crawler spacers will not work on the 1st gen 2wd trucks.

 

This is my truck now
I got a 2 inch body lift, new rims and 225/75/15 BFG all terrains

 

Another beautiful all original 2wd SR5 pickup ruined forever

 

That looks awesome! That is the look I am going for. Did you get 4Crawler's lift or another company?

Remember I showed you the good side. As I tear it apart, I find more and more rust. The driver's fender is not original, the door is a little wrinkled and the bed is wrinkled behind the rear tire from a separated tread. It is restoreable, but not perfect by any means. Thanks for the compliment, though.

 

It's a Performence Accessories 2inch body lift from a local shop here. I just wanted something simple and this is exactlly what I wanted.