I'm really getting into this restoring my truck thing. Finding way more parts and pieces than I ever thought I would. I still have to get the basics going..running, rolling and stopping, but we're slowly getting there.
But, as I consider these newfound options of restoring my truck, I have to wonder what direction I should go.
Do I go for restoring it back to the way it was new? When I drove it off the lot October 12, 1981 and paid $10,598.00 for it?
Or...
Keep some of the memories I've made in it over the past 32 years. For instance, I've buggered up that dash in 1982 one fall night with a buddy drinking beer and installing an equalizer and new cassette player. The cassette player is long gone somewheres but the equalizer is still there. Have no idea if it works.
Now, I have found that I can get a bezel that would replace that night as if it never happened. Even found a stock am/fm to go back in.
Or... once things are up and running again...
Bring Dixie into the 22nd century and put a small panel up there with a cool AM/FM/Aux/Bluetooth/backup camera?
(Wife says I'm just jealous of her Town and Country Van).
Also, I had my last name embroidered in white on the door panels when I had her reupholstered in blue velour in the late 80's.
Again, for whatever reason, it made sense at that time.

Not sure which direction to go but I'm thinking if I just go back, find these parts and make it stock...
It kind of doesn't have a story to tell anymore.
And, she has 32 years of stories to tell in my life.
I'm leaning towards keeping those memories in there and just sorta cleaning it up.
I just wondered if any of you had thoughts on something like this.

 

If I were you, and money was no object, I'd restore it back to what it looked like in 1981.

 

i really wanna see these blue velour doors, haha!

i'd go stock interior but with the modern stereo/speakers... no back-up camera though

 

Keep the memories, but if your going to put money into it I believe back to stock is the way to go.....it will be worth more in the future should you ever part with it...

As a side note, you must be one of the few here who actually have owned their trucks from new.....pretty cool...

 

c'mon...Why no backup camera man?

 

I would keep the velour but would definitely put a new stereo system in. Back up camera too!! Dixie would appreciate having some eyes in the back to avoid bruising her old body. Besides, I does not appear that your going to sell it, ever, and if you did the stock radio would be an easy switch.

 

it's either stock resto or mod resto.

i am going for the latter, to make my truck more capable of doing whatever i want to do with it.
i've had mine for over thirteen years and 200k miles.
i'm glad i spent the money on a truck with all options, it is nice to have air, cruise and power everything. now with the motor swap i have horsepower too! lol.

 

Take some pics of the "crazy" mods you and your buds did in your youth and hang them in your garage.

All our trucks evolve as the years go by. You can keep a pretty stock looking truck and still improve it's capabilities by a lot.

I have made some mods in my youth on various vehicles that I look back on and wonder what the hell was I thinking. If I still had them now, I would un-do the crazy stuff. But that's just me.

If it means that much to you, keep it like it was. Once your gone it will become whatever the next owner wants.

 

You know, I've given more thought to this due to your posts here. I'm thinking really, to just go for stock in most things.
I think I'll go for that dash/am/fm radio bezel replacement. If you guys see one, notify me please. I found one on Ebay but he wanted an arm and a leg.
I liked that box that was in there that I carved out for an equalizer. I'll have to come up with some other means of current music if I get it out and on the road again. Dunno, have some fun with it. But I think I see the value of restoring that part back to factory. That'd just be cool to see that box back and the am/fm push button.
Then, on the other hand the stock rims were butt ugly. As were the plastic seat covers and flooring. So, there are some things I definitely don't want stock again.
Thanks for this input. It helps sort things out a little better.
One upgrade I'd LOVE>>>is power steering. I so remember it being a PIA to turn. But again, I was 19..lol.
Now, I'm 51 and appreciate the finer things in life like power steering.

 

Ultimately it's your truck and you should do what brings you the most joy. When I "restored" my '83 I tried (still trying) to get it as close to original as possible. If new parts were not available I'd only restore older OE parts. Personally I don't want or need anything the truck didn't offer new. I don't need new technologies or anything mechanized eg, electric windows, auto locking hubs, or CD players. I added an aftermarket amplifier to the stock radio which allows for a Ipod jack. Other than that I love driving an original/ stock '83 four by.

 

Good advice bud. Hey, tell me how you did that amp where you can jack in? Where'd you put it? Got pix?

 

Well I fit an old rockford punch 60 under the passenger seat. I used a line-level converter and connected the (line-level) to original radio's speaker wires. The other end of the line-converter are RCA inputs. I then spliced the RCA cables from the amp, two for the line-level converter going to the radio and two going to the Ipod jack. If its confusing I'll try to take a pic.

 

Hmm...sounds cool. Yea, I'd like to see a pic sometimes if you can get one.
Got my old dash pad pulled yesterday as the new one comes in this week. https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f197...l#post52091573
So, getting some tunes in will be down the road a little. But, I definitely want to get an Aux in someway or another.

 

Wish I had known you were gonna pull the dash....Mine looked like that before I redid it.... Did you get an actual dash pad or one of the hard plastic covers?

 

I got this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOYOTA-TRUCK-BLUE-DASH-PAD-55401-89107-04-OEM-NEW-/181138191390?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1981%7CMake%3AToyota&hash=item2a2cad741e&vxp=mtr
It's pricey, but seeing as it's OEM, NEW and mine was such an eyesore, it seemed to be a good investment.

 

Hard to tell from the pic.. but if it is OEM, its worth a few $$$$..

 

WELL NOW>>
That item is no longer for sale on Ebay! Just since I posted that link this morning. Glad I got mine! Shipped out last week. Supposed to be here soon.
There is a brown one listed. I spoke to Mike at Griffeth motors in Oregon on the phone and sent him pics of mine. He said they were OEM and came from Japan as they were clearing out old stock. He said he would replenish them as they sold. So, maybe he'll get some more in. He usually keeps 2 or 3.
He sent this reply to my pics:Below is the description to the item on Ebay:

 

That is COOL..

 

Yeah I got mine from Mike a Griffith. Expensive but well worth it, especially if you're going OE throughout. This is a true OE japanese toyota part... I had the "pad cover" too, it will work but you have to glue it on the original pad. Btw I have an extra OE brown dash pad if someone is interested, very good condition. I'll try to get pics if of my amp setup, but it's tight down there.

 

that'd be great. Thanks.
Mike at Griffeth seemed like a genuine fellow, ready to help. Good place to buy parts.
I'm going to call a couple of junk yards around here tomorrow and just see if they have one junked.