westjohns 82 beater build!
 

hey guys, was sitting at mcdonalds tonight and a man approached me about my truck, asked general questions etc etc then stated he had an 83 pickup in good shape hed like to sell, his org price was 1500, then started to tell me in needed a headgasket, yup! he sent me some pics later via text and after lookin at it i dont think i could go wrong as a DD beater, keep the miles off my big boy, (86 sr5 SAS 5.29s lockers 36s tsls blah blah) so do you guys think? headgasket and a pass fender and have a nice little dd beater? 1200 cash would prob buy it, he said its practically rust free, going to view in person tommorow but here it is!:wrench:

http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...2812163524.jpg

http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...0512184534.jpg

Needs tires. Check out the cab floor at the 4 corners for rust..head gasket-$800 tops IMO
Edit-looks like it is missing the tail gate

DZ would know better than I.... I would indeed check all the obvious rust spots, including the floor as he said and the trim behind the hood/above the firewall? Toyospearo built a SICK one... And showed many of the common rust areas...

BTW, WONDERED where you been, man! How are you, Josh?

good call dropzone and you think 800? these rust free guys bring premium down here is the only reason i thought 1500 was a decent price, theres a rusted out sr5 on my craigslist for 2500.. also runs and has a/c

i didnt think for 1500 not to bad, dont like the paint but its prob easy to keep up lol, i figured HG and TC , maybe a fender, 200-400 bucks, heres my 2000 beater lol

What REALLY matters is the front axle(need a rebuild done right? add another ???) ..... Then Trans(solid? If not, add another ????? ) ...... T-case(solid? If not, .....) Rear end? Brakes? .... This could quickly turn into a 3K$ beater, Josh... I tear them down quite a bit if they'll let me,... and if things are in question after test driving/close as possible inspection, and THEY WONT let me tear in a lil bit? NOPE, sorry.

Could be fine... Personally, I'd rather spend 3500$ on a fairly clean one that's been gone through front to back not to far back in time... Something not leaking a drop, something that doesn't smoke... Something that doesn't have CARB/EFI issues... Interior look like 2 dogs had a fight to the death in there and then the winner ate the other one.. then stayed stuck in there for 6 days? Yeah, that stuff! hahaha. ALMOST bought that 85 4Runner, remember? (, pretty cherry, but no motor no trans NO ECU OR HARNESS....and no shell) ... for 800$..... Everything else seemed solid... But when I added it all up, even REALLY piecing things together cheap as possible... I was looking at around 4K$ when fully done and adding everything back if I started with a fresh motor and at least decent trans, clutch, flywheel, sensors, AFM, Shell, ECU, wiring....etc. If it was just a blown motor or no motor w/trans, ECU and harness still in tact, etc.,... sure, I'd pay 1500$ for that... But the rest would have to check out as at least ready to roll, ya know?

NO MORE BASKET CASES for me! hahaha.

Just weigh it all out, Josh..... You'll figure it out.

It does all depend on where you are in the country $$wise.
Also pull the windshield gasket up at both lower corners. The seals like to hide surprises as in major rust...

If you get it and you don't want the little chrome door visors I'll take'em :P

It will bring 1500 all day long in our part of the country, in fact, if you don't want it. Turn me on to it. I personally think 1200 you said is acceptable. Offer since you have to do a ht at the very least. I agree tho, rust free is the key. Jmo

yeah, he said he has a guy comeing to look at it, im gonna head that way now and take some pics in the process! see yall in a few hours!

Best wishes, man! Hope you find it WORTHY and show up home if that's best:great: LOVE the older PU's. I DO like how it sits... So that would be hopefully done and needing nothing. Curious to see what you do..... :biting nails smiley: hahaha.

well guys and went and took a look at it and we agreed to a price of 1250, gonna take awhile to get but ill get it soon enough, looked at the truck and was amazed of how clean it was, bed floord was pretty bad but had a bed liner so i was worried and a few good dents ill need to work out but overall a very soild truck, it runs but oesnt have much power, no overheating, smokeing, timing chain is quiet but its only ot 133k miles and it needs a HG so im a little curious on that, also, needs an oil pan gasket, the more i look at it the more i might just pull the whole motor, also, its an L43 4 speed? but its an 82? not 83, i thought 82 and up were 5 speed only in the 4x4s, i might be wrong, heres some more pics

http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...a/IMAG0785.jpg
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...a/IMAG0786.jpg
also new mickey thompsons

http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...a/IMAG0787.jpg
he just had the whole seat recovered
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...a/IMAG0787.jpg
couple spider crakcs in the dash but not bad
doesnt effect the way the door closes but theres a big dent in the cab and door, replace door, jackoff hammer the dent out
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/...a/IMAG0784.jpg
checked the frame out for over an hr, soild as could be, overall i believe a diamond in the rough! sucks its not an sr5

i just sold a 83 4x4 5 speed for $300.00

being up North it needed more rust repair

it had a new radiator all new brakes drums and rotors.

A clutch with only a few thousand miles

carb rebuilt.

I just didn`t have time to spend on it.

Put in a fresh battery it started after cranking over 3 times.:jessica::jessica:

very nice, rust free trucks down here are incredibly hard to come by, speically these first gens, every truck ive looked at over these past few weeks has had rust and they were still over priced, an 87 needed a bed for sure and wasnt in that good of shape for 2500, the 83 long bed i saw, need front fenders, a bed, a dash, seat, but ran good with good a/c and he wanted 3000! i feel i got a good deal considering i can do a headgasket and TC in a weekend for around 300$ also needs an oil pan gasket and the carb messed with but thats easy cheap stuff

another question, whats a good gasket set? ive heard bad things about rock, debateing with tod and engblder, heard good things about him, full gasket set, timing chain, and call her done?

Have fun with it, man! .... Since doing a rebuild on these is a pretty low end cost project w/valve job, gasket set, bearings, rings, MAYBE pistons if it needs a bore.. I'd just pull it to be sure.. But then, it might not be necessary, I hear ya. Would hate to do a HG and then have all that fresh pressure if you do some head work....and then end up having to pull and rebuild the bottom end anyhow, ya know? But maybe you can see whatcha think when you pull the head. LOTS can be told by lookin down them cyl's/at the bearings and caps, etc., when you pull the pan(if you do it in the rig):great:

Why not tear it open and see what you're up against in there, Josh? (regarding the comment you typed while I was typing, haha)....

I thought Tod used Rock Gasket Sets in at least 'part', no? Take a good look at the oil pump and measure things up to be sure it's good.... Water pump? DO IT, it's such cheap maintenance.... Just gotta dig in there. You might find the holes look fine, no washing on the pistons tops, etc., etc., ya know? .... But I can't see it beinga bad thing to at least pull the caps and maybe re'ring her, etc., if you're just gonna make it a DD-beater?

I say dig in first, shouldn't take but a few hours to know what you're up against, right?

oh yes mark of corse haha! ive always done things right, if i were to rebuild this id either do it in there rig, ( i hate pulling motors and trannys apart in the truck) do timing chain cover, (if nessary) chain,guildes, tensionr, oil pump, water pump, fuel pump, belts theromstat and all the other stuff ya know? then completely regasket the motor, dont know if you remeber my 87 build about a year back but that used a rock headgasket, truck was on cl with a blown HG a few months after that, and i think thats what blew, and with all the things i hear about rock id just rather shy away from them, i drive the truck and i have to say im in love, also, can you awnser my tranny question above, i thought the 82s and up were all 5 speeds, this ones a 4 speed, seems really tight though! but just a general question id like awnsered, im selling my winch off the front of my 86 to fund the truck itself, should have it within a month! but im really doing my homework, id have the head milled and a valve job done with new valve guide seals, id just rather not pull the motor but do a HG and top end with an oil pan gasket and run the hell outta her!

Hey Josh, .....

HMmmmmmm, I don't think so... 83 was a year that I believe gave NO OPTION BUT THE 5SPD.... But 82 I believe still had the L45, ...not L43, IIRC? But no, you COULD in fact get a 4spd in 82, ....again IIRC? haha.

Gears went back to 4.10's in 82, that I remember.... 3.90's in 81....

Not sure on the L43 thing... I thought only 79 and 80 were the years that was available in, behind the 20R.... Same Top shifting T-case number... Different trans... But it's a 4spd trans, that number is.... L50 was the 5spd option for the 81-82, I'm pretty sure. And the L-52 was ALL YOU COULD GET in the 83's... NO auto's and NO 4spds from the factory, period.

hmmm, its a dlx so if thats the case shes a 4 speed, and a tight 4 speed at that! im excited about pickin it up, waiting on payday and my winch to sell!

new devolepment! worked a deal with my buddy, 850 cash, my mile marker 12k, and he gives me his warn 8k, good?? yess???? i think so, i dont need a 12k winch on a 3500lb truck:grouphug: