Hi Everyone -
We have a 1989 4Runner that we want to restore. Body not in bad shape given the years it has on it. Needs a few minor body parts and a new paint job. The engine is pretty shot - and although it still runs, we do pretty much home depot runs and a few other errands. The interior plastic parts like door handles, trim pieces and the like need to be changed out along with the dash cover and front seats.

The idea is to do the major stuff (paint and engine swap) with experts in those areas. The trim pieces, seats and other interior stuff I'll do myself.

The questions I have: SHould I paint first or do the engine swap first? Or, does it matter?

Does anyone have a contact within 50 miles of metro Atlanta who can do an engine swap?

Can you point me to where I can find any original trim pieces, seats and the like? My idea is to keep it as stock/original as possible


Thanks

 

One shop in Atlanta with a good reputation working on landcruisers is https://www.accgarage.com/contact-us ... I'm sure they have worked on plenty of 4Runners.

 

Thank you!

 

If you're painting the same color I'd do all the mechanical stuff first.
If you plan on changing colors it sorta depends on how picky you are. Personally, if I was changing colors I'd paint the engine bay the same color(along with door jams, etc) which means the engine should be out.
If changing colors, but don't care about the engine bay being different than you can go back to plan A, painting after engine is done.

When I had a Suzuki Samurai painted at a local shop i stripped everything off the body that I could. Emblems, weather-stripping, door handles, grille/headlights; even the windshield. That way the body behind these parts got painted(as opposed to being masked off), and made it easier on the shop to prep it for paint.
I gutted the doors, taking the glass, linkage, and regulator out.
I did the same with the 4Runner, but painted it myself. It was a learning experience, but in retrospect I should have just bit the bullet and sent it to the shop.

 

Thanks Jim - I hadn't thought about the color change, but we are keeping it the same - or similar - in fact it's the same or very close to the color of your rig.