my truck after rebuilt front end
 

So, i got in a car crash and "totaled" truck as it had estimates of over $5,000 in repair, and the truck was only worth 3k. Here's what it looked like after the crash after some stuff came off:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1210967.jpg
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1210970.jpg

I decided that it would be cheaper to repair the car ourselves. SO, i drilled out the spot welds and pulled off the bent sheet metal, which was essentially the front radiator supports and the driver side wheelhouse. I also (luckily) sheered off the mount for the bumper and radiator supports (because its easier welding it back on than cutting it off or bending it back).
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220055.jpg
With all the sheet metal off:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220047.jpg
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220052.jpg

Once everything was off, i replaced all the belts, and installed a new distributor (yes the full one):
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220113.jpg
Belts and new water pump were real easy to replace since everything was already off...
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220051.jpg

After i put the distributor on and had the car timed right, it was able to start (without a AMF) and run for at least 10 seconds. This was really my point of no return because I knew that the engine would start and I could get the car started again.
So i started to weld the wheelhouse and support on. The wheelhouse was a pain in the a** because everything had to be ground away and it took me a couple of hours to do the hammering to position it right. I used your substandard crappy $120 stick welder with a stitch welder, and attatchment designed for arc welders to weld on sheet metal.
After everything was welded on, i could start intstalling stuff
With front welded back on:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220110.jpg
me welding lol:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220107.jpg
Once that was done, i installed a new radiator, fan and shroud. My next big roadblock though was the air filter, since i annihilated the OEM airbox in the crash, and my dad ripped out the AMF sensors when he pulled out the almost connector:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220123.jpg

I ended up soldering the whole thing back together and made a custom air filter setup in my truck (haven't noticed any gains cuz so far i haven't pushed my truck to the limits...)
My air filter setup:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220151.jpg
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220153.jpg

Once the air filter and AMF were on, I could turn on the car for an extended period of time and tune it (by ear, which i dont think tuned it right). After that, i put on the fenders, and realized that of course, the part that I welded on was not completely aligned with the other side, which called for fender washers...

After all the pieces were back on, i finally labelled it road worthy and drove it around for a little. I alligned the bumper afterwards, and also realized that my hood didn't latch. I spent another day fixing the hood latch and installed a mirror for my passenger side (the truck didn't have one).

So today its finally complete (except for the cornering light i still need to buy for the driver's side) and here's wat it looks like:
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220156.jpg
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220157.jpg
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220158.jpg
http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/P1220160.jpg

Its got nothin on ur guys's fancy offroading rigs, but this is my first car, and its my first time rebuilding / fixing my own car. Took me two months, but ive learned a lot, and I finally have my car back. No more riding my bike to work...

Very good work, X!

Great job!

but I gotta ask... why not 4wd fenders?

sick dude, thats pretty impressive.

yeah, theres no better feeling working on your very first car.

i know :) its pretty cool

@jay, its a 2wd truck, fenders were $40 a pop, and i only wanted to buy one, and wanted it to match the existing one...

i re used as many parts as i could, and even cut up some of my old parts to fab new ones

thats awesome dude, good job

you got yourself there one very reliable first truck... and think of how handy the bed will be you canput all sorts of stuff back there!!!

:banger: and you fixed it yourself! you now have the POWA!

lol, its a carpet kit in the back...

worked good with my GF once i got her in the bed....:)

hahahahah yeah alot better than a steel bed.. she might make you go on bottom.. which actually might work in your favor :O

better stop this is getting rather unyota tech friendly!

thats some good work for your first time doing any body repair work

lol @ bigt

@ gator... it was tought, took a TON of prep work and a week of learning how to weld, but it worked out pretty good. it would have been harder had i worried more about cosmetics though and how the lines fit together.

:eek2: holy crap man, awesome job!

bro if you weren't in LA, I'd have to try to get in touch with you if I ever get in a wreck, lol

really nice job man, seriously!

lol... it was this site that really helped me get through the problems i couldn't figure out...

that and the toyota manual

great job , really!!! Just fabulous, more guts than I would have to do, that's
for sure.

thanks, im considering painting it to make it match, prbly gonna go with flat primer black...

or keep it the way it is. ionno with this look, i could get into any gated community if i had a lawnmower in the back.....

im just glad the damage was so localized

def. some good work. :D
now for that lift...

its a 2wd...

ive decided that its either staying like it is (cosmetically) and gettin a lift so i can fit some tires under it

or make it a semi lowrider and get a nice paint job

i think liftin it is easier and cheaper tho...

oops double post

(i wish i could fully delete posts......)

Beautiful work!!!
Great job!

Good job. You put alot of work into it.

Way to go. Saved yourself a ton of money and it turned out great.

Made my write-off repair look easy.

dam. Way awesom job. turned our really clean.

still some gaps between the fender and the body, as well as alignment issues with the hood, but the baby runs better now

I like that airbox tubing, where'd you get it?

pepboys for 15 bucks. You could always just get some 3" pipe and bend it urself, or just buy a bent pipe.

Thanks for the post--and the hard work. We have a similar problem (passenger side) on our 94 pickup 4WD. Wheelhouse, fender, bumper, valence, and lots of associated part will have to be replaced. 'Course we'll do the otherwise needed engine work, etc. while we're in there. This helps LOTS. Great work!

you prolly saved yourself like i dunno say 1800 right?? ide have to go prerunner with that little guy you can buy urself a BADASS pre-runner kit for that much, but on the other hand danm good work!

just make sure you have some time and a place to store the rig while you're working on it. Its also nice to have all the tools too, b/c buying them can get a little pricey

Pickup repair
 

Thanks. I just got it driveable, after doing most of the work in my apartment parking lot. Thank God that manager here is cool. Still some work to do yet, but at least I can drive it now. Still some steering problems; I'm troubleshooting those now. I'd replaced the steering damper last year, and the original retaining nut popped off in the wreck, stripping the bolt. I've replaced those, but still have grinding when turning (especially left turns), and the steering wheel turns itself halfway to the left when driving straight. It's straight when parked and the wheels straight. I'm going through the manual you linked to right now to come up with more ideas, as there's nothing OBVIOUS causing the problems.
Thanks again!!

Update: Yes, I can be an idiot. I worked the still-bent bumper up and away from the tire more, as I'd forgotten that the truck leans away from turns as much as it does, and was hitting the tire with one of the mounting bolts. That problem solved. Also re-soldered the MAF internal connections, as those looked to have been poorly remanufactured anyway. Engine runs a LOT more smoothly, and fuel efficiency is improved.

good job... i too also have a mystery noise, but i can't figure it out. Im assuming something broke in the crash, but the wear is finally getting to the truck or something... Don't know, but don't really have the time to look into it with work and all.