nmchuck

Hello everyone, long time reader, but few posts over the years. I have two 1994 rigs, one is a 4x4 V6 M5 extended cab pickup, the other is a 94 4Runner 2WD V6 Auto. The pickup has been my daughters truck since she started driving four years ago, funny how the truck has become part of the family. The 4Runner is for my son who will start driving later this summer.

So last week my daughter rolled the pickup, by the grace of God she walked away, but there is not a straight body panel or any glass left on it. I never want to take that call or see my kid after an accident like that again. After getting the truck home, i got air back in the tires which had unseated from the rollover, looked things over and the truck started! I drove it off the trailer and looked things over again. Drove it around the some, got it up to speed and the darn thing tracks straight, shifts correct and all electronics work great, heck the AC still works.

The 4runner needs a new tranny, which I was going to source used.

So here is my dilemma, I was thinking about putting all of the good running gear into the 4runner. Would be a lot of work, but I now own all the parts. But I really hate to give up on the truck, and have found a used 2WD about three hours from me with a straight body, a good trans (for 4Runner) for $700. Decision time... What would you fine Toyota experts recommend?

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

Glad she walked away !

Now if this is going to be a labor of love and you have the fabrication skills to make this all work.

remember the 4runner has a coil spring suspension while the truck has leaf springs .

Then there is the installing of the clutch pedal and hydraulics

No doubt quite a few little things that will be frustrating as well

While this can be done it is work and time and your still short a vehicle.

If it was me I would look for another 94 4x4 5 speed that needs a engine and take all the good parts from the rolled truck.

Comes down to a few options Do your swap

Buy another 94 4x4 5speed

Sell the rolled truck as is

Part the rolled truck out

Comes down to what works best for you

Since you don`t mention where you are or the mileage on either vehicle hard call to make.

nmchuck

The rolled pickup has 250k, ran like a top with no issues before the crash. The 4runner has 177k, bad transmission, but otherwise in good condition.

I live in New Mexico, none of these rigs have a bit of rust on them. I can do some fab work, by no means an expert, but I do think this is within my abilities.

The parts truck available is a 1993 extended extended cab 2WD in pretty good shape overall. If I try to keep our truck alive, I was hoping to swap the cab and bed, use the front fenders until I can purchase 4WD fenders. If I am thinking right, the transmission should be the same as our 4Runner (A340e) and I could swap it in and be back to 2 rigs, and probably a bunch of extra parts.

Heironymous Josch

I'm glad to hear your daughter's alright, that is scary. You're story reminded me a bit of the Top Gear episode where they tried to kill a hilux and the damn thing just kept working.

IMO, I agree with wyoming9, it's not worth the labor to Frankenstein the two trucks, just part out the pickup and buy a solid 4wd 4runner. If you do part out the truck, I may be interested in some of the interior trim, depending on where you live.

nmchuck

I will have to agree about all the work to convert the 4runner, just not worth the time and effort. Do you think placing the good 2wd body on the pickup chassis be worth the time? I also would get a working transmission to use on our 4runner. $700 seems reasonable for the parts truck, and other than the hole for the shifters, I think the cab would bolt on.

Heironymous, If I decide to part it out, I'll make sure to post it up on this thread. Other than the headlner the interior seems to be good, blue in color.

Thanks for the replies

atcfixer

iTrader: (1)

The parts truck would be the easier option, $700 for a good body around here would be a steal and a half, let alone the good trans (and probably engine?, running gear etc). Might be simpler to fix the parts truck depending what's going on with it (body swap vs say engine swap). Kind of your call on that which one you'd trust more (probably the 250k one ).

Your daughter was very lucky. Not to scare ya or anything, but I bought a rolled Tacoma and the top of the cab bashed in the driver's face and he had to have reconstructive surgery and plates installed. He looked just fine and still loved his Toyotas (he had an 85 4x4 to replace it).

I also had a person in the family roll another Tacoma, again I got that truck too. He walked away as well. Both the trucks were 95-99 Tacomas, not the same thing but really close.