Hello all,

I sold my second 4Runner 3 years ago and have been away since. I now have my 3rd. It is also the 9th 4Runner that has been owned by someone in my family.

Last week my dad and I purchased a 1985 4Runner as a bit of a project. She is blue with a white top 4cyl, 5spd, 4wd. We could not pass this one up because of the solid front and the fact that the interior is in such phenomenal shape.

The odo reads 116,000 and we can't find any evidence to the contrary.

However, she does have an extensive amount of rust underneath and around the fenders. The endgame here is to get it as close to showroom condition as we can. I work in Greensboro, NC and stay with my folks when I'm here but my house is in Myrtle Beach, SC, which is where this runner (and I) will ultimately reside, so sand, salt, etc are things of concern.

What is the best method for removing extensive rust? Media blasting has been recomended but I have heard in the past that media blasting should only be used for non running/driving projects. I also need to replace the leaf springs but I couldn't find any on here as of yet nor could I find any online that were not lift springs. Again, I want to return this thing to more or less factory condition. A modest lift would be okay, but I only care to run a 32" or 265 tire at most.

Any advice or input is welcome, I am certainly in the infancy of this project and am very out of practice with Toyotas.

Thanks!

 

First advice is post pics lots of them, do it now!!!!!!!! please.

 

congrats....

good luck with the rust!

 

heres one for starters, just got the sc license plate Friday, setting to work on it this week....

 

Dang looks super clean, I love the silver graphics on the blue, just wonderful

So I'm greedy more pics plus let's see the interior!!

 

A couple of pics of the interior, notice the straight out of the 80s SR5 seats.

Having to replace the tailgate right now, the old one was rotted through...

 

thanks man, I actually think the graphics are supposed to be white. ha

 

Daaaaaang, excellent love the vertigo seats, they are a rarity in that good of shape what a wonderful score

Sweet!! Can't wait to see more...

 

If your trying to get rid of that sag you can always do a zuk mod, and it doesn't look half bad at all. Many threads on here pertaining to that mod. Another alternative would be getting a pro comp 4" leaf springs for only $60 with free shipping! http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sk...E3731211L.html Not really an aggressive lift.

 

The truck and interior do look great as well as the silver one in the background. I like the chrome trim on the fenders but because of rust is one of the first things I do remove as I have seen it run alot of good fenders. I dont know which would be the best way for removing rust that you are asking about.

As far as bing out of practice on Toyotas, I try and post alot of the common problems and fixes on my 88 Runner build on the first page below and where to find them on the post numbers. I am always adding to it and sometimes the page numbers change but not the post number. Looking forward to your build.

 

I am actually trying to get rid of the sag. Whats a zuk mod? The 4" springs are a really good deal, but I feel like 4" might be overkill. I had procomp coils on my old 94 to get rid of the sag and it screwed it all up. Made this god awful grinding noise during deceleration.

 

Thanks, the silver one is dad's and has over 300k on it, no 4th gear but it runs really well, in the summer anyway.

It seems like the chrome trim pieces hold moisture in and are just a cesspool for iron oxide to form its cancerous plague.

I am debating on whether to restore the front fenders by cutting and adding sheetmetal/repair pieces or just replacing the fenders altogether. I have actually found a pair of blueish primerish fenders in a nearby town for $75, so I might go that route.

 

I would replace the fenders if it were me, it will be easier and cheaper in the long run. The ZUK mod is where you put a coil spring inbetween the bump stops on the rear axle. There is a "cut" and a "no cut" method, depends on which springs you use.
Zuk Mod>> http://www.gearinstalls.com/coilinfo.htm

How I did mine. I cut the top bump stop and used two jacks to seperate the axle from the body to install the spring. I like the spring as I do alot of towing.
Here is how I did it.

 

Here's a couple of threads of the zuk mod.
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...-notes-243688/
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...ceived-250374/
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...r-turn-251897/

 

ive got a set of TJ springs already cut to 12" you can have if you pay the shipping.im cleaning the garage.use em for the no-cut install and see if you like it,if ya dont,just take em out.ive done three of em.

 

Thanks for the advice, I think I will just go ahead and replace the fenders then. Okay I get what you're saying about the ZUK. I didn't peruse all the thread links posted yet, but I will. What would I need to do cutting if I went that route? BTW your rig looks super clean.

 

BTW I spent a decent amount of time underneath and can tell the majority of the rust is isolated to the frame. Not sure if that is good or bad, just depends on your perspective and how bad it is. Going to investigate my options further this weekend.

I have some interior panels for the cargo area since mine are mostly broken and missing, going to get to work on that.

Definitely have an exhaust leak at or near the manifold.

I'll have a couple more pics up tomorrow or Saturday.

 

A couple more pics, one of the tailgate and one of the nice solid front.

Notice the Dale Earnhardt sticker on the glass. That was on when it was installed. But its okay because being that I live in the south, you pretty much have to have a #3 in the window to get any respect.

 

So I've been doing some research about options for rust repair, and essentially I have two options.

I can buy two steel patch panels from alfa parts and have them cut and welded in, or I can buy two fiberglass bedsides from toyotafiberglass.com.

Has anyone used or know anyone that has used fiberglass bodyparts? I feel like the fiberglass bedsides would take care of the problems entirely but could be a larger install job.