ok here it goes, I've been reading all the pre 84 threads to try to get ideas for my build.To start off i have found a what i'd call next to mint 81 toyota 4x4 long box i was serching kijiji calgary when i came across this yota add that said "ok guys i have a 1981 toyota 4x4 that has been kept inside most of its life". I stopped reading right there no need to know anymore i wanted this truck un seen i immediately called the guy he answered and said ya i still have it he said he was in Sundre like 2 hrs from me .I told him that i was very interested in his toyota and we agreed i would make the journy to get it the very next day.SWEET the excitement was building what had i found or what had i not found?The next day arrived and i loaded my 2004 1 ton gmc duramax with my 25 ` trailer and started out. When i got there and the young feller that had this truck took me out back where the truck was coverd in about 2 feet of snow. He was disappointed cause it was minus 25 and his dad never pluged it in he thought for sure it wouldn't start boy did he think wrong he hit the key cranked it over and like immediately it started sweet .Through all the snow i could see all marker lights working and it was purring like a kitten when i looked in at the dash and guages i couldn't believe my eyes it only had 36,000 kms on it, another sweet find, i said sold we drove it out front and loaded it up .I gave him 1400.00 and was on my way
Attachment 85360

.Sorry have lost my original pics but ill post what i have.I originally wasn't going to take it apart but since have changed my mind i have completely dismantled it:

and started to paint my frame with chassie saver.I also have started fix what little rust damage i could find . Ill let you know that i have found the original manuel in the glove box and the original hub caps where still in it with minimal damage .It was going to be an easy restore project but it now has gotten expensive due to the fact that I've decided to lift it 12 inches i have orderd the original decals from james dean creations and orderd a 5" lift spring front and rear,529 gears with a spool in rear and a trutrack locker up front already assembled in a third member from trail gear,i have also ordered pro comp steel rims whit 38 " swampers sweet and i have made my own body lift by knocking off the cups that hold the body mounts in place i then cut 3" pieces of steel pipe and welded the cups to the top of the steel pipes and welded those to the frame on the box end i welded 2" washers to the tops of the pipes and welded them to the frame.I have found myself at a stand still while i wait for parts so I've decided to make half doors out of my parts truck that i got for 400 look back later for more

 

this thing is gonna look pretty BA when you're done

 

kind of confused on your lift plans...12" lift? 5" springs + a 3" body lift??

I would have just used a traditional style of body lift of spacers & bolts instead of welding the mounts to the frame...so it sounds like now your cab is fixed to the frame?
Good luck on your build...
would be cool to see more pics. FYI I edited your post for better clarity on position of your pictures.
your first attachment did not come out. You might consider uploading your pictures to a free hosting service like photobucket.com and copy and pasting the [img]yourpic[/img] code into your posts.

 

gotta love the 1st gens !!


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thanx for the input just to clear up my total lift should be about 12" thats 5"spring,5"shackle,and 3"body lift and the body lift is welded to the frame all i did was take off existing cups that hold the rubber in place and raise it up by welding 2"o.d x 3" tall pieces of pipe and welded the cups to the top of the pipes this creates the exact same mount only 3" higher and will not move around like the plastic body lifts thus causing a grinder effect on my frame and cab plus it was free the scrap yard gave me the pipe ill post pics soon

 

here is a pic of the body lift[ATTACH][/ATTACH]and a pic of my new half doors almost finished them will be waiting till fri probably for parts to show up for my lift all i can really do is cut off my shock mounts and prep more of the frame.I will be installing new shock hoops to accomidatre 12" shocks front and rear