donaldewalker3

Well, here it goes. I've always had a soft spot for Toyota. I'm born and raised in Coeur d'Alene, ID, so there is 4x4 Toyotas EVERYWHERE. I got my first one when i traded an old Subaru straight across for a 97 5spd 4runner. I made quick work of that truck and build it into a nice little wheeler. That truck went to a good home to a guy in TN, but I couldn't stop. I've had several 3rd gen 4Runners, a handful of FJ80s, and a few other mentionables, but I never had anything really early. I've had my heart set on a 1st gen 4runner for some time now, and even more so now that I have an 8 week old son! But for now, this one will just have to do. LIttle back story. I tried to buy this truck some time ago when it wasn't nearly as beat up, but the owner had an Interlock in it from a previous DUI, and he also "couldn't find the title". Turns out it was in fact stolen. I saw it on the side of the road, and the original owner had repo'd it and was offering it for sale again.
Truck is a 1979 factory SR5 short bed from what I can tell. It has been swapped with a 22r and a 5 speed out of a later model (I suspect). It did have a Weber 32/36 on it when I got it. The harness is pretty hacked and none of the gauges worked. I've been hunting them down one by one and slowly getting her back to drive-able.
Here she is the day I brought her home on bald/shot/airfree tires

Here she is parked in the garage next to my current 1994 FZJ80 and my full build 3rd gen 4runner

I had some Federal Couragia 35/12.5/15 MT ready to go on it later that week. I figured I'd build the truck around the tire size

I haven't been able to identify the springs on the truck. The front has shock hoops that look to be from TG with some longer Bilsteins up front. The springs have a decent amount of bow in them still, so I'm they aren't factory. This is about as much flex I can get out of them currently. I plan on going RUF, but I can't seem to source a decently cheap IFS steering box.
I took the doors off as i've been working in the cab intensively trying to get it back to somewhat original (at least decent) and took it out to flex it out a bit.
I also starting sanding it before I decided that the bed was gonna need A LOT more love, and decided to fit a flat bed to it instead.


Here is where you can see the rear has just about NO flex. I really need to get some different (longer shock as well. Any suggestion on how to get more compression?

Can see my leeking power steering box here in full effect.
Bed I picked up that was originally made for a Ford Ranger, but I decided to make work for me:



Dirty frame. Luckily it is rust/patch free. No salt for us!


Painted the back of the cab and frame in black. The cab is done in Satin and the frame is done Rustoleum rust provention rubberized coating.
I bolted the 2x4 on the frame in order to slide the bed on since the frame rails are much wider than the ranger frame it was built for.


Filler neck tucks out of the way thankfully.


Pulled the gauges to test via the FSM. all check out, so I'm hunting grounds now.

Here is the dash after I pulled it out. It does have the defrost vents, which look nice.
I picked up one of those coverlays that you get off ebay to make it look nice again (as a nice dash pad would cost me more than the truck did...)



Here it is installed (glued) in the truck

You can see here that it fits nice and snug except for this driver side area over the defrost vent. I have got it to set all the way down, but didn't have a way to clamp it. I'll reglue and clamp it down snug. All in all, bot $80 bucks it wasn't bad.
Here is a NICE center dash section I grabbed off ebay... came with the lighting unit as well as the driver side area.


Got some new headlight doors/bezels for the corner lamps as they were shot.


This is where I'm at currently. I did get the coolant temp gauge to work by grounding the sensor directly to battery, so I'm led to believe that I've got some bad grounds to the cluster.
I'll take some more photos as I go.
Thanks for reading!

donaldewalker3

I forgot to mention that the truck was originally yellow, and I would like to get the cab back to yellow eventually
I'm currently trying to strip the bed liner garbage that was rolled or sprayed onto the floor of the cab. Any suggestions?

donaldewalker3

Back of the dash all cleaned

194 LEDs I got off amazon 30 for $10

Dash with the lights off

With all the LEDs installed. Really brightens it up!

Center section all buttoned up. I have a factory radio for it. Anyone have an ash tray?

Was excited to decode this baby and learn that I have 4.38s in the pumpkins.

95yoda

Cool stuff. Will be nice to see your progress

dropzone

iTrader: (6)

Always cool to see a 1st gen build!

donaldewalker3

Thanks!
I'll keep updating.

donaldewalker3

Haha. I think I've ALL of yours...