Hi fellow yota tech crowd my name is Ian Davidson and I recently purchased this 1984 SR5 4runner that the previous owner had "hit an elk" with.
heres the current specifications,

1984 4runner SR5 4x4
22r 5speed G52?
gear drive transfer case?
Doug Thorley header
Asian carb
2" front springs unknown mfg.
heavy duty greasable rear arb shackles for some other model.
31 10.50 15 bald BFG muds
otherwise stock.


The day before we brought "ol girl" home (p.o.'s pet name) we purchased an ifs 4runner that had no engine for $300.
Shortly after returning home with the ifs runner I saw this 84 on Craigslist for $400. So we went and bought it the next day six hours away.

 

Here is the front clip doner 4runner.

 

I couldn't wait to get cutting the next day!

 

That awkward moment

 

 

First trip up our backyard trails!

 

How hard was it swapping those front clips?

 

Wasn't too bad. This is the second time I've done the front clip swaps first was on two toyota pickups. You really just need a sawzall welder and socket set. The first one I did I lined up the cuts perfectly and welded/grinded for two days to eventually have the welds start to crack leading me to run another layer of sheet metal on both sides of the original seam for strength. This time I over lapped the cuts by about 1.5 inches and am currently using bolts to hold it until I make an adapter to run my welder off of my generator.

 

I found this offenhauser 4barrel dual port intake at my local junk yard. The carb on it is a Holley economaster spread bore carb. Not sure if I will ever use this but I feel it was a score for $40.

 

 

 

Great job so far! I bet that red one was a real looker in its prime

 

Thanks! Yes the guy who robbed the engine from the red one spoke of its local fame and how many people remembered seeing it around the 4corners area. It's definitely a diy paint job up close but is done very well considering.

 

Here are some engine compartment shots. Please give me a break on the scotch locks. I was completely out of solider and heatshrink and ready to go for a test drive. That has since been properly connected. This is also prior to bolts being installed. I overlapped the donor clip about 1 1/2 inches onto the original inner fenders. Thinking now how I can make a squeak proof flange to unmount front clip for engine repair.

 

Here are some walk around shots showing the good bad and ugly.






I am having a problem when I'm in 4lo and shift the trans from 1st-2nd it interferes with the t case shifter and shifts the t case into neutral. I have done some research and am working on a diy solution.

 

Nice work. My 87 4 runner almost looked that bad after hitting a deer last fall. I think I like your front clip swap method, sounds alot easier than drilling out all the spotwelds, and then re-spotwelding the new one back in place, plus having it bolt in might come in handy in the future.I need to do that to mine pretty soon, keep up the good work!

 

Thanks rusted sorry to hear about your bent truck.

 

Carbon monoxide poisoning was starting to become a real factor so I took off the exhaust and replaced the gasket and entire tube to the muffler.

Replaced the non functional coolant temp gauge with a cheap car quest unit. Accidentally nicked the oil psi line.

 

aside from that spill, it looks like its coming along really nice!

 

how is the left rear quarter on the red 4Runner? if it is good you might has well use it as a donor for the 84