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Now we are down to the "well, this part looks too crappy to put back on" phase so I'm spending time cleaning/rebuilding the mirrors and deciding to purchase new signal lights and stuff like that.
Took a trip to the hardware store for some better mirror mounting screws and got both mirrors back on. The ball joints are actually rusted immovable and after taking out the glass I can see that if
I was able to break them free, they won't function correctly anyhow due to the rust damage so I'll have to leave them as is.
This is how much rust was inside. There was also a date stamp of DEC 1986 in there. It's weird that the mounting hardware is NOT metric so I wonder if these were installed at dealerships?
Anyway the good news is that the mirror glass comes out so if I want to replace it, it's possible.
Last night was a milestone. The truck is once again driving under it's own power on the streets of Melrose!
First I installed a new chrome grille and headlight surrounds. There was evidence of a previous bumper bender in the bumper mounting brackets and the lower grill mounts on the radiator support had been pushed back.
There is no room to swing a hammer on the engine compartment side and I don't own a slide hammer so I made an improvised one out of some chevy v8 starter bolts, nuts and piece of threaded rod. The idea is to put the bolt through the hole from the engine side, attach the other bolt/rod and pound the adjustable wrench with a hammer.
I also used a map gas torch to heat the metal around the holes to make it easier to straighten. It worked pretty well!
After mounting the grille I drove to the nearest gas station and filled up and then took a spin around town. It was great! I had the roads pretty much to myself at 9pm.
Now, I am waiting for new signal lights to be delivered and then I'll mount the front bumper and valence. Also have to paint the black plastic trim and remount it along with the rear mudflaps and acquire a new rear chrome step bumper.
Still waffling a bit on replicating the stripe work in vinyl, or some original 1986 graphics in blue or possibly something else. I think it needs something, it should definitely be blue. I'd like to change the convertible top to blue also. There is just too much white otherwise.
Last edited by Melrose 4r; 09-27-2018 at 07:27 AM.
Still waffling a bit on replicating the stripe work in vinyl, or some original 1986 graphics in blue or possibly something else. I think it needs something, it should definitely be blue. I'd like to change the convertible top to blue also. There is just too much white otherwise.
Our T4R has the European/Asian original graphics in shades of blue. Dark blue, blue and light blue. I think they could look good in a withe 4R:
Received my new parking lights from an ebay seller but to my surprise, no screws or plastic anchor pieces.
They had shown the screws an anchors in the photos...
So I emailed them and they replied saying they are reshipping the order and I can keep the first set.
OK, I appreciate the quick response, but not very convinced the second order will include the hardware either.
If that's the case I'll just have to see what I can get at the hardware store. As I said in a previous post, I am now finding
some of the parts to crappy too put back on the truck.
But hey, I did call it a "restomod" so it's all good.
Also considering going with a factory 1986 graphics set from James Dean in blue.
Here's a crappy artist's(me) rendering
I really need to see the blue graphics in color.
Let me know what you guys think.
Last edited by Melrose 4r; 07-26-2020 at 05:49 AM.
Also considering going with a factory 1986 graphics set from James Dean in blue.
Here's a crappy artist's rendering(me)
I really need to see the blue graphics in color.
Let me know what you guys think.
I love the graphics set shape and that light blue color, fits perfectly in your withe truck, and I love the ones in the hood, my 4R doesn't have them.
I approve them!
Yeah, see i'm not really sure what hue of blue we are talking about here so I asked James Dean if he has a photo of the blue stripes which are described as
"light blue metalic to dark blue"
i've googled photos of 1986 4runner(ironically found my own truck when it was listed on ebay!) but didn't find any with blue factory graphics as described.
I'd like to do the top in a denim blue color, but would have to do stripes first to make sure they agree.
Last edited by Melrose 4r; 10-02-2018 at 08:38 AM.
This is just me, but my favorite is the 87-88 SR5 4Runner graphics in silver or smoke. Blue might be cool though, I don't recall seeing one like that before
Weather has been raining and cold in the evenings so I've been waiting for it to dry out to paint up some trim.
Last night I got to the rear trim and mudflaps.
Before shot, after cleaning with Purple power and a brush.
Also shot the rear trim with SEM trim black.
Here is the result. I used a black sharpie to touch up the edges on the "4WD" where needed. It worked perfectly!
Now the bad news...
As I was manuvering the truck around into the garage to bolt the parts back up, I backed into the edge of the garage door opening denting the area below the tail light.
AAARGH!!
Now I'll have to fix the dent and repaint that. Phooey.
Last edited by Melrose 4r; 01-27-2024 at 06:13 AM.
Now the bad news...
As I was manuerving the truck around into the garage to bolt the parts back up, I backed into the edge of the garage door opening denting the area below the tail light.
AAARGH!!
Now I'll have to fix the dent and repaint that. Phooey.
That sucks!
Look at the bright side. At least you know how to fix it now....
09-25-2018, 11:14 AM
