lemons17771

it looks great so far! I love blue trucks, in my opinion they seem to have more character.

ioumateo99@yahoo.com

I have to agree with everyone nice and great work on color scheme. I also like that you provided detailed pictures of the motor it could help others on their builds. Great job.

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

Your interior is looking great. Truck is coming along nicely.

I was reading on you possibly doing a frame swap. I have done a couple and each state is different, but keep your recipts or the title you use the frame from. I got mine from a salvage and they send the VIN to the state and I understand they keep records forever so that should keep you safe. Make sure everything is from a non stolen truck. One part can get you into a heap of trouble.

If unsure on a truck, here the Highway Patrol will run the VIN for you and let you know if it has a lien or is stolen. You can always give that a try. After I did my first frame swap, I stopped a State Trooper and told him what I did and to check me out. That way I knew everything was legal and to remove any doubt about my swap.

Also if something would of come up I figured I had at least showed I wasnt trying to hide anything. Each state is different but dont think you will have any problems as long as your replacement is legal.

OLblue87

Terry- thanks for the input! I am planning on having my truck inspected, to see if I can get a rebuilt title on it. I want to see if it will pass the inspection before I think about swapping out the frame. The damage that totaled the truck was from being rear-ended at a red light. It pushed my rear bumper down to the tires almost and bent the frame ends. It was a straight on hit, and didn't twist the frame. It also pushed me into the car in front of me and messed up my front bumper/valance.

I have since cleaned up the rear frame ends, and re-attached the rear bumper, and replaced the front bumper. I'm guessing it was totaled due to the fact that it would have cost more for a body shop to repair than the truck was worth to the insurance company... but it was worth more to me, so I opted for a salvage title and to keep the truck.

yotaman, lemons, and loumate- thanks for the kind words! I try to do a little with the truck as funds allow. Hopefully a new job soon will speed up the process!

ioumateo99@yahoo.com

Hey Olblue how hard was it to replace the gauge cluster? Any tricks or special tools? Have 85 DLX with no Voltage or RPM. Want to upgrade.

OLblue87

the cluster swap was pretty straight forward. luckily, I found a cluster out of a 4runner that was 4cyl 5spd. Its my understanding that you can make v6, or auto tranny clusters work, but I would try to find one that matches your motor/tranny to make it easier.

My truck wasn't wired for a tach from the factory, so I had to run a wire from my ignition coil to A6 pin in the plug on the back of the cluster. On the 84-88's the 3 plugs on the back of the cluster go from left to right: A,B, and C. They are numbered also from left to right, but the numbering is shown on the back of the cluster. It is my understanding that some non SR5 vehicles came wired for the tach, and some did not. I don't know of any way to tell without looking at the plugs in the back of the cluster though...

The swap itself is fairly easy. You will want to make sure to pull the spedo cable out of its clip on the firewall. It gives you a little more play when you are taking out your old cluster and putting in the new one. Other than that it's pretty straight forward. you will also want to make sure and replace your oil sending unit with a gauge type instead of the warning light one. If you dont do this, when you plug up your new cluster you will fry the oil pressure gauge.

If your truck isn't wired from the factory for the tach, it is pretty simple to wire up as well. When you look in the engine bay at your ignition coil, there should be a "tester" plug coming off of it (short wire with a green plug on the end) I plugged into this tester with a 1/4" spade clip and routed the wire through a grommet in the firewall up to the cluster plug. I crimped a plug pin on the end and stuck it in the slot in the plug, and viola the tach worked... lol

If you have any other questions, I will try to help the best I can!

ioumateo99@yahoo.com

Olblue Thank you. My buddy has a 86 4runner 4x4 22re cluster with tach, oil pressure and Voltage. SR5 package not turbo. Does it make a difference if my truck is a 22r?

OLblue87

The cluster I used was from a 22re, and I have a 22r so it will be good to go. I think you only run into problems with swapping the clusters from 22ret vehicles to 22r/re

James Woods

iTrader: (1)

Truck is looking real nice.

No problems going from 22re to 22r, I put a cluster in mine from a 22r auto into a 22re 5 speed, had to swap out some pins for the wiring but worked just fine.

OLblue87

while I am putting back funds for my sas, I came across a nice shiny chrome grill in a friends garage. I asked him if he wanted to sell it, and was told to take it home with me if I could use it..... so I gave Ol blue a little face lift.

before


After


I know this is no biggie, but my build is to the point where I need a few small accomplishments along the way to help keep up morale! I am also meeting a guy with some grey SR5 buckets this weekend, so hopefully that will be another little victory for me in my build until the truck goes under the knife for the axle swap

OLblue87

I know it's been a while since I posted in this thread guys, but OL Blue has come a long way.... I recently finished up a SAS using 1 ton axles and chevy springs, she's sitting on some 37x13.5 ground hawgs, and I'm in the process of doing a V8 swap with a BUILT 350 using a th400 tranny and a np203 case. Now its time to bring this thread up to date with some pics!!





























Whew....! thats a lot of work.... but there's a lot more to come!

Philbert

iTrader: (2)

Wow! Can the w56 handle the v8?

OLblue87

its got a th400 chevy tranny goin behind it. the motor is putting out 425hp and close to 500ft/lb of torque. i think the w56 would explode

Terrys87

iTrader: (1)

Your truck has come along way. Great job. The 400 tranny is one of the best built auto trannies out there if not the best. I think the W56 would say "I quit " on you behind that motor.lol

OLblue87

been doing a little work on the yota in the last few days.... Hopefully she'll be running before too much longer. Just a few more odds and ends to tie up before dropping in the motor.

here is an idea I had to mount up some gauges for the new V8 instead of trying to re-work the SR5 cluster I had for the 385. I used the base model housing I had, and some plexi-glass for the face plate.



Here is the switch panel I am using to run my ignition box, electric fan, fuel pump, and some misc. accessories.



This is how the radiator is set up in the bed



and a shot of the fuel cell

travis_h

Subscribed! Nice truck I like the V8 toyota trucks. I'm doing 1tons under mine right now.

OLblue87

well guys, I've got a few updates for Ol blue! I know its been a while since I've updated the build, but we've been busy working on her! Funds have been tight, so its been kinda slow progress wise lately, but she'll be running within the next week or so hopefully.

Well, here are a few pics of what we have been up to in the shop over the past few weeks! Enjoy!

we have been using a spare 350 block we had in the shop to mock up everything in the engine bay until we get the motor that will be going in the truck back together. here are a few teaser pick of the 350 in the yota





the battery, radiator, and fuel cell have been moved to the bed to keep them out of the slop in the mud pits





we ran the radiator lines down the frame rails



nice new fuel pump!! the regulator is mounted in the engine bay,



here are a few pics of how we did the crossmember for the T-case. I used the factory yota crossmember, and spaced it down off the frame so that the driveshafts would clear. we used 1/2" steel plate welded and bolted to the crossmember with 5/8 grade 8 bolts for the mounting bracket for the t-case.





we finished up the electrical system, and the interior of the truck. all of the electrical components are controlled by a switch panel(electric fan for the rad., fuel pump, aux lights, ignition, etc.) We also got the new shifter for the auto tranny mounted up





here is how I re-worked a gauge cluster for the vitals on the new V-8 going in the truck. Got temp, oil pressure, volts, fuel level, and a tach.

OLblue87

I am also gonna be running hydraulic steering on the truck. we got the orbital mounted up last night and should be getting the ram on today. I'm gonna be running a single ended ram for now, but upgrading to a double ended ram when funds allow. here is the orbital mounted up, and I'll add a pic of the ram later





here are a few pics of the new shortened rear driveshaft

OLblue87

Got a christmas update!! We got the 383 stuffed under the hood of the Ol yota, and its alive!!!! muahahah!!

here are a few pics of the motor before we dropped it in











and here is the beast in the yota!!





here is a short video of the initial start up. the motor is running at about 3000 rpm to seat the rings and settle in the cam. I will get some vids of it at idle, because it sounds sick!

http://s1185.photobucket.com/albums/...t=IMG_1207.mp4

Philbert

iTrader: (2)

Wow!!

What are your plans to route the exhaust? Looks like they shoot straight into the front tires?