So most of my life I have stayed on the payment but decided it was time to get a little dirty. I just sold my '02 Ford diesel and attempted to live more in my means with this '87 4runner.
It had been sitting for 5 yrs...a very nice fellow let me have it for $450. It did turnover but didn't sound right so upon pulling it apart I noticed not one but two fist size holes in the block with the #4 rod hanging out. Sad thing is this engine was a jasper type rebuild with a new head, timing chain, oil pump, the whole works. I've got some nice pictures of the Easter basket (aka oil pan) so I will post those up later. Looks like a rod bolt was left loose and the rest is as they say history.
So I found a free '85 shortblock in OK condition, I honed it, put new rings/bearings/gaskets in it and reused the new head and other stuff and so far, so good. Oh I also had to replace the fuel tank and pump. Nothing like 5 yrs worth of sludge and condensation in your fuel tank...lotta rust and lotta problems. My good toyota buddy scored me a free used tank as well so in it went.
By the grace of God, everything works...I mean everything....even the rear glass motor....just need to recharge the a/c and put a tailpipe on it so I can get an inspection.
I think the front torsion bars have been cranked so I am leaning towards a 2" rear block or shackle kit to even things out.
As of right now all I want is a reliable and effective hunting truck/DD...but as with everything I buy, I'm sure I will rip into it for real as soon as funds allow.
Anyways enough jibber jabber. This site is awesome and I couldn't have put this thing together without all the help on here so thanks! The search function is great, just great :-)

err...3 pics per post....wait for them please.

Before:

 

before

 

before again

 

last before pic

 

And after some elbow grease, two bags of trash, one of which was almost all mulch from the back and a fresh rebuild.....pardon the greasy parts and lack of shiny juice on the engine....I had just gotten it back together. Also, I swapped glass and put the original red door back on. Still need to polish the wheels again, they were gross!

 

nice work and nice runner! i love the 1st gen 4runners. if it were me, i would realx them torsion bars and put on some 1.5inch ball joint spacers and maybe 2inch shakles or AALS in the rear. thats what i have and i can claear 33x12.50s fine.

 

oops forgot pics

 

Nice truck, still started with a couple holes in the block ....

Dude you should really use photobucket , lets us see the pictures way better.

 

some mo cowbell

 

Thanks....and yea I was reading about that but didn't know how long it would stay IFS so was thinking the easier route....I'll look into it though....33's would be nice.

 

Oops no sorry for the confusion, it would turnover but not start...just noticed some weird sounds when it was spinning over

Yea guess I should have, those pics are tiny at only 48kb's....I'll work on that.

 

make sure its timed right

 

wow what a steal man! That 4Runner looks great now!

Keep up the good work and get us some bigger pics on photobucket!

 

nice job!!, im starting on an 86' pickup myself

 

I haven't put a light on it yet but from the idle speed and lack of pinging yet still have good power I have to be somewhere close to right....From my searches here people are setting their's to 8 degrees btdc with two plugs shorted right? I can't seem the find the two plugs on mine that are shown in a picture I found on here.....is an '87 different?

Thanks for the props guys.

 

Well I haven't posted in awhile...I've done a few niknak things to the 4runner but my latest venture can be seen in the pic. I can't access photobucket from work but will put all the pics up from there so they are easier to see what's going on.