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The new windshield did get installed today, but I didn't get any pictures yet. I let the kids use the iPad to watch some TV while they sat in the truck and they ran the battery out. I'm really excited about having it installed. I did omit the chrome trim and had a rubber gasket installed instead. It looks just great, I'm really happy with it. Pictures will come next time I get over to the shop.
I did some other work done on the hard-top:
Cleaned the rubber gaskets, wiped it all down and installed a new headliner.
Really neat being able to do this without having to lay on my back!
The metal rails are easy to remove then I stretched the material out as I screwed them back on.
Then I trimmed it up and it does the job:
The material I used is stuff I bought twenty years ago when I was in high school. I had purchased (and still have at my folks place) a 1963 Dodge panel wagon and was fixing it up. It didn't have a headliner so I bought a roll of this stuff. Well, it stayed in storage in my dad's shed all this time until I asked him to ship it out here to me. Pretty cool that it has finally found a home after all this time.
Okay, didn't have time to do any work, but I stopped by the garage and took some pictures.
The new windshield:
I am happy with the repairs on the a pillars- I lost some sleep over those so I'm really glad they turned out pretty well; not perfect but a major improvement. You can also see where the rubber gasket does not quite cover the edge on the top of passenger side, plenty of urethane was applied in there for a good seal and the entire sill was painted with POR-15 prior to painting the truck. I feel confident it will last for a good while.
You can also see where I have some bad rubber around the door- it's on the eventually list...
I also took some more pictures of the progress on the interior:
And here is the rear cargo area carpet after a trip to the laundromat:
I am doing the brakes on a friend's car tomorrow so while I have an extra set of hands I'm hoping to get the hard-top back on. I will plan to keep it on until spring/early summer. Winters up here are no joke and I just always really liked the factory hard-top on these things.
I am still planning to drive it in our hometown 4th of July parade representing my wife's business- it will be topless for that so the kids can throw candy out!
While you've got the interior out, do yourself a favor and pull the rear window lock button and put it UNDER the console . Those are the most useless buttons in that truck and it gives you an extra space if you want to, say, get a factory fog light switch.
Stupid question: does the topper balance nicely the way you had it upended? It sure would be a space saver for me if I could do that. I had the top of my old one in my garage for at least four years, propped the opposite way, front up. It took up a lot of room.
I store my hardtop the same was as he has it in his pictures. I rest it on a 4 short pieces of 2x4 or some cut up cardboard depending on what's laying around.
While you've got the interior out, do yourself a favor and pull the rear window lock button and put it UNDER the console . Those are the most useless buttons in that truck and it gives you an extra space if you want to, say, get a factory fog light switch.
Ha, it's funny you say that. I took that thing apart and cleaned it all out, got all the sand and grit out that was preventing it from working and all the while I was thinking to myself that I will probably never even use this darn switch...
The fog light switch is a great idea.
I'll probably leave it for now and move/eliminate it when I am ready to put something else in there.
Originally Posted by Nervo19
Stupid question: does the topper balance nicely the way you had it upended? It sure would be a space saver for me if I could do that. I had the top of my old one in my garage for at least four years, propped the opposite way, front up. It took up a lot of room.
Originally Posted by arlindsay1992
I store my hardtop the same was as he has it in his pictures. I rest it on a 4 short pieces of 2x4 or some cut up cardboard depending on what's laying around.
Yep, me too- it stands up pretty securely. I have it on some towels right now, but it lived on 2x4s for months while I was working on the truck. I had against the wall, too, just so no one would accidentally walk into it and knock it over.
I grew up in Reno, still have lots of family there. I've had vehicles registered in eight different states over the years so I have a somewhat cheesy license plate collection. It's correct that I'm currently in North Carolina where the state only issues one plate for the rear so I have kept my Nevada plate on the front of this truck for years. No one has ever stopped me and in fact the owner prior to the guy I got it from is a sherrifs deputy here in town and he pointed out the Nevada plate on the front without saying I couldn't do that...
So, yeah, no good reason, just some Nevada pride I guess.
Plus, I'd love to move back out west (where they don't salt the roads!).
I grew up in Reno, still have lots of family there. I've had vehicles registered in eight different states over the years so I have a somewhat cheesy license plate collection. It's correct that I'm currently in North Carolina where the state only issues one plate for the rear so I have kept my Nevada plate on the front of this truck for years. No one has ever stopped me and in fact the owner prior to the guy I got it from is a sherrifs deputy here in town and he pointed out the Nevada plate on the front without saying I couldn't do that...
So, yeah, no good reason, just some Nevada pride I guess.
Plus, I'd love to move back out west (where they don't salt the roads!).
Damn the luck. Thought I saw something about Boone in here, but had to double check. I'm in Reno with an 87 4Runner from somewhere where it picked up quarter panel rust. More than likely just gonna just gonna weld in solid replacements. Would be lying though if fiberglass ones hadn't crossed my mind, and to be able to put eyes on some firsthand would've been rad! Truly appreciate the time you've taken with your truck and all the sharing you've done in this thread!
Took the 4Runner for a Christmas drive this morning. Didn't leave the neighborhood, just a spin around the block. It was fun though. It was the first time out in the rain. Not a heavy rain, but no leaks.
While you've got the interior out, do yourself a favor and pull the rear window lock button and put it UNDER the console . Those are the most useless buttons in that truck and it gives you an extra space if you want to, say, get a factory fog light switch.
Or just relocate all those buttons from the console to make room for a cup holder
Or just relocate all those buttons from the console to make room for a cup holder
I read your write-up on relocating those switches and seriously considered it while I had all the interior out but ultimately opted against it. We have a no food or drink in the car rule in our family (three small children can make a heck of a mess) and the cup holder really doesn't appeal to me.
So I'll hold off for now.
What I will do, is put some rear shocks on:
OMG! OME!
Nice! Yeah, those are designed for the 2-inch lift from the springs.
I wish I had the budget for an OME upgrade (just spent for transmission rebuild) ... Someday maybe Happy New Year!
Last edited by RAD4Runner; 12-30-2016 at 10:24 AM.
I had the last few days off and dedicated it to the Runner. Did I ever mention that the deputy that owned this before me named it?
He called it Roger Red. I think I'll keep the name.
Sure wish I had thought about getting the roll bar back in before I put the top on.
I did sand it down, prime and paint it:
So it'll sit in the garage until I take the top off again. Maybe I won't wait too long, next nice day.
I thought long and hard about keeping it white...
Next I installed my new Infinity speakers. They fit perfectly in the factory spot- just turned them on end and bolted them in. I used a spacer on the top so the speaker sits back just a little. I didn't want it to contact the inside of the interior panels once they were reinstalled.
They sound great, too!
Then the panels and trim started going back in:
Cleaned the rear seats and reinstalled.
I got my Magnaflow muffler welded up and new pipe all the way out:
I still have some cleaning up to do- cut that extra hanger off...
My novice welding skills are apparent, too. There is a spot in front of the muffler leaking and I cannot get it sealed up. I guess at this point I will need to grind it all down and try to do a better job of getting it tight. It sounds pretty good other than that leak. The Magnaflow is louder than I'd like. It's the oval 18" and it's not quiet. Inside the noise isn't too bad, hard to be sure until I fix the leak.
Then it was ready for the big day!
I'm joining club Nervo with the busted old rear bumper and I hope to also follow his lead in replacing it. Better than nothing I suppose.
This morning was something of a milestone: it passed state inspection (no emissions here in Boone), I insured it and put tags on it!
So as of today I am driving it. Picked Emmylou up from school with it and she was VERY excited to ride in it.
And it came home:
Other than the exhaust leak I only ran into one other problem today. The guys at the shop could not do the front end alignment. The camber bolts are siezed up and they didn't want to risk breaking them before we had a plan. I'll be reading up on this and seeing what options I have as I cannot drive long without an alignment. I just spent a butt-load of money on these tires, I'm not interested in wearing them out.
BUT, I'm driving it again and initial feelings are very good! I forgot how much I love driving this thing!
12-12-2016, 04:23 PM
