I bought this 4 runner January 1st a couple hours away from home. the guy wanted 500 for it but noone would buy it so i got him talked down to 150, basically scap price and i even drove it on the trailer.pictures kinda big sorrry

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I got it home and it had a severe fuel leak, turned out to be something simple and only cost 40 to fix. it has rust at every fender and the floor is rusted thought pretty bad on drivers side and it looks like the guy hit something pretty hard up front but heres some pics let me know what you think
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the frame seems to be good just some service rust and nothing to bad. i poked around with a screw driver and it was good but anyways do you guys thank i got a good deal and what would be a decent amount to spend on this thing with out having way to much in it

 

Decided to change all the fluilds and flush coolant and found that the belts and thermostat were bad. when i got those off i seen the harmonic balancer was no good so had to replace it. That all cost me 200 cause i get a heel of a discount from Napa. So now total price for my 4runner is 350 but now the motor purrs like a cat. Looks like it has brand new exhaust. things instore is a 4" lift 33" tsl's and black wheels and doing some triming and building some bumpers

 

Fix it, fix it!! Save all 1st gen 4runners! Seriously though, I would go over it in detail before spending anything on it. If the frame is realy OK, then go through the mechanicals-suspension-brakes-steering-etc. Then go after the body. If you really want a 1st gen 4runner, have a limited budget (but have time/skill/a place to keep it inside), and are somewhat insane (like myself), it is worth it. If you have about 4-5 grand burning a hole in your pocket, keep this one for parts, and buy one that needs little. My 1987 cost me 2600, but I've already dumped about 1500 more into it, and that is just the beginning. I figure it'll cost me close to 10,000 more to have it right, and that is still with a 22re/ auto. I love the 1st gens, but like any old Toyota, parts costs will eat you up. Good luck to you!!

 

Should be a great rig. No body damage worries. lol

 

well i installed a 3"body lift a few days after i got it and jacked the torsion bars. that turned into a big hassle cause i broke the bolts on both side even after letting them soak everyday for a week. o well heres how it looked.
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I found some old chevy rallys that i had that i painted black and picked up a set of 33x10.50x15 i picked for 200 from a guy in town.
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The centers of the wheels would not fit over the hubs so i had to torch some metal from the centers but i got them on and they fit good, So hows it look
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any comments or ideas would be helpfull and once again sorry for the pics, they r from my phone and there is alot of projects in the shop so its hard to get a good pic.

 

i started cutting the rust out of the back. it was pretty bad
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heres what it ended up looking like. Now im going to build a bumper that will go right under here
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I got the bed wirewheeled off and painted it
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Good progress, I am going to undercoat my interior this summer, along with the underside of the truck...

Good luck.

 

http://www.toyotafiberglass.com ... can help ya on the body ..

stronger then steel !

 

also alot more money then what i want to spend

 

heres another pic after the body lift,tires and wheels

The back was pretty rusty so i cut it all out
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I welded new metal in and this is what it looked like when done
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After i grinded the welds down i put fiberhair over the outside and then used resin and fiber cloth one the inside to waterproof it
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After sanding down the fiberglass i laid bondo over that, heres a couple pics.
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while waiting for that to harden so i could sand i tore apart the front end becasue i orderd a hood and two fenders for next to nothing.
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here it is after i got it all primed
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well my front clip came in and i was going to paint the truck red but it turned out an ugly dull red.
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so then i decided to go with a real dark blue color
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Im leaving the bottom unpainted because im going to use like a bed coating or a ruberized undercoating on it.well i havnt gottn any further on it then that. but what do you guys think. any opinions please and once again im so sorry for size of pics

 

wow man. i love your thinking. taking a 150 dollar truck making it run and looks great.

im sure you could make some bucks off that truck after you do all that to it. maybe do that to a few trucks and you could buy yourself a nice 3rd gen lol.

but seriously keep it, i wish i had the resources and knowledge you do.

rubberized undercoating couldnt be better. im gonna do that to the underside of my 4runner too.

are you going to leave the top black?
how many miles?

 

ps, definately get yourself a couple of cheap seats!!! get welding on the inside drivers floor too!!!

 

Awesome job...first thought was yep, that is a $150 truck, but WOW...looking great.

Just one suggestion: Get Rid of the Chevy Center caps...

 

thanks guys, yeah im going to get some seat covers for right now until i come across some seats. Im in no hurry right now. I did fix the floor, I cut back to the good metal and then welded new plate in and then fiberglassed around all the welds. Ill get some picks soon Yeah i set my limit at 2000 dollars for right now and im only at like 1400 and dont have to much more to do. As far as the chevy center caps thats all i had for right now and besides it covers up the centers of the wheels that i had to torch away. New wheels will be here soon

 

Yeah im going to paint the top back black and see what it looks like and if i dont like it i will change it later. Im using the undercoating because from were i welded and fiberglassed it isnt excactly smooth, theres a few high and low spots but the coating hides all that.
the frame only has one small rust hole up by the front bump stop but that isnt anything to fix. when the truck gets done im going to steam clean the frame with my presure washer and then pull it back in and paint everything.

O and i think the truck has 250,000 on it but it seems to run and drive great
a little noise from the timeing belt but that will b replaced soon enough

 

Ill be working on it tonight so i will try and snap some pics. I have to wet sand it and put the last coat of paint on it. hopefully i can get a skid plate made tonight and finish painting the camper top