Hiiiiidy hoooe everybody! I figure it's time I make a build thread and document this slow paced build.

Short story on my Hilux. It is a 1978 shortbed 20r with the w50 5spd, that only has 51,129 original miles (don't be fooled though it's rough). The truck was purchased by my grandpa in 1979 and rarely driven. After his death it sat and was driven even less, as it wasn't needed.

I remember learning to drive a 5 speed on this truck when I was 11 or 12. A few years later it was untagged and sat in my dads back yard until I brought it over to my house with intentions of fixxing it up. Work and family came and didn't allow the time and again it was pushed to the side and it sat beside my shed in the bushs for almost 8 years.

I have a little more time now and decided to start on it. I cut it from the trees and bushs and pulled it back into the drive.

I rounded up some spare tires that hold air (for the most part) and the old steel wagon spokes dad had sitting in his shed, now the truck is on matching wheels that hold air. The truck was full of junk (inside and out) so I started by cleaning it out and removing the seats. What I found was a very rusted drivers floor, from a leaky window gasket letting water in an wet carpet mats. (Next project step)

Before I dove to far in I wanted to ensure it would run. I put jumper cables on it and put a little gas in the carb and it fired off and idled until it ran out. The intank pump no longer works but I have a new pump I will be installing.

Project goals are to get it running and stopping correctly. Then rust repair and straightening the body along with lowering it (static) probably 3/4. I want to clean up the interior really nice for a driver and plan to straighten the body panels but leave the rusty ratty patina look, just clean and satin clear. And when I'm ready stanced on 15 or 16 x8 or x9 steelies.

 

With the help of the wife I pulled the bed tonight for a little frame and fuel tank/pump work.

 

Always nice having your woman willing to get her hands dirty

 

You have got that right! The Lord has blessed me with a very good wife. She has helped out on several projects in our 9yrs (I'm always working on some type of project).

Well surprisingly after be awake since 330am and working the first "day shift" I've worked in over 2 years, I actually stayed awake when I got home and made some progress.

I killed a cup of coffee and drained very old brownish black dead gasoline from the tank. After it was empty I could get a better idea of the rust issue inside and it was a lot better than I suspected. From about the middle up was light flakey surface rust and in the bottom is a black gasoline goo. I sit back and stared at it for a bit trying to decode if I wanted to try rinsing the crap out with the tank mounted (yes I'm lazy) or pull it and acid wash it. I ended up dropping it and plan to acid wash it and thoroughly clean it before I put it back on. While the tank is out I will be addressing the frame rust also. Lucky for me it is only surface rust that a wire brush and some chassis paint should easily fix.

 

And as I mentioned earlier I have always liked the "patina" "ratrod" style and plan to leave this thing as a cleaned up ratty truck. So after reading about how to clean old paint on several hotrod forums I found a thread about using CLR and scot brite pads. This is just a very fast first attempt to see if it would work. I think the patina on the letters turned out pretty sweet looking. Should turn out nice after I wet sand some of the rough areas and satin clear it.

 

Should be a nice little truck once ur done.

 

IIRC there are a few products out there for taking care of the gas tank without acid washing it. I remember reading about it for old motorcycle gas tanks. Stuff you simply pour in and swish around, then it hardens as it reacts with the rust - kinda how POR15 works. can't recall the brand, sorry.

 

Evapo Rust might do that to an extent

 

This weekends update (though not big nor exciting) was a must.

I showed the gas tank some much needed attention. My dad told me "I can't remember but I believe that toyota was leaking gas if filled over half way". After feeling it with water I would say he has a pretty decent memory. First issue (other than the rust holes) was the varnished junk that had built u in the bottom. Kinda hard to see, but it's that nasty black shit.

After feeling it with water to check for the rusty leaks, I just put the hose in and let the water run and rinse out all the loose crap. After that I started with the muratic acid (yes the strong acid used to etch concrete) I got from Lowes.

1st acid wash
Then I put a 3' length of log chain inside along with some CLR along with some water and sloshed it around, then rinsed out.

2nd acid wash
I left the chain in and sloshed it around with the acid.

3rd acid wash

 

Between each acid wash I am rinsing it out with water from a garden hose and scrubbing the rusted spots on the outside with CLR and a wire brush (hence the water leaking from the rust holes more).
4th acid wash
Then I poured in half a box of baking soda to nutaralize the acid.
Then stuck the garden hose in and let it rinse for a while. After all the baking soda residue is gone, wash out with dawn dish soap and hot water. Dump out water and let it dry over night. Then today I washed it out with a acetone wash. After the acetone was drained I put my shop vac on blow and crammed the hose inside and let it "blow dry" for 30minutes.

Next step is lining the tank with 'Red Kote'
I had half of a an left over from a previous tank so I stated lining it with that and got a good first coating. I ran out Of day time and didn't get any pics of that, but will get some of the coated tank tommorow.

 

Can't wait to see it fully restored!

 

Red Kote - that's the stuff I couldn't remember the name of!

So you're not welding those holes shut???

 

Nope. I restored/built a custom bike (1981 gs850) winter 2014- spring 2015. The tank on it had a rusty spot a lot worse than this and bigger holes. I did the same process with it and never had a problem again. I can't remember the exact size, but the Ref Kote can even says it will seal holes (I believe up to 1/16").

Anyhow Red Kote is expensive but really great product (if prepped right).

 

I gotta see this. Please post close up pics of the holes after you've Red Kote'd it.

 

I ran out of red kote on the 1st coat while usin a partial can that I had. So today I went to Orielly's and got another can.

Before starting the second coat I peeled the painter tape off of the rust holes and they had leaked some, but appears to have sealed. A little painters tape is stuck where the red kote bled through it (the big spots). I poured 3/4 of the new can inside and tilted the tank all directions and seem to have a good coat now. This is first coat with the old can.

This is the new can and second coating. Awesome stuff.


Last picture is the best my phone would take of a close up of the seals rust pin hole.

Sorry if my posts have been boring thus far, but I'm really trying to knock of all of the basics to get it running and dependable while keeping a record as I go (something I wish I would have done on my many other projects over the years).

 

Fascinating. Thanks for the pics.

 

Red Kote dried over night and I got it primered and painted black again.

 

I shouldve painted my tank while i had it out. Looks good