So I bought this truck earlier this summer mainly because of how well it runs, the design, and the name. My family has always had Toyotas. Looking at old school photos from toyotareference.com and really wanting to learn all about mechanics, I decided to do the best to restore this junk box people glare at... (or it is me?)









Anywho, I was thinking about doing a build thread here, but thought it more work than i wanted to spend, but due to a VERY SHOCKING happening today which is very similar to this story, I decided I better make one to get help.



Long story short, I already knew my floor pans were rusted out, so I just kinda threw old t shirts over it until I have the money to buy all the equipment to fix it. Hoooowwweevver.... driving back from dropping my friend off from work (about 20 miles round trip) I notice less than two blocks away something burning. "Brake friction?....Muffler overheating? !!!?" But I decided to look at it at home, less than a block away. Next thing I know my floor is on fire and flames are underneath my feet SCREECH! swerve....... turn off truck...jump out truck, throws shirts on ground....truck begans to ROLL down street fast like Risky Business... NO NO... jumps back in truck, brake, put it in first....kill any last fire...

So......yeah, fabric on exhaust pipe.....not good!!!! Doesn't help I had a 2 gallon gas can behind the seat!!




Now... a gang of questions now since I'm new at this!!!


First..... I was reading several threads on welding panels and such. Anyone can recommend darn cheap equipment for welding the floor pan and small parts around the chassis bolts? Cheap, but does the job GOOD is important.

Second.... what to do with all this RUST? I've seen some nice looking under sides on this site, lol. I would like to make my frame and steelies nice, but I only have so much elbow grease! I don't know what to buy or how to use it. Muric acid is out of the question, but something good that works?






Third.... there are quite a lot of holes in the cab. I know some are for seat belts and carpet buttons and body plugs. Some from the idiot previous owner who tried to mount a stereo with a drill... Can I just fill this with body filler, or is something else preferred? Links appreciated. I notice also a piece of metal under the passengers seat for something...i'm not sure what though? take a look.



Finally, my rear vents drive me NUTS when I go to work. They just shake and SQUEAK really loudly and annoyingly. I tightened them...loosened them...it stops for a little, then comes back. Is there a gasket behind these I'm missing?




There are four parts trucks in my local salvage yard ( 3 '77 long beds, 1 '79 short bed, and '79 long bed) that I'm getting the bed, e. brake cables, grille, replacement fender, valance, and bumpers from. This will be quite something when I'm done I hope! I've done some minor paint work so far, which turned out fair (but chipping some parts). I hope to paint the body hunter green to give it a nice woodsy look... the brown console is a nice contrast I think. I never liked the all black interior.

Thanks for looking. Any help would be appreciated greatly. I'm only 21, so this is taking all my money pretty much!! And I haven't even begun to get it winterized yet!

 

well i thought my truck was rough when i got it but u win... lol as far as patching holes and stuff in ur floor boards i have seen ppl use fiberglass but ur best off welding in new steel in my own opinion.. wont be a bad looking truck after u get a real bed on it and the cab all sealed up

 

I hope so! I don't like the wooden bed one bit (other than its ease of getting to the fuel pump, haha)

 

u have an electric fuel pump?

 

the rust on the frame and steelies can easily be sanded off so i wouldnt consider it too big of a deal, i definitely wouldnt recommend filling any holes with body filler, especially if ur planning on getting a welder, i dont know if u have seen my build thread but thats basically how my floors looked, i know it might look overwhelming at first but once u get a little bit of experience welding it should actually be pretty easy, good luck to ya man and that looks like a pretty great truck ya got there

 

first and foremost .. is to set a plan / budget

then go from there ..


.

 

Nice truck you got there, And dont worry about all the questions thats why we are here. Ok Just weld up some still plates for the floor. No body filler will end up cracking down the road then your back where you started. That metal piece behind the seat i think thats for a jack. But i might be wrong. But i gotta love the black duct tape holding the back window in.

 

Update

Okay so i've been getting help from others all around the forum and put all the puzzle pieces. Thanks to everyone. i'm thinking: "I probably should update my build thread....it's been months!"


After washing and scrubbing, a can of Gunk, a bottle of Purple Power, various scrub brushes and a few hours on a sunday, under the bonnet went from dirty "junk the trunk" to clean and serene, lol. make way for paint!


View of block. My block heater cord broke in November while trying to put chains on while it was still plugged in (oops), so I might just take it out and get a frost plug. If you note in the top right corner, my distributor has dual vacuum advance, but my car isn't high altitude built. I just capped the sub diaphragm. Correct?


New spark wires, dizzy cap/rotor. Just bought a new coil today too imma put in later. Question: The exhaust manifold heat insulator always rattles because of the loose nuts on them, but tightening a couple of them made them seize up and now turn in circles. is the bolt attached to the manifold or insulator or can i get a new nut/bolt set for it?


This is my recent headache. Twice i've had to crawl under the truck and whack at the muffler to get this exhaust pipe in. I tightened it, but I'm just going to get a new pipe. All I need is on RockAuto.com, so long as the 79 uses the same hookup? (pipe, hangers, gaskets?)



What size screw are these?


Over at this thread, rink gave me an extra vacuum diagram. Got my hot air intake diaphragm working That valve cover is just begging to be painted!


And interior/exterior shots. I had the floors replaced last year on the cheap. Parking brake cables put in from a '77, but they're too short (??) so I had to get a coupler to attach to the equalizer bar. Bench seat I'll redo toward the end. Console's going to be repainted stock, but black plastikote on radio bezel and side vents worked AMAZING...something I am proud of everyday when I drive.. I gotta take those stupid broken bumper brackets off, 'cause I have a brand new dented bumper to be put in ($10). The bed's also new I suppose. Most all of this was done last Oct/Nov/Dec. Just working on making it last.

 

lookin good. the bolts for the fuel filler neck should be a 10mm head. same as what the front fender is attached with

 

Thats a nice lookin truck.... are you going to lower it?

 

Haha, if i had the time and energy to, i probably would consider it, but this ol' truck's probably going to go back to stock look. I really want to get rid of that back bumper...I broke one of the side brackets for it going up a steep driveway, so the bed is the only thing keeping it on.

 

stock yellow color too?

 

The bolts you need for the filler neck are 6mmx1.25 about 10mm long.

 

thanks @white trash. yep, it was originally yellow. the previous owner did the primer gray. I thought about going to Olive green, but now for plans on selling it one day, just white seems ok. I got the bumper bars off today FINALLY. i've been trying at those for a few months at various times. Imma put on the new bumper on after I paint. I'd like to get a new valence, but i'm cheap...so maybe...maybe i'll fix mine.

I'm rockin steelies. that's the spare tire in the back i spray painted a few months back. Can caps LIE, but its still nice. I'll probably find another color though. The fourth wheel in the front (the front two wheels on my truck are round holes.)

 

nice to see some progress on this truck, keep us updated!

 

Just thought I'd throw in that I've rebuilt the carb and painted the passenger side of the engine bay. I did go with the Olive 637 as green is my favorite color . Putting it all back together soon.

 

about the gas filler screws i may be wrong but my 78 hilux has screw heads with bolt threads not 10mm fender bolts