Quinn's '81

Discussion in '1976-1983 Build-Up/Project Threads' started by quinnjamin, Jan 29, 2021.

  1. quinnjamin

    quinnjamin Newbie

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2020
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    Orem, UT
    Truck:
    81 pickup
    Here's my truck! It seems to be pretty solid mechanically, but will need a lot of attention. I already ordered 4wd front fenders. It might be a while before I find the flares for the rear. I'm hoping to work out most of the other dents, although the hood looks a bit tricky, and I might end up buying new or used. Future plans also include dropping the truck a couple of inches, finding a sweet wheel/tire combo, and doing a lot of work on the interior.

    Does anyone know if a steering wheel from a 78 will bolt up right in place of my current one? I found one on my local classifieds thats in great shape.
     
    Ivey and 1982 like this.
  2. quinnjamin

    quinnjamin Newbie

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2020
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    Orem, UT
    Truck:
    81 pickup
    Screen Shot 2021-01-29 at 9.16.43 PM.png I also picked up this bench out of 79 that's in much better shape than my buckets. I plan on sewing it up and covering it.
     
  3. quinnjamin

    quinnjamin Newbie

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2020
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    Orem, UT
    Truck:
    81 pickup
    Today we made some big time progress on the ol truck. We started out with these seats. The pool noodle memory foam specials from the previous owner were awesome, but I think we upgraded with the bench. My brother found a set of keys for the truck buried in the noodle mess. Some new tabs needed to be welded on the brackets so they would thread in. I got the bench cover off amazon and sewed and surged the built in headrests off. It fits like a glove. The steering wheel off of a 78 truck fit the spline, but the mechanism for the blinker shut-off thing was different. Mine is a plastic piece with 2 prongs that fits into the holes in the steering wheel base. So after some measuring, removing prongs from the 78 steering wheel, and drilling, it worked out just gravy. The 78 wheel was in such better shape. I'm pretty happy with the look and feel of the "new" wheel. Last big job today was front fenders. That went smoother than I thought. Soon I'll lose the lovely stinger. I've gotta get a 4wd front valence, new driver light bucket, new 4wd fender liners, and a bunch of other things. I'm so excited to see it when there's flares on the rear, crown vic wheels (I'm on the hunt, like a jungle cat!), and a good lowering. We got all the mods today done in about 2.5 hours. Still had time to take it around the neighborhood.
     
  4. Liquidhandwash

    Liquidhandwash Enthusiast

    Joined:
    May 19, 2018
    Messages:
    252
    Likes Received:
    105
    Location:
    Northen VIC
    Truck:
    1980 diesel
    The crown vic wheels will look great, can't get them here in Australia I had to settle for falcon wheels
     
  5. jetas

    jetas Grand Toyotaholic

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2009
    Messages:
    6,655
    Likes Received:
    1,091
    Location:
    Oxnard, CA
    Truck:
    72.5 Hilux
    Just remove the fender liners all together.
     
  6. quinnjamin

    quinnjamin Newbie

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2020
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    Orem, UT
    Truck:
    81 pickup
    I figured thats what most mini truckers were doing, but wanted to make sure. Thanks.
     
  7. quinnjamin

    quinnjamin Newbie

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2020
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    Orem, UT
    Truck:
    81 pickup

    Well folks, this last weekend was a big step in the right direction for the build. I have to figure out how to get more pictures up, cuz it's saying I met a limit of data on here.

    Basically, I bought a very lightly used stainless exhaust system from a 2016 subaru wrx, hacked it up, and made a custom exhaust for the yota. It acutally sounds just like I wanted it! I was pleasantly surprised. I did a few other things to the truck, but I'm gonna figure out the picture thing first before showing you the process. Can I delete some of my media and add more? Or will that take the pictures out of the thread? SOS.
     
    Erwin Merida likes this.
  8. jetas

    jetas Grand Toyotaholic

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2009
    Messages:
    6,655
    Likes Received:
    1,091
    Location:
    Oxnard, CA
    Truck:
    72.5 Hilux
    Imgur is good for hosting pics. Upload there and paste the link here
     
  9. quinnjamin

    quinnjamin Newbie

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2020
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    Orem, UT
    Truck:
    81 pickup
    https://imgur.com/eMTQ9Oc So here's the exhaust when we got it. We figured we might be able to use some of it, and have it be pretty unique.
    https://imgur.com/CpEgY2B We figured out in the dreaming phase that it wasn't gonna fit (hanging too low, too wide) under the lil pickup. The wrx mufflers are pretty tall and triangular.
    https://imgur.com/FPwlekG
    https://imgur.com/0oxlkVo
    https://imgur.com/vDS4C4n
    We made two sketchy stands out of railroad ties to put the back wheels up on. The bend in the wrx pipe fit really well over the rear axle, and after welding a 2" to 2.5" adapter off the header, we only needed to use a bit of extra stainless to make it work.
    https://imgur.com/USZ6S6C
    https://imgur.com/ZjiqxIz
    I thought of fitting it up like this with the tall part of the triangle tucked into the best space. It gave some porsche vibes or something. We welded in supports and hangers, and got it all fabbed up. It took pretty much all day, with a couple of breaks.
    https://imgur.com/u3VlA8t We saw this beauty while on a supply run.
    https://imgur.com/LoTCBdn
    https://imgur.com/cwCINz3
    https://imgur.com/ynnEsBQ
    At the end of the night we had to innovate quick to get the truck sea-worthy with a bumper and turn signals. I hope to find some real brackets to mount the bumper but for now this will do. The next morning I drove it 256 miles home to Utah. What a ride! It was real sketchy but it hummed at 65-75 all the way back. It likes to pop out of 5th, and without a good bungee setup, I was holding that knob the whole way home. Total arm workout. Since getting it home I've worked on registering it, cleaned quite a bit on the interior, replaced my blinker fuse, and got most of the rusty spots off my wheels with steel wool and WD40. I'm looking forward to driving it and getting more done on it now that it's home.
     
    jetas likes this.
  10. jetas

    jetas Grand Toyotaholic

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2009
    Messages:
    6,655
    Likes Received:
    1,091
    Location:
    Oxnard, CA
    Truck:
    72.5 Hilux
    Use the image insert tool on here to post the pics. Its the little rectangle with the "mountains and sun" next to the happy face.
     
  11. Liquidhandwash

    Liquidhandwash Enthusiast

    Joined:
    May 19, 2018
    Messages:
    252
    Likes Received:
    105
    Location:
    Northen VIC
    Truck:
    1980 diesel
    With Imgur you're doing it wrong:-( click on the image you want in your post you will get a box full of copy paste options. copy the "BB code and paste in your text job done
    [​IMG]
     
  12. Erwin Merida

    Erwin Merida Toyotaholic

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2016
    Messages:
    1,056
    Likes Received:
    344
    Location:
    Long Beach, California
    Truck:
    LEXXXI - angry '93 ShortBed
    ^^That image still get me rolling! Hahaha
     
  13. quinnjamin

    quinnjamin Newbie

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2020
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    Orem, UT
    Truck:
    81 pickup
  14. Erwin Merida

    Erwin Merida Toyotaholic

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2016
    Messages:
    1,056
    Likes Received:
    344
    Location:
    Long Beach, California
    Truck:
    LEXXXI - angry '93 ShortBed
    Good way to be unique! Looks promising!
     

Share This Page