It looks like my thread under "introduce yourself" has been archived and it's about time for me to have a build thread anyway...

My name is Jason and I live in Houston, Texas. My first car was a green 1975 RN23 that my dad bought for $1600 in 1991. He drove it four years before giving it to me when I turned 16. I beat it up for another year before selling it for $800. I moved on to S10's but always regretting selling my 75. I've been prowling craigslist for years, looking for a well maintained RN23 to tinker with and stumbled across this gem in North Carolina. I flew out and purchased this 77 model with 123k original miles and the original paint. I drove it 1000 miles back to Houston without a single problem.





I'm told the wheels were from an 84. The seller provided the original wheels which I had powder coated and installed with new rubber.





Some of my other hobbies include motorcycles and scooters. Below is some pics of my Honda Ruckus scooters

 

Nice Find! looks great! I've always like The Ruckus too. Best looking scooter IMO

 

GREAT looking truck!!! And especially for being the original paint. Even though my truck is garaged, it has seen it fair share of the CA sun like when I was at work.

The wheels indeed look like from the '84-'88 era with Toyota written across the center cap. The '82's & '83's had the plastic center cap with the over-sized "T" in the middle & the '79-'81 had a metal center cap.

And it looks like you have some fun hobbies to keep you busy

Rick

 

Our neighborhood mechanic shop asked if I would show my truck at their annual classic and custom car show. I accepted and while I didn't win any prizes, everyone seemed to appreciate the lone, oddball, Japanese classic.

 

Wow, very clean truck. Hope you don't ever get rid of it.

 

What a Gem!

 

Thanks. I have no intention of selling it. I constantly get offers. I just say I won't take a penny under $10k. That sends them on their way

I ordered a weber carb and hope to have it installed in the next week. I'll get some pics up once complete.

 

Updates...

Installed a Weber 32/36 carb and removed the emissions junk with the help of you forum members. Thank you.

I still have a little cleaning up to do.

The extra junk...


Both bikes won't for in the back of your tiny truck, she said. Laugh, I did.

 

Looks awesome! So clean its really rare to find em in this condition with original paint!

 

Another thing you could do to clean up the engine bay a little is take off the heat shield around the exhaust manifold. Both trucks I've had I removed it and never had any problems, just make sure your plug wires stay off of it

You could also clean up the painted areas and make them shine a little.

 

That's is a slick looking truck. Also I love the scooters!

 

Thanks!

I added a tachometer so I can keep my eyes on the RPMs when at highway speeds. I had no idea it is so easy to add a tach to a car or truck. I will never go without one ever again.

$40 from the local Pep Boys. Works great.

 

I like the color actually, kinda nice seeing it sitting by all the american muscle! Also the tach, I like it but the bolt is off setting to me, maybe flip it if possible? Just my 2 cents, or is that a temp placement?

 

Thanks! Temp placement for now. It's off a little to the right as well, which works as I don't have to look around or move my left wrist from it's comfortable resting position.

I've been really nervous taking the truck to speeds over 65mph. Now I see that I can go 70mph without breaking 4000rpms, I feel much better. When it's time for a rebuild, I'm throwing in a 5 speed.

 

The oem 5 speed doesn't have that tall of an overdrive .87?. I am pulling almost the same rpm with 4.10 gear and 185/75/14.

 

Yeah, according to Haynes repair manual that the gear ratios are the following. I figured every little bit helps, even if it's only a few hundred RPMs.

L43 Four Speed
1st ... 3.674
2nd ... 2.114
3rd ... 1.403
4th ... 1.000

W50 Five Speed
1st ... 3.287
2nd ... 2.043
3rd ... 1.394
4th ... 1.000
5th ... 0.853

 

Wow, I have a few new vehicles that don't look this clean. Nice looking truck you scored!

 

I changed my 5 speed 80 4x2 from the 4.10 to the 3.42. It helped some, but not as much as I wanted. You may want to look at a 3.08, if you want to stay with 14 wheels. My next step is 16 RAV 4 steelies, which require 1in spacers, but should drop the highway RPM some more

 

I do about 4000rpm at 80mph with 4.10 gears and stock 4 speed..

Eventually I will put in my unknown 5speed and 3.07 gears..

 

I am considering a 3.07 as well, but am holding out to see the impact of the wheels/tires first. The 3.42 was too conservative, I know that much.