haha. yeah. its not stock. thats for sure. lol.

 

so i went with curtisz and shonuff today to part out that 78. i got a new ebrake cable, and learned in sober eyes how to remove it. haha. also got a dome light cover, some flashers and relays under the dash, a center dash insert, a grille emblem, the oh **** handle and visor clips someone needed, and a few other misc things for 30 bucks. not a bad deal i guess.

he also has a first gen 4runner with a sunroof he will probably sell me. said i could cut the top of the pillars off and take the whole top of the roof. its a factory flush mounted one, and its massive for my 78 roof. so if i get that it would be welded in to my roof. since i wanna paint the top white anyways. i know how to weld things like that in. leave a few inches around the 4runner roof hole, and then cut the hole 1/2-3/4" smaller per edge than the new piece. and my buddy (runs a body shop) has an air flanger tool. it basically makes a small dip to my roof inwards. other side of the tool is like a hole punch for the new panel. so you overlap the two, and spot weld it in. then stitch weld the edge of the new panel to have it be a very strong, and much flatter, connection than just a buttweld. if id keep the side vents is up in the air. probably not. then paint the roof and b pillars white. cuz thats just old school

anyways, ill get some new pics after i make progress on the dash and console.

 

oh. and burnz, that grille was pretty crappy for a chrome version. lol. no shock there.

 

well i finally got to test fit the 67 plymouth ralley wheels. only checked the rear, and i think it will just barely clear inside. if i have to ill flare the bed. and i should have plenty of space for the fronts. they should look pretty sweet though. unique for sure. ill get a few photos tomorrow. its gonna be close for sure. makes me go back to thinking about using 79-83 4wd flares front and rear. ill get pics up tomorrow to show you all.


and im also gonna get my dash back together with the new interior parts i got. cant wait for that sunroof. lol.

 

Have any pics of 4x4 flares, Id like to maybe do ZG flares on a small truck like these, Ive seen pictures of it done either on a hilux or a datsun 620, not sure which one it was but it looked good, makes the truck seem wider and shorter, better stance, which coming from a 300zx background its what im looking for.

 

thanks for lookin out!

 

google 1980 4wd toyota. youll see what kinda flare i mean. i think they'll fit though. just barely. lol.

 

got the new center dash installed, wired up my new stereo "key" swtich using another wiper switch. it comes on in either high or low speed. acts as the ignition for turning it off an on. so i choose when its on not the key circuit. i gotta trim a few snags to let the deck sit down inward. and finish the final work on the console. also got the non a/c vent put on. and a dome light cover. i also put the new ebrake cable in. was kind tough but atleast i knew how from getting the parts truck one. truck looks alot better inside now. im getting the stereo harness rewired so i can install speakers in the b pillars and so the wiring reachs the new deck location. heres a photo.

 

well my newest planned mod is a funtional idea i had today. was at the junkyard and saw a 75 corolla with a metal hood vent. id never seen one before. it was factory. or it sure looked that way. no markings inside the part though. i would make a small box around my air filter with an open top. and a ducting from the driver side over to the passenger side running along the underside of the hood. theres clearance, and bending a panel would be easy. or is this some part thats ultra rare and worth money? lol. its pot metal, so i thought about polishing it up and painting the grille area black. heres a photo of the part, and the engine room tag from said corolla.

 

in case that isnt readable. i believe thats the same color orange as my truck. fitting huh? and it had the same seats i do (mine are from a rolla) but in white! too bad they were trased that would have been pimpy

MODEL: TE31L-KRA
ENGINE: 2T-C 1588cc/96.9cu.in.
FRAME No: TE31-093131
COLOR/TRIM: 336 ZU02
TRANS/AXLE: T40 S314
PLANT: A31

 

i picked up an 81 sr5 lower dash gauge panel to modify into my console. it had the amp gauge, but i fried it testing it. hahaha. also got a celica shift boot i should be able to use on the console. and a w55 slave cylinder to test out. hopefully that fixes the issues. otherwise the trans is coming back out.

i did throw some paint on all the visable frame and suspension parts, and am going to be rewiring the cab and insulating it some.

 

how much of that 4runner is left? im looking for some parts and i can probably pick them up when i come to seattle

 

i dunno. i missed out talking to the guy. dont have the money for that sunroof. ill just wait til i come across another one. i dont have a welder or shop space right now anyways.

 

overdue update:

i have since finished my W55 swap, and put a new clutch in. turns out, 2 days after the 55 was in i toasted my clutch. its all fixed now. i am going to focus on interior stuff now. i want to finnnnally finish my center console, and get it installed. im going to lay down alot of insulation and some carpet. i scrounged a set of aluminum sill plates from a ford we are parting out today. they are extruded not cast, and seem like they will clean up nicely. ill set them just overlapping my stock ones, to help hold the edge of the carpet down. for insulation, im going to use a can or two of spray on undercoating and some carpet jute padding. then some cheapie black carpet. itll all get spray glued down. not the best setup but its worked nicely in the past. and foam fill my b pillars. the back cab wall i dont think i can do anything to, other than maybe some spray coating on the outside of the cab. since it isnt really seen anyways. probably do inside the doors too. the stuff takes forever to dry, so ill probably drive a different truck for a day or two while it does.

ive also decided this summer to body drop my bed about 2-3" and double wall the sides. and build a permanent bed box up into the front from wood. then hurculine the whole thing. i will do this so i have room to tuck my gas tank up higher, as well as finally install the 4 link i have. 4runner bars for uppers, privia bars for lowers, and ill get some honda front struts for my rear spring setup. and ill do a decent sized notch. this way i can get the back a bit lower, have some usable travel, and keep it all under the floor.


anyways, ill start posting progress pictures as i start doing up my interior. wont be anything super fancy. im shooting for really simple and perfect for a daily driver. between that and a quieter exhaust, i hope to be able to have a conversation on the freeway without yelling. seriously, the truck is loud as **** anybody who has heard it in person can vouch for that one

 

i got my carpet install mostly done today. i have to put the pad and carpet down on the passenger side, but already have them roughly cut. so the interior is shaping up nicely. i foam filled my b pillars with some expanding foam the other day, so those mini echo chambers are gone. i need another can to finish them up though. i doubt my console will be done before the show, but atleast ill have some carpet. little by little, its coming along. ill have photos tomorrow.

 

looking good my friend. cant wait to see it.

 

well my computer was down for a couple weeks. seems to be working now. havent done much to the truck except a new exhaust from the header back. i went with a flowtech afterburn muffler. its a chambered but also has glass packing. sounds good. i have a joint that needs full welding because i did half (started raining) to finish it to go home. and i think i need to realign my header collecter flanges. but its sooo much quieter. i can hear myself think on the freeway now. lol

 

Foam fill the B pillars? Sounds like a good idea.

What do you use? That home depot Great Stuff spray can stuff?

 

thats what i used. i taped off the inside vents and just let it build up. i need to finish filling them. but with my new exhaust, carpet/pad, and the foam pillars its actually pleasurable to drive with a passenger now.

 

so a little update. i dropped my 81 22r block off at the machine shop today. its gettin bored over, crank spun, hot tanked, ect. then ill order pistons, rings, bearings, timing chain, oil pump, ect from enginebuilder. so ill have $600 or so into the bottom end. still debating cam choice. im on a budget, so whatever will work with stock valve springs is about what ill do.

then after this is all together, ill scoop up the 45 side draft my buddy has, and mod a stock 20r intake to mount to the single side draft carb. i can weld aluminum so it shouldnt be too bad. im thinkin this new motor, with a single 45, and a decent cam...i should be up about 180hp. which is pretty damn good for the more or less low bucks i have into it.

im also getting ready to do my alternator upgrade so i can run my fog lights and amps. i have a few in the shop i can mess with. a 90, a 95, and a 130. but the larger ones are serp belt so ill need to figure out a pulley for a v belt, and make a bracket.

i also modified a corona chrome shifter arm to have a new shifter position that will be further forward, and shorter overall. so that will clear my console so i can finish molding it up and fiiiiinally vinyl it up. trucks been getting progress here and there but its slow going.

anyways, ill stop slacking and get some pics soon.