1st Gen Hilux 3RZ build thread - Stoffregen Motorsports

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I've finally compiled enough pictures and made enough progress to start a build thread on my 1983 Toyota. This is the first truck I have built for myself in a long time, so I'm taking the time to do it right, making sure to keep in mind all the things I've ever wanted. I have been trying to adhere to a plan, but I'm sure you all know how that goes. My plan was to build a simple, but really clean, military inspired, rugged and tough off-roader, but that morphed into a hot-rod inspired color scheme and race-car style build. Light and fast rock crawler with desert capability.

Here is the first shot of it. It already had ARB's and 5.29's with a 4.7 case. Other than that, everything had to go.


I started with the odd jobs, like the fuel tank. I wanted a larger tank and I needed to install the EFI pump. So I took a tank from a '84 carbureted truck and cut the top off, then I butchered the '98 Tacoma tank for the pieces. The bed had to be modified and I had to build a crossmember to hang it from.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Replacing the stock rear axle was a must. I used a '87 IFS rear housing with some mods, but kept my ARB diff.

Stock axle.


Old and new housings for comparison.


Dinky axle tube diameter and skinny width along with small brakes make the stock axle undesirable.


The stock front brakes were something I've wanted to play with. Everybody uses the IFS V6 calipers and FJ rotors, but I wanted something better. Front Range Off Road sells a bracket to bolt the Tacoma calipers to the stock knuckle, and the slip on rotor makes brake work a lot easier. IFS hubs had to be modified to fit the Tacoma rotors.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

The IFS hubs and the Tacoma rotors added 3.5 inches of width to the stock solid axle width. Adding wheel spacers increases the scrub, which is bad for handling, on and off road. It also induces death wobble and puts strain on the kingpins or trunion bearings. The IFS hubs are basically a wheel spacer so I corrected that with the custom backspacing cut into the wheel. I bought some 17 x 9 Trail Ready HD beadlocks with 5 inch backspacing specifically to help bring the scrub back to normal. A custom axle housing, probably 65 inches wide will eventually be built to give the truck the proper stance.

 

[mtnkid85]

Looks like a great start. Do you already have the 3rz lined up?

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Already bought a donor truck. Took the complete drivetrain, electrical, fuel system, emissions control systems and parted out the rest. Between the sale of the Tacoma parts and the stock 22R I am only into the donor parts for $1000.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Drivetrain was next. I already had a 4.7 case from the '83, so I bought a pair of adapters from Inchworm to build the dual case setup.

Here's stock Tacoma.


Building the reduction box.






Mock up cases ready for building the motor mounts.


Assembled and ready for install.

 

[Adventurous]

Super cool. I'm curious to see how this progresses.

 

[4runnin']

Cool! I'll be watching!

 

[Derek24]

Nice! Great work so far!

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Thanks guys.

The motor fit nicely in the engine bay, but building and fitting all the mounts, etc requires putting the engine in and out multiple times.


The V6 radiator wouldn't fit the '83 frame so I had to modify the front frame horns to make room.


You can see in this pick how the frame is tapered inward. This had to be changed to fit the radiator in between the frame rails.


And while I was in there, I decided to move the steering box as far forward as it would go.

 

[nickw]

Cool Truck

...does this mean you'll be selling the Toyrover, or Landyota?

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Building the new front frame crossmember and plating the frame.








I make my own frame plates to incorporate the steering box mount.






Then I took a notch out of the bottom of the frame rail to clear a flat pitman arm.




Then plate the top of the frame between the steering box plates.


This pic shows a motor mount.

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

...does this mean you'll be selling the Toyrover, or Landyota?

Possibly...!

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Radiator support was next. The V6 radiator barely fit, and only after I modified the frame rails. But I wanted to have enough room for a factory clutch fan, with enough clearance between the fan and radiator core. So I moved the radiator and A/C condenser forward a bit.

 

[Dwill817]

Keep leaf spring all the way around?

Lookin good! I need to buy a little car so I can tear into mine like this..