ForgetTheStatusQuo
New member
Hello all,
You guys have a great forum here! I have been lurking for a couple years now, dreaming of building an expedition vehicle and heading out west.
I had intentions of buying a 4th Gen 4runner and setting it up, but I'd rather not lose all that money on depreciation. My instincts are also telling me to build a truck with a frame under it. Recently a '95 4runner with 140k miles, 3.0, Auto, ARB Bull Bar bumper, 8000lb Warn winch, Safari snorkel, sliders, Marlin Crawler rear bumper, 4" lift, and 31" Goodyear Duratracs popped up on craigslist. When I saw the expedition white paint, I knew I had to have it. After some negotiations, I drove it home for $2500. The truck came from AZ and has zero rust on the frame or body. The interior is in great shape as well. I plan on trying to build the cheapest, toughest, most fuel efficient truck possible out of her.
The 3.0 was getting 14mpg hwy and I knew the head gaskets wouldn't last long, so I started looking into engine swaps. I come from a drag racing background and I have a few under my belt. A quick search on youtube revealed quite a few guys that have done a VW 1.9 TDI swap and they are getting 35-42mpg.
Back to craigslist for a donor car. After a couple weeks of searching I found a wrecked '99 TDI Jetta with 148k miles on it a couple states away. Made the drive down to Lexington, KY, told the guy about my mission, and brought the car home for $300.
I quickly realized my auto trans wasn't going to shift properly behind the TDI, so I started the search for a manual. Found a guy on craigslist selling a complete drivetrain. $1150 Later I was on my way home with an R150F V6 Style 5 Speed, a driveshaft, a crossmember, a stack of two 4cyl style gear drive transfer cases with triple drilled flanges, a dual case adapter, a 4 cyl to v6 adapter plate, and a solid front axle with 4.88's, as well as a complete 4.10 third member. The axle came with a high steer setup and flat pitman arm. The guy also gave me the front part of his frame which includes most of the stuff I will need to hang the leafs. Pics of drivetrain coming soon.
Please feel free to critique my build. I need all the advice I can get.
A couple pics of her first time out with the 3.0:
*I tried to post pics, but I get a message: "You are not allowed to post links".
You guys have a great forum here! I have been lurking for a couple years now, dreaming of building an expedition vehicle and heading out west.
I had intentions of buying a 4th Gen 4runner and setting it up, but I'd rather not lose all that money on depreciation. My instincts are also telling me to build a truck with a frame under it. Recently a '95 4runner with 140k miles, 3.0, Auto, ARB Bull Bar bumper, 8000lb Warn winch, Safari snorkel, sliders, Marlin Crawler rear bumper, 4" lift, and 31" Goodyear Duratracs popped up on craigslist. When I saw the expedition white paint, I knew I had to have it. After some negotiations, I drove it home for $2500. The truck came from AZ and has zero rust on the frame or body. The interior is in great shape as well. I plan on trying to build the cheapest, toughest, most fuel efficient truck possible out of her.
The 3.0 was getting 14mpg hwy and I knew the head gaskets wouldn't last long, so I started looking into engine swaps. I come from a drag racing background and I have a few under my belt. A quick search on youtube revealed quite a few guys that have done a VW 1.9 TDI swap and they are getting 35-42mpg.
Back to craigslist for a donor car. After a couple weeks of searching I found a wrecked '99 TDI Jetta with 148k miles on it a couple states away. Made the drive down to Lexington, KY, told the guy about my mission, and brought the car home for $300.
I quickly realized my auto trans wasn't going to shift properly behind the TDI, so I started the search for a manual. Found a guy on craigslist selling a complete drivetrain. $1150 Later I was on my way home with an R150F V6 Style 5 Speed, a driveshaft, a crossmember, a stack of two 4cyl style gear drive transfer cases with triple drilled flanges, a dual case adapter, a 4 cyl to v6 adapter plate, and a solid front axle with 4.88's, as well as a complete 4.10 third member. The axle came with a high steer setup and flat pitman arm. The guy also gave me the front part of his frame which includes most of the stuff I will need to hang the leafs. Pics of drivetrain coming soon.
Please feel free to critique my build. I need all the advice I can get.
A couple pics of her first time out with the 3.0:
*I tried to post pics, but I get a message: "You are not allowed to post links".
