Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
I paid through the nose for it. $3000 for a rolled Tacoma. That same week, I bought a 2004 Yukon XL 2500 with a perfect body for $2500. SO I paid more for a rolled Taco than for a perfect Suburban...!
1st Gen Hilux 3RZ build thread - Stoffregen Motorsports
- Thread starter Stoffregen Motorsports
- Start date
Simons
Adventurer
I'm gonna have to give that a try, thanks! I just discovered your seriesI thread. I remember reading that magazine and thinking how perfect that match up was. As far as attachments go, I only wanted to attach that picture so I'm not sure what else you see. I'm using "Tapatalk" to post from my phone so who knows.
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
They're not cheap around here because of the high value of used cars in CA. Wrecking yards make a killing on all the parts if they're disassembled and inventoried properly. Also, these trucks in particular are bought up by people like me looking to do motor swaps or by people wanting to build rock crawlers. I'm only 50 miles from the Rubicon trailhead and I can't drive two miles without seeing another Toyota crawler. So actually, I paid about fair market value.
Bring some of those $300 Tacomas to me and I'll make it worth your while.
Bring some of those $300 Tacomas to me and I'll make it worth your while.
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
That Rover is like a trophy wife. I can't bring it anywhere without someone drooling over it. The funny thing is, it's just an old Landy. I remember when they contacted me to do the story. I asked them if they had the right phone number...!
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
I knew in the beginning that I wanted to run coilovers up front, so even though I am running leaf springs now, I still wanted to do as much of the link suspension fab work as I could before I sent the cab off to paint.
Here I am building the shock hoops which are 1.75" tubing sleeved with 1.5"x .120" tubing for massive strength.
I twisted them to add triangulation. You can see how they mount on top of the frame at the rear, but outside the frame on an outrigger at the front of the frame.
You can see the Tacoma booster and brake master in this pic. I had to move the clutch master over about 1/2" to clear the Tacoma brake booster. I want good brakes!
Here I am building the shock hoops which are 1.75" tubing sleeved with 1.5"x .120" tubing for massive strength.
I twisted them to add triangulation. You can see how they mount on top of the frame at the rear, but outside the frame on an outrigger at the front of the frame.
You can see the Tacoma booster and brake master in this pic. I had to move the clutch master over about 1/2" to clear the Tacoma brake booster. I want good brakes!
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Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
The Borgeson steering shaft ran so close to the driver's side shock hoop that I had to notch it for clearance.
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
Next up: building a custom hybrid tilt steering column.
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
It is gonna be cool. If you're even remotely serious, let's talk. 1st gen trucks are hot right now and this one will not disappoint. I am paying heavy attention to detail on this build.
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
Thanks guys. I'll have more pics up this afternoon.
Stoffregen Motorsports
Explorer
Back to the steering column.
I wanted to use the Tacoma column electronics to give the interior an updated feel and to simplify the wiring process. It seemed easier to modify the Tacoma column to fit the '83 than it did to fit the Tacoma electronics to the '83 column. So I basically just cut the Tacoma brackets off and replaced them with the '83 brackets.
After mounting it up for a test, I realized that there was too much flex in the column so I added another mounting point to the column. I mounted all these brackets to a sleeve that would hold the column then I would weld it in place later, after I set the column depth.
But even that wasn't enough. The firewall flexed under the windshield so reinforcements were brought in. Plating was added to the firewall and to the column support. This all but eliminated the flex.
I wanted to use the Tacoma column electronics to give the interior an updated feel and to simplify the wiring process. It seemed easier to modify the Tacoma column to fit the '83 than it did to fit the Tacoma electronics to the '83 column. So I basically just cut the Tacoma brackets off and replaced them with the '83 brackets.
After mounting it up for a test, I realized that there was too much flex in the column so I added another mounting point to the column. I mounted all these brackets to a sleeve that would hold the column then I would weld it in place later, after I set the column depth.
But even that wasn't enough. The firewall flexed under the windshield so reinforcements were brought in. Plating was added to the firewall and to the column support. This all but eliminated the flex.
