Hilux Surf - My New Project

[Techno Guy]

Just collected this 27 year old 150K miles truck. Shes a bit grubby, but drives superbly.

A couple of quick snaps of the beast. She's a Mk3 SSRG, KZN185, 3L intercooled with centre diff, overdrive and winter pack. One owner since import in 2004 and 16 years worth of history and receipts. It was undersealed on import and remarkably rust free. There are a number of minor battle scars, or "patination" to use the current popular euphemism. It has been used offroad and as a shooting wagon and offroad camper, so its to be expected, but theres nothing major. 149K on the clock, so just about run in. Drives remarkably well. Surprisingly comfortable and quiet sitting at 75 on the motorway.


She pulls very slightly to the left, but only really noticable on long straight roads. Apart from that, the aircon compressor is toast.


"Game On! as they say.

 

[Techno Guy]

She's gonna need some serious cleaning.

 

[Techno Guy]

Well its taken some effort, but after 4 days of grafting, its a bit cleaner.















I did get through 3 bottles of foaming carpet cleaner, a whole bottle each of interior and exterior surface cleaner, half a bottle of glass cleaner and at last count, 22 cleaning rags had been used. However, it seems as though the Waxing Herptiles did a decent job on the wagon.
It is now quite clearly obvious there isnt a single damage free panel anywhere. On the upside, car park paranoia is no longer an issue.

 

[Techno Guy]

The wheels still look pretty grotty though.

 

[4runnerteq]

Sweet, brother. Yeah once those factory wheels start losing the clear they start getting stained really easy. I finally just quit trying on mine. Adds character. Nice rig. So? Diesel right? If so then thats cool as hell

 

[Paddler Ed]

How is it under the plastic flares?

They're great rot traps in the UK - there's a Colorado/Prado on Landcruiser Club that has had about 2" cut out of the arches to remove the rust from behind the flares!

 

[Techno Guy]

Yeah, 3 litre diesel.
Surprisingly solid. It was undersealed on import and is pretty decent underneath.

 

[4runnerteq]

Schwiiingg

 

[Techno Guy]

Decided to "do something" about the tow bar and spare wheel carrier Both are looking a bit orange in places.





Getting the spare wheel off turned out to be a right bugger. Even using an 18" breaker bar, then standing on it, one wheel nut wouldnt budge.
Time for a good squirting of WD40 and go for a cup of tea.
Try again, nope, another squirt and another cup of tea.
Eventually it shifted. It appears the wheel had corroded and fused itself to the wheel nut.
I now have an eliptical wheel nut hole. ?



I attacked the frame with whats left of my cleaning pad and wire brushes and gave everything a good coat of Jenolite.



I will give it a day or 2 to do its magic and when the sun re-appears slap some satin black on everything.

 

[Techno Guy]

Stiff wheel nuts will no longer be an issue.

 

[Techno Guy]

The tubes at the back looking somewhat tidier.

 

[Techno Guy]

Several sacrifical cleaning implements later.



And having used almost a full bottle of wheel cleaner things are looking a bit better.



Although on close inspection, the wheels are still pretty crusty. I dont think anything less than blasting and powder coating will improve things much more to be honest.

 

[Techno Guy]

Decided to knock up a storage unit for the rear to utilise the space above the wheel arch.

 

[devero4]

Nice work so far!!

 

[Christo54]

lookin good