Moab or Bust, 1987 4Runner Low Budget Build

[Freebirds]

First off, I'd like to say that I love this forum/community! I've been lurking for a while, but this is my first post and my first build thread. For the past few years my wife and I have given up quite a bit in an attempt to move forward in life. We sold our house and toys, moved into a small studio apartment, and I quit my job as a teacher so I could go back to school to become a Mechanical Engineer.

My wife and I are both adventurous, and living in a studio with a small two-wheeled drive car has limited what we can do. It's made mountain biking, canoeing, camping, and just exploring a lot more difficult. So, we decided it was time to invest in a cheap adventure vehicle. Something that would allow us to get out and explore Colorado and the surrounding areas.

Buying and building an adventure rig on a low budget seemed impossible. I'm in school, so I'm talking about a “Top Ramen and PBR” budget. I had pretty much given up hope until my friend hit me up about a 4runner that's been dead in his backyard for the past few years.

The truck is pretty beat up and has a list of issues that I need to deal with:
Shattered rear window
Transfercase won't shift
Clutch hydraulics aren't functioning
It's been in two front fender benders
And there is a decent amount of rust

Now for the good!
It's a Toyota!
It has a new clutch
It runs good
My friend is going to let me use his garage until its roadworthy (very important since I live in a studio!)
He only wants $450 and I don't have to pay him until I get it on the road, just in case I find a major issue that'll blow my budget.

My goal is to have the 4runner roadworthy and reliable by April 12th for a trip to Moab, Ut!
Game On!

 

[dorton]

Cool deal. Be sure to post updates as you go.

 

[skrillah]

Awesome budget build...keep us posted! I've got reservations on the white rim the week of the 15th...be killer to see tat rolling out there.

 

[fjatheart]

Subscribed. I love low buck builds, it brings about way more creativity!

 

[austintaco]

Congrats! If your trip gets pushed back, we'll be heading out there the following month from the 17th to the 26th. You can't go wrong with a 1st Gen 4runner.

 

[Freebirds]

Thanks for the encouragement! My wife has already requested the time off of work, so we're pretty set on the date for Moab. We're planning to hit the Dolores River on the way there and then camp along the Green River. That way we can paddle around on the canoe and play in the water.

My first priority is to get the clutch hydraulics and transfercase shifter sorted out. Then I'll change the fluids and start driving it around so I can identify any other issues. I'll also be taking care of any loose rust and then roll on a coat of paint.

 

[tanglefoot]

Welcome, and congrats on the 1st gen!

Good luck with the truck sorting. I just did some rust management on the '85. I used a wirebrush on the frame and leaf springs (fortunately everything was surface rust--no holes or cracks) and then coated it with Rustoleum Rust Reformer in a can. I'm really happy with it so far but I'll be keeping an eye on it. I've heard that the Rust reformer that comes in a plastic bottle and brushes on is more effective. It goes on whitish and then the metal turns industrial dark-gray as it converts. The spray goes on black.

I was thinking of paint rolling the body on mine but I went with spray cans instead. I found that basic colors (non-metallics, etc) spray pretty well and come out nicely, especially with a little prep work and primer. The first time I tried metallic blue and that was too transparent--it really showed differences in thickness and didn't come out very nicely. With primer and gloss white, the result was much better--I'm pretty happy with it.

Are you familiar with the Toyota parts yards in town? YotaJim's yard just N. of Denver generally has better customer satisfaction but his ex-wife runs the Yotayard on Walnut and has a huge selection as well.

http://www.jimsgotparts.com/Yoda_Jims/Home.html

http://www.yotayard.com/

I've never been much of a fan of that power back window. I've usually run tops that didn't require it, such as an aluminum pick-up shell with the tilt-up back glass or a soft-top. I've had a pop-up truck camper in it the past few years so the tailgate stays down.

Hmm...that must have auto front hubs on it, I presume. Definitely try those out before the trip (once the T-case decides to shift)--they're much more tempermental than the manual hubs. If they give you any trouble, I would swap them for some stock, Aisin manual hubs (YotaJim can hook you up). They're pretty bulletproof.

Enjoy! I've had the '85 for 14 years and have no plans to replace it. I'm a low-budget tinkerer as well.

The Moab area sure is a magical place. I especially like bringing a mtn bike to the Needles district in Canyonlands. We went there on our annual field trips in middle school and it's stuck with me. I usually get a little misty-eyed when I'm there.

Eric

 

[d67u57]

very nice. great for the budget,great you can use the man's garage.

pooches keep you company.

all the best with the build experience!!!

 

[Toyotero]

Nice truck man.


subscribed.

 

[Freebirds]

The 4runner is now moving under its own power! I started by replacing the clutch master and slave cylinder.
Out with the old:

And in with the new:

The install went smoothly, but I wasn't too impressed with the quality of the cylinders. I picked them both up from Napa for a total of $38. The threaded rod on the master was a bit longer than stock, which caused a clearance issue with the pedal.

Next was the transfer-case,
the vehicle has been stuck in two-wheel drive for as long as my friend has owned the vehicle. When I was playing around with the shifter it seemed very odd to me that it was positioned so close to the passenger seat. It looked like the shifter would hit the seat if the vehicle was actually put into 4-wheel drive. I decided to pop off the shifter and take a look.

The transfer-case looked fine, but the shifter was installed completely wrong. I lined it up in the correct slot, bolted it down, and the transfer-case shifts perfectly!! I love cheap and easy fixes!
You can see in the picture above that the carpet was absolutely disgusting. So, I tore it all out....

I'll be sanding and painting next. The frame looks solid, but there are some large rust holes along the fenders, especially behind the plastic trim on the rear fenders. The I know the truck will never be pretty, not with the available money and time I have. I'm just going to wire-brush the loose rust and roll on a coat of paint to slow its progression. The paint will be trashed after a few good outings anyways =)

Tanglefoot- Thanks for the links to the Yota parts, I'm planning to switch to Aisin manual hubs as soon as possible, so they'll definitely come in handy.

Toyotero- Thank you for the FSM!

 

[jeepstream]

I have a red fraternal twin to your white SR5. The budget-build potential of 1st Gen 4Runners is what attracted me to them. No other 4x4 offers EFI, room for four plus gear and the ability to go topless for under $3k. I hate rust, but it appears that the important parts of your truck are clean. You got a smokin' :costumed-smiley-007 deal compared to east coast prices.

 

[ReadyForAdventure]

Looking forward to this! I'm hoping to go to Moab some day, but with a constrained budget, I'm still weary if my truck is capable enough. Subbed. :sombrero:

 

[ab1985]

Love the budget build.

 

[upcountry]

Next was the transfer-case,
the vehicle has been stuck in two-wheel drive for as long as my friend has owned the vehicle. When I was playing around with the shifter it seemed very odd to me that it was positioned so close to the passenger seat. It looked like the shifter would hit the seat if the vehicle was actually put into 4-wheel drive. I decided to pop off the shifter and take a look.

The transfer-case looked fine, but the shifter was installed completely wrong. I lined it up in the correct slot, bolted it down, and the transfer-case shifts perfectly!! I love cheap and easy fixes!
You can see in the picture above that the carpet was absolutely disgusting. So, I tore it all out....

I always hate these kinds of situations as it makes me wonder what else the idiot who put that shifter back wrong also got their hands on!

Glad it was a "free" fix, lovin the thread.

 

[fjatheart]

Lovin' it. Glad tcase was an easy fix.