ok now what?

[toyrunner95]

well over the past 4 years i have been working on my truck and it is slowly comming along. however on the last trip i made, it was actually a test run, i noticed alot of things that are beginning to wear on my patiance. like the steering, the transmission, the motor, the doors, alot of things that i just cant deal with anymore. the genious that owned the truck before me really screwed it up. he drilled out the door pins so they dont hang right and they never compleatly shut. the motor is gradually giving up the ghost and the transmission wont shift, i dont know if its a clutch thing of if the slave cylinder is going out or what. the t case has a crack in it and its beginning to look like an aligatior hide (no joke, i really do think its going to literally explode one day)

so here is my delema, i like toyota, even with all the problems that i have fixed its been dependable. it always starts, its never crapped out on me compleatly so i cant really complain. but the truck is just dying. so should i buy something newer and swap all the parts over since its an 84 with a solid axel its a prime parts truck. OR buy an fj 40 or 60 to work with. OR even better i can get my hands on a dodge carryall? im liking the carryall idea but i think thats going to take ALOT more restoration work before i even get close to modifying it. but it would make a unique expedition rig.

so what are your opinions. im not too worried about cost, mainly because it will be classified as a project, but im not made of money so earth roamers, brutes, and sportsmobiles are out sadly enough.

here is the break down.

1. get a 90-95 truck or 4runner and start swapping parts, preferaly a 4runner i liked my 95 a couple years back but it was a daily driver so i couldent really bash it up.
2. get a fj 40 or 60, older, dependable parts are seemingly cheap.

3. get the carryall, if it got the G.I.s through the war it would probably get me around just fine. course the winch alone is a couple grand seeing as how i would need a 15 or 20k winch. not to mention it would need a complete new drive train from the radiator all the way to the rear pumpkin. course it is customizable, so i could get a cummins diesel a manual dodge tranny and t case out of a newer truck, rebuild the axels and be good to go, the the body will probably need mass ammounts of work however, i live in the northwest so rust is a problem. but with how much metal went into those things im sure there will be enough to work with.

here are the choices.

 

[Christian P.]

the answer really depends if you want to work on it or play/explore with it?

get the newer 4Runner with A/C and powersteering and enjoy it for the next few years...just make sure the engine block has been replaced (issue with V6)

Forget the Dodge unless you want to spend the next 2 years in your garage.

 

[toyrunner95]

this was my old 4runner

 

[toyrunner95]

HAHAHA yeah the v6 was why i got rid of the 4runner. but it was still a good truck to drive. as for garage time, i actually have just as much fun if not more fabricating and thinking about how things work, its my zen if you will. so yeah the dodge would definatly be a project, but i really like that old national geographic explorer truck look, you know what i mean? blazing accross africa in a land rover or a old ww2 truck documenting things. thats just awsome. but it can all just be a dream, who knows? i havent decided.

the runner would be an easy project compared to what i have done in the past. i could get the lift and the solid axel swap done in a weekend. so long as i have the time and minimal interuptions. that was my one major worry the cv boots, i was always afraid i was going to have a joint blow up on me. the starter had issues too, i would put a new battery in the thing every 6 months religiously. the motor design and eletrical system on that truck was horendous.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Re: the Carryall:

I like those WWII Dodges as well, but they are 65 years old and most of them have been treated rough for most of that time.

If you really want an old Dodge you'd be much better off with an M-37. Stronger engine, beefier shocks, 24v electrical system, 2-speed transfer case, waterproof electronics - the WWII WC series trucks didn't have any of that stuff (the only WWII WC that had a 2-speed transfer case was the WC62/63 which was the 6x6 version of the "Weapons Carrier.")

But even with an M37B1, you're still talking about a truck that's a minimum of 40 years old. BTW, you do know that some of those metal-bodied wagons had wood sandwiched between the metal panels? You can imagine what kind of shape that wood is in after 60 years, can't you?

I would think an FJ60, 62, or 80 would do what you need to do without too much trouble, and they're easier to find than a WC53.

 

[nickw]

Dodge carryall

Speaking of dodges.....this thing would be SWEET. Cummins 4-banger and a stout drivetrain.

http://imageevent.com/moosecreekmaple/1943dodgecarryall

 

[tamangel]

WWII Dodge Truck link..

Steel Soldiers has a great forum on all military vehicles. Very helpful for any and all questions..

Here's the link to WWII Dodge Trucks..just in case that's your decision..
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewforum&f=90

Mike

 

[wagner_joe]

Personally I'd ask you your immediate budget and your monthly budget... Your curreny beater could be just as good if you sank the same amount of money into it... If you want a new look by all means go get it..I'd personally go for the FJ40/60/80/100.. But I have rich tastes.. I'd stay away from the dodge... but that's just me..

The 4-runner would be a great build but again... do your research before you buy.. gonna spend the money somewhere...:Mechanic:

 

[FortyMileDesert]

I drove those old Dodges forty five years ago when they were new - They broke a lot then! And not because of any electronics (there was none).

When they did run they were good for fifty miles an hour and about 6 miles per gallon (downhill, tailwind and coasting out of gear).

I know of lots of salvage yards that still have a few if you still want one....

 

[big sky trapper]

Go newer keep the toy to use as a beater...Id skip the the dodge

 

[toyrunner95]

well ive been deciding here for a bit and i may have added a a couple other choices, i found an old suburban, i think its a 60s. that could be fun. or something, i dunno what it is but i cant seem to put my finger on what i want but im keeping my options open. maybe a scout. i dunno, any other ideas? i do like the toyotas, and i dont know what my budget is, at this point anything is possible. i wouldent mind having a project, but on the other hand i kinda want something thats simple to modify. honestly an 100 series is out, way to rich for my blood. but a fixer upper is right down my alley. i like to see what i can accomplish with my own two hands. im looking at a buying price of about 5k, the mods i can do fairly cheaply, i work in the auto industry so getting parts is rather easy. if i cant afford it i can brobably make something that will work. i like the SUV idea. full package enclosure lots of room for stuff. so toss me some ideas. o and landys are out too, pricey and hard to get parts for.

 

[Photog]

You could try being logical about it.

Write down what you want it to do for you.
How much stuff to carry.
Sleep inside or on top.
Ease of parts replacement.
Ease of repair.
$5k to start, and how much per month to build.
Months rebuilding.
Dependability after done building.
Do you want to build the whole vehicle.
Or modify a dependable vehicle.
Etc, etc.

When you have made a decision this way, your emotions will have less control over your wallet.

What is wrong with the rig you have? TOO MANY THINGS TO FIX!

Why buy another rig that has to be rebuilt from the ground up? You could do that with your current rig. (New cab, engine, tranny, t-case - done) Or get a 4Runner with a 3.4 engine, and put your axles under it. Keep the old rig for your fabrication hobby.

If you let your emotions choose your vehicle, it will be like having a beautiful wife that always nags at you. Eventually the beauty isn't noticed, and you wish you hadn't been so shallow, when making your decision.

You still have the opportunity to choose wisely.

 

[toyrunner95]

tuche' photog, tuche'

i agree with the figuring out what i want before i build and what not. the problem i have right now is that i dont want to start with something that is beyond screwed up.

right now the truck i have is, yes, a project; however it not as simple as getting a new cab or pulling out dents. there are many fundamental things wrong with it. the truck was originally a toyota long bed that had been in a accident. so the frame was tweaked, the guy who built it just wanted to beat the crap out of it instead of trying to fix what was wrong with it. the shackles sit at 90 deg instead of 45 and yes i could go back and get a new frame and a cab and fenders.... o wait, thats a whole new truck isnt it?

so my idea is to start with something streight and build from there, instead of trying to fix something that is already boned. old on the other hand isnt as hard as long as its original, i would much rather deal with rust and rot that try to pull a dent out of a door jam. i didnt figure this all out about my truck until i tried to build the winch mount on the front. i couldent get the thing to square up. so i finally measured the frame, the passanger side is about 1/8" shorter that the driver, the guy bobbed the bed and cut the back square off. so its kinda like buying a puzzle with missing pieces and trying to jam in a piece that doesnt fit.

as for what i want to do with it i really dont know. sleep in or on top, cook in or out, stuff like that i just havent figured out.

i want something thats relitively low maintinance, jeep cherokee, toyota is good, a suburban, a nissan hardbody, xterra. i just dont know yet. im in the beginning stages.

i would like to have some input for some vehicles from people, ideas as to why they chose them, what they dont like about other trucks. things of that nature.

 

[Photog]

Excellent, now your thinking.

My personal preference is to stay away from unibody construction. I like having a frame. There is no possible way a unibody (Cherokee, etc.) is as strong as a vehicle with a truck frame. What, exactly, do the bumpers and winches bolt into and pull on, without a frame? And what about carying a load? It isn't just the springs that have to hold up to the extra weight.

Your current truck: WOW! What a mess. Keep the good stuff, and haul the rest to the recycle.

If you can determine a few of your needs and uses for the next rig, you will know what size vehicle to narrow the search down.

 

[toyrunner95]

yeah i have been collecting ideas and things from various sources over the past year and i have an idea of what i need, i dont really need something that cal haul 400 gallons of water and fuel however it is probably necessary to carry a fair ammount for "just in case" purposes. for now the plan is to stay in the states and probably canada. nothing too back country. im still in college and i still have to get all settled after college so i have a while to ponder.

i figure that staying with a toyota would be a good idea because i already have 90% of the stuff i would need to do a solid axel swap on a newer tacoma. the early 90s trucks and 4runners are getting relitively cheap up here, between 3-7k for a decent one. even better if i can get a 22re, it may be gutless but it wont explode like the 3.0, i like the suv idea. the large capacity truck with the fold down seats is a plus for me.

check out my build thread and you can see what i have done so far.