Well Clay it's "going", just not all too quickly, but I haven't given up or faded off into the aether like can (sadly) happen with projects sometimes...
Been a wild month in general, I ended up getting some mutant Upper Resp. Infection that knocked me flat on my back (and has a ton of kids with resp. problems in the local ICU's about town) like I was a pack a day smoker. I gotta say, having a "chest cold" in sunny, 80*+ weather is... annoying. As is trying to work in dusty weather when you're hacking and coughing up a lung...
SO, now that I've over-shared, and we've gotten that bit of graphic descriptive awfulness out of the way.
We managed to get the axle completely re-built and hoping to have it in the truck in short order next week so we can have it rolling/move-able. I've just got eh bodies of the Asin hubs on the axle right now (not the best picture), but I've got them apart and I'm re-furbing/re-painting them so they'll look brand-new. I'm still trying to decide if I'm gonna go red/black like the mini-trucks or do them in gold/black like the LC's
Here's the axle all pretty and ready to rumble:
- mid 80's FJ60 vented Rotors (thanks to everyone who led me down that path, it worked out PERFECTLY considering it's being built at a big time LC shop... didn't even have to order anything, just walked to a shelf and grabbed what we needed. That is
so nice!!!)
- FJ80 TRE's (So much better then the stock mini-truck bits)
- A nice big thick walled DOM tie-rod (I'm sure I'll find a way to bend it one day, but it's gonna take some real work)
- Diff-armor plate on the pumpkin and a NICE, thick truss on the long side.
- re-cycled V6 calipers from the "soon to be discarded" IFS front end.
- Spider Trax wheel spacers
After the axle, the real fun begins as we start to stuff the engine in (should be soon after the axle goes in to help sus out ride height/a level stance, just got to try and guestimate how much settling the front springs will have to them) and tackle the wiring. I'm looking into ordering a pre-made 3" stainless Exhaust for it to save time and have parts ready to go as needed.
I've also decided to get the "base" truck rolling/driving so I can work out any bugs, and then do the "extra bits" like lights and all the other kit over a bit more time as I decide on what exactly I want to run. I'm spending money like I'm a richer man already,
and I've changed my mind so many times in the last few months that I'm getting that irrational fear of ordering anything lest I run across a 'better"/different option (
silly, I
know but them's the facts)... A good example is the lights: I've got my heart and mind set on an LED light bar, but I keep seeing all kind of alternatives to the well known "superbright LED" or the "TOTL" Rigid ind. units that people seem to be very happy with and the prices have been very enticing. With the money I'm throwing at this truck, every penny counts and if I can get a decent part for a significantly lower price I'm likely to make that compromise even if it's not
quite as well made as the top End units (although I have heard nothing but good things about the knock-off Flea-bay kits so I'm interested to see how they stack up against the well know high-end brands),
and, in the interest of my typically over-sharing nature... I'm a bit Scotch when I can rationalize it aye HAHAHAHA. I also need to work out if I can find a way to make a Frontrunner flat rack fit the roof tracks of a 2nd Gen 4Runner, or a good alternative (I'm def. set on a flat "basketless" style rack and the Frontrunner is
exactly what I've been picturing, but they don't have a 2nd Gen 4Runner option). I'm also trying to design the bumpers and decide whether I will use my current rims on my 1st Gen, or if I want to find some steelies and run those (which then leads to me hem-ing and haw-ing about whether to go flat silver or black on whatever I run). I still really like my current rims, but I kinda think some old-school, LC style steelies would look awesome on this "very utilitarian" type build (and remind me of my HJ70 and many of the 70's back in OZ).
These are the rims on my 1st Gen:
These are the rims I'm thinking of as the 1st alternative (2nd would be the more modern take-off steelies with the holes in them like a lot of guys run).
Any opinions/advice on anything is, as always, greatly appreciated. Everyone who's read this thread and offered advice or given me ideas (like yourself Clay) has been great and it's why I'm really only putting my build up on this site. Good folks make for a good "community" makes for a good place to bounce ideas around aye.
So, as I say, it's "going". I am however very excited to be able to share more progress here very soon...
Cheers
Dave
Thanks mate.
