Toyodaaddict's 1980 "The Blue Truck"

[toyodaaddict]

Hey guys!  So I've been on the forum learning and enjoying everyone's projects since 2008. I got my first Toyota 4x4 10 years ago and the addiction hit me hard. I had intended to start a build page years ago when I started building the blue truck but due to a wiped out memory card in my lousy camera that never happened. Today it is finally happening. 

The truck has been down for the last year for an engine rebuild, as well as an overall freshening up, so I thought this would be a decent time to get caught up.

[toyodaaddict]

https://toyota-usa.epc-data.com/

[Toybrota]

Subscribed!

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[toyodaaddict]

I acquired this truck about 10 years ago. The truck was a mess when I got it, especially considering I had no real knowledge of automotive repair and fabrication at the time .  Other than some horrible bolt on 4" pro-comp springs it was all stock. The truck had a strong running 20R engine, noisy 4speed transmission, busted blownout drivelines, bad wheel bearings, leaky axle seals, basically everything under the frame needed major attention. Just getting this thing on the road was a bit of a battle for me.

These are a couple of the earliest pictures (digital pictures anyway) that I can find of the blue truck. You can tell they where taken somewhere around the second maybe third year I had the truck by the pro-comp spring/pushpull steering.

[toyodaaddict]

The tires that came on the truck had the steel belts showing so I bought a set of 33"x12.5" Toyo MT's and began trying to get the truck road worthy. My original goal was just to get the darn truck to the local trails. Back in the good ol days we had miles of nice local trail starting 5min from home (not so much anymore) .  Anyway, when I finally got the truck on the road I realized those pro-comp springs where not cool, especially the rear. This was a problem because I didn't know how to weld. I was also having vibration issues due to poor pinion/driveline angles (I knew nothing about that stuff). Eventually I figured out how to make those pro-comps ride smooth and flex great, that lasted about one run . It was around this time that my good friend Jack taught me to weld . (if you drive truck or just enjoy a good story from an oldtimer checkout his book, its pretty good)

[toyodaaddict]

I spent a lot of time learning on the forums. I bought a miller 211 and got to work

Suspension- RUF/63's,Bilsteins
AllPro highsteer
W56 5speed swap
Dual cases,  of coarse
HighAngle drivelines
Rebuilt the front axle/knuckles with marlins kit
Yukon 5.29's
rear spool
87 IFS rear axle
1.5" wheel spacers front
It was a completely different truck after that.

Here it is right after all the work

[toyodaaddict]

I found this picture from when I built the front bumper. Its a tough bumper but I'm starting to think about trying something different, something tube. This picture also gives a glimpse of the ol 20R

[toyodaaddict]

At this point the truck was tight and reliable. The local trails where pretty well shutdown and I was running the truck up into Greenwater and over to Naches pretty regularly. The truck was doing great but the 20R was a little slow going up the steep on road hills and the carb wasnt all that fun on the steeper offroad climbs.

[toyodaaddict]

My Dad had started taking interest in what I was doing with my Toyota's and decided he wanted me to build him a truck. He bought a run hard and put away wet, caged up trail thrasher 4runner carcass  It was a mess but for the price it had a lot of good parts on it. The ring and pinions where both shot though.
My "gear guy" had moved out of state, so he sent me to a friend to set up the new gears for my Dad. The guy had some nice Toyota's sitting around and I had to have a look at the Trekker on 37's. When I saw it had a 22RE under the hood, we got to talking and he agreed to help me out with the wiring end of putting a 22re in my truck. My dad also managed to buy a clean stock 86 4runner for $1500 before we left.
I cant find any pics of the 22re swap but it all went real smooth, other than the 22re turned out to have a nice rattle and uneven compression . The EFI was real nice though

We scrapped the cage 4runner and this is what I ended up building for my Dad.





My 20R found a new home in my Toyota leftovers samurai side project

[toyodaaddict]

 So now with the 1990 EFI under the hood I continued running the truck all over the mountains. Even with the rattly motor I considered the swap an upgrade.   I also picked up some Longfields, Bobby Long Longfields . Hub gears and ARP knuckle studs as well

[4xChinook4]

Quality updates and pics ... brother.. glad you like the efi swap (finishing mine now) .. and that's rad about your dad getting in.. yota love!

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[toyodaaddict]

Quality updates and pics ... brother.. glad you like the efi swap (finishing mine now) .. and that's rad about your dad getting in.. yota love!

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Thanks.  Ill be looking forward to hearing how that EFI swap turns out for you.

[toyodaaddict]

 And... I kept running the truck like this with few changes for a couple years. I eventually gave in and started half way trusting the noisy engine, it just wouldn't die.

[toyodaaddict]

 Bought a new set of  35'' MTR's

[toyodaaddict]

The 22RE never did fail but it had to go. 

Test results from the last compression test  Dry #1-150psi, #2-160psi, #3- 100psi, #4- 160psi
and with some oil #1-150psi #2-170psi #3-100psi #4-160psi.

[toyodaaddict]

I decided to redo the steering box mount while the engine was out.

[toyodaaddict]

[toyodaaddict]

I cut out some rust and replaced the battery tray. I may eventually relocate the battery to behind the cab.

[OVRAROK]

Did you spray that out of a gun. Or is that rattle can?

[toyodaaddict]

Did you spray that out of a gun. Or is that rattle can?

The engine bay is rattle can and I used a paint gun for the rest of the truck.

[SO Teen]

The engine bay is rattle can and I used a paint gun for the rest of the truck.

What colors did you use? I'm looking into doing a full blue so I'm just looking around at different colors.


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[toyodaaddict]

What colors did you use? I'm looking into doing a full blue so I'm just looking around at different colors.


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For some reason I dont like admitting this but its Ford blue that my Dad darkened up a bit. I tried really hard to find a match to the Toyota blue and this is as close as I got. It isn't Toyota blue but in the end it turned out looking pretty decent. I will post some pics of the final outcome a little later on

[toyodaaddict]

 I've wanted to put a 3RZ in this truck for a long time but could never seem to find one with the harness etc. for a reasonable price. Most of the yards I have talked to had already pulled the motors and wanted to nickel and dime me to death for the rest of the parts, if they where even available. I'm still keeping an eye open.

Anyway I bought a used 22RE and ran into some bad luck, so I sent this off to the machine shop.

[toyodaaddict]

 My intake was a little dirty



All cleaned up

[SO Teen]

For some reason I dont like admitting this but its Ford blue that my Dad darkened up a bit. I tried really hard to find a match to the Toyota blue and this is as close as I got. It isn't Toyota blue but in the end it turned out looking pretty decent. I will post some pics of the final outcome a little later on

Alright thank you. It looks really good in the engine bay. Great looking truck


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[toyodaaddict]

I eventually got the block/crank shaft back.  Bored .040, decked .012.

[toyodaaddict]

 I've got to give a BIG THANKS to Zippo for coming by and helping assemble the bottom end, I really appreciate it
I had never been this deep inside an engine before. Timing chains/head gaskets where the extent of my knowledge and I was a bit intimidated.

Now the wait was on for the head to show up.

[SO Teen]

The engine bay is rattle can and I used a paint gun for the rest of the truck.

What color is the rattle can that you used for your engine bay?


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[Gnarly4X]

I eventually got the block/crank shaft back.  Bored .040, decked .012.

Just an observation from my own recent experience and rebuild - I painted my block and oil pan black.  If I could do it over, I would paint them a light gray or other light color.  The black color makes it extremely difficult to see any leaking oil or fluids.

Gnarls.

[toyodaaddict]

Just an observation from my own recent experience and rebuild - I painted my block and oil pan black.  If I could do it over, I would paint them a light gray or other light color.  The black color makes it extremely difficult to see any leaking oil or fluids.

Gnarls.

Not a bad idea, though as much time/work that has gone into this motor I'm not sure I even want to know if it starts leaking.