Topic: Allow me to introduce myself.

[Mesa Man]

Hello everyone,
My name is Gabriel, I'm new to this forum, though I've been on ih8mud for a while. I live in N.M. off the grid up on the Mesa.I love Toyota 4x4s, extreme hiking/backpacking, exploring, and camping. Last fall I purchased a 1st gen. pickup in very rough shape. the P.O. had a local shop install a freshly rebuilt 22r. I limped it home after getting it for a steal @2500. The P.O. said it needed a home where someone who knew about mechanics could work on it.

The knuckles were leaking nasty hell from them, wheel bearings were extremely loose, and the motor was dying from rats' nest electrical issues under the hood(died on me on the test drive, I had to work on it to drive back)!
2nd gear was grinding so badly from the worn shifter seat & bushings the tranny needed a rebuild.
Bad brakes, rusty holes in the floorboards, a plethora of small details, no tailgate, mice nests in various places under the dash(I can't believe I turned on the fan and breathed that nastiness!)
I have since performed a complete knuckle rebuild with Marlin crawler eco seals, new Koyo bearings, and new brakes. Also swapped the G54 tranny for a good working(although leaking) w58. I scored an old W56 and several gear-driven T/cases from my neighbor for a 100$ bill! I will rebuild the w56 and t/c with 4.7 gears and eventually go dual cases!
I rebuilt the Weber carb for the desmogged 22r and installed a pro spiral adapter from LCE.
I disassembled the entire under-dash heater system and cleaned, repaired, and reinstalled it for FRESH air and heat.
repaired more wiring. Cleaned and replaced little things like new sun visors, cab light, seat belt latches, and the rear sliding window latch I found on eBay under Tacoma description, it was the exact fit.
I temporarily patched the floor with sheet metal and self-tapping screws, I'll weld in proper floor panel patches after everything is baselined.
I scored some used 33x12.50 Wild Country mud tires and an earlier model tailgate with side latches until I can find a better matching white one.
The sweet little mini truck got several shake-down runs and slowly was getting dialed in.
A dirty fuel filter that was restricting fuel and causing hesitation was replaced with an OEM Toyota filter and I dropped the fuel tank and thoroughly cleaned and reinstalled it, a lot of powdery whitish corrosion came out. Prolly from sitting for 15 years in the desert.
A fuel regulator and gauge were installed and set at 2.5 psi, the gauge crapped out, Summit junk, they sent another one and it maxed out as well after a few drives. could the fuel regulator be bad too? the stock Aisin fuel pump only puts out about 7 psi.
At 600 miles on the rebuilt 22r, I changed the used zinc motor oil with fresh zinc Amsoil and a fresh Toyota filter.

I was confident the mini could make the 1000-mile round trip to Ouray Colorado for the 7th Solid Axle Summit in August.   

[saguaroclimber]

Hi Gabriel, I'm Scott. 
Sounds like the 1983 truck needed a lot of work, but that it's coming along now. Does it have stock diffs at this point? 
Could there still be a bunch of junk in the fuel lines that is taking out the gauge and possibly regulator?

[Mesa Man [OP]]

Hey Scott,
The mini truck does have stock gearing,4.10 I believe. The fuel lines are clean, I got 2 inline filters that are clear. Ill try one more gauge and if it fails I'm gonna send the summit regulator back also and try a higher quality one. Holly maybe?

[Gnarly4X]

Hi Grabriel,

WOW!! You have done a TON of restoration on that pickup! 

I admire anyone that has the skills, ambition, time and money to keep one of these legendary classics alive!

I live in Casa Grande (2 hours from the Mexican border) and over the past 17 years I have seen so many early Toy trucks headed for Mexico it's sickening to see.

When you can, photos are always huge.

Gnarls.

[RUGER]

to

RUGER

[Mesa Man [OP]]

Hi Grabriel,

WOW!! You have done a TON of restoration on that pickup! 

I admire anyone that has the skills, ambition, time and money to keep one of these legendary classics alive!

I live in Casa Grande (2 hours from the Mexican border) and over the past 17 years I have seen so many early Toy trucks headed for Mexico it's sickening to see.

When you can, photos are always huge.

Gnarls.

Hey Gnarls!
Thanks a ton for the props! i do have a passion for 4x4 Toys! I've been blessed with great community connections for Knowledge, parts  and encouragement, thanks again for kind words!

Now the disappearing mini-trucks going south kinda sux. I'd love to post some pics when I'm allowed to, you can see them on inst-glam under mesamanandmesawoman if you'd like to. it's white with some bitchen rusty-brown patina on the roof and hood.

Later bro!

[Mesa Man [OP]]

to

RUGER

Thank you Sir!

[OVRAROK]

 
 

[Mesa Man [OP]]

 

Thank you, Sir!