Topic: New Toyota Sundrader Project/ Ideas (Realistic ones)

[stressdaninjalo]

I Have decided its really no use to me as it sits. A heavy a** camper that barly pulls its self. I dont know the over all weight. I have read many articles about sh*t going wrong with these because of the over all weight of the box and all the equipment inside. A list of problems. A long, long list to be completly honest. I'm told its like pulling 2 3/4 its weight around. Thats like towing another Toyota pickup and about 10-15 50pound bags of crushed stone around ALL THE TIME! And I wanted to pull a car, HA!

I dont know the over all weight compaired to a standard Toyota pickup but I can imagine thats is probly some what true. I will find out its actual weight (actully have it weighed) before I start my project. I will compaire it to the weight of a standard "stock" Toyota pickup from this year. Then weigh it again after I gut out the interior of the camper. Compair it gutted to the stock pick-up. Then weigh it once more when I feel my project is complete and see the outcome of my work. All the weight factors will be taken in consideration. The weight after stripping out the camper minus the weight of a standard pickup will tell me how much the box its self weighs and how much of a weight diffrence I have to a standard toyota pick-up. Taking the weight before stipping and minus the weight after will tell me how much the internals added to the weight of the camper.

Also please note If at anytime durning the introduction to this project or durning this project I run into a "big problem" I'm terminating the project. I'm doing my research and it might be a while before this project is started but everything is/ will be well thought. I will explain the "introduction faze" that will play the biggest part in starting this project......

I have also heard some story's about these things having a lot of different parts that are "unique", completely diffrent from the pickups but no can tell me "For sure". I posted on a bunch of RV Forums including the Toyota Motorhome Forum. I am also doing my research, both online and on the phone. I know the axle was diffrent then a lot of the pickups (1 ton) but I'm also told that other parts such as (Rear frame section is thicker and wider, brake parts are completely diffrent, front axles bigger, some front end parts such as the radiator is bigger & support is custom to radiator, suspension parts, some other parts and some misc things......). But again everyone I talk to cant tell me if any of this is "For sure", no one seems like they know what there talking about. Its hard working with people who just drive cars......

So my intentions would be to first find out if infact parts are diffrent and exactly every single part that is diffrent. Then see if its possible to swap back to stock with out extensive work. See how possible it is with/if any non-stock parts can be upgrade parts from later model pickups or more prefered "aftermarket" parts (like the upgrades you guys do on your trucks) as if it were just a normal pick-up. If everything looks good going back to "stock specs" with out any big problems. Then at that point then I will strip the truck completly down to do a complete custom restore, but instead of a camper make a completly custom "truck"(leaving it a camper wouldnt cut it, making a pick-up would be too much work (making a back to the cab since its a walk-threw on the camper), and would just be a waste of my time. It would need to be completly custom inside/ out. With custom fab'd parts and add aftermarket parts. Possibly show quality and just go abosolutly f**king crazy with it, but being realistic at the same time.). If there are problems going "back to stock specs". Then I'll write down every "unique" part that cant be replaced with "stock parts" and then before tearing it apart I would...

... search for these parts on-line, and from bigger part stores around my area like Auto Zone, Pep Boys, Advance Auto, and I guess Napa (which I hate cause nothing ever fits, lol). Call the Toyota dealerships / service areas. Also call all the RV places and junkyards around my area. Call these "RV junkyards" (I've been told they exists in mid-west by 5 or 6 people.). Then just work way the f*ck out west if I need to. Any where and every where that might be possible to get anything. Stop only when I find a part that "widely available". Everyone I call even if they have the part or not, ask them if they know anyone else who would/could have parts. Don't stop till I find a someone to replace all the parts that are "unique". Quote new and used parts from everyone I stumble across with a part. Then compare them all. Write down everyplace that had a part, what part, how much, how many they have in stock, if restock is available, and most importantly since its a 1979 find out what the part expiration date is if its available. So that I know when they will stop carrying the part. I'll then get a note book. Alphabeticalize all the parts and put the place where the part can be found and the price. List best priced place first and worst price last. If a place had several parts then put that place under every part that they had. So I will always know a place that has a part. If I cant find a part that would be something needing to be replaced or could really screw me over later then I wouldnt go any farther but If I didn't I would......

Decided how much over "stock" price im willing to spend on parts. I would compaire the price and how available the "unique" part is too a standard Toyota Pickup. If I am over then quit the project. If I am still under what I am willing to spend then I would continue. Taking in consideration that this is a custom project I will have a budget I would be willing to put out well over what standard items would cost to make my "truck" unique!. At that point.....

[stressdaninjalo [OP]]

I would then stock up on what ever I would need that is "unique". Stock up of course on parts that are replaced most often, parts "known" to go wrong (from internet articals), parts available in limited amounts or that are "last of stock" and wont be restocked, parts only available at a few places, and parts fast aproaching expiration date and Keep the notebook in a safe place.

Every repair/ modification I do I'll write down as I do it then add in the book later, as a refrence. Adding it in later allows me to be more descriptive (what tool I used, how would I do it next time...) after I've done the repair and to keep the book clean and easy to read. I'll also write down and add in any mesurements or numbers having to do with anything, comment about anything, when I did what, cost, parts needed, the time spent to do the repair.....) I'll use my digital camera and take pictures of anything I do and on....Possibly making a website and putting everything online to help other people fix/ replace/modifiy things. Something that no one else has a D.I.Y. guide on. Open up a yahoo store and I could also sell "hard to find" parts new or used so I make a little something back for everything I had to go with this camper!

So once I have a clear understanding of all the details and I allow my self to proceed with this project, it will be started. I will probly start a website with my project, status, pictures, DIY guides, information i've gathered. I will also post the status of my project, problems, ask for your advise on a lot or possibly all of my mods & ideas ("you think this is a cool idea?", "How do you think this turned out?", "what looks better?" "What should I do to this?", "does this look good or should I redo it?".......) Let all of you be part of my project. Everyone could put there own input and everyone can discuss advantages, disadvantages, like and dis-likes, there reasons or thoughts about something.....

So hopefully this project gets under way and soon!!! If the camper project flops then I wouldn't actully mind getting a little Toyota pickup with eather a 22r or do a swap and go all out. I'm come to like them a lot. There damn reliable. Theres aftermarket parts all over the place. Cheap to fix and to upgrade something. Thats all really really nice to have in a project. You have no idea how much time and money I put into/ continue to put in my 81 trans am!! Well be for this project can start theres some things to do so I can have my garage to use. I have to take a whole lot of stuff to the dump thats sitting in my garage. Also need to do some work to the garage before I can get to this project. The weather is also about to get bad and this is a project im not going to want to just stop in the middle of.

So to be realist I will say this: I will do my research, and in the mean time I will take plenty of photos of it inside and out and post to let you guys give me ideas. Start thinking of ideas & play/ edit pictures myself as to what I could do. Find cool stuff I could add/ install to this project and if it gets enought attention I'll keep everyone involved in it!!!! (hopefully the majority of everything is compatible with the "stock" pick-up.) and put everything together so I have a good start with plenty of fresh ideas! I'm going to also have to think of a name for this project.....

Well just ideas so far. I know nothing about nothing right now. So its just things i've run across, or just thought of (let me know what you think). Also keep in mind I have owned cars the majority of my life. I have never "tricked a truck", so some of my ideas might sound like midnight racer and look totally gay on a truck so give me your opinions :

Exterior:
-Keep the duallys.
-Fiberglass front fenders that are "buldged" to give it that wide body look, since the back is like -that to a degree. Maby bring the back out some too. Run it flush with the body not sticking out like a square...
-Fiberglass hood since its available (I found the hood/ fenders PLUS fiberglass beds, fiberglass bedsides (buldged) and body kits on this website and are for Toyota Trucks, 4 Runners and more. And not just Toyota's!! http://www.hannemannfiberglass.com/Products.html ).
Since getting fiberglass hood, might be cool to add a cowl/ ram air hood scoop (make it functional)
-Replace single rear door with dual swinging doors.
-Shave the box to be flush with roof line (All that fiberglass I'm going to have to deal with is gonna suck). Maby just try to build another box to my specs. One thats 2x lighter then the current box, but just as strong or stronger.
-Paint the box and cab (once all mods are done, oh course) brite red. I have not seem one person paint one of these!!
-Chrome trim. Re-chrome anything that doesnt pollish up. Chrome door handles. chrome grill
-Angle eye headlights, possibly dual headlights, or projector headlights or HID's or a combination
-Fog Lights
-Cab over lights
-Neons? fast and the furious here we come!! hahaha
-With a shorter box I could add a suspention lift.
-I know where I can get duallys in anysize to fit could go with bigger rims w/ lift.
-Tint windows
-window visors (smoked black)
-running boards chrome
-front and rear bumpers chrome (going to have to custom make the rear one and might look funny...)
-L.E.D. tail lights.  With led's I could make something like a 3rd break light that said Toyota or something and Toyota emblems for the 2 other break lights. Probly not Toyota, just example. I could make them say anything!
-suicide doors

Interior:
-Replace bench seat with something more modern looking. Also 2 seats not one with individual sliders. Maby lighter. like a racing seat or something.
-Retro fit dash and maby a console out of something. Or make my own!!
-Chrome shift nob (simple ball shape)
-replace/ paint everything black
-power windows is a must!
-might as well do power locks at the same time.
-relocate e-brake pedel to a handle right of drivers seat. (I could never stand the e-brake on the floor. I'll be doing 65 and get really tempted to push it down!)
-I guess some speakers other then 1 on each door. Cant think where...

-Engine/ Drive train: I would tune up what its got (20r) for not and save and go huge later down the road once this project is nearing completion. 150-200hp would be a kick in the pants to what it is stock. LOL.
 
Well again, just ideas. Let me know...~Frank (now more educated)

[79coyotefrg]

[rage]

i have alwais dreamt of duallys with some skinny TSL's and boggers up front. shes gotta be a solid axle 4x4. the box idea would be kinda cool i guess if it is a new custom smaller and lighter unit. i would really enjoy seeing it built. i don't know how realistic it is though

[TRHS1980]

Good luck man  ... but may I suggest you just sell that motorhome for profit and buy a stock truck and start your project from there. Converting that motorhome is gonna be LOTS of money and even more time... It looks like you done some research, but I'm still not sure you know just what you're getting yourself into...    And I can pretty much guarantee you will run into problems... even guys that have been working with toyota's for decades run into all types of problems... Anyway, just my  Hope whatever you decide works out for you.