Topic: 1980 Toyota LWB extended cab

[Mnmstoy]

Their was some interest on my truck and decided to post up my build thread. Not sure it will ever get finished as it seems to change from year to year. and do forgive me if I don't recall what year I did what.
6 years ago it was my hunting truck before I knew what rock crawling was.
The first pics are cell phone pics sorry about that.
This is the earliest pic I have of the wife in it. It was painted all silver sitting on 31" tires and the only thing that worked beside the drive train was the high beam head lights.
specs:1980 LWB 20R, L43,4.37 gears open on both ends.

Have to sport my door panels at the time. I made them out of this plastic that looked like cardboard. I cut them out...used up-hostelry spray to glue in the fabric. Then used sheet metal screws to secure them.

by then Hunting season was over and met a few Rock Crawlers at a place I use to go in my teens. This place is now closed so I will not give it's location or name. But it sure was fun. And I have grown up sense them. These days you have to pay to play.
In this pic I had already bobbed the bed 13".

My next mod was rear dovetail. With my HF saw-all and HF mig welder. I got after it and finished in a week. This is my DD and had to have it finished by Monday.


Cut both sides off

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

my HF welds. Ugly but 5 years later they are still holding up. lol

because I dovetailed the sides. That made the bed seem longer. I had to cut about 2" off the end. That is why the rear lower roll pan is missing.

Done with the bed.

for the tail gate. I drilled out the spot welds and cut the end of the frames off. Moved them in-wards and welded it all back up.
It worked out because I had rust and both corners of my tail gate.

I don't recall how much I took out...something along the lines of 6" per side.

[hilux-1983]

 

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

Slipping off of rocks do create new body lines.

So I made some half doors out of square tubing I got from work along with the shelfing I used to to cap the tops.

I kept the driver side mirror to keep it street legal.

did some wheeling. It was great being able to lean out the door. Probably a bad idea but I am digging the view.

Never saw a tire off the ground. I was still open and I do not know How I backed out of that one. But my little Toyota was humming along.

wheeled at K-Rock for the first time. I live in San Antonio and drove my Toyota all the way out their in 06. and back.

That place was awesome. To bad it is closed now.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

here is what a single stock T-case does to a stock clutch on rocks.

I burned it good.
By then I found out about Marlin, TG, Pirates and so on.
I bought Marlins 1200HD clutch and flywheel. My first real upgrade.

I then started my front dovetail after getting Ideas off of Marlin and Pirates4x4.
Took a week of vacation to get it done.
after removing all that was sitting on the inner fender well. I drilled out the spot welds to remove it.

out with the inner fenders. Sorry about the pics. still didn't own a digi camera at the time.

I bought both sides in about 6"

I cut the area that the head light sat in and moved them in-wards as close as I could to the opening of the radiator.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

had to stretch the inn fender that much so the radiator support was standing vertical and not tilted back.

head lights installed

I moved on to the fenders. Cutting the fender flare out and chopping it in half.


The fenders had to be stretched to line up with  the hood.
still using my HF welder.

I then cut the hood. I cut a triangle where it started to come in. But left the edge in tack. That gave me the support I needed for the sides and it not be so flimsy.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

In this pic you can see how I modified the passenger side front part of the hood. I did the same to the driver side so that the plastic bezel would look some what stock.

plastic bezels installed.

for the grill. I cut off the out most square on both sides keeping the middle.

I sectioned the bumper to go with my front. Had to keep it because it holds my blinkers.

Went wheeling at a place called Cline Ranch. and then came my digital camera.

by that time I stepped up to 33" tires. Bold BFG but they were cheap. Seats came out of a GEO metro. Free

I need to make a trip back their again. I was denied on some trails because of no traction. and still open front and rear.
For got to add my modified door hinges. I can change out my door in under 10 seconds.

door side

Together.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

I picked up some leafs springs at PnP the truck was lifted so I am thinking I got about 3" lift with them and then came My first steering up grade. TG high steer and hydro assist. I know this is Marlins site and if anyone wants to buy me Marlins High steer kit. I will cheerfully trade mine out. although TG has never done me wrong.
made my own IFS box mount. I wish I new what RUF were at the time? I later had to do it all over again.


tapped my own box. not bad for a first timer.





still using my HF welder.
butt ugly but still holding on I say around 3 or 4 years now.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

U bolt flip from a Chevy   and ford
some may knock it but I did this mod for under $10 per axle.

bump stop welded on top.

I bought these.

To make these I used  a friends welder. I know better then to us my HF welder.

I had to break in the new to me trailer with a bent fender.

shortly their after I bought this. TG Dual case adapter.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

stepped up to a L50 along the way. I dont recall who I bought the cross member from.

by then My truck was painted flat black with a welded rear end.

Grooved the H1 tires because they were hard. I feel they do better know.

installed a lock right I won off of E-bay for the front.

Then I picked this up.

I got to work on cutting my cab up. I had a week to do it in. Another weeks Vacation.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

I knew  them recliners would work one day. I bought this set at a garage sale for $5 each.

The cut off wheel was my best friend for this project.

while I was at it I shaved the drip rail.

took care of rust in the corners.


what the rust look like before I cut it out.


That is all for know. I'll try and hit the extended cab part tomorrow. It was a long process and allot of fabing stuff up to make it look ok and I am still not happy with it.
Mike

[LilChief87]

  looks sweet man nice job you should be proud of yourself

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

Thanks LilChief87 it gets better....well  I think it does anyway.
Here is a dry fit. I decided in 18". That gave me room for a rear seat. But I never got around to that and just added a ice chest instead.
 

I didn't realize that the cab slants forward my mistake but I'll live with it.

I used door skins to fill in the lower sides.

You can see the diff armor I won off of ebay on the rear tire as well.

In this pic I already capped off the key hole and making a part to fill in where the handle use to be.

I also capped off the forward vent hole.

I cut 18" off the front of my bed.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

It worked out great because again I had lots of rust on the forward part of my bed.

I did lots of spot welding to fill it all in.

from a long bed to a very short bed.

I didn't really get any in progress pics of the inside floor.

more less what could fit back their.

My little brother "Bear" getting down on helping me out. This is where I don't have the patients. To sand all day long.



Bear priming my truck.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

I installed my new windshield gasket and cracked it at the last corner.

I also cut down my shifter and installed the boots off a 4runner. I had to make them shorter.

installed my diff armor.

word of caution. I was welding the rear on and I had a big explosion come out the drain hole. Good thing I wasn't directly under it when I was welding.

while the bed was off I removed the LVSP thing and made a cross bar for my rear shocks. After doing the rear U-bolt flip I had to relocate my shocks.

off a Ford Expedition.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

done for now. Went wheeling and man was it cold. This was the only Pic I got.

Made some rock sliders with a friends Tube bender. and I did make a front bumper out of the HF bender you see in the back ground.


I have to add this pic. My wife had this made for me on my 38th B-day. I thought it was the greatest thing.

sliders welded on.

made my drop hanger and did rears up front. I had to drill my spring perch so at the time I didn't want to relocate my IFS box.

sliders did their job. I never did fix the rocker panel before I installed them. O'well.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

split a birf on that trip.
My only carnage... aside from a burned up clutch the year before.
 
Re- did the front fenders. The old one had rust on them. I also deleted the front side marker light.

Re built the front axle. I'm not complaining here but Marlins bearings did not fit on the upper kingpin...or High steer arms. I gave them to my buddy and he used them on his lowers as well. They did not fit his upper as well on his stock J arm. I don't know why.
   
I also did the backing plate eliminating thing.

Makes life easier when you have to change out a broken axle. You don't have to deal with the brake caliper.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

poser shot at our Club 20yr Ann. Run.

This is what I did at the time to my shock tower. It did great for the year or two it was on.

I scored some Marlin shock hoops and addressed the front IFS box mount. I also built new leaf packs and got my full 2" moving the axle forward.

cutting the old stuff off took up allot of time. You can see I welded a chain to the engine mount and the chassis. same engine mounts for 6 years plus and never broke one. A mod I learned early on.

plated the area where to shock hoop mounts to. My wife bought me a Lincoln 3200hd for X-mass. 

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

sleeved the IFS mount. dajavo I remember doing it the first time.

better...You will notice I installed Rock rings along the way.

The build of my tube bumper using a HF bender.

The mod I did to the bender to keep the dents out. It was good up to 35*

I find it hard to weld tube. But I am getting better at it.


And How I mounted it.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

for X-mas last year Money was tight and my two brothers decided to hook the bed up as a X-mas gift.
 
I thought they did a great job. I hate body work. but love the fab and welding.

Prime and painted the fender flares.

My best friend John hooked me up with a refurbished Drive shaft. The joints were only a year old. so new tube and balance cost $109
Finally I am able to drive over 40mph again on the street. Good thing work is only a few blocks away.

did work on my doors. I got the driver side done. Never did get around to the passenger side. neighbors complained about the smell of primer. and I left it at that.


My older brother "Mark" helping out. As family we all like building, fabing stuff up. That is what we love.

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

Finished door.

This is what I was able to save up for after 5 years.

I'm convince that My wife loves me. Of course I did have to show her some roll overs and what not. So that she can see how important a roll cage is.
my second attempt at a roll cage. The first one didn't go so well. and I would of had to cut the top of the cab off to get it in.

used the trailer to mount it on. It works out great because know I can bring it anywhere to bend tube.

had to cut the dash so it can be less restrictive in such a small cab.

some of my work.




img]

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

I installed it in two sections. The a pillar with everything welded to it. and the B pillar when it with just the cross bar...which I changed before installing.

high and tight. I still can use my rear view mirror and visors. My CB mount.

seat belt harness I picked up for $80 (both).

1/2" grade 8 bolts to mount it. I still have to tie it into the chassis. But I am slacking. Needing to move ASAP sucks.

And that is pretty much current. I did install some Plastic racing seats but no Pics yet.
My last run out at K-Rock. 04/04/09



edit : My best friend John doing it old school. Aussie locker front, welded rear, Marlin 4.7 Single T-case.

I didn't cover every detail. so If you have a question...I'll see if I can answer it for you.
Enjoy,
Mike

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

Finally got around to installing my front shocks. I traded my old front seats for them.


new to me seats. Not so sure that was a great deal. I already miss my old seats.

Mike

[toyotanner]

definately a cool build man

after a day of wheeling with those seats i dont know if i'd be able to get back in the truck the next day

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

Thanks,
I had the same seat in my 1970 Nova. Dislike the comfort but I do feel more secure in them.
They are alot lighter then my old ones.
We have our 21st Club Ann. coming up at the end of July. I'll see if they stay or have to go.
Mike

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

All the way back to page ten. wow.
I got around to installing my winch with bolt on bumper.
I didn't get any build pics of the winch plate and mount.
But here is a pic pretty much done.

started with my HF bumper I made and cut off the bottom half.

Small stinger. Im not a fan of them huge one that stick out pass the roof.
You will also notice how far the winch sticks out. I moved my radiator about 1" back.   

The bottom tube have a capped nut in them that bolts into the side of the winch plate.

The winch plate is welded to both the old Drop hanger and the new Cross member. The winch didn't really fit between the frame rails in my application.

Done for now. I just need to prime some spots and paint.

Mike

[Mnmstoy [OP]]

I also moved my rear shackle mount forward. Made for a better shackle angle and a little more droop.

I also picked up some 38.5 TSL SX. I tried them on but I need to cut the fire wall more and re gear that is for sure.
 
Mike

[HDcruiser]

Its looking good!!! 

[86bobbedtoy]

awesmoe build, gotta watch it

[83 Crawler]

  sick build man