Author Topic: Built BettyWhite. lots of pics (Read 18646 times)

Rockin4Runner · « **on:** Jan 18, 2011, 07:31:10 PM »

Hey Guys, I'm new to the site and pretty new to the Toyota world (I'm a XJ Cherokee guy, but moving onto Toyotas) Well a friend of mine gave me his built 4Runner a little over a year ago. The thing has alot of fab work done to it but the registration was 5 years over due and out of state, aw well as pretty worn out (240,000 miles on original engine 3.0), and had a good amount of body damage. Before I go on let me give you some detail on the rig when I got it, It's a 1990 4Runner, with 3.0 engine, SR5 with Marlin crawler reworked tranny, SAS, leaf springed all the way around, spooled rear, LockRight in the front, chrome molly burfields, fully caged, and on 37s. I'll call this 4ruuner RevB so I don't confuse you with the other 4runner (keep reading hehe)

I figured out the best thing to do was to buy a decent running bone stock 4runner with updated registration and try to make one good out of two. So I bought a same year 4 runner with only 98,000 miles on it but with an automatic tranny

(might have been better to wait and bought a manual tranny one, IDK yet). I'll call this 4runner RevC.

Ohhhh and by the way, I've never have done anything like this before so I'm learning as I go and doing it all on my own

Plan: to swap body and engine from RevC to RevB, keep it manual, swap manual ECU and Engine wiring harness from RevB to RevC, swap wornout parts from RevC to RevB, and try to fit the cage back in.

This is what RevB looked like in her prim

Me lain her on her side

This is what she looked like when I got her and it's her good side.

Here is RevC

bigarms23 · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 18, 2011, 08:04:34 PM »

nice 4runner

Rockin4Runner · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 18, 2011, 09:28:39 PM »

Thanks Bigarms23

Well I started by stripping RevB and getting it ready to cut the cage out and remove the body.

Then I removed the body from RevC, Notice the horizontal rain? Rain, snow or shine I'm workin this thing.

minicrawlin · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 18, 2011, 09:33:31 PM »

maybe something like this to put the cage back in?

http://bluetorchfab.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=617

bluetorch is kinda pricey but something like that would work!

bslh8tr · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 18, 2011, 09:50:17 PM »

Looks like your heading in the right direction!

yoshaleng · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 18, 2011, 10:43:10 PM »

showing major progress so far...

874runnertoys · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 19, 2011, 05:37:08 AM »

x2

Rockin4Runner · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 19, 2011, 02:01:09 PM »

Thanks guys, I like the complements. It helps my motivation ha

Here's the naked RevC

THK Matt · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 19, 2011, 02:22:36 PM »

should of swapped that engine before dropping that body onto the RevB chassis.

Good work.

Rockin4Runner · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 19, 2011, 02:49:21 PM »

"should of swapped that engine before dropping that body onto the RevB chassis."

I did, I haven't posted the pics off RevC body going onto RevB Chassis.

Thanks

bslh8tr · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 19, 2011, 02:53:00 PM »

Thing is going good. I like seeing rig's getting a second lease on life!

Rockin4Runner · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 19, 2011, 02:58:12 PM »

I then pulled the engine out of RevC

Swapped engine wiring harness

I had the flywheel resurfaced and installed it. I got a 2100lbs clutch from Marlin Crawler and installed that as well.
Installed the RevC engine into RevB chassis

Cleaned up RevB chassis, and swapped parts from RevC to RevB (steering box, fuel tank and main fuel line).

Rockin4Runner · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 19, 2011, 03:25:03 PM »

I then installed the brake / clutch master cylinder onto the fire wall of RevC (Not that much fun)

Cut the wheel wells for the shock hoops

Back RevB chassis up to RevC body.

Jacked up RevC and slid the chassis under it.. If only it was that easy

And this is as fare as I have gotten. It's taken me about 7 weeks to get this fare because the Rig is not at my house (roughly 70 miles away) and I can't only work on it on the weekends because of work.

Next I'm going to have to cut holes in the floor and grind some of the pinch seam line so the body sits on the frame mounts. The body sits about 3 inches higher than it should.

bslh8tr · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 19, 2011, 03:29:04 PM »

Looking good!

Rockin4Runner · « **Reply #14 on:** Feb 08, 2011, 05:32:22 PM »

Well here's an update over the last two weeks. I have the body all mounted down, wiring is hooked up, brakes / clutch bleed, and driver and passenger seats are in. The best part of all is that it started up! I was very concerned that it wouldn't start because I'm going from a body that is wired for a automatic tranny to a manual tranny. The only electrical problem is that the gauge cluster does not work so I'm going to have to figure that out. Hopefully it's just a ground that is not bolted down.
Another problem I ran into is that the clutch does not engadge. I'm hoping

that it's just that master clutch or the slave cylinder so I just bought both and will be installing them this weekend.
In addition a bought a craigslist special "a box a crap" that kinda has enough stuff to build dual T-case set up and of course it's missing parts. I've attached a picture of an exploded view with the parts / quantity I need. If you guys have these parts sitting around please let me know so we can work something out.

Thanks,
John-Paul

yjay · « **Reply #15 on:** Feb 09, 2011, 06:30:13 AM »

Subscribed.
Nice work. Gotta dig the 2nd gen runners. Wish you had a picture of the rigging from the cherry picker to the body when you set it on. Looks sketchy so I like it.

Rockin4Runner · « **Reply #16 on:** Feb 09, 2011, 11:34:44 AM »

Quote from: yjay on Feb 09, 2011, 06:30:13 AM

Subscribed.
Nice work. Gotta dig the 2nd gen runners. Wish you had a picture of the rigging from the cherry picker to the body when you set it on. Looks sketchy so I like it.

Haha, it was totally sketchy the fist time I lifted the body off the stock frame as seen in the pic. I had the motorcycle tiedown straps around the seat bolts and once I had the body high to get the body off the frame one strap broke and then the rest of them did to so the body crashed back down on the frame. I added a few more straps and got the body off that day.

I was a little more prepared when I set the body back on the lifted frame. I bought two 6' 2500lbs slings, looped them around the B-Pillars under the lower door hinge and then a 3" wide ratchet strap going from the back corners to the slings where it was all attached to the engine hoist. This way worked pretty well and had no issue. Plussss the doors still close without an issue so nothing got tweaked from lifting them from the B-Pillars.

silence007 · « **Reply #17 on:** Feb 10, 2011, 01:02:49 AM »

Quote from: Rockin4Runner on Feb 08, 2011, 05:32:22 PM

Well here's an update over the last two weeks. I have the body all mounted down, wiring is hooked up, brakes / clutch bleed, and driver and passenger seats are in. The best part of all is that it started up! I was very concerned that it wouldn't start because I'm going from a body that is wired for a automatic tranny to a manual tranny. The only electrical problem is that the gauge cluster does not work so I'm going to have to figure that out. Hopefully it's just a ground that is not bolted down.
Another problem I ran into is that the clutch does not engadge. I'm hoping that it's just that master clutch or the slave cylinder so I just bought both and will be installing them this weekend.
In addition a bought a craigslist special "a box a crap" that kinda has enough stuff to build dual T-case set up and of course it's missing parts. I've attached a picture of an exploded view with the parts / quantity I need. If you guys have these parts sitting around please let me know so we can work something out.

Thanks,
John-Paul

I'm sorta new to toyota stuff too, I recently found out I have been taken advantage of too with the old craigslist parts list. Should have known when the guy wouldn't let me know where he lived. I would go back to their house if they let you know where they live. If not I hope some one has one they chewed teeth on for you so you can get the small parts.

Rockin4Runner · « **Reply #18 on:** Feb 22, 2011, 06:13:24 PM »

Well here's a little update. I've replaced both the master clutch and slave cylinder and the clutch disengages now

. I drove it around a lil in the back yard and it feels like it has a pretty decent amount of power because it was able to spin the 37" tires in the dirt were before RevB wasn't able to spin the tires in the dirt and it was bone stock.
Hopefully this weekend I'll have the front end all tighten down and take her for a drive.

bigarms23 · « **Reply #19 on:** Feb 22, 2011, 09:32:46 PM »

fantastic came out great

yoshaleng · « **Reply #20 on:** Feb 22, 2011, 10:23:03 PM »

THK Matt · « **Reply #21 on:** Feb 22, 2011, 11:46:32 PM »

Very nice man!

bleakhorizon · « **Reply #22 on:** Feb 22, 2011, 11:59:17 PM »

wow... nice friend to give that to yea... .even if it is hammered..... lots awesome before and even more so now

Peterbuilt84 · « **Reply #23 on:** Feb 23, 2011, 09:21:32 AM »

Nice! Build looks like it's really coming along. I really like that front bumper.

Rockin4Runner · « **Reply #24 on:** Feb 23, 2011, 12:51:31 PM »

Quote from: silence007 on Feb 10, 2011, 01:02:49 AM

I'm sorta new to toyota stuff too, I recently found out I have been taken advantage of too with the old craigslist parts list. Should have known when the guy wouldn't let me know where he lived. I would go back to their house if they let you know where they live. If not I hope some one has one they chewed teeth on for you so you can get the small parts.

Yea and sadly this isn't the first time I've been screwed by buying things from craiglists. I bought 17" rims 6x5.5 bolt pattern rims for my project and when I got home to put them on the bolt pattern wasn't 6x5.5, it was some stupid ford metric crap... called the guy back asking for my money back and he said he already spent it.... Soooo now whenever I go to look and anything from craiglist I don't take their word, I measure, get greasy, tell them that it's a piece of crap and I'll offer them 200 bucks less then what they're asking lol. It always works ha

Rockin4Runner · « **Reply #25 on:** Feb 23, 2011, 12:56:43 PM »

Thanks alot guys! It's coming out pretty good. I should be driving it on the streets this weekend.
Next thing to do to it is put the cage back in, paint it (I'm thinking of a neon satin orange), install the dual t-cases, install new shocks.

Rockin4Runner · « **Reply #26 on:** Apr 04, 2011, 09:28:18 AM »

Well here's an update. This thing is taking way longer than I expected it too... I think mainly because I can only work on it on the weekends and the rig is 80 miles away from where I live.
So I drove it the a few weekends ago on the street and man is this thing slowwww. It feels like the breaks are applied well driving because you have to runnnn each gear before shifting, you can't just cruz with it (engine always has to be running over 2300 RPM). But anyway I noticed the steering was felt loose so I gave it the quick test of jerking the steering wheel back and forth really quick well going probably 15MPH and it broke into MADDDD speed wobbles. I limped it home and jacked up the front end and come to find out the rod ends on the tie rod were shot. I just got them replaced but haven't been able to take it for a drive yet.

The plans are to still put the cage in, paint it, and then install my dual Tcases.

One of these days it will be finished..

86bobbedtoy · « **Reply #27 on:** Apr 04, 2011, 09:57:36 AM »

lots of work man!
your almost done,
subscribed

Rockin4Runner · « **Reply #28 on:** Apr 22, 2011, 03:14:00 PM »

Update..

Marlin crawler steering stabilizer installed. It completely got rid of my speed wable issue and was only a 15 min. job to install.

Been playing with the crappy paint job this thing has to make it look half way better in the mean time.

Also been playing with my dual T-cases that I have been collecting parts for.

I tried to get the tires balanced but they are to out of shape so I'm going to try the "airsoft BBs in the tire trick" that I've been reading about and see if that helps.

46&2 · « **Reply #29 on:** Apr 22, 2011, 05:25:54 PM »

Great work, coming along very nicely.

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