GUMBY the 87 Rockrunner!

[zidaro]

Seriously! 
I expected to get the SHAFT, not be sent the shaft.  very cool

[pumkin toy]

That's awesome you got the hookup on a new driveline! But only .095 wall? Seems like that will be pretty easy to damage.  I run 1/4" wall DOM on my drivelines. Don't have to worry about dents, scrapes and bends when they are that thick!

[zidaro]

honestly cant remember what thickness it is on the rear that HAD uses on a streetable rear driveline.  my front, which is also a HAD is super thick but also unknown.
Rear is Jess' standard HD tubed streetable CV shaft

[zidaro]

passenger side wheelwell clearanced!
no room for a battery in there any more unless i run one of those tiny oddessey starter batteries.
but it came out clean.  just need to get the fender and running light on





also started doing some other little things.  Dual pass PS cooler mounted under the front grill framing





started plumbing the PS/ram lines.  need to mount the reservoir off the driverside coil tower.


Installed the Mastercraft Baja RS seats.  Decided to use the Mastercraft sliders and Toyota Truck mounts for speed of install.  Little did i know that the guy i scored these seats off had ordered 2"wider seats from stock, so the brackets did not fit.  Just modded up the brackets a bit to get them to fit the seats, but where it got interesting was fitting them in with my center console.  they ARE wider.
It all worked out in the end- till i try to fit a cage in there!
sliders work, seats tilt, and fit great









did have to shim the inside back corners ~1/2" to get seats to sit level/slide

[pumkin toy]

seats look really good in there!

[zidaro]

seats look really good in there!

thanks, very comfy!  will look great once the carpet is back in



have not been sitting around last couple weeks, but had to catch up on some work including tending to a Vegas trade show for a week   8)

Did some engine bay cleanup, a big start atleast. 
All power steering lines are built and installed and even bleed it out  ;D  that feels good.  Routing lines wasnt so simple with all that link crap in the way.   PSC resi and mount are VERY nice and easy to position.
Air intake and filter mounted up.
ARB line is routed and clean, still need to connect to a manifold to run off my Powertank OBA.
Still dialing my brakelines in but think they are clearing everything at full cyle with tires and springs on.
Reinforced and rebuilt a bunch of my AP front bumper mounts.  Now connected at 8 points to front of frame solidly.  Recoated with a fresh Hammer paintjob, Winch is mounted and ready but not connected to a battery yet.

Pics, cuz everyone loves pics-











F'ing crunch time if im even gonna think this thing will be going on the MCR run in 2.5 weeks (considering some of us have to work also .i. )

[Wainiha]

Work?  What's that?    I guess that's why you're building and I'm not.

Looking good.

[Shamb]

Can't wait to see this in person.

[zidaro]

Can't wait to see this in person.

Man, you and me both  
would love to sit around at Sluice or the Springs with a beer, scouring over everyones rigs and toasting all to a good job gettin there!
your rigs lookin good

[zidaro]

couple shots of nothing different. 

Full compression



on psgr side after full trim.  this side compresses higher adn i definitely had to cut out more glass and sheet off the front fender.



near the end point on the front. 
still dialing in the brake and ram assist lines making sure they clear tires, exhaust and oilpan, coil springs under all situations.
just need to commit and charge the N2 and put on the springs.  Maybe tomorrow!   ;D

then on to all the other stuff. 
rear fender relocation is first on the big mod list!  I really want to move the whole rear fender back 6-8" like others have done.  Just not sure i have the time to pull it off.
like this:   http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/toyota-truck-4runner/933399-stretching-runner.html

[zidaro]

everythings got N2 in it now, front and rear.  put all the springs on the front coils today (after cycling everything ONE MORE TIME).  changed the engine oil.  started bleeding the brakes.  did alittle wiring.

winch wiring question... ive always ran the ground straight to the battery, but now its gonna be in the rear of the truck somewhere.  Hows everyones opinion on running a solid ground to the frame (common ground for eng. block/cab/fuse panel)?  Battery will be grounded at frame in rear.



the 5hrs my kid is in school goes QUICK!!

[Shamb]

 Dude so true, my daughters in preschool so I only get 3 hr's and it goes by REALLY quick!

I dont see any reason you can't ground to the frame in the rear as long as you get a good ground. Grind that section of the frame to bare metal before attaching.

Get it done!  MCR's around the corner it's crunch time.

Btw where did you get the front bumper?  did you build that?

[zidaro]

Btw where did you get the front bumper?  did you build that?

its an All Pro, with some structural mods

[zidaro]

PROGRESS, lots more to go

exhaust is done.
ran 2-1/4" tube with mandrel bends all the way back.  Just used Summit prebent tube
put in a summit flex section just behind the cat to handle alittle flex   http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-642510-1/overview/
lapjoints are all fused with summit SS strap bands which are TIGHT and easily removable.  Never used them before, but VERY easy and seem to make a strong joint.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/wlk-33231
used a Borla ProXS Turbo muffler cuz theres nothing to burn out and they sound mellow unless your on the pipe.   http://www.summitracing.com/parts/BOR-40351
Tried to run it high as possible and put the tailpipe out under the shackle at full droop, should still clear just behind my bumper and line up nicely with the fender relocate.












Little bit more cleaned up under the hood.  wired up the flexalite and got creative with some flex tube for the upper hose so i could run the temp sensor probe in the hose instead of a probe shoved thru the radiator fins.
using the Variable speed controller from Flexalite cuz the little one that comes with the black magic and the 210kits for tacos has proven possibly unreliable and could cause overheating if your fan fails.  the VSC is much higher quality and has lots of positive reviews, ive used it before on my 3RZ taco and it works great. 
Will be running my e-fan thru my main fuse panel in the empty 80AMP fuse position.

[Shamb]

 Get it done, got a week left!

[zidaro]

Get it done, got a week left!

NO KIDDING!!!

today some wiring, fluid checks, and cutout the fenders is on the book.  would love to have it sitting on its own 37"wheels by the end of today.

[zidaro]

Gumby is now off the damn castor trolley (as convenient as it has been) and sitting in its own shoes on the ground!!!
kinda a big day mentally.

also officially recognized by DMV as a street vehicle again!  registered and insured

Ride ht is set at 27" right now to level with rear and some gear.  im sure i will play with it more once things settle after some trail.









tailpipe location for the pm i got



Full droop with tires on...... Damn!!   

48"hilift leaning against tire for reference.  gonnna need a 60" to do any front end work.





absolutely filleted my finger today on some 22g sheet and had a few other REALLY stupid moves, can tell i am trying to rush too much.


now i better feed and put my kid to bed so i can get out in the garage and gut the interior

[HogCanyonHopper]

That thing is too sexy for your garage. Get yer butt to MCR and bring that beauty with ya     

[twistedtoy92]

Ahhhh.... patience young grasshopper!  Rig is looking ridiculously good! keep it up and you better be rollin with a photographer at MCR13    

[zidaro]

Ahhhh.... patience young grasshopper!  Rig is looking ridiculously good! keep it up and you better be rollin with a photographer at MCR13    

a photographer!!  heck, i'll be stoked if i just pull it off and make it there.  Gonna have so many little things not done just to go.  Prolly no stereo, lights, interior except front seats, no cage.  Just want to go cruise the Con though, with everyone.


Just when i thought i was gonna take it for a spin around the neighborhood!

Fender Stretch.   
Opening up the wheelwell and moving whole shebang back 7"
I dont have donor skins so this is all gonna happen with the exisiting skin, 16G sheet for inner fenderwells and 22G sheet for patch panels.  also using 1/8x1" as backer behind most of the OEM sheet.

NEVER done any bodywork before, so here goes.



pulled all my lines off the doorjam once the truck was level






gutted the interior and had to ditch the roll bar to cutout the inner wells








now were all trimmed up on passenger side





backing going in

[yota_krawler]

[zidaro]

So, as can be seen in the pics, my rear is not at the rear of the wheelwell anymore but more toward the front, but when (i mean if) i ever link the rear the plan is to have this part completely done and ready.  Linked rear will be pushed out another ~3". 

Heres where i ran outta steam this eve.  Spilled muy glass of wine and had to call it

outer skin is back on and fully spot welded back in, ground the welds flat and then patched up the micro holes.  didnt get to grinding it down again as the wifey put the kabosh on late n\night noise in the garage.

[daniresch]

great build, watching closely!

[zidaro]

in the name of hating to do things twice:

more cutting done.  old wheelwell is out except very front.  
cut out another inch of the outer skin.  4.5" total cutout from stock fender opening





you win Brian  :flipoff2:

[zidaro]

How hoopty can you get when your solo and you need to  fit a 6' long piece of 18g sheet in your wheelwell tight and NOT slice your neck doing it??

A piece of tube, a wood block, a milk crate, and a floor jack.  Place sheet on back as you fit yourself in well, jam tube into well pinning it between wood block and sheet ( be sure to stabilize whole contraption by balancing tube on brake drum and other end of sheet on milk crate), then slowly step out and lower truck causing milk crate and tube to jam sheet into well.







them there mudflaps oughtaa keep the man off my back!


sits at 6" above bed floor, stock wheelwell is 4" above.





wrap the passenger side up tomorrow and hopefully do the driverside too- if i dont slice my neck


btw, i hate sheetmetal

[zidaro]

there is no question that i am no body guy.  the work was easy but tedious and the welding of 22G sheet is no fun at all- it warps and burns thru way to easily.   Not to mention the miles of stitch welds to try to keep that from happening.
Came out purdy good though.  Not quite finished with some details, but it is water tight and solid as a rock (till i vibrate all the welds loose   )   A little bondo to smooth things out and i am sure it could pass for normal.

Now if only i didnt have to do the other side!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zidaro]

IT STARTED!  over 2 years since last run.

Not surprisingly, the engine is running perfect.  Its a good one.  Got the e-fan dialed in no prob., need to bleed the brakes again- super squishy.  Steering seems tight.  Front suspension feels good at 35mph, rear is WAY too stiff with NO weight in the rig.

took it for a spin to the gas station and found a rock on the way.  Took some token crappy cell phone shots.
Very conservative driving so far- the battery is just floating around in the bed.  And im cautious as hell considering everything from Fr/Rr suspension, steering, engine swap, brakes, axle, electrical of all sorts, cant remember whatelse- all fresh and untested.









can only flex to the right or itll eat the rear fender  8)

Could POWER out a sloppy fender job tonight and tomorrow and still make it out the MCR13
Or could power out and do my truck right the first time, taking time to get things dialed.
Decisions!!!  guess ill know in two days 

[twistedtoy92]

bust out that fender and cruise to MCR13 

[Shamb]

dude the runner's sick!  hope you guys made it out okay. we slowly made our way out after stopping at buck for a few minutes... we ran out of water and food so we where  ready to get out and get something to eat.

[zidaro]

Shane, that was a great time! 
Thanks huge for the campspot and use of your stove for our emergency dinner that should have never happened.
great to drink and wheel with you (not at same time of course   )  you and Gabe were a riot- really Gabe though took the show.    look forward to doin it again someday, maybe with a little more time.  Meet ya in JV? though id like to run Fordyce again too