Topic: 81 SR5 short bed restoration

[4x4yota]

so I have a few trucks for playing and decided I want something to restore and baby...

I essentially want her close to show room quality but I will use her not just park her in the garage

she is an 81 SR5 4x4 short bed I am in the process of restoring to factory spec with a few things added here and there that I have collected over the years

bed has almost no rust other than tailgate and minor bed floor surface rust. Cab is clean other than a few small holes and engine bay is just dirty but the frame looks straight and rust free just dirty... leaf springs even have original symbols and part#s

plans are rebuilt 22R possibly ported/polished and a cam
add some headers and free flow exhaust
clean up 5speed
have crawl box I might use if I get a triple stick or just sell it
redo paint and graphics back to original
redo interior factory colors
rebuild front and rear axle (possibly swap out stock 3.90 gears with ether 4.11s or 4.88s since I hvae both of them)
plan to keep factorry tire size (235/75/15 but wouldn't mind the added torque for pulling maybe even a rear locker

[toyyota]

Do it!

[4x4yota [OP]]

here is he most recent state... out of storage and started disassembly



now she is just sitting in the garage waiting for time and help to make some forward progress

[toyyota]

I don't post a lot, but I have a lot of odd first gen parts...when you start the build. I'll be at MCR 12.

[4x4yota [OP]]

I don't post a lot, but I have a lot of odd first gen parts...when you start the build. I'll be at MCR 12.

thanks right now I just need a bunch of little things and will post a wanted add as soon as I get a big enough parts list

[4x4yota [OP]]

well decided to tare down my other 81 (due to rust) to donate her parts to this build so some plans are changing. still going for a 100% restoration but with some simple mods. but will hopefully be getting a trekker conversion from toyota fiberglass, so in preperation for that I already sold the bed and a few other parts. frame and cab are going to be power washed to prep for paint ,going to try and ether keep the same white of go for the original tan color of my other truck...

hope to keep this going and have steady update come this spring

[RockyRoads]

Awesome build man! Thing should get a lot of attention when it's done!

[4x4yota [OP]]

finally had some nice weather to get some work done on the truck pulled her out of storage, took her to the car wash and pressure washed her inside and out

now just need to finish cleaning out the interior and start swapping over drive train