Project: An old friend lives

#1
A few months back I parted out my old cab truck. I'm a toy man at heart, I liked the one tons but never like I loved my old toy axles. I kinda miss the 4 link and coil overs but my whole plan for the build was to get back to the basics of what worked for me. I gotta say it was a sad day to see it go. R.I.P
CIMG0244.jpg
 
#2
Back in 94 my best friend scooped up an 85 bone stock cherry Toyota. Through out high school we tinkered with it. We did the standard Smittybuilt double tube bumpers, and roll/light bar. Put a Warn 8k winch on, Trailmaster 2" body lift, 4" Skyjacker lift, Downey shackles, aluminum wheels, and 33" THORNBIRDS! Remember they had just come out and no one knew how bad that tire was yet.
af62a659.jpg
 
#3
We were the usual broke kids so we drove this thing everywhere. And let me tell you young bucks something. It's along ride in a single cab yota, loaded down with camping gear and everything thing else. Then a 4cyl on 33's with 4.11 gears through the mountains to Tellico. But we did it and was smiling the whole way. We even drove it to Chatanooga in 97 for a big ride. I'll tell ya something else, THORNBIRDS will get loud enough on the interstate to drown out a Toyota radio.
 
#4
Eventually we put a lock right and some 5.29's in it and welded the rear. Marlin Crawler was just starting up so case gears where not an option yet and the Internet was just starting up so you can say us right coasters were a little behind what the left coasters were doing. The truck sat for 4 or 5 years at his moms and never moved. Once I got my 85 we dug his out. By then Trail Gear had come out so he ordered some 4.7 case gears and we put some 36" iroks on it. It went to River Rock once and maybe twice to Tellico before he parked it again. It took me a few years to get it but he has a family now and both of us hated to see it just rust to its death. I started stripping it down the day I got it to try and maken Oscar. I had a basement full of parts for another build already.
cb89ce96.jpg
Matth85 is a Trail Gear vendor and they should send him a Christmas card after all the stuff I ordered in the past 2 months.
 
#5
9ddb507c.jpg

I completely stripped down the front end. I cleaned and rebuilt the knuckles, installed Longfields and drive flanges. Ifs hubs and rotors and Arp studs. I went low steer this time around after much debate and talking with PSC about the length of aftermarket high steer arms and the added leverage they add. Put a single ended ram on with full hydro. 3/4 ruff stuff hiems and .250 wall Dom tie rod and a Sky manufacturing diff covers and low profile front spring hanger.
 
#6
56bd44ad.jpg

With the new spring hanger and running rear springs up front it pushed my front out about 2.5". Whiched worked out well to get the tires away from the cab.
 
#7
3e57342e.jpg

Got the Psc pump and reservoir/ filter mounted up. Steering is very nice now.

Built a front driveshaft using the Trail Gear long spline kit. That thing is a beast, I think I remember seeing one of those on a skidder some where.
 
#9
86ed20a6.jpg

This is the best I could get it befor the weekend trip to Harlan. I'm gonna swap out some half doors we built, do a little fender trimming and load up.
 
#12
Nice build! Where'd you get those sexy beadlock wheels from? I like those!
I got them from a buddy, he got them from a guy in Alabama. I almost think they are a one off custom wheel Allied built. They are Allied Rock-a-thons. Who ever bought them new paid for um I promise. They are nice.
 
#14
They are Racelines but they don't make em' anymore.


Truck looks good Deano. You gonna put the tail lights back in it and finish the bob or just leave it Nelsoned up?
 
#16
They are Racelines but they don't make em' anymore.


Truck looks good Deano. You gonna put the tail lights back in it and finish the bob or just leave it Nelsoned up?
I'm gone come up,with something. When It gets exoed I'm gonna put a 10" Baja Designs light bar across the front of the roof, kinda like the trophy trucks have. Prob get with Clippa and cnc a tab off the back to hold 2 brake lights and reverse light.
 
#17
As much as i am tired of working on it I can't wait to get back and pull the 22r out. If timed would have allowed I would have done the motor swap before Harlan. I picked up a 97 3rz Tacoma motor. Aside from moving the motor mounts there isn't much fab in the swap. You have to have from the bell housing fwd. the Taco bell housing will bolt to the w56 trans in its current location. I'll include as many details as possible when I start the swap. 170hp will be a nice upgrade.
15619cfd.jpg
 
Top