So the old 4runner had been rusting away quite badly for some reason, I suspect electrolysis had its part in most of the cancer.
So I decided rather then fix up the panels only to have them rust through again I was going to buy some 2nd hand. I found I bloke around here that wrecks 4runner and he had all the panels I needed but I noticed he had an entire Gen1 4runner shell in near perfect condition. (panel wise)
The interior is absolutely gutted, not a single thing left so I took all the dash parts from my red 4runner and bought some new carpet which will go in last.
I only ever intended to just bolt on the new body on and away I went, but as most of you know, it's never that easy.
I decided now was as good a time as any to start on the dash and wiring harness. It wasn't all that hard, just time consuming.. I did it in about 4 hours but after sat back and cracked a beer to celebrate (drown my sorrows) the beginnings of something expensive and fun, I realised I hadn't plugged in the cable driven speedo into the back of the dash! F##K!
After tossing the old body I gave the chassis a clean down and it still look like crap not to mention some suspicious rust spots showing so I sanded it back to bare metal and hit it with a 3 step rust penetrator and chassis paint.
The old leaf springs had seen better days so considering this was an unexpected semi-restoration, cost was always going to be an issue, so I sent them away for a 5 inch reset, and with any luck they will sit about 4 inches in about 12 months time.
I decided to go Automatic as it already has a 304 in it and the standard G52 is quite weak, the diesels even blow them up so i got myself an Auto off a mate which meant I needed to get a transfer case adaptor.
After I received the kit I had to put the new output shaft in and noticed a fair bit of damage to the input drum so it went off to the trans shop to get rebuilt. The mechanic advised me that I should get a decent trans cooler so I ordered a PWR cooler which should do the job just fine.
Now, as some hilux owners know if you opt for a Holden trans you usually need some fort of B&M shifter or a standard Holden gear surround/ centre console to see what gears you're selecting and personally (just my opinion) I think the B&M's look ghetto and the centre consos are too wide for the hilux tunnel ram, so I found this little beauty on an American website which is basically an LED display for the gear box, it has a control box that the shift bar is linked to and it senses what gear has been selected externally, it doesn't however detect kick down within a gear.
It means you can use the factory centre console and in my case the factory gear stick boot. Im not sure if I will have the machined ring or just remove the LED and have that somewhere. I will be using the standard Holden goose neck.
I hit the axle housings with a flapy sanding disk and hit it with the left over chassis paint, I'm undecided if I will put a gusset in the front but I can always do it at a later stage.
I removed the knuckles for a rebuild and I'm yet to do them but the parts are here.
The engine bay copped a bit of 2pack paint and a few other bits and pieces.
I bought a High Steer kit for my truck too, I found it on yet another American site and as many 4runner/hiulx owner know, the steering arms are the first to cop a hit from a rock as it sit's infront of the axles and under the leaf pack, this places it all above the leafs.
I had had enough of the Rancho 9000's and wouldn't recommend them to anyone, so I bought BILSTEIN 14's and 11's from the USA also, and some random things like fuel pumps, head lights and tail lights, a snorkel and other bits and pieces I haven't taken pics of yet.
The engine copped some left over paint and I recon it looks alight, although I'm not a Bulldogs fan
I'll post more pics as it comes along, but this is pretty much where I'm up to at the moment.
