First Gen Toyota 4quoia with a (2uz-fe) v8 (start up post 230)

I picked this up for 250.00 I was going to make the 98 t4r e-locker rear end fit, but I found this and could not pass it up. A lot less work and less rust also. I now have two set of matching gears 4.10s and 4.30s.



The person who removed the rear end cut the top leaf urggghhh!!!! I cleaned it up and painted it. because my wheel base was still over by 3/4 an inch. I decided to temporarily move the center pin hole in the leaf pad on the rear end. I did not want to change the frame saddles and find out later that I liked it better the first way. I also picked up a front bumper and another set of fenders. This is how the truck looks with the different fenders and the wheel base 103 inches

I still want to move the engine into the firewall.

 

I’m sure that was an impressive truck. It’s totally weird how we get used to things like that. I’ve had some motorcycles that did the same thing

 

I am going to get some photo's of the body mounts I have so far. Before I move the body I changed the right valve cover. The drivers side I will have to remove the power booster. I know this because of when I changed the spark plugs in my first v8 swap, I was not able to remove the coil. They are not flexible like the 3.4 coils. I would be cool If they were interchangeable. It would make a tune up more simple.

 

That's mostly the reason I need to make another. I enjoyed it. I wanted a 4runner though and the best one to to is the first gen. My first gen 4runner has power windows locks and mirrors. I will install the electrical systems of the Sequoia. One of the benefits will be rolling down the tail gait window with my key fob from out side the truck. People will lose there minds.

 

that’s gonna be a rad 4Runner when you’re finished - be the envy of many others on the road
Can’t wait to see it as it comes together

 

I have been driving around like a mad man trying to steal pictures of 4runners and trucks. Most of the trucks I find are missing the lower valance. Others do not even have the bumper ends. I slid the body forward and the frame back. I like where the engine is but I am not sure about the wheels in the wells. If I went with a straight axle swap it wouldn't matter. I would have to get one with the diff on the drivers side.

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Kinda looks like it is too far. When looking at a tacoma, the rear wheel does look like it is closer to the rear.

Any thoughts or feedback? I have been racking my head on this. I also want to lower the body on to the frame about 1/2 inch. I now have 6 out of 10 body mounts in order, but not set.

 

Here is the drivers side valve cover removed.



\/ bellow you get a look at a rough mock up of the steering though the fire wall. I have the steering column from the frame set in place. But I still do not know what setup I will use. I want it to look stock inside. Bugs and gremlins running around wild in my head, LOL

 

Are you running an electric fan? What I’m getting at is the tight squeeze of the larger v8 with an operating cooling fan will help decide engine location with radiator installed in correlation to the wheel wells.

I would get the body/engine/front wheel well in line then set the rear. Being leafs in the rear, you will have a much easier time making the final adjustments there.

Here is a good picture of my pickup before SAS for reference on front wheel well location. Top is SAS (35” tires), bottom is factory ifs (31” tires).

 

In the pics above, seems your “before” mockup looks good.

 

I like the "before" also. But the 1/4 to 1/2 inch I gain between the engine and the radiator makes me undecided. Also depending on the body mount height to the frame I may lower the body and have to move it slight back on the frame to clear the fire wall. This is the closest point of near contact.

 

As far as the front wheel well, I do not know what tire size I am using. the mock up is a 35 12.5 17. I thought of taking out all lift components and putting on small tires to see what that looks like.

Stock truck




(lower) random lifted truck. No valance or bumper ends.




(lower) before moving body forward on frame.




(lower) current placement reflects engine placement in post above.

 

Looks very close to correct position. Ifs seems to canter the hub dial in the center of the fender opening

 

I may be close enough that it will not matter. If I finish it and it looks a little off. I may go crazy!!!LOL. I have gotten rid of trucks for paint and little things that only I could see before.

Are there any angles or positions you know of that can help to figure it out? Something so simple as leveling the body or turning the wheel can have an effect on the look of it.

 

I know what you mean, I’m a little picky also. But, as long as it is close to hub dial centered in the fender well, and if you can flex the suspension with tires turned both directions without rubbing, I’d say burn in your body mounts and keep moving forward. Are you set on running 35’s smaller tires will obviously have a lot to do with not rubbing the back of the fender well.

 

I see people moving there axles out to the front all the time. I just do not want to look like a ran into a log and push the wheels back lol. Here is my 03 tacoma before I v8 swapped it and installed a new bed. It had been rear-ended. They repaired it by extending the bed 10inches. They used a second bed cut and slid it into the existing bed. They also used a lot of bondo.

 

That is wild looking. Kind of neat but out of place.

 

Just imagine if It had a stock bumper on it. It would look really goofy then.


Here you can see the end of the original white bed and the green bed extended with the fiberglass roll pan.

 

My front body mounts is the frame cut off and notched to fit in the tacoma frame.



This is position 3 drivers side These mounts are stock mounts from the frame position 3. I changed the body mount to the 03 double cab tacoma. they were about a 1/2 inch taller than the original.


This is the position 5 at the rear bumper. These are stock rear mounts from a 1997 toyota 4runner.

 

Do you want to see a photo of the before?

 

I got this delivered today.

https://www.ocautocarpets.com/product/4580/1984-1989-toyota-4runner-complete/
It cost 328.64 delivered to my door. This is 5 piece vinyl in #57 gray.

 

I gutted the interior today. I was just going to take the carpet out. Then I was just going to take out the roll bar. Domino's I just kept on removing parts until it was dusk. This is where I ended up


After cleaning



after

 

Its the little things that make a difference. I got the first gen toyota 4runner electrical wiring diagram manual. I will use it to blend the first gen 4runner systems like power windows, mirrors, rear window, door looks, rear wiper, and heating. I already got the 01 sequoia EWD manual.

One of the systems I am curious about is the A/C system of the 88. It has a A/C amplifier that is placed on the A/C unit. I want to remove it if I can to make room for The Sequoia computer. I do not want to give up on A/C yet.

 

Since This is a 4runner, it has plenty of space. I have been thinking of going with a 60/40 split bench seat. Please don't hate. I have a guy to do upholstery work. I just have to make up my mind. These seats are from a 97 toyota tacoma king cab. The passenger seat works like I need to access the rear of the 4runner.

 

I don't really know how I am going to fix this.

This is the floor on the drivers side. I brought it home this way. The nut that is on the bottom came loose and the floor was removed to get the seat out. I have to fix before I can move forward.

I went to the wreaking yard and butchered the floor just for this piece.


How do I get rid of a hole? Cut it out, I guess. There is two layers of metal. The brace and the sheet metal. I have to blend it some how.

 

I have never fixed a floor before. I can weld when I need to, but I don't weld that often. The top layer of sheet metal is pretty thin. Here is how it turned out.
I used a pinch weld drill bit on the spot welds. Then used a cutting disk to take off the top layer.


I took the top layer and placed it over the floor section that was removed from the donor floor. I used a sharpie to trace out the pattern. This is the top layer from the donor floor put in place.

Here is the new top removed

The top floor with the hole had to be hammered flat to be used as a pattern. The 3rd piece is the main support for the seat and seat-belt.

This is the bottom layer. I have squared it up leaving it larger than the piece to fix. I traced out the pattern and used a jig saw to cut it out.

I put a bolt in it and test fit it trimming as needed.

The welder I'm using has a bad trigger or something. It works then don't. It looks ugly I know. Blame it on the welder, LOL.

I used some Ace Hardware rust paint. I really like the stuff and it was handy.

With the bottom fixed, I lay on the top layer. I use a flap disk to trim by eye.

This sheet metal is thin. I burned holes. I spot welded moving back and forth, but the trigger switch was a pain. It looks messy and probably leeks like a sieve. This is what it looked like after the flap disk cleaned it up.

This is the before set on the after. I can now bolt in a seat. Of coarse soundeadener, close cell foam, and my new vinyl. I am still going to go under the truck and weld some more on the floor and see if I can put some ugly down there.

 

A trick I used to use to fill holes is use a brass backing plate and fill it with weld and grind it back smooth.


Also check the liner on your welder. Sounds like maybe it's pinched

 

This is pretty sweet. I have been storing a 2uz that I want to put in my '87, but I haven't fully committed and built the motivation. I helped a friend swap bodies on his '05 tundra, we did a very similar body hoisting setup. He gave me the 2uz out of the '03 donor truck in exchange for my help.

 

It is a borrowed machine. I had to put a new liner, ground clamp, and a roll of wire. Of coarse I have had it for 2 or 3 years now. Your probably right though, if I move the line it sometimes helps.

 

I had to move the vinyl out of the spare room because of the upcoming holiday. Since I got the hole in the floor fixed, I decided to get the vinyl set in. It is just a rough trimming. I will finish the trimming after the sound deadener and closed cell foam is installed.