Double Trouble: The Fenwick's T4R Build

About thirty minutes ago, I got the keys and titles to two second gen 4runners. I paid $600 total for both of them. The guy wanted $1200, but I got him down to $600. One is a 91, the other a 94. I will be bringing them home tomorrow.


This one, the 91, is a manual with the 3.0L. It has a good bit of body and frame rust. Interior is muddy, but in good shape otherwise. The engine is in bad need of a rebuild by my guesses. The guy that owned these runners neglected to ever check or change the oil in the short time he owned it. We were doing the master cylinder on it when I asked him if he had ever checked it, because I was hearing a god-awful metal on metal screech when it was running. He pulled the dipstick and saw nothing on it. Proceeded to drop the drain plug, and all that came out was less than a half-quart of the blackest oil I'd ever seen.


This is the 94, an automatic with the 3.0L. The same guy drove this one for a couple months before getting the 91, then parked it. I know it was running when he parked it, but it was about as good off as the other one in terms of how it ran. This one has far less rust. It has, however, been coated in plastidip.

The purpose of this build thread is to document what promises to be a very interesting (though likely slow) adventure with these two trucks. My idea is to frankenstein the two together into one decent offroad truck. I'm not looking to get fancy with it, I just want something I can go offroad in, because let's face it, my 2wd Tacoma, Stonewall, is not an offroad truck, bless his tiny metal heart.
At this point, the idea is to tear down both engines and see which one is in better shape. The better engine (and I am not above swapping heads from one block to the other, if need be) will be freshened up/rebuilt and go into the 94. The rims and tires from the 91 will be put under the 94, and the cool bumper on the 91 will go on it as well. What remains of the second truck after taking what I need from it to put on the other, will be parted out, but that is likely a good long time away.

So here we go- the beginning of an adventure!

 

Ended up not being able to bring them home yesterday, because Bobby, the guy who will be temporarily storing the runners until we take them to Robert's, (different guy, my best friend) is at work and is unable to answer his phone to tell us where to put them. Don't just want to dump em there without putting them where he wants em. No sense in me being upset about it, because I can't do anything with them right this second anyways.
So I am hoping that we will be able to grab them today. I already have keys and titles, so I'm not worried about them going anywhere.

 

So we finally brought ONE of the runners home today, the 91 stick. Rope-towed it with my buddy's 87 T4R to his house. It is currently sitting outside one of the garage doors, the one that leads into the smaller bay, which will be my bay once cleared out. Not 100 percent sure when we will get the other one at the moment. (it is okay to leave that one where it sits for a little longer, as it is not in the way- the manual was in front of Sam and Cody's garage door, so it needed to be moved.)
The idea is to go ahead and yank the engine from the manual, then set the truck aside and roll in the auto to tear it's engine out too.

Noticed a very angry click-click-click coming from the passenger side. Sounded like a CV- and I was right.

 

So that plastidip is coming off the 94? I heard the stuff was 'in-de-structo'. I've got a couple I'm merging myself. Folks have told me to plastic dip (the white one) rather than paint.

 

I'll most likely be taking it all off. It peels off, and comes off in sheets. I'll probably give the truck a gasoline bath. It comes right of with gas, same as spray paint.

 

Scored some sweet stickers made by RuggedT over on TW, largely thanks to members Jberry813 and DCSBFTMFW over there. Those three are some great guys. They will be going on the runner after I take off the plastidip. Makes it even harder for me to wait!

 

James (DCSBFTMFW) is pretty much my brother from another mother, even though we live on opposite sides of the country.

 

Finally got the other 4runner home!


Also learned something new about the 94. I saw a spot on the passenger quarter panel that was peeling, and noticed the color under it. It has probably been wrecked before, because I discovered that it is a different color. It looks silver gray or somethin, rest of truck is green under the plastidip, as far as I know. Peeled a bunch off, cos once I start, it's hard to stop. Very cathartic, ha ha.
Not that I really care, on the account of looks don't matter much to me.


Yeah, the other one is green (slightly different green, but close enough I reckon. But me and Robert have swung a deal on the 91, and changed up the overall plan.
Still gonna yank both engines and frankenstein em together to throw into the 94. Since I'm using his shop, tools, yard, and expertise to do all this, I had given him dibs on what is left of the 91. I should still be taking the bumpers, rims, grille, and headlights to put on the 94, but we are leaning towards a different idea for the lift. Might leave the lift on the 91, which will be his, and buy a new lift entirely for the 94, with Robert going in halves with me to purchase it, since he will be keeping the lift on the 91. The $250 gift card from James (DCSBFTMFW on TW) will help with this, as it will probably be used to buy the shocks for the 94. We may even fab our own 4link setup for it, not sure yet. The exact lift that will be done on the 94 is still up in the air. We have also been talking about taking the SFA from under his 83 Hilux and putting it under my 4runner. Would be
So a lot is up in the air right now, but we both stand to benefit majorly from this deal, and I have no worries about him coming through on his half of the deal. If there is one person I can trust about stuff like this, it's Robert.

 

Started working on them FINALLY the other day, only gotten in two days consisting of a few hours apiece in.
But the project is finally moving!


Straight water came from radiator. Lower hose was so swollen that I just cut it because the clamp wouldn't come off.

Dirty bish.
Air filter covered in dirt.

Box filled with it too.

Oil is not... supposed... to be there.
All the oil that came out when I drained it. Thick and grayish black.

Stripped fan clutch bolt. Naturally it was the last one. I went home after this because at that point I was tire and irritated.

Yesterday.
For the people that asked me what I was doing yesterday, trying to entice me with hangin out and stuff.

Got the stripped bastard off.

Stopped taking pics after a while because phone was low on juice. But alt. Is off, power steering is disconnected enough to move to the side, starter is out, lots of shit disconnected. Exhaust has been sprayed so hopefully nothing breaks.
Word to anyone that's gonna rebuild a 2nd gen 4runner, the main harness disconnect is BEHIND the computer, which is mounted against the passenger side fender. I also learned that the 91 has been swamped. 2-3 inches of mud line up the interior when you pull carpet and trim back.

 

Boy.....I don't envy you one bit, you've got a shit ton of work to do ! When I was younger taking on this type of project was no biggie.

I'm older now and there's no way I'd even try, hell changing spark plugs is an all day 12 pack job .

Good luck and look forward to seeing your progress

 

'91 is close enough to a '90, so I'll be here watching before I get the chance to rip mine apart.

 

May have to check this out one day since Fenwick is local.

 

Stupid question, OP. How to remove the windshield cowl?!? I have a ‘90 pickup that has a rainwater leak into the passenger floorboard, water runs down the rear of firewall behind the ecu into floor and I suspect the cowl may be the culprit. I can remove the wipers and screws but not the little pins on the cowl cover?! It looks like you know how to tear these trucks down, so this is why I ask. Thanks for any help you can provide.