Gatorgrl's Grand Gen2 4Runner makeover

Just ordered the new wheels and tires. Wish I was excited about this but they literally are the updated version of what we currently had.

 

Ok, I sent my baby off to the painters. I am a nervous wreck. I hate giving someone else control, especially after all the work I have done. Guess you could say I have some trust issues.

 

Trust issues are the norm for protective/crazy gear heads.

 

We stopped by the paint shop today to and so I could check on the progress. Maybe it's just me but my lil Runner looked at me like my dog did when I would have to leave him with the vet for something. Felt the need to protect it. Just have to keep reminding myself, she is not a show car, she's a purpose built toy to play in and drag behind our bus. Just my damned perfectionism is kicking into high gear.

 

Back in the mid 70's, I used to work at an Auto Body shop.
Believe me, I know the look...

 

I need to learn to paint my own shit. I know....deep down....I am not going to be happy with it. Took every bit of self control I have not to grab a roll of tape and start taping off my emblems, window trim and chrome sideboards. They are in untouched condition now, but I FEAR he will get paint on them. Shit is only original....ONCE!

 

In honor of my relationship with my beloved 4Runner.
https://youtu.be/N_lSJ-0Gl7Q

 

Is there a rolled joint to smoke that comes with this as well?

 

More like a big bottle of red wine when it's all finally done.

 

This anticipation......is killing me.

 

Well my painter stopped by and showed us a picture of our Runner. Looks good in the little picture. Can pick it up tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

 

And my Black Beauty is back home!!!!!
She has to remain inside for a month, then she goes back for a final buffing. He put 3 coats of clear on her and she looks a thousand times better. We are in the process now of getting all the new aftermarket parts to fit on he without scratching the new paint.
Here's some eye candy:
Her at the paint shop

Then back at our shop

Without her new chrome.

But then we started putting on the bling:

I painted the bumper valance myself and think I matched the color to the original pretty darned close.

 

Thats purty, are you happy with it?

 

Yes, I am happily relieved. Not bad for one guy in a shop with really no lights or lift, but he's been a painter for a long time so he made due.
There is still a few spots I will touch up that he didn't hit mainly because it wasn't on a lift, like the inside of the wheel well and under the body.

 

Looks great. Hopefully, you won't have to go back to being pissed off about mechanical things not working again...

 

Why would you say that you jinx? . You better go knock on wood, throw the salt over your left shoulder and than say 10 hail mary's for gatorgirls sake.

 

Well, her new shoes just got delivered. Going to take them up to the shop, clean the blue off the white lettering and put them on. Hopefully some completed pictures to follow tonight!

 

Well we took her out for a quick spin to see if the new tires were balanced good. What a night and day difference! She rides super smooth now.
Here's some pic of her in the sun.


Can't tell she was ever hit now.
Still have a few things to put back on, like the wipers and the back wing. Paint is still quite soft so we are keeping her indoors and trying not to work on her too much so we aren't touching the paint.

 

Looks damn good, kudos.

 

Looks terrific!!
Did I miss what
The insurance did for
Y’all? Curious how well
They looked out for ya.. don’t need exact numbers just wondering how close they came to covering the repair costs, granted you all did all the work

 

Their insurance sent us a check that just about covered all the parts and the paint job. If we also had to pay the labor, then it wouldn't have been nearly enough. It took us 3 weeks to get her back to good.

 

I had a good laugh last night. One of my old dear girlfriends, who drinks...a lot ....smacked me on FB last night. She said I am "obsessive" and post too much about my truck. (She also has a sick dog that she is trying to raise money for chemo for) I took the comment with a big grain of salt and told her FB wasn't my only outlet...I was posting my progress on 3 websites!
She has no idea what all we have been thru with this truck...no idea! The entirety of the build is here...in this thread...no FB. If she saw this, her head would pop off.
I had to rib her back this morning and told her to "just wait until I tackle switching all my 110v outlets out on my bus!"
She may unfriend me at that point.

 

that’s pretty much where I figured you’d be at. I guess in all fairness this truck would’ve never got all this love to begin with had it not been for all your sweat equity.. otherwise it would’ve cost more to get it t this point than just buying new

 

Ha, there is a thin line between, obsessive and I wanna get this shit done.
Most gear heads suffer from it.

 

Wow, looks awesome. Almost like a brand new 4Runner. Congrats on a job well done.

 

Amazing. Looks like that's a pic of pulling it off the lot in 91. excellent work

 

Insurance came thru again this morning with the bodily injury side of things and wrote us both a check to cover our medical visits and for pain & suffering...so we are up about $2700.

 

Just wait till she gets all buffed out in a month. Then she may blind us all.

Worked on the air horns again today. Got the fuse and the relay ran, now just have to run power to the switch.

 

Here's the horn install view from under the hood.

And installing the switch in the center consol where the coin holder once was.

Was a bit tricky because he wanted it to be key on operated and not constant on.