“Medium Blues” 1982 SR5 shorty (1 Viewer)

[athensrep]

So, after dying a little inside as I witness the prices of first gen 4x4s creep up in “value”, I decided to hone in and see if deals were still to be had.

Sadly, gone are the days of me getting a very nice, original owner SR5 from an old farmer in middle TN and bringing it home for $5,500. I’ve had four of these first gen 4x4 trucks and three of them have been an SR5 and beige. Every one I regret selling (except the double cab one I got from Australia with the 2L).

I found this one in WNC and it looked pretty original with all the bits that would drive me insane trying to find. Body was surprisingly straight with some seam rust and a few holes in the bed. Pretty typical for a southern truck, but “rust free” for one from the mountains. I am the third owner. The second guy used it to hunt but you could tell the original owner was proud of it for a long time.

Underside has some surface rust but no rot. Treated it with Coroseal already. Motor hasn’t been gone through but it runs good with 180k on it. Nothing special as far as miles, but fine.

What caught my eye was finding a blue one. After having beige my whole life (I have a beige ‘88 troopy), a blue truck would be a nice, fresh change.

So, now the fun begins. My first goal is to get rid of the Bro wheels faux bead locks and find some steelie spoked wheels. Still has the original white steel wheel under it. Much to my chagrin, I can’t find a set to save my life in the original white, so for now I threw these 17” wheels from a new Hilux on it.

Not my style, but looks OK for now.

I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet and get rid of the bead seam rust, which in turn forced my hand to prep it for a respray. The original owner had a “buddy” single stage it in a shade thats one or two pantones off from the original medium blue. Being a nut case, that bugged me. So, the prep work begins.

I’m on the hunt for those wheels. If y’all see them, let me know. In the meantime, here I go again…pics are from the night I drove it back to SC. Did fine.

 

[athensrep]

With the white Hilux wheels. Looks better, but still want to find the correct ones. Good luck, right?

My son made me this rust-free short bed truck out of legos. I was impressed.

Interior is pretty good. I’m missing the middle seat console, but I may get lucky and find one some day. Has the original radio that works as well as carpet that needs a redye. Dash is sun beat, but a cover will do me fine for now. Looks like dude put his elbow through the drivers door panel, but I somewhat fixed that. Carpet bottoms are on both doors. Again, I was kinda impressed that all these parts were still there as most I see look like a bomb went off on the interior. Glad to get what I have.

No factory AC sadly and no vent windows. Can’t have it all.

 

[athensrep]

I pulled up the now purple looking carpet to clean and dye it and found what didn’t shock me - rust. So the layers of the onion start to get peeled…ordered a couple of front fenders just to get a fresh start. These had 40 years of pine needles and leaves at the bottom making for a some cool drain holes.

 

[BrickRunner]

With the white Hilux wheels. Looks better, but still want to find the correct ones. Good luck, right?

My son made me this rust-free short bed truck out of legos. I was impressed.

Interior is pretty good. I’m missing the middle seat console, but I may get lucky and find one some day. Has the original radio that works as well as carpet that needs a redye. Dash is sun beat, but a cover will do me fine for now. Looks like dude put his elbow through the drivers door panel, but I somewhat fixed that. Carpet bottoms are on both doors. Again, I was kinda impressed that all these parts were still there as most I see look like a bomb went off on the interior. Glad to get what I have.

No factory AC sadly and no vent windows. Can’t have it all.

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BrickRunner approved Lego!

 

[Manhattan]

Not the wheels you're looking for... but an option: The FJ40 wheels are still available from Toyota and other sources and look great on the first gen Pickups.

 

[athensrep]

I’ve used James Deans Creations three times now and have been extremely happy with the results. His stripe kits are the bees knees - I just hate the idea of inflation and having to pay extra for the tailgate decals.

Searched and found a seller on Etsy that was cheaper, used 3M vinyl and came back with the tailgate graphics included. Got them last week and the quality is excellent. They hit the metallic blues perfectly. I say this as maybe this will help someone as another option. I know JDC is usually backed up.

 

[athensrep]

Not the wheels you're looking for... but an option: The FJ40 wheels are still available from Toyota and other sources and look great on the first gen Pickups.

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Absolutely. They look great on your truck (i used to see it in person in Decatur once in a while bombing around)!

It’s for sure my plan B that very well end up being plan A.

 

[Beams37]

I too have a medium blue from 1982. I don't think these are factory, but they are definitely true to the generation. They might be an option for you.

What is the story with those white hilux wheels above? I'm a huge fan!

 

[athensrep]

I too have a medium blue from 1982. I don't think these are factory, but they are definitely true to the generation. They might be an option for you.

What is the story with those white hilux wheels above? I'm a huge fan!

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I’ve got a couple sets of the Hilux wheels. They come off new GCC spec trucks that are brought in to be outfitted and then shipped off. The come in silver or black - I paint them white usually. They’re 17” though - I’d rather have the 15”.

 

[Beams37]

I’ve got a couple sets of the Hilux wheels. They come off new GCC spec trucks that are brought in to be outfitted and then shipped off. The come in silver or black - I paint them white usually. They’re 17” though - I’d rather have the 15”.

That's really cool. I've been back and forth about bigger wheels. Those definitely look good.

 

[Roody]

Awesome little truck. Excited to see where/how this goes.

Also are those Hilux wheels the same bolt pattern/offset as the FJC steelies? Love 'em.

 

[athensrep]

Thanks. These little trucks, like so many, are what got me into Land Cruisers to begin with. I keep coming back to them though.

Same bolt pattern but I’ll have to check on offset.

 

[athensrep]

Took the truck to the painter. I’ve painted a couple of my trucks in the past to good results, but with the weather changing and me not having the space to paint, figured I’d have it done by a guy that does it for a living. Should get it back in a week or two and will show results.

 

[clx16]

I might have a line on some stock wheels but they might not be nice enough or you.

 

[athensrep]

I dont care the condition - I can always pretty them up. Let me know if you want to let go of them. Thanks!

I might have a line on some stock wheels but they might not be nice enough or you.

 

[athensrep]

Figured I’d give an update while the truck is still at the shop - still. I should have known better that insurance jobs would keep pushing my paint work back. I’ve been down this road before and should have just done it myself at this point.

I found some chrome wheels off a 1985 which I am going to paint white. I know going over the chrome is no small feat, but I’ve done it before to good results. Any tips or tricks and I’m all ears.

Also, I found a guy up the road who has like 9 ‘79-83 trucks in his yard. Most of them are SR5s too. I pulled a rear sliding glass and a blue center console from him for like 50 bucks! I got lucky. I ended up prepping the center console and gauge cluster and gave it a respray. I can’t be more happy with the results.

I’m going back Saturday if anyone has a must have that’s feasible to ship or pick up. The beds are gone but there’s a good bit of interior pieces that could be salvageable.

 

[Bazz]

Not the wheels you're looking for... but an option: The FJ40 wheels are still available from Toyota and other sources and look great on the first gen Pickups.

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I have these on my truck with some tiny tires on them that need to go. These wheels are 15x5.5, correct? Are those 33s mounted to them? Any issue getting a tire shop to mount a 10.5 on those skinny wheels?

 

[Manhattan]

I have these on my truck with some tiny tires on them that need to go. These wheels are 15x5.5, correct? Are those 33s mounted to them? Any issue getting a tire shop to mount a 10.5 on those skinny wheels?

Yeah - 33/10.5/15s on 5.5" wheels. They were mounted at the shop that built the truck - not a tire shop. I would imagine most (every?) national/chain tire shop would refuse. But, I've zero issues. I'm sure if started auto crossing the truck, I'd wish I had a difference setup, but for around town, highway and the trail, they've been awesome.

 

[Bazz]

Yeah - 33/10.5/15s on 5.5" wheels. They were mounted at the shop that built the truck - not a tire shop. I would imagine most (every?) national/chain tire shop would refuse. But, I've zero issues. I'm sure if started auto crossing the truck, I'd wish I had a difference setup, but for around town, highway and the trail, they've been awesome.

Thanks. I've got a local shop here nearby that's not a chain. I'll see if they have any issue with it. I'll stop hijacking this thread now

 

[athensrep]

With the truck still in the shop, and working from the house, I figured I’d dig into nit-picky details I usually don’t mess with. After corosealing and repainting any bolts that needed it, I decided to give restoring the mud flaps a shot.

Turned out pretty good. I went slow with the white paint. If it helps you, I have found that using MaxFlex by Glidden rattle cans works great on plastics. I sanded and hit them with adhesion promoter, then sprayed them with six passes of the MaxFlex. After that, it was multiple passes with the paint pen.