Builds Just another mall Cruiser rescue--Plain Jane (1 Viewer)

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This is the first US truck I have seen with manual windows. Very cool. I wonder if those door panels are available at the dealer.... lol

Interior, forward. New steering wheel, clamshell, SOR seat bottom foam and upholstery on the driver's side. Parking brake handle cleaned up. The carpet is a little fuzzy and the plastic matting needs a reglue. The black plastic on the dash is destined for replacement as the attachment points are brittle and falling to pieces. We'll see how my glue job holds up to the heat (probably won't). One good thing the PO did was use a dash mat some time ago. The dash is in great shape.View attachment 1463216
 
This is the first US truck I have seen with manual windows. Very cool. I wonder if those door panels are available at the dealer.... lol

I better take good care of mine.
I'm missing an ashtray in the left rear door. It's smaller than the one in the power window doors. It's available $$$
Maybe I can find one in a pick-n-pull from a Corolla or something.
 
Fawk!

I only envy like ~5 80's (2-3S/C'ers, a LS3, & a couple glowpluggers despite not needing diesel myself) - and I envy the fooook out of the platform you're starting from. And that's the 1st time I ever said that about a 3FE.

If anything ever should go negative, know your cabin/body will command BIG $$$ from the 80 enthusiast market. NEVER let insurance give you "book value" no matter the days to come. (Not out to jinx you, just LYK you have a helluva body/rig )

Seriously - that cabin is a mother of a rare bird. That with a updated motor (next life) - is a serious dream to most in this subforum. Me includued.
 
Nice rig! I'm down the hill in Redding and just finished the knuckle rebuild on my '92. It went easier than my oil pan gasket job did...

Can't wait to hear about some trail reports from out that way, I do a fair bit of backpacking out there and am trying to find some good 4x4 camping to take the family on.
 
Wind up windows. Manual locks. Cloth, manual seats. No third row. Solid cargo windows. Just like my FJ62.
I really wanted the no sunroof option. She's uncommon, that's for sure. This was the one for me to get. I can add the fluffy stuff I want as I go. I'll post some interior shots this weekend.
If I could find a UZJ100 with no sunroof...

Very nice find! Dig the roll up windows too. I sold my no sun roof 100 (1999) while I lived in Northern. Ca. Might still be around, it was down in Redwood City.
 
View attachment 1463090 This drift stopped progress this day. I might have been able to get over it with a little run up, but I had no recovery gear in case it sunk in the snow.
A week after I took this photo, we came back and drove over this drift. It was still at least 2 feet high and supported the mass of the Cruiser. No lockers, no problem. There was only about another half mile of drive-able road, then, much more snow. This, and getting up my steep driveway and over passes when snow covered, was motivation to hurry up and get another Cruiser.

I'm over in Mammoth, I wouldn't screw around with that snow either. There's impassible road to anything other than a snowcat or snowmobile right across the street from my house and I've gotten high centered three times this year, once just a couple of weeks ago on a 70 degree day at high noon.

The thing I've noticed is that based on the heat/sun/previous conditions/ it can really change the sink-in factor. Hard packed ice is no biggie, either you have traction or you don't. But getting high centered in slush is a nightmare.
 
Very nice find! Dig the roll up windows too. I sold my no sun roof 100 (1999) while I lived in Northern. Ca. Might still be around, it was down in Redwood City.

So, there exists a no-sunroof 100. I might have to start saving my pennies.
 
Nice rig! I'm down the hill in Redding and just finished the knuckle rebuild on my '92. It went easier than my oil pan gasket job did...

Can't wait to hear about some trail reports from out that way, I do a fair bit of backpacking out there and am trying to find some good 4x4 camping to take the family on.

I heard there were some Cruiser people in Redding. I've spotted several nice rigs around town.
Glad to hear your knuckle rebuild went good. As I recall, it wasn't hard, it was just messy and I needed a few extra tools and tricks to get it done.
As I get out on the forest roads, I'll keep my eyes out for some good dispersed camping spots--or, campgrounds with no big crowds and places to see and go.
 
Fawk!

I only envy like ~5 80's (2-3S/C'ers, a LS3, & a couple glowpluggers despite not needing diesel myself) - and I envy the fooook out of the platform you're starting from. And that's the 1st time I ever said that about a 3FE.

If anything ever should go negative, know your cabin/body will command BIG $$$ from the 80 enthusiast market. NEVER let insurance give you "book value" no matter the days to come. (Not out to jinx you, just LYK you have a helluva body/rig )

Seriously - that cabin is a mother of a rare bird. That with a updated motor (next life) - is a serious dream to most in this subforum. Me includued.

Thanks! I'm glad I found this one. It's basic and still Land Cruiser. It was a sad, but attractive old mall cruiser and now it has new life. So far, so good. And, having left Minnesota many years ago, every time I turn a wrench on a 99.9% rust-free 25 year old truck I smile a little. Although I'd love a little more power, I'm familiar with the pace of the 3FE. That said, it's tempting to do a rear mounted turbo since I have all the space available where the spare used to be. I'll have to think on that.
If the engine/transmission ever gives up, it might be repower time. I'd love to keep it Toyota. In the meantime, I'll do my best to keep it clean and working right.
(I also need to get my FJ62 back together again. Wind up windows there, too.)
 
That said, it's tempting to do a rear mounted turbo

Don't know why, but that ^^^^ made me think of these

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I better take good care of mine.
I'm missing an ashtray in the left rear door. It's smaller than the one in the power window doors. It's available $$$
Maybe I can find one in a pick-n-pull from a Corolla or something.

PM me your address, I'll send you mine. Same color, also a 94. Im replacing them with USB ports.
 
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The missing tray is like this one, only 2 3/8 inches wide. I can't find either of these part numbers on Toyota parts breakdowns. I'll never allow it to be used as an ashtray, but it'll be nice to full the hole. Great offer by @mellowdave, pm coming.
 
Finally, back at the big baseline item: front axle service.
So far, I've only done the right side. It came apart easy, yay for CA trucks. Someone had been in there before and didn't pack the knuckle with grease. Only the birfeld joint got grease and it seems like bearing grease. Most of the grease that was in there was what I pumped in when I checked and it was dry. It wasn't making any noise, but it looks like it got a little warm at times:

HotBirf_20170924.jpg
 
It wasn't making noises or any other indications of problems, so I repacked it and slapped it back together.
I'm a pitifully slow wrench, I still have to do the left side.
Other items on the agenda for the near term:
Get the winch installed, behind the factory bumper.
New brake pistons and hardware on the rears.
Check and adjust the LSPV.
Build a receiver hitch that goes through the factory rear bumper and ties into the frame.
Modify a HF hitch hauler to carry my full-suspension 29er.
Mount a gun box.
Then, go drive some jeep trails. Views like this:

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Of course, this jeep trail has been bulldozed to become fire line. It'll probably be closed until next season due to Forest Order (the Helena Fire) and seasonal closure. It'll be snowed in over winter. But, there are other routes. I'm only starting to search them out.
 
Finally, back at the big baseline item: front axle service.
So far, I've only done the right side. It came apart easy, yay for CA trucks. Someone had been in there before and didn't pack the knuckle with grease. Only the birfeld joint got grease and it seems like bearing grease. Most of the grease that was in there was what I pumped in when I checked and it was dry. It wasn't making any noise, but it looks like it got a little warm at times:

View attachment 1543393
Those marks are there from the factory.
 
Good to know. Learning more every day. I don't remember seeing that on my FJ62 birfelds. That was about 17 years ago... These seemed okay otherwise. I'll run them until they break or start squawking.
 
It's been chilly in the garage all winter. But, I managed to get a receiver hitch made. It will work for my purposes: a bike rack and pulling a small motorcycle trailer.
I cut holes in the bumper and in the plate from the Summit Cruisers bumper tire carrier kit and welded in a 12" Reese receiver tube to the plate. I relocated the lower bolt holes outward on the plate and the bumper. I can still use the factory nut plates on top and I welded flanged nuts to a plate that slips behind the bumper to make it easy to mount. The receiver is tied into the frame with a 2" x 1/4" square tube T-shaped thing welded to 3/16" plates at either side which bolt into factory nut plates on the bottom and inside of the frame (where the original tire carrier mounted). It only takes a few minutes to remove or install. Now that it's warming up outside, it'll get some paint soon.
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