1982 SR5 Longbed (1 Viewer)

[ToyotaDon]

To do list, with a couple items checked off already.

Accomplished a few things on lunch break today. No picture, but hit the engine bay with degreaser and the pressure washer.

Got a genuine Toyota fuel filter. The old Carquest one was a little hard to blow through.

New gas cap, as the old aftermarket one had a cracked seal.

Hey Don thanks for the share. I didn't know you tell such a good story. Great photos.
I had a white 82 SR5 long bed with a snugtop back in the day, a flash of memories come rushing through my head.
So you ask what to do with it... I say ask your oldest son if he wants the truck & do the build with him. This will acomplish many things. It would be a father and son thing. He would learn how to work on stuff... My 82 was my 1st truck... I'm so glad I didn’t have a V8, I would of been dead many times over with a bunch of horsepower. As far as paint that is so close to flat tan, just sand & rattle can that bad boy...

What do you think you should do?

Nugget

Well, I chose option 4 on my own poll, but if a 3RZ comes along for a good deal, I'd love to be able to go that route.

Tried using the can of tan Rustoleum I had in the garage. It's a little too light.

The plan for my 82 is to improve on it and enjoy it as a daily driver and light trail and light work duty truck. The plan for mine includes suspension lift, 33 tires on stock wheels, rebuild axles, 4.88 gears make the interior as comfortable, quiet and nice as possible. Metal bumpers front and rear, and sliders will also eventually make there way onto the truck. So obviously I vote for you to do the same.

Ideally, my oldest son who is 8 will learn to drive in the truck and I will pass it on to him when he is old enough to drive.

Like someone already mentioned. Making it a father son project is just icing on the cake

Del

Already considering the 63" Chevy rear leafs, with moving the rear springs up front (RUF). It looks like at least the rear can be done without lifting it too high, with much-improved ride quality and flex. Still researching the best route for the front end.

 

[ToyotaDon]

Oh yeah, after getting the fuel filter changed, it seemed to idle a little better. I tried taking it out on the street, and the lack of power in 1st gear around the parking lot became even more evident when I shifted to 2nd, so I turned around and brought it back. Need to see if the valves are tight, and whether the vacuum advance is working.

On a good note, I tried the A/C and got cold air from the old R12 system. We'll see how long that lasts.

 

[SKULLYOTA]

I voted in your poll! I think go easy on the mods, do a little suspension, some knobby tires, get it 100% reliable DD status and have the ultimate vintage everyday truck

 

[80t0ylc]

Option 4 in your poll (yes, I voted). Fix or upgrade what is needed using good judgement. Drive as is - these 1st gens are literally indestructible - I know 1st hand. I drove my '81 off a 4 foot cliff on to slick rock last year returning from Poisen Spider Mesa (Moab). Landed on the front bumper and momentum allowed the front tires to get contact which allowed me to continue driving without a tow (after changing my underwear...lol). I didn't realize it at the time, but I was descending a buggy trail. Any other rig in that group would have had to been towed home. My '81 survived unscathed except scratches on the welded on tow hooks. I don't recommend trying to break it, but my experience provides evidence that these trucks are very durable and also forgiving of our shortcomings in the driver's skill department.

 

[ToyotaDon]

It looks like I forgot to mention that I also went into AAA on my day off last Wednesday. Signed up for a membership and took advantage of the DMV services all in one visit (I'd already driven by the DMV and seen the line out the door). The fees, tax, & registration came to $798. The only way it could have been reduced was if I didn't know it wasn't current, and those forms are not available at AAA. I already had the cash set aside, so got it all handled.

 

[ToyotaDon]

The level of originality is pretty neat to discover.

I'm thinking the valve cover has to have been off before, but these ties were still in place, etc.

Inside of the cover had some varnish, but most of it has already come off in the parts washer.

My coworker Hugo kept shining his flashlight when I was trying to focus on the valvetrain, so I took this out-of-focus pic of him.

Got to use my 13/16" spark plug socket that's sat in the toolbox for awhile.

The compression numbers don't look too bad after the valve adjustment. Three of the exhaust valves were slightly tight, and a couple of the intake valves were slightly loose.

 

[TLC Norway]

I dig it! I basically grew up in a similar one, 83 with 2l engine.
Amazing rigs, and cool details!

 

[ToyotaDon]

Yesterday's progress:

6 new lug nuts, not quite the right style, but the originals are no longer available from Mr. T.

Drained some fluids and shot some more underside pics. Installing allen head drain plugs in everything.

Leaky knuckles, but found the front diff only about a pint low.

Also confirmed the distributor advance unit is faulty. The inner diaphragm holds no vacuum, while the outer one will move the plate, but will not hold. Ordered a replacement from LC Engineering to save a little.

 

[ToyotaDon]

I spent a little time with carb cleaner and steel wool, getting all the old clear coat off the valve cover. Worked carefully to preserve the 22R label, though.

Inside turned out nice as well.

All installed.

With the ties back in place on the new PCV hose, and new insulator/stud for the air cleaner.

I also pulled the heat shield off the exhaust manifold, and put a torque wrench on all the bolts/nuts. The last one I touched in the very front just turned and wouldn't tighten up, so I got out the heli-coil kit. Borrowed a right-angle drill and got it to the proper size & depth, tapped new threads, and got the insert in place. The problem came when I was putting the stud back in, it screwed in, but the nut wouldn't turn on it. Left it there for the weekend with some penetrant, will try again on Monday.

 

[ToyotaDon]

The vacuum advance from LC Engineering came in today instead of Monday as expected. Now I can take it to work on Monday and get it installed. It looks just like the one on their website. http://www.lceperformance.com/Distributor-Vacuum-Advance-Unit-22R-p/1081123.htm

 

[KLF]

That looks nice now, but that bare aluminum is gonna corrode something awful eventually. Maybe shoot some clear on it?

You can still get 22R stickers from Toyota. Get a new oil fill cap while you're at it.

 

[ToyotaDon]

Yeah, can you recommend a good clear in a spray can? I was thinking of just replacing the oil cap gasket, done that a few times on other vehicles.

 

[allan man]

Great find...keep up the good work.

Subd.

 

[cruiserdan]

You can still get 22R stickers from Toyota.

Different font.

 

[KLF]

Different font.

Well that's just not acceptable.

 

[ToyotaDon]

Today I got to work and found the truck had been pushed out of the shop by some of my coworkers, hopefully not left unlocked all weekend.

I hadn't filled it with oil before, so did that and installed the new set of spark plug wires (pics to come). The ones for the '82 are no longer available, but '83+up were, so that's what I went with. Stuck a couple vacuum plugs & caps on, since the air cleaner is still off and drove it into the shop for another try at the exhaust manifold stud/nut.

The nut was still stuck on the stud and wouldn't turn either direction...I found that out when I tried to reverse it off with an impact wrench...the stud came with it. At that point, my best option was to find a matching bolt, which torqued down nicely. Eventually, I know I'll have to get the manifold off there, and heli-coil all the remaining holes. I'll get new matching studs & nuts at that point.

Just a seat of the pants observation when pulling it into & out of the shop later; it seems to be idling a lot smoother and have better acceleration since the full tune up. Now I just need to get the vacuum advance put on, and it should be good to go.

 

[ToyotaDon]

So another coworker/friend gave me these when I first got the truck, he just happened to have the set in his toolbox.

Heat shield insulators.

You can also see the new plug wire set installed. The only issue I had was one of the brackets was 90° to the clip that goes on it. Looking closer, I think the bracket may have been twisted by someone in the past, I just need to take a pair of pliers to it.

Heat shield all back on, with no audible exhaust leak.

 

[vegasfj40]

Awesome truck! I kinda did the same thing with my 85. It's now my daily driver and I love it! I do light off roading and will keep it stock with 235/75/15 all terrain tires. here's a pic

 

[GW Nugget]

Since someone else post their truck up so will I. This is my 82 long bed SR5 in 1984 with a Snug Top when I got it. It's really close to Don's ride but white. The other was just before I sold it.

 

[ToyotaDon]

Time play "catch up".

The spare wasn't holding air, but it's too cool to get rid of.

Dunked it in the water, and found bubbles coming from the wheel weight, so I added a little bead sealer to the weight and stuck it back on. Soapy water showed bubbles around the whole outer bead, so unseating, cleaning, & sealing fixed that. It's been holding air ever since.

When checking the emissions, I saw the temperature wasn't rising very high. Got the thermostat replaced, needed all new radiator hose, and the coolant looked like straight water. It sat for awhile with the system open after I flushed it out, but got it all back together last night. I kind of needed it running, because my Cruiser ended up losing a brake booster over the weekend.

Yes, I drove it home last night and back to work today. Temperature climbed right up to normal, and the A/C blew cool all the way home. Took each of the three older kids for a ride around the block after dinner.