Hi. I picked up a project truck last fall. Been working on it as time allows. I plan to make it a street drivable trail truck, that can crawl but still do 65MPH.
Trade Details: I traded a fairly rusty JDM 71 Prado for the 86 pickup. I had very little money into the LC as it sold at auction for cheap and had the 2LT/auto. I had done about half the rust repair, and put a set of used wheels and tires on it and shocks, but I just didn't love it. It didn't flex out well and the diesel sounded cool but wasn't very strong. Parts were hard to get but not impossible, I have other JDM cars and know the deal. Mostly, I love manuals and wanted my trail truck to be an manual. I enjoy using my 40 series offroad but want something to beat up to keep the 40 nice.
Truck at time of trade: The 1986 pickup was built 2 owners ago in central VA as a farm hand truck, steel flatbed, chainsaw holder and vice for sharpening chains. Good welds. Beautiful rust free frame. Next owner (after the builder) used it as a trail rig and it got kind of beat up, drank some mud, he threw new doors on it but they got beat up too. The windshield and sunroof looked rough, trans was shifting rough. LS seemed happy enough but needs checked out and tuned or replaced if not healthy. Interior is pretty trashed. I does have a 1.5 inch body lift to fit the LS.
- 03 Gen 3 5.3L, cheap intake, TB, block hugger headers. factory ECM, harness is tied in nicely, most everything works. I can grab another Gen 3 if needed.
- SM465, "rebuilt" does not work great. 2nd gear is not syncro anymore. Has a Novak hydraulic setup. Pedal pretty firm
- NP205 "rebuilt" seems to whine pretty loud, but that could be the trans? Shifts OK.
- Front Axle: 85 mini truck, came with one 6 shooter installed and one in a box, new hubs, 5.29, Detroit locker, 6 inch leafs, high steer with hydro assist
- Rear Axle: 2nd gen Tacoma offroad rear end with cable locker conversion (works but very sticky) chevy 63, disc brakes, unknown shafts
- Wheels and Tires: TSL SX 38x12/5R15 on steelies.
Fix the ignition and some electrical gremlins (DONE 11/2025)- New drive shaft (damaged) (FIXED, had one made locally 1/2026)
- Get it water tight. inspect and fix the cowl. -was realllly bad, lot of welding, (FIXED - 3/2026)
- Fix the A-pillars -also bad, ton of epoxy, A-pillar and frame rotten, lots more welding and body work.. (FIXED 3-4/2026)
- New windshield (INSTALLED 4/2026)
- Fix and replace sunroof - It was a mess of rust and epoxy (welding done 4/2026, got a nice used unit, some drains working)
- Replace the smashed doors and fenders (INSTALLED 3/2025)
- Winch- I actually won a winch at SEMA so I installed it. Warrior 12.5K (INSTALLED 3/2026)
- Get a better set of doors, I got 2 doors for $150 and swapped the smoker windows in, new handles and locks (Installed 3-4/2026)
- Replace fenders, the aftermarket ones both showed up with some body damage unfortunately, I body-worked them $90 each. (3/2026)
- Get the hydraulic assist ram mounted better - broken bolt, loose
- Check codes and get it running smoother. Maybe back to OEM intake? (In progress, got intake installed and sealed up better, new knock sensors, we're going to tune it via HP Tuners)
- Get the SM4650 and NP205 working and shifting better.. Likely needs rebuilt eventually.
- Get the cable locker working better (Not sure what's up, Very hard to actuate with cable or on diff, but if I jack up a tire and roll a wheel it goes right in by hand)
- Have someone knowledgeable check the steering setup the tierods are turned down?
- Get the other 6 shooter installed and rebuilt.
- Get a real parking brake (It has a line lock that goes to all 4 currently as the rear was swapped to disc).
- Fix the blower (FIXED 4/2026 it was shorted)
- Get the Heat working (hoses are looped)
- Body work the major dents (DONE 4/2026)
- Paint or wrap it (INSTALLED - wrapped it Gloss Sonoma Green, I love it, 4/2026)
- Clean up and fix up the Interior
- Replace the window seals, wipers, etc, all the old rubber
- Get and mount a spare 38 (anyone in DMV have one for sale?!)
- Recovery gear, I need a few items and need to mount everything.
- Minimal "Exo Cage" I have a bunch of 1.75 .120 wall DOM I'm gonna tie the bumper into the sliders and make A and B pillar bars that tie into a roof rack and the bed.
- Partial rear enclosure, just to keep recovery and camping gear dry (In Progress)
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