Build 1994 4Runner project

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Honestly if I do keep it (I know I said i'm selling but still not totally committed to that) I would just drop another 3.0 in it because of ease, and the fact I don't need a ton of power because I wouldn't be driving it hard or far anyways.
If things pan out as we are hoping then I will have enough to buy a newer truck, but I still wouldn't mind the 94. Time and money will be the verdict.
 
I agree that the 2nd Gen 4Runner gets a bad rep, mainly due to the 3.0 and the horrible suspension. But other than that they're awesome rigs that are roomy, nice to drive and look pretty good.

My first car was a 1998 4Runner SR5 with a 3.4L, 5 speed and 4x4. I absolutely loved it. The front suspension on that was such an improvement over the crappy torsion bars and that thing flexed like you wouldn't believe. Knowing how rare that combination was and how easy it would've been to add an e-locker I still kick myself in the ass for selling it. If I ever found it up for sale again I would have to jump on it. It was just such a nice rig to drive.

Not having a tailgate did suck, but to be honest I think the 3rd gen makes up for that with it's great suspension and not having to deal with swapping in a 3.4L.

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Out of every car I've ever owned, this one is by far my biggest regret. If it ever popped up for sale, or if there was ever a truck that would prompt me to sell KLF's it would be my old 98 4Runner.
 
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@yotadude520

DO NOT sell KLFs truck (unless it’s to me) for a 3rd Gen 4Runner!!! As nice as that particular one may have been, 3rd Gen Frunners are more or less a dime a dozen. Your truck is the pinnacle of WOW!
 
joseywales said:
@yotadude520

DO NOT sell KLFs truck (unless it’s to me) for a 3rd Gen 4Runner!!! As nice as that particular one may have been, 3rd Gen Frunners are more or less a dime a dozen. Your truck is the pinnacle of WOW!
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Don't worry guys KLFs truck isn’t going anywhere! It’s the best car I’ve ever owned and I love it to much to sell it. I posted that and thought about how much I ragged on that thing and said, nah, I don’t really want it back that much haha!
 
So as life still rockets by I have decided to keep the truck and work it into a functional DD if necessary and also take on club runs.
Plans are:

-put another 3.0 in it (hate away)
-swap in some nicer front seats- it looks like MKIII Jetta seats will fit with no fabrication, trying to confirm
-Find rear seat that will have the seatbelt clips in the bottom that I don't have to have too much fab done to make fit
-Build drawers for the rear
-Install cargo barrier
-Custom headliner and door panels because why not?
-Try and install some sort of rear window up switch, because if I don't have my key on me and I stick the dog in the back, she'll just hop out when I go around the front to roll window up. So I was thinking putting some sort of toggle switch near the rear dome light so I can put the window up 3/4 the way.

Also saw this and like the idea of having it so if all goes to plan and the whole family is in the truck with me, any potential roll-over would be (highly unlikely but) less disasterous:
www.4xinnovations.com

1990 - 1995 Toyota 4Runner Internal Roll Cage Full Length

www.4xinnovations.com

Anyone have experince with this type of tube set up? Is this strong enough to keep the roof from crumpling? I don't plan on beating the crap out of this thing but also want to make safety a priority.
 
Sounds like a good plan. My '93 4-Runner with 3VZ-E has close to 300,000 miles on it. I just replaced the original alternator earlier this month. After a valve adjustment, new timing belt, remanufactured AFM, and complete tune-up last fall it's running really well.
 
I bought the 4-Runner at a Sauter Toyota tent sale in Santa Fe back in 2002. I asked the dealer to see if the head gasket recall work had been done, they said it hadn't. So before I took delivery they started the warranty work. They discovered that the block was warped so they gave me a new short block assembly. I paid to have the clutch and timing belt replaced, and for the cylinder head machining and rebuild. So it basically had a new engine at 142,000 miles. There hasn't been a need to replace the head gasket yet.
 
Got a title for it the other day. Up for sale, haven't made a thread or had a chance to post it yet but I want to get out of it what i'm into it between buying, titling and towing. $750 in Gainesville VA.
Picked up a 100 and don't have time or money for both sooo it has to go. Here's to what coudlve been :beer:
 
Well since no one wants to give me more than scrap for it, I’m going to keep it and do the motor swap. Truck is still for sale during all of it but it’ll be worth more running.
Doing research if a sbc is doable without killing my self time and budget wise.
We will see.
 
Seriously with all these idiots on fbmp I may just do the engine swap and drive it. Also because I snatched this up yesterday
Fo free

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Plan is to keep it and fix it up as time and money allows. I intend on dropping another 3.0 in it since it is my first motor swap.
Read that the cushions and leather from an mkiii Jetta will fit the 4runner rails. Considering this, or just finding some nice seats and paying someone to weld the frame rails. Center console may be swapped out for ammo can, or I run it as is with cup holder insert.
Back seats are still up in the air, trying to determine the use for this truck. I have my 💯 series which is large enough for all 5 of us and gear, so im thinking the 4runner will be my beater truck and maybe me and limited passengers hauler.
Considering drawers and/or cargo barrier, or removing rear seats entirely to make more storage area.
Main objective is to get it running with nice cold ac.
I also need to get my key situation figured out- passenger side is busted so key only opens driver door and turns ignition, it only if key is on a certain side. It’s a copy and only one I have. Partsouq has the assembly it looks like so I think I’ll do that, just need to figure out how to get one that will do both ignition and door locks.

Got this guy to run hopefully it’ll bolt up. The wheel not the entire column..

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pappy said:
I'm not going to say I'm 'ruffled', but this post got my attention.

First, I do agree that the Gen2 4Runner was not one of Toyota's better offerings. That said ...

I've been considering another 4Runner. I keep going back and forth between Gen2 (there, I said it), Gen3, and Gen5. Personally, I think the Gen3 is my favorite version. But, I like tailgates. Lift gates, for my needs, suck. Even Land Cruisers still have a tailgate.

So, what am I thinking (or, should that be, "fk Pappy, what the he** are you thinking?")? Find a Gen 2, V6, 5-speed. Nuke the 3.slow, which is without doubt the worst engine Toyota ever put in a 4Runner (talking USA here), and do the popular 3.4L swap. While the torsion bars are not ideal, they work and the Gen2 4R came with coils in the back. A compromise. The Gen2 also is right-hand drop, so installing a gear-driven t-case is easy, as would be doubling up those t-cases. As I recall, the Gen3 is left-hand drop. Poo.

I don't know ... what I get will depend on what I find, and how much money. If a nice 1998-99 V6, 5-speed, locked Gen3 fell into my lap I would probably jump on it. But those things are impossible to find. At this point, it's all talk and dreaming, so it doesn't matter.
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@pappy coming back to this- did you ever get another 4runner? And pardon my ignorance but what is the difference between gear and train driven transfer cases, in idiot terms?
 
D21FJ60 said:
@pappy coming back to this- did you ever get another 4runner? And pardon my ignorance but what is the difference between gear and train driven transfer cases, in idiot terms?
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Nope on the additional 4Runner. I need to make space in the garage before I can do that.

Chain vs. gear. It's exactly how it sounds. The 4cyl transfer case has all gears. The V6 case has a big chain. Pics of the guts. Gear top, chain bottom.

gear tc.webp


chain tc.webp
 
Interesting. Despite looking at the diagram I’m still lost in how it all works...gears have always been a weak point for me
 
Maybe these links will help you better understand gear vs chain driven t-cases. I found them useful when I looked into the differences recently to determine what I wanted.

Differences explained: Gear vs Chain Driven Transfer Cases
Toyota 79-95 4Runner/Pickup differences: Chain VS Gear Driven T-Cases
More Toyota truck specs: Toyota Pickup and 4Runner Drivetrain Specifications

The big advantage to a gear driven is when you want to crawl. Only with the gear driven case (RF1A) you can swap a lower 4.7:1 gear and/or go with dual (stacked) cases for a wider range for crawling ratios. You would need an adapter to attach the RF1A to most Toyota transmissions.

It seems like you aren’t looking to put a whole lot into this since you have the 100. If you want it to be a budget DD “beater,” sticking with the chain driven (VF1A) makes the most sense to me.
 
rainbow94 said:
Maybe these links will help you better understand gear vs chain driven t-cases. I found them useful when I looked into the differences recently to determine what I wanted.

Differences explained: Gear vs Chain Driven Transfer Cases
Toyota 79-95 4Runner/Pickup differences: Chain VS Gear Driven T-Cases
More Toyota truck specs: Toyota Pickup and 4Runner Drivetrain Specifications

The big advantage to a gear driven is when you want to crawl. Only with the gear driven case (RF1A) you can swap a lower 4.7:1 gear and/or go with dual (stacked) cases for a wider range for crawling ratios. You would need an adapter to attach the RF1A to most Toyota transmissions.

It seems like you aren’t looking to put a whole lot into this since you have the 100. If you want it to be a budget DD “beater,” sticking with the chain driven (VF1A) makes the most sense to me.
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Thanks for the further explanation. You are correct in I’m not looking to do rock crawling with it, and doing it on a budget. Time will tell
 
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