3rd gen 4Runner, PanAm, 22RE or 6cyl?

[defrag4]

Originally was looking at LCs for our PanAm trip but after learning about the crappy gas mileage I quickly chagned tunes to the 4Runners

Ive been hoping to find a decent priced 3rd gen w a V6 and stock rear locker. So far havent had much luck on that.

I have found some nicely priced good condition 4runners with the 4cyl.

I am wondering if the 4cyl is really capable off-road and in the mountain passes I plan to encounter in central/so america?

I have also been looking at some 1/2nd gens with the 4cyl as Ive heard the 3.0L is prone to issues.

PLan to build a sleeping platform in the back, mild lift, 31's, and a front mount winch

 

[cnskate]

Looking for something else on the forums , I ran across a few posts that mentioned 22RE vehicles being a hot commodity for theft down south. Something to research/consider.

 

[defrag4]

Looking for something else on the forums , I ran across a few posts that mentioned 22RE vehicles being a hot commodity for theft down south. Something to research/consider.

thanks for the info, kill switch should keep it from disappaering when im not around, unless they straight haul it away which is always a possibility i guess

im going to check out this 1st gen this weekend, freshly rebuilt top-end, new tranny/clutch, 5speed

1987 Toyota 4runner EFI SR5 4X4

 

[frobuster]

Honestly I am not positive that iknow what a third gen is. I can tell you though that the 4cyl/5spd, pre-2004 4 runner is known to be the perfect, low geared, reliable beast.

 

[defrag4]

picked up that 87 4runner for $3K

newly rebuilt engine, new tranny, new clutch, its awesome

 

[arndog123]

Pics?

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi All:

I have a second cousin that drove his 1992 V-6 Toyota pick-up from Washington State down to Chile and back during the last three years.

The rig was pretty much stock, with a canopy (hardened) and a roof rack. No winch or bull bar, 31 inch tires, no locking diffs.

I think keeping your truck low profile is an important part of security.

regards,

Alan

 

[defrag4]

its silver, bodys in good shape, just one dent in the passenger door, paint/decals are a bit faded but no big deal

im fixing a few small issues and then will post up a new build-thread!

 

[Combat Chuck]

IMO ditch those automatic locking hubs for manuals as soon as you can!
when they get worn out, they tend to unlock going downhill.

altogether, a great find, I look forward to your build!

 

[Volcano cruiser]

I'm not sure what mods you are planning or what the focus of your trip is. Here is some general food for thought. Whatever you do keep your mods under the hood/under the rig so to speak. As it is the rig will blend in nicely with everything else on the roads around here...that's a very good thing. The things that I would suggest right off, get your windows tinted as dark as is legally possible where you are. Look into getting the all of the doors and fuel door re-keyed with better than OEM locks. I went by a trusted local locksmith after my rig was broken into twice with OEM locks. They put a set of "the good German"locks on there and no worries since. They are much beefier and hard to get pry tools under the cylinder edge or into the key hole. Get a very good burglar alarm. The kill switch is not a bad idea. Not that the burglar alarm will stop a serious thief but most guys will not want to mess with the rig if they can't casually glance and see what's worth stealing on the inside, they have to work through non standard locks and assuming that they decide to go for it anyway, all the while that they are breaking in, the rig is screaming, waking up neighbors and causing folks to look.

If you are at all planning on driving on the roads in Centam or South America at night, highly not recommended, you will need a very good set of driving lights, i.e. something much better than the standard low/high beams. The best highways here are almost always come with cows, horses, drunks and dogs as pop up target accessories. Unless you are on off road challenge race or some deep jungle expedition you will not be driving off road at night anywhere south of Texas on this trip, just not safe from either a crime perspective or seeing terrain features perspective so I would forget getting some huge rack of roof lights and focus on some bumper mounted driving lights and maybe a decent work light aimed out back. Most guys here have swapped out the standard H4 bulbs for the one of the higher wattage versions and added drive lighting.

I would recommend against a roof rack full of stuff. It just invites eyes and makes the thieves "hungry" as they say here. An additional consideration is if you are planning to go in or out of parking garages and have more than a 2 inch lift, a roof rack full of stuff will be more of a headache than a convenience.

Since you mentioned a winch, and for the same reasons as I mentioned about the pop up cows and drunks, I would highly recommend a good bullbar bumper where the winch can be mounted mostly out of sight inside the bumper.

I hope that this helps.