'85 SWB standard cab build

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Wayneraintree

Wayneraintree

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Sep 2, 2004
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3,585
Location
N KY
Hey there,

Been playing with various cruisers as trail trucks the last ten years.... now I am back full circle:)

Started my Toy life in an '81 LWB standard cab pickup... so for $700 I picked up this '85 SWB standard cab. Has less tha 80K miles and practically zero rust:beer:

It came to me with a Gm 350 V8 new carb/intake, TH350 w/shift kit, AA plate to minitruck box.. and a bunch of funky wiring and linkages:grinpimp: and no bed.

So here is the buid plan, all parts are either here or on the way:popcorn:

36X13.50 Bias SS Iroks on 8" beadlocks
Propane injection from propane guy
30 spline longfields and hub gears
Marlin highsteer kit, thick rods, 80 ends, pitman arm, IFS box mount, and IFS box
Marlin 4.7 drop-in gears
1.50 x .120 wall DOM flatbed, sliders, front bumper, and exo
Warn 9000X
lockright front, welded rear
IFS 4cyl. rear axle (most likely)


minitruck00001.jpg
 
Last edited:
2ndGenToyotaFan said:
That must be rough Jeff.... if you need a shoulder to cry on.... :D

Very cool ride! :cheers:
Click to expand...


I think I needed a shoulder to cry on when John and I picked it up... it was too good to be true... I mean it really has less than 80K miles with no rust issues on the right coast:confused: I am not asking questions:beer:

John is doing the tube work... I am the apprentice:lol::grinpimp::lol:
 
birf was blown

I was wondering why the front axle was not working....long side birf was blown. I figure the 30-splines will suit the V8 better:D

I got the Marlin steering kit, drop in gears, and IFS box mount today.... working on the front axle and hope to get it all back together soon so I can move onto the propane:grinpimp:

Anyone else got a V8 in a minitruck? I am wondering about the cooling... it never ran hot since I've driven it around the yard. It has a small pusher and a fixed fan. It would make sense to add a shroud.. I have a taurus fan but the clearance is rather minimal due to the V8. Any ideas?
 
Can you show us a picture of your fan & rad clearance? I saw a guy in katemcy that had a 350 in a second gen 4runner and he was telling a story about how his truck ran cooler after he rolled it, his theory was that after the body damage the hinge end of the hood stuck up a couple of inches and allowed air to move through the engine bay with less restriction or something. He also had a small body lift.
 
I got the lockright 3rd installed along with the marlin steering arms..... toiling with the cleanup and repack of the front axle is lotsa fun : )

I also got the old steering off the rig... I acquired some other steering shaft from a 60(?) that is a slip style along with a sleeve, both from John (thanks man!) this will eliminate the rag joint and allow for me to mount the IFS box forward some.... moving along : )
 
Well, updates are as follows:

Locked right 3rd installed up front
Got the pass side longfield and chromo hub gear installed
Got the pass side completely reassembled

Since I found a broken birf on the driver side, I cleaned it up enough to see booger'ed metal around the seal seating surface. This is a good reason not to drive far engaged with a broken birf:D
John and Dom came over and cleaned up the surface with my dremel tool, seal is now seated:beer: thanks guys:beer:

I would be out in the garage reassembling the driver side of the front axle but the 40MPH winds and dropping temps coupled with an open garage door have me here, web wheeling:popcorn:

I should be able to get the side reassembled, mock up the steering and place the IFS box this week. I am looking forward to getting on with this project.

I also scored two 8 gal. propane tanks. Amerigas in white deer, PA reconditioned two steel tanks, new valves, paint, and filled them. 50$ for the tanks, 40$ for the fill:cool: Can't beat that... now I need lines and to install the propane set up on the V8.

I am thinking this thing will scream:bounce:

John is making room in the shop...... :lol:

and Sean S. gave me an IFS hub and my rear chevy's back to install.

Going rear springs up front so if someone has some stock minitruck rear leaves sitting around... let John or I know.

I am going to set a goal to have this thing running and operable by the end of January provided the tubework can be completed based on John's availability.

Oh yeah, Dom was nice enough to take a t-case and my 4.7 gears and install kit to school this week..... should be able to bolt it up sometime soon for some crawl!
 
Started on the IFS box install... nothing ground breaking but I did move it forward pretty far and clearances are good:beer:

I'll post some pics as soon as I get is installed competely, still need to grind and weld so stay tuned.

Dom is also bringing me the t-case with 4.7 gears installed so things are coming along nicely...

I can't wait for the flat bed and exo cage work to start:bounce::bounce2::bounce:
 
I also used rear springs in front and found that I didn't move the steering box forward enough. The springs move the axle forward about 2", I didn't figure that into my measurements. I ended up buying a shorter straight pitman arm to get the clearances I needed.
 
Just for you John : ) these are on both windows:grinpimp:

stuff00002.jpg


I got the IFS box mounted.... cut the core support, the box hits the body mount. I hope it is far forward enough or I may be needed in different pitman arm.

I am out of town at the moment but I can tell you that the tube work will start in the next couple weeks:bounce::bounce2::bounce:
 
the doors look awesome. i like that you put that extra tube for support it also looks good and would be a nice O s***! handle!
 
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