I thought I would start a thread so you all could tell me I've gotten in way over my head.
I've had this 87 4Runner (22RE, 5 speed, SR5) since 1995, when it only had 71,000 miles on it. Back then, the paint looked good, no rust, stock tires, factory stereo. Since then, I haven't done a whole lot, and it's served me very well, now clocking in at 205,000 miles. It's only been through two sets of tires (31x10.50s both, old school Goodyear Wrangler ATs and BFG ATs), I put add-a-leafs in the rear, replaced the factory stereo with two different Sony cassette units, (both of which crapped out after a couple of years), replaced the factory auto locking hubs with Warn manual hubs (wish I would've got Aisin, oh well, they work), and done regular maintenance on the rest.
Right now, the timing chain guides are shot, the fenders and quarter panels are eaten away, and I have a couple small perforations in my frame. The plan is to replace the fenders; do a semi-permanent fix on the quarters with aluminum, pop rivets, and Bondo; remove the latest stereo and defunct CB and replace, while fixing the total hack job the PO did with the dash wires; and generally spruce it up a bit. A couple of interior body holes will be welded up and painted. The frame will get the rust scraped off, then covered in Eureka Fluid Film once a year to slow the rusting. DOA timing chain kit will go in with steel guides (no headgasket right now), then a full tuneup. The fancy 80s graphics are scraped off, and the whole thing will get several coats of rattle can black.
I'll probably stick with the height it is right now (stock in front, AALs in rear), put some more BFG AT or MT 31s on a set of OEM steelies I've got after they're powdercoated charcoal gray, and put a locker in the rear just for kicks. Then drive it another 200,000 miles. Yes, I'd love to go solid front axle, regear, lift it more, put it on 35s, etc., etc. But I've got enough to do to get it back on the road. Baseline now, more mods later.
I'll post pictures as it goes, as well as asking for a lot of advice. Thanks in advance.
First picture shows it how it sits today before finishing pulling the interior (I stripped and painted the hood a few months ago). The second picture shows my only real bad surprise after pulling up the carpet. Not bad for infrequent washing for 22 years. And third is the mostly stripped interior. No need to remove the dash.
I've had this 87 4Runner (22RE, 5 speed, SR5) since 1995, when it only had 71,000 miles on it. Back then, the paint looked good, no rust, stock tires, factory stereo. Since then, I haven't done a whole lot, and it's served me very well, now clocking in at 205,000 miles. It's only been through two sets of tires (31x10.50s both, old school Goodyear Wrangler ATs and BFG ATs), I put add-a-leafs in the rear, replaced the factory stereo with two different Sony cassette units, (both of which crapped out after a couple of years), replaced the factory auto locking hubs with Warn manual hubs (wish I would've got Aisin, oh well, they work), and done regular maintenance on the rest.
Right now, the timing chain guides are shot, the fenders and quarter panels are eaten away, and I have a couple small perforations in my frame. The plan is to replace the fenders; do a semi-permanent fix on the quarters with aluminum, pop rivets, and Bondo; remove the latest stereo and defunct CB and replace, while fixing the total hack job the PO did with the dash wires; and generally spruce it up a bit. A couple of interior body holes will be welded up and painted. The frame will get the rust scraped off, then covered in Eureka Fluid Film once a year to slow the rusting. DOA timing chain kit will go in with steel guides (no headgasket right now), then a full tuneup. The fancy 80s graphics are scraped off, and the whole thing will get several coats of rattle can black.
I'll probably stick with the height it is right now (stock in front, AALs in rear), put some more BFG AT or MT 31s on a set of OEM steelies I've got after they're powdercoated charcoal gray, and put a locker in the rear just for kicks. Then drive it another 200,000 miles. Yes, I'd love to go solid front axle, regear, lift it more, put it on 35s, etc., etc. But I've got enough to do to get it back on the road. Baseline now, more mods later.
I'll post pictures as it goes, as well as asking for a lot of advice. Thanks in advance.
First picture shows it how it sits today before finishing pulling the interior (I stripped and painted the hood a few months ago). The second picture shows my only real bad surprise after pulling up the carpet. Not bad for infrequent washing for 22 years. And third is the mostly stripped interior. No need to remove the dash.
