Builds Golden Boy / was 'an as-yet unnamed gulf spec diesel 1991 HZJ pickup' (2 Viewers)

[Honger]

I'd really like to have android auto in the pickup too. But it has the stock toyota radio in it that would be nice to preserve. The sanyo unit below it obviously is not meant to be there. Maybe one of those flip screen units could go in place of the lower unit.
View attachment 2070488
Early days yet.

With the Sanyo stuck in there, and the obviously re-upholstered dash, I wouldn't worry about preserving that Toyota AM/FM. Just pull it all and get the deck of your choice. You're gonna need new speakers too I'd imagine.

The seat covers aren't stock. Quite likely they are custom covers made in the industrial and "permanently" installed over the original seats. Exactly like how @c2dfj45 seats were covered in his Troopy... and how mine have been covered I might. =)

Fresh paint on a 500,000+km truck that has 4 broken wheel studs (and that's just a quick thing you've spotted)... this truck is likely hiding many signs of age. I don't mean this to discourage you; not at all! I'm just saying you should expect that the nice lipstick (new paint job) is hiding a lot of things they didn't bother to fix/repair/replace. You have documentation that it was used in a farm/agricultural setting in the Middle East. Keep realistic expectations about what you've got and you'll be fine.

I'm still jealous.

 

[John Young]

You have documentation that it was used in a farm/agricultural setting in the Middle East. Keep realistic expectations about what you've got and you'll be fine.

I'm still jealous.

Granted. I was prepared to have to rebuild the engine, so it was a very pleasant surprise that it sarted up and sounded good. That it went into gear and moved under its own power was nice as well. The mechanics I use are pretty good at going through the driveline and seeing what needs attention. What convinced me to take the plunge without full information was that the engine bay looked like it had not be fooled with much. Unlike Biscuit, for example. Thanks for the info on the seat covers. The texture was not toyota-like, so I'm not surprised. It looks period-correct enough that I probably will just leave them. They looked too good to have been made locally. We will learn much in the next couple of weeks.

 

[c2dfj45]

With the Sanyo stuck in there, and the obviously re-upholstered dash, I wouldn't worry about preserving that Toyota AM/FM. Just pull it all and get the deck of your choice. You're gonna need new speakers too I'd imagine.

The seat covers aren't stock. Quite likely they are custom covers made in the industrial and "permanently" installed over the original seats. Exactly like how @c2dfj45 seats were covered in his Troopy... and how mine have been covered I might. =)

Fresh paint on a 500,000+km truck that has 4 broken wheel studs (and that's just a quick thing you've spotted)... this truck is likely hiding many signs of age. I don't mean this to discourage you; not at all! I'm just saying you should expect that the nice lipstick (new paint job) is hiding a lot of things they didn't bother to fix/repair/replace. You have documentation that it was used in a farm/agricultural setting in the Middle East. Keep realistic expectations about what you've got and you'll be fine.

I'm still jealous.

If this isn't the truth!

 

[WarDamnEagle]

Can you post a photo or two of the jack and tools behind the seat, assuming you got them with the truck? My 1994 did not come with them. It does have the jack bracket, the tool roll rubber band, and the jack tool brackets but I want to make sure I know how the jack mounts and am not missing any brackets. Thanks.

 

[John Young]

Can you post a photo or two of the jack and tools behind the seat, assuming you got them with the truck? My 1994 did not come with them. It does have the jack bracket, the tool roll rubber band, and the jack tool brackets but I want to make sure I know how the jack mounts and am not missing any brackets. Thanks.

No problem, WDE. The truck is with my mechanic at the moment so it may take a couple of days. I happened to look at another truck yesterday and glanced behind the seat so I know what you are talking about. From memory the jack was mounted at an angle. But let me see what I see--I don't know that I actually have the jack and tools. If you don't hear from me in a couple of days feel free to PM me to remind me.

 

[John Young]

My mechanic got back to me this afternoon--the goal it to get it to pass inspection so I can title and insure it. The inspections are pretty tough here in the UAE, and it is as I had expected. The lipstick on this truck was hiding quite a bit: No hoses from the air conditioner compressor to the cab--just missing. Some smoke addressed as a temp fix by 'special oil' which I will remove and get the engine properly addressed. No wiring to the horn. Broken wiring to fuel gauge; Broken linkage to the 4 wheel drive shift lever; it kind goes on like that for a while. But these all are things that can be fixed, and fairly easily on a pickup truck.

Here's a section of the inspection that came with the truck's papers. Perhaps some of you would be interested in what that looks lke from here.

(We think that last item refers to a questionable shackle pin.)

The 'crack' in the brake line may have referred to a small leak. The 'oil stain' may also be referring to smoke. Not quite sure.

The faint stamp with the red in the middle is a big fat 'fail' for the pre-sale inspection--which, as I said, I anticipated.

He says he's taken care of everything needed to pass inspection so we can relax a little and take things a little more slowly and deliberately. I do want to title it right away because there are a number of powers of attorney involved, each of which has an expiration date two weeks from now. I'm waiting to hear when the flatbed is going to bring the truck to the inspection station.

(WDE, I will try to remember to take a photo behind the drivers seat if the jack and so on are still there.)

 

[John Young]

So here's an update: My little old 75 pickup passed! I flatbedded it to the testing center and the driver was having some difficulty driving it up to the testing stand. I thought it might be because it is a manual, but when I drove it back to the flatbed I learned that there is indeed some major problems. It seems stuck in 4 low, for example. I watched the inspection and noted quite a bit of black smoke when they raced the engine. I'm going to have to have the engine gone through.

A big controversy did arise. The truck was titled as 'white'. It is now a very odd tannish-silver color.

I thought it looked more silver than anything. The inspector decided it was 'golden'. What do you think from the photos?

Anyways, it means that I can now title and get plates for this nice-looking and soon to be actually nice, old pickup!

 

[cruiserdan]

What is the paint code on the firewall tag?

 

[Honger]

The lipstick on this truck was hiding quite a bit:

I'm still jealous.

 

[John Young]

I'm embarrassed to say that I can't seem to find the photo of the firewall tag, CruiserDan. But most of the pickups here are white, so most likely it really was white. I will check the next time I see the truck. Today I will go to the Roads and Transport Authority with the passing certificate (!) and actually get the title and plates, and then get those over to the workshop so we can drive it around the industrial area a little and see more what we have.

It occurred to me overnight that maybe a good name for this truck is "Golden Boy"

This is from the Lost In Space episode entitled The Cave of the Wizards, one of my favorites.

 

[cruiserdan]

White paint codes will be 03x (the x indicating a variable digit) or 04x.

 

[John Young]

White paint codes will be 03x (the x indicating a variable digit) or 04x.

Thank you CD. Much appreciated. Will post about it. Incidentally I have a pre-sale inspection report which lists the color as follows:

Evidently the actual color (or colors) that it is now is up for some debate. But I kinda like 'golden'. Let's see what actually makes it on the title when I register it...

The 'go faster' stripes are coming off a little in one spot. Plainly only recently applied. Thinking of pulling them all off. Not original and really ugly IMHO.

 

[cruiserdan]

The report means nothing other than a subjective call by the inspector. The tag will give the "birth color" to you in the original Greek

 

[John Young]

Ta Da!

 

[yourID10Tdriver]

Nice plates! I agree, those go-faster-stripes are a little silly

 

[John Young]

I just noticed that the official registration from Dubai's Roads & Transport Authority now also describes the truck as "golden"!

 

[mattressking]

@cruiserdan means the plate affixed to the firewall in the engine bay. Looks like this:

 

[John Young]

@cruiserdan means the plate affixed to the firewall in the engine bay. Looks like this:

I know. Will share a photo tomorrow.

 

[John Young]

Here we go, here is the data plate for Golden Boy

Toyota paint code 45 is "WHITE"

Now that GB has plates I thought it would be useful to drive it around the block and see how it was doing. When I tried, I found it was stuck in 4 low. I fiddled with the transfer case knob and it pulled off in my hand! Investigating further I found that the control lever had been replaced with some bent rebar.

Here is a brief youtube video. That said, I did get into 2 high and I drove it around the block, getting it up to 80 kph. Everything worked but the transmission felt a little 'loose' which is understandable for a truck with 500K+ km on the clock. But it did drive.

Then I headed up to Sharjah to see what parts I could find. My good buddy Jaweed looked at the photos I took and said he had a transmission and transfer case that would work. The price was 2000 AED or about 550 USD. I decided that replacing the transmission and transfer case as a unit made good sense (it was hot out, I did not really think about this too much) and I bought it.

I love going to Sharjah. You see interesting things, like a fork lift putting an engine in the trunk:

Here is a still:

And here is a video of my 'new' transmission and transfer case going into the back of the LX470 that I'm eventually giving to mother of my children. (The LX and the pickup hopefully will go in the same shipment to the USA.)

I then drove back to my mechanic and dropped off the transmission and transfer case with a request that they clean them up thoroughly. The next person fiddling with them will be me in Northern Virginia. God willing, these parts will go in Golden Boy. Then we can assess the condition of the engine with more clarity.

My mechanics tell me that the wiring on Golden Boy is a 'right bloody mess'. I thought it may make sense to buy a new wiring loom. Do any of you have suggestions where I might source that?

 

[JuanJ]

Hello,

Now that is a project rig.

EDIT: Congratulations on your success on having it pass inspection. I am going through that process these days, and it is nerve wracking.​

Body and frame look good and it appears that there is little if any rust.

If the wreckers in your part of the woods do not have the harness, you may want to look in Australia. Shipping may be an issue, though.

Another possibility is a 79 Series harness.

And yet another possibility is a harness from another (70/73/74/75) 70 Series.





Juan