Any interest in first gen reproduction/restoration parts

[bryan89]

Hi guys,
Like everyone in this section of mud, I have a personal affiliation with the first gen toyota trucks and 4runners. What I want to know is if there is a significant population of people interested in restoration of these trucks? or do most people buy them cause they are cheap wheelers that you can beat off the rocks and not care about?

i for one, like em just the way they are for the most part. meaning, I dont have plans to dove tail the rear, competition cut the front fenders, put some 40s on with one ton running gear and an exo cage. aside from a few modifications, i will leave mine mostly stock so I can daily drive it with some semblance of comfort and reliability.

Therefore I need factory replacement parts for the stuff that just wears out.

As many of you know, some of the parts that go on these trucks have become discontinued or are really hard to find. and when you do they are expensive.

I am hoping to build enough interest in restoration parts that maybe a good third party cruiser parts place (like CCOT, or proffits, or marlin crawler) will see the need to start making replacement parts for the stuff we just cant get from the dealer anymore.

If you have any interest post up here, so I have a thread to reference.
or better yet, post up on the thread i started on marlin about it in the "suggestions" section
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post your truck and the parts you would like to see made, if you had your choice.

For example, here is a list of the stuff i would like to replace on my 88 4runner, but cant anymore because the parts are discontinued or are about to be because of low stock:

65888-89102 Removable top upper cab seal
65807-89101 Right Hand side Removable top to bed rail seal
65808-89101 Left Hand Side Removable Top to bed rail seal
65898-89101 Right Hand weatherstrip rear corner piece
65899-89101 Left Hand weatherstrip rear corner piece (still available online but very low stock)
67881-89101 Tailgate weatherstip
68176-89102 Left Hand Front Door Vent Window Weatherstrip
68181-89105 Right Hand Front Door Vent Window Weatherstrip (still available online but very low stock)

**(parts information sourced from toyodiy.com and toyotapartseast.com)**

hopefully if we can show enough interest people will start to take the mini truck / 4runner market seriously and make us some parts!!

 

[snobdds]

Replacement bed panels for pre 89 trucks, before Toyota fixed the "rusty bed" thing.. I think the split is 79-85 & 86-88. I know there is alf parts that produces them, but nothing made in the good ole USA. There panels are based off of Canada spec. trucks, which are slighty different than the USA trucks.

Maybe something that uses a panel adhesive so the welds don't rust on the inside. I am envisioning a two piece system where a DIY'r puts a templete on the side (front / rear), cuts out the template, glues the new panel on (overlap flange?) and proceeds with normal body work.

If you can mold up some fiberglass, it would be easily reproducable and cheap. I would be your first customer...

 

[baxter650]

I would think first gen floor pans and cab supports for the PU might be a brisk seller.

 

[lvanst]

I go here:

old Parts - Camelback Toyota Parts

 

[KLF]

Frames.

Interior parts.

 

[cundmud]

FLOOR pans ,everything else i think you can find, not cheap but available. toyota fiberglass.com looks like they have alot of fiberglass stuff and willing to build what is needed, by their site anyway. Corey built what was needed for his trekker as he restored it and has alot to offer I think.I'mstarting atrekker also and want to try some of the parts myself.only thing is they are a long way away in BC. from me>

 

[bryan89]

while i agree he makes excellent fiberglass parts, i still think if I were doing a restoration that i would rather have the original steel parts.

for those of you with pickups, do you know if the rear cab window seals, felt slide tracks, trim pieces are still available from toyota? is that stuff gone too.

it seems like some of these parts could be made pretty easily if they just had enough people to meet a minimum order quantity.

 

[WarDamnEagle]

I go here:

old Parts - Camelback Toyota Parts

Nice link; thanks. Any idea if the body parts are aftermarket or used? I'm assuming aftermarket.

 

[sr5pickup]

while i agree he makes excellent fiberglass parts, i still think if I were doing a restoration that i would rather have the original steel parts.

for those of you with pickups, do you know if the rear cab window seals, felt slide tracks, trim pieces are still available from toyota? is that stuff gone too.

it seems like some of these parts could be made pretty easily if they just had enough people to meet a minimum order quantity.

No I don't believe they are because i've tried looking for them with no luck.
I, myself am into more restoration of these than cutting them up. It kills me to see someone take a restorable 85 sr5 pickup or 4runner and not think twice about what the value of the vehicle could be if restored, and cut it up into a crawler, a waste imo.

I would like to see:
-Steel repro. beds maybe made with some heavier guage steel.
-Patch panels
-Decals (mostly under hood decals, like vacuum line sticker and the Catalyst, some can still be had for certain years) other decals like the power steering resv. and coolant bottle are very similar to the decal that are made for the 60 series Landcruisers. Some transfer case decals are still available from Toyota, I bought a couple a while back for the heck of it.
-interior plastic; rear panels, dash pads, etc.

 

[GRM]

There is a market, and it is slowly growing. I believe in 10 years, people will be commonly restoring these trucks.

I had my old beat mini though college. Loved the truck, and destroyed it. As I get older, I want nicer things. This also means the '86 mini I bought to replace the '85 I had in college has luxuries such as clean carpet, lockers (rather than welded diffs), and a kick-ass stereo. The interior is near-perfect, and the body is almost the same.

I think I am an early adopter in a growing trend.

I'd love a go-to shop to buy parts for the old girl. For example, my a-pillar panels are cracked. If i had a good aftermarket shop who stocked them, I'd replace them. If marlin stocked these parts, I'd buy from him. But since he isn't interested in that market, the business segment is wide open.

So yes, you have a market, buyers, and a client base which will grow at the same speed as your business.

 

[suncomb1]

I have have owned my 1983 Toyota 4x4 truck since new as well as customs and street rods so I understand restorations, values, collectibility, etc. My 32 Ford 3W coupe is all steel with no fiberglass or bondo used. My 1950 Mercury Coupe is all steel with no fiberglass or bondo used. If someone is going to invest in restoring a vehicle he will use original steel parts whenever possible. The market for reproduction parts such as weather stripping, seals, and gaskets will be excellent. Interior parts including dashboard parts, door panels, carpeting, seat upholstery, trim, etc. is and will be in high demand. Winshields, door glass and window glass will have a good market. Chassis, suspension, differentials, transmission, transfercase, etc demand markets will be slow and very competitive. Trim parts, emblems, etc. is and will be saturated with items. I have restored / maintained collectible cars for over 50 years and I have seen many trends over the years. The things I listed previously have been the things that I have seen people purchase or look for over the years no matter if they were restoring an antique or muscle car and everything in between.

 

[KLF]

I remember chatting with Bud (BudBuilt) about frames several years ago, his original idea when he started his business was to build frames that were stronger than factory, could replace a rusted out frame, and would have accessories such as custom spring hangers. At the time Matkins was making frames for Jeeps and they couldn't keep up with the demand. Bud did a lot of market research and found that Toyota sold a LOT more trucks and 4Runners in the 80's than they sold Jeeps, so the market looked really good. He had a lot of people begging for them, I was one of them. Had I been able to get one, I would still be driving my '84 xcab.

As far as I know, he's only sold one frame, a one-off prototype. It was looking too expensive, and he was too busy making crossmembers and skids, so he never ramped it up.

Aftermarket interior parts are the only option at this point, all the factory stuff is now 23+ years old, plastic isn't made to last that long, it gets faded and very brittle. I need some stuff, like a center console and a headliner (at least). I'm gonna have to hand-build a console, although I'm considering a Tuffy.

Stickers would be cool, I need all the ones for under my hood, the glovebox, a few others. I would definitely buy them all if I could.

I've seen some of these trucks go for stupid money on eBay, they are highly sought after to the right crowd. I'll keep mine as long as I can. My biggest fear is that it will either get stolen, wrecked, or one day they will refuse to put a sticker on it because it doesn't have air bags, ABS, backup camera, stability and traction control, etc. I'm going to investigate antique plates for it this summer.

 

[jynx]

Interior parts would be awesome. Dash pads especially seem to be getting hard to find, as are the two piece bolt covers that go along the interior of the 4runners. The L pieces that go up front break so easily that finding a good pair is a chore, been looking for 2 years without much success. Consoles, dash panels, trim, all would be great to have a source for.

 

[pholife]

-Decals (mostly under hood decals, like vacuum line sticker and the Catalyst, some can still be had for certain years) other decals like the power steering resv. and coolant bottle are very similar to the decal that are made for the 60 series Landcruisers. Some transfer case decals are still available from Toyota, I bought a couple a while back for the heck of it.


Subscribed. Great thread. I can do the decals if enough demand. I already did engine fusebox decal.

 

[ttrmike]

Dash pads
Replacement beds for the rusty years
seats
window trim

 

[msahr]

Interior Parts! Electrical Switches, especially power window switches for 1st gen 4Runners and similar body trucks. Those switches are completely sold out at the dealer, had Camelback Toyota do a part # search for ANY dealership that had a driver's side "master" window switch. NADA.

Interior trim especially the rear trim pieces for 4Runner wheelwells.

Unmolested "center-stack" radio trim piece with the little storage cubby below.

Center console lids, either the padded SR5 version or the regular plastic one with the recessed lid.

AC vents.

Sunroof Shades!

Oh and I'd really like a spare set of "SR5" seat upholstery.

 

[NorCalBorn]

FWIW Guys and Gals, Greg (Green Truck on the other boards) does dash panels and has done a carbon fiber dash pad. He's local to me and a long time enthusiast, restorer, and does sick assed body work as well as body work professionally. IMHO he's the one guy I would goto and be asking this stuff. He may not be too into it having a day job, but his panels fit perfectly and look great in a restoration and I know if it comes down to it he'll be the one I go to for a fabbed dash pad for my 2ndGen 4Runner.

Here's a recent shot of his truck.

He's got a couple threads in there on resto stuff, you'll notice in the pic above he's back to a restored O/E dash pad.
(This next pic is just eff'in sick. Call it "RICER" or whatever, but the black carbon fiber job came out sweet.)

Shane

 

[NorCalBorn]

I can't really help with interior panels, carpets, consoles, but as for factory switches, what is the specifics of the issues? Are we talking the parts not working versus the plastic cracking?

Switches can be found, you just need to look at other Toyota's, like Celicas, Supras, Cressidas, etc. as I've been for some recent electrical, restoration, and custom wiring jobs. I can see if Drew (Amaurer) would be into doing a prototype batch since it's where he got into doing a set of multiple era shift/transfer case knobs last year.

Case in point, the deck light switch I am using to power my Rigid Industry Floods.

The switch profile also is duplicated in all the 1st Gen Tacomas as I've used their ECT, Flood Light, and Accessory Switches in a couple recent jobs that have gone to SEMA.

 

[KLF]

I already did engine fusebox decal.

Please tell me how I can get one of these, I need one.

I have a hi-res photo of this sticker, think you could do one?

No longer available, beno confirmed.

 

[NorCalBorn]

^ We did a similar thing when I scanned in the visor instructions on shifting and 4wd. Once scanned I took it to a professional deca shop bike shops use and he just converted them into templates. The problem was it ran like $35 for a set, including the glove box sticker.

All you need then is people to scan or take pictures and get a file started in here of them. Then just find someone to run them.

~IIRC they have to be available to California drivers as it's something the Smog Nazi's need in front of them as a part of the checks. If someone doesn't have one, what do you do, goto a Referee to get a simple reprint done??