Asian Orange- ‘79 pickup (1 Viewer)

[fj40z]

Make sure you POR 15 or clean, paint the frame between the gas tank and the cab. There is also a cross member there. My truck had lots of dirt, leaves and it was nasty. It didn’t harm the frame but it is probably what caused the rust on the bed floor.

I’ll do it Del. I’ve got to add some spacers to lower the tank like you mentioned earlier, buy a new pickup and level float sensor and fuel neck. I’ll be cleaning it all up and painting it as well as replacing the rear shocks along the way.

 

[SFROMAN]

I’ll do it Del. I’ve got to add some spacers to lower the tank like you mentioned earlier, buy a new pickup and level float sensor and fuel neck. I’ll be cleaning it all up and painting it as well as replacing the rear shocks along the way.

If u replace the fill hose. Let me know what u end up using. I had to modify my old one.
the new tank I got had a wider opening so if I used a hose that fit it then the fill end would not fit. So decided to use my old one

 

[fj40z]

Finally get to update this thread with some progress! Got the frame work almost complete, bad metal cut out and boxing could have been all welded up but we ran out of wire with only a little bit left to do. Really excited to be making progress on this again.

Please take a moment to pay homage to the exhaust work that the PO had done

 

[jfz80]

Ole metal meltin’ Morris has made his claim on this one boys. Made most every tack and a few sweet beads on what’s to become his future truck

of course he dumped the 60 for the 80 and now the 80 for the mini so it may depend on what sweet deal pops bring home next

 

[fj40z]

More slow progress. Just like eating an elephant, one bite at a time. Spent a few hours over the last few days with several different sized wire wheels knocking off the years of crust. Even had more help from my oldest since he says it will eventually be his one day. Either he’ll end up with it or @forrest5000 will LOL.

 

[fj40z]

Insight needed- looking to swap from the factory 4 speed to a 5 speed. Truck already has the 22R instead of the factory 20R. I’ve read several threads about some years being easier to swap but also gotten some conflicting information as well. Would even prefer to just buy a complete trans/t-case combo. Also if anyone has a line on one or where to check please let me know. Thanks!

 

[stevezero]

That escalated quickly. LOL

Marlin Crawlers has good writeups on transmission and transfer case swaps.

I'd reccomend whatever swap you do should include a new clutch, a good onceover of the internals, and the shifter bushing kit.

 

[SFROMAN]

Insight needed- looking to swap from the factory 4 speed to a 5 speed. Truck already has the 22R instead of the factory 20R. I’ve read several threads about some years being easier to swap but also gotten some conflicting information as well. Would even prefer to just buy a complete trans/t-case combo. Also if anyone has a line on one or where to check please let me know. Thanks!

I bought my 5 speed from Marlin Crawler. I got the Heavy duty version, not sure what that means, haha. I also went with the 22RE turbo fly wheel (twice as thick as the stock one) and heavy duty racing clutch all from marlin crawler. You will have to send yours to him or pay the core charge. Also, expect a 2 month wait. You can get the T case from them as well or a rebuild kit, or from trail gear.

 

[fj40z]

That escalated quickly. LOL

Marlin Crawlers has good writeups on transmission and transfer case swaps.

I'd reccomend whatever swap you do should include a new clutch, a good onceover of the internals, and the shifter bushing kit.

LOL, my wants always escalate quickly but unfortunately my budget never does!!

All good points, gracias homie!

 

[fj40z]

I bought my 5 speed from Marlin Crawler. I got the Heavy duty version, not sure what that means, haha. I also went with the 22RE turbo fly wheel (twice as thick as the stock one) and heavy duty racing clutch all from marlin crawler. You will have to send yours to him or pay the core charge. Also, expect a 2 month wait. You can get the T case from them as well or a rebuild kit, or from trail gear.

Thanks for the input Del!

 

[Pick]

5 speed solution for you:

No Reserve: 53k-Kilometer 1981 Toyota 4x4 DLX Pickup 5-Speed

Bid for the chance to own a No Reserve: 53k-Kilometer 1981 Toyota 4×4 DLX Pickup 5-Speed at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #33,164.

bringatrailer.com

 

[fj40z]

5 speed solution for you:

No Reserve: 53k-Kilometer 1981 Toyota 4x4 DLX Pickup 5-Speed

Bid for the chance to own a No Reserve: 53k-Kilometer 1981 Toyota 4×4 DLX Pickup 5-Speed at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #33,164.

bringatrailer.com

Ive been watching and drooling over that one for a few days now. Unfortunately it has also been “escalating“.

 

[SFROMAN]

L52 | Marlin Crawler, Inc.

Marlin Crawler has been rebuilding Toyota transmissions for over 30 years. Through our vast driving experience and mechanical expertise, we have developed advanced rebuilding techni...

www.marlincrawler.com

This is the trans that I bought from marlin. I know you started another thread in the old truck section but decided to post here.

keep in mind that now marlin is requiring 12 weeks to build and ship you a trans.

the same link has a chart with all years and trans with gear ratios.

my truck already had the L52 5 spead so that’s what I stuck with becasue it was predicted right and I didn’t want to deal with fitting issues with another type trans behind my 22R.
I would buy this trans again and plan to do exactly that when I build up the red truck.
Hope this helps

 

[fj40z]

Been a while so I thought I’d update this thread. Put the plans to convert to a 5 speed on the back burner for a while and focused on just getting it back on the road so I started back on the rear frame cleanup. After thoroughly wire wheeling everything I broke out the pressure washer. Then a coat of POR 15 followed up with painting everything with John Deere Blitz Black, might add I had some good helpers. Had a new rear driveshaft made as the old one was banana’d pretty bad, added new rear shocks and got the new gas tank mounted and plumbed. Then I FINALLY actually got to drive it. It actually drives very well, although it does need shifter bushings. Shortly after it was off to the exhaust shop for new exhaust. Once back home I fluid filmed under the bed before putting it back on. Added a new dash cap from Coverlay and “replaced” the missing factory radio knob. Jason had a later style mini truck seat that I swapped in. The old one has the original grey and orange plaid upholstery that was way cool but also way roached. I’m keeping it and if I can ever find somewhat correct fabric will have it reupholstered. At this point I feel like it’s pretty much ready but after sitting for years then a small amount of driving the driver side inner axle seal went totally out and hemorrhages gear oil out like crazy. Ordered all the parts for a full front end rebuild but just haven’t taken the time to get at it. At my current pace I may have it ready just in time for next years Relic Run……..maybe.

 

[fj40z]

Few more pics

 

[SFROMAN]

Looks real nice.
you going to try to buff and polish the original paint?
looks good though. Some stock steal wheels would be cool but I am bias because I like the look of them.

 

[fj40z]

Looks real nice.
you going to try to buff and polish the original paint?
looks good though. Some stock steal wheels would be cool but I am bias because I like the look of them.

I did boiled linseed oil over the body when I first got it and it turned out really nice. It’s time for it again. I do plan to buff and wax the camper shell soon also.

I couldn’t agree more with you about the stock steel wheels, doesn’t get any better on the older stuff. @southerncruiser62 hooked me up with the tires from his troopy and they were 16” so I just picked these wheels up cheap from marketplace. Long term goals definitely include a set of stock steelies though.

 

[fj40z]

Time for a long overdue update to this thread. Starting off with the front end rebuild. Shortly after the last post I made the driver side inner axle seal totally blew out, luckily at the house. Never seen one totally hemorrhage before, walked out in the garage to a massive puddle of gear oil. Didn’t have much time when it happened so I pushed out of the garage and the truck sat for a couple months. Finally had some free time and with the help of @WhiteTiger911 and @jfz80 we dug in on the rebuild. Might mention also that Will is a wrenching monster! I was ready to call it a day when we weren’t quite finished but Will’s motivation to get it finished allowed us to get it all buttoned back up. Very nice feeling knowing that’s checked off the list.
Shortly after that was finished the original radiator sprung a leak. Looked at having it recored so I could retain the original brass tanks but it was just simply not cost effective nor in the budget. Opted for a new run if the mill plastic/aluminum combo that I wasn’t thrilled about but was literally a 1/3 of the cost of the recore.

 

[fj40z]

Now on to this weeks work. I have been off all this week and had planned to install the OME lift springs that I got from @SFROMAN while I had the time but while on the way to the barn for the Christmas party the $90 Amazon replacement carb I had installed started crapping out on me. Made it home from the barn but I knew that I had gotten what I paid for. I really wanted to keep an Aisin carb but decided to go with the Weber 32/36 from LC Engineering. I went ahead and ordered their EGR delete plates and removed all the emissions and vacuum lines. I cannot say enough how happy I am with this setup. The truck didn’t run bad before while the cheap carb was functioning properly but I am blown away at how smooth it runs now. I had heard bad things about the Weber adapters so I bought the LCE adapters to go along with it. It wasn’t the cheapest alternative but I would gladly spend that money again for the results it delivered. Fumbled my way through the install in my spare time this week, if I had to do it again it would go tons faster now that I’ve done it once. First pic is right after the carb and fuel pressure regulator install. Then I had a friend that runs a Toyota shop adjust the valves and he had a better valve cover that still had the original 22R sticker that we put on. Really can’t say enough about the difference the carb/adapter plate/EGR delete has made in the running of this truck.

 

[fj40z]

Went junking and scored big today for the truck. A friend of mine told me about a junkyard about 30 minutes away that had a few first gen pickups. Drove out there today and they had a couple 79-82’s that were just about picked to the bone. One had a good instrument cluster with the tachometer, that I have been looking for as I think my truck should have had one since it’s an SR5. My truck also had a later model steering wheel that had a good size split in it and this parts truck had a correct but semi roached wheel that I was going to get if the price was cheap enough. When I ask the owner how much for the steering wheel he says “would you want a really nice one?” He then walks me out to an old school bus full of random parts and pulls out a pristine steering wheel with the column. He then tells me it came out of an ‘82 that was rolled in 1985 and it had been in that school bus ever since. Besides the dust I couldn’t believe how clean it was, even the white paint on the wiper and turn signal stalks are super bright. Should clean up well and fix a few problems I have. Also picked up a lower valance that’s in much better shape than my current one, the instrument cluster, the factory gauges that mount on the lower dash and another first gen grill for some garage art.