Build- stupid is as stupid does lx450 (1 Viewer)

[geo5]

Brief intro- I bought a 450 couple weeks ago:

‘97; 247k mi
Now onward to the stupid. Possibly stupid like a fox though.

I put the word out a few months ago that Im looking for an 80, purchase pending sale of my ‘21 tundra. I’ve been fairly active with our local LC club the last 18months (also have a 100) and another member mentioned they had a 450 for sale.

Fast forward, sold the tundra, text my club-mate (also my neighbor) only to find the 450 just sold ‘yesterday’. Dang it.

Next day neighbor texts me the buyer backed out and I look out my window to see a gold 450 parked at his house. He says it has 245k miles and come check it out. I have LOW expectations. I don’t even ask how many owners.

Me and the fam walk over and I’m thinking we’re wasting our time this thing is gonna be ragged out!

We get up to it and I’ll be darned if it doesn’t look pretty clean for 27years and quarter million miles. Ok let’s open the doors and find a reason to go home.

Open driver door and it looks great, again for the age and mileage, amazing. Obv driver seat lower is recovered with vinyl or something.

Insert key, fires right up, start pressing buttons and it all works. Windows, sunroof, antenna, climate, stereo, front wipers(rear no function), lights etc. it’s clean as a whistle in there.

 

[geo5]

Ok time to look under the hood and see how crusty the underside is.

Newish radiator (scary?), fluids look good, it’s purring along. Bone stock aside from the silicone tube. Not super dirty under there, oil present but nothing smells burning.

I got on the ground the undercarriage looks nice. 27yo but not New England crusty at all.

Drive it up a nearby hill, gears shift pretty smooth, engine seems great.

I don’t ask about service history or previous owners (stupid?) I hand over the cash and get the keys.

 

[geo5]

Get it home (around the corner), park and immediately put a piece of cardboard under it, let’s see how much oil this things losing.

Get the seats and console out and start cleaning. Again very pleasantly surprised at how clean- PO(s?) spilled plenty of coffee but otherwise squeaky. No dust/dirt under the carpet. Where’s the dog hair?

Parking brake lever looks brand new. (More on that later)

Rear heater works great. For now?

 

[geo5]

Passenger seat gear probs. Got the gamiviti replacement, replaced, no dice, I must have screwed something up so will have to take another look. Driver seat works great so whatever.

Did I mention this truck will be my ‘fun’ truck? Eventually have sensible outfitting for occasional 4wheeling, monthly club runs, cruise Moab, SAS.

 

[geo5]

PO included a used OME 2.5” lift with the sale, this is how it sits now

(Mine is the gold one)

Truck is going in to my local Toyota shop for a post purchase inspection early next week- absolutely cannot wait to see what they think. Expecting a nice $ preventative maintenance recommendation.

On the immediate agenda is underside surface rust mitigation, and starting at the rear with spare tire lift. Front underside should be ok thanks to somewhat significant old oil coatings.

I got curious last night and ran the carfax and MyLexus service history. I am the 8th! Owner (stupid?)

Originated in Iowa, Gold package installed shortly after initial purchase in Jan 1997. Boom. This was missing but not for much longer

Thanks to Mud I realize not all ‘97 450s came with this badge but how can I resist?

 

[manofthewoods]

Passenger seat gear probs. Got the gamiviti replacement, replaced, no dice, I must have screwed something up so will have to take another look. Driver seat works great so whatever. View attachment 3719316

Did I mention this truck will be my ‘fun’ truck? Eventually have sensible outfitting for occasional 4wheeling, monthly club runs, cruise Moab, SAS.

I have the mate to yours. Though mine has 421k miles.
Looking at your photos, I was thinking that looks like Bozeman. I have a place up by Sypes canyon. Lived there for years, place is rented now.
Be up there in a few w/dogs to hunt birds. Can't wait.
Enjoy your money pit, I mean superior overland beast.

 

[geo5]

I have the mate to yours. Though mine has 421k miles.
Looking at your photos, I was thinking that looks like Bozeman. I have a place up by Sypes canyon. Lived there for years, place is rented now.
Be up there in a few w/dogs to hunt birds. Can't wait.
Enjoy your money pit, I mean superior overland beast.

Right on, yeah we’re just right down the hill from sypes. Always glad to hear about 400k+ mi 80/450s, that is awesome.

Good luck with the birds!

 

[TXMeatball]

Passenger seat gear probs. Got the gamiviti replacement, replaced, no dice, I must have screwed something up so will have to take another look. Driver seat works great so whatever. View attachment 3719316

Did I mention this truck will be my ‘fun’ truck? Eventually have sensible outfitting for occasional 4wheeling, monthly club runs, cruise Moab, SAS.

Did the white plastic circle cap that threads in fall out again? Seat won't work without it. Highly recommend the solvefunction metal bracket that keeps it sandwiched in.

PO included a used OME 2.5” lift with the sale, this is how it sits now
View attachment 3719317
(Mine is the gold one)

Truck is going in to my local Toyota shop for a post purchase inspection early next week- absolutely cannot wait to see what they think. Expecting a nice $ preventative maintenance recommendation.

On the immediate agenda is underside surface rust mitigation, and starting at the rear with spare tire lift. Front underside should be ok thanks to somewhat significant old oil coatings.

I got curious last night and ran the carfax and MyLexus service history. I am the 8th! Owner (stupid?)

Originated in Iowa, Gold package installed shortly after initial purchase in Jan 1997. Boom. This was missing but not for much longer

View attachment 3719328
Thanks to Mud I realize not all ‘97 450s came with this badge but how can I resist?

I believe the full time 4WD badges were only on the 96s. Never seen a 97 with them.

 

[geo5]

@TXMeatball copy that, I did put a little screw in the cap per gamiviti video but I’ll double check- maybe i drove it in too far or my threaded rods aren’t perfectly lined up.

 

[geo5]

I removed the factory running boards, bolts were corroded and I broke at least half of them. Metaltech sliders arrive tomorrow.

First section of remediation is the spare area-

Pb blasting all bolts in this vicinity nightly, not a ton of time to work on the truck during the week. so far managed to remove 1 of 10 from the spare hanger crossmember. Have cut spacers for a 3in tire lift.

Will also remove rear bumper and wire-wheel rust and treat with corroseal and some kind of chassis black
Rear cross member, spare cross member, tow hitch, any surface rust I can get to. Probably fluid film inner frame rails etc eventually.

Couple good spots of cancer in the passenger rear wheel well, no idea what to do here, problem for future stupid

Absolutely love this thing!

 

[greentruck]

Congrats on the new ride. Looks like you did pretty well. I joined the LX side of things after totaling my 80 in a brief moment of inattentive stupidity last fall. You haven't mentioned the status of the sound system. Mine would change CDs but not play them, so I created some extra space under the console by retiring the whole unit.

On the seat gears, make sure both sides of the track are even. If they get very far out of sync, then the whole thing tends to bind up.

 

[geo5]

Congrats on the new ride. Looks like you did pretty well. I joined the LX side of things after totaling my 80 in a brief moment of inattentive stupidity last fall. You haven't mentioned the status of the sound system. Mine would change CDs but not play them, so I created some extra space under the console by retiring the whole unit.

On the seat gears, make sure both sides of the track are even. If they get very far out of sync, then the whole thing tends to bind up.

Thanks @greentruck sorry to hear about your 80 but sounds like you’re liking the LX

Yep sound system works great, 6 cd changer, dusted off a bunch of old discs I’ve held onto.

Copy that on the seat gears- I bought a few extra cogs from gamiviti so will try again soon.

 

[ChaseTruck]

After reading the title of this thread, I must say I’m a bit disappointed - I expected something along the lines of sawzalling all four corners to fit 40+ tires, under drive gear box, bigger axles and a cage .
Congrats on a good-looking truck!

 

[geo5]

After reading the title of this thread, I must say I’m a bit disappointed - I expected something along the lines of sawzalling all four corners to fit 40+ tires, under drive gear box, bigger axles and a cage .
Congrats on a good-looking truck!

Ha! Thanks @ChaseTruck this is definitely a different kind of stupid but we might get there someday?

 

[geo5]

Today I managed to remove the spare tire cross member and receiver hitch.

The plan is to install 3” spacer lift to tuck the spare up there a little tighter. Also rust mitigation. Replacing all hardware.

Cross member not too dang rusty. All bolts were pretty seized and I’ll have to drill one out that broke.

 

[NeverFinis]

I got curious last night and ran the carfax and MyLexus service history. I am the 8th! Owner (stupid?)

I am trying to understand the 8 owners. Perhaps the upkeep was too much for the previous 7.

Congrats on your LX450. Looks pretty good.

 

[geo5]

I am trying to understand the 8 owners. Perhaps the upkeep was too much for the previous 7.

Congrats on your LX450. Looks pretty good.

I know right? Technically it’s 9! But the person I purchased from didn’t re-title.
There are a couple gaps in the carfax and mylexus history but generally pretty regular records.

 

[geo5]

Ok got the spare crossmember wire wheeled, primed and painted yesterday afternoon along with spare tire lift hardware mounted w/ blue loctite on bolts

Also got the receiver hitch off, wire wheeled, corroseal yesterday and rust reformer coats today. Redundant but I am kind of testing this coating combo. Does not need to look good just rust proof.

Today in project creep stupid I have removed the rear bumper cover

I think it could be way worse but there is rust to be treated.
Replacing all bolts with 10.9 from the hardware store. Chasing threads and anti-seize.

Immediate plan is get the rear bumper and spare tire area sorted, put back together and enjoy driving until winter when it’s in the garage and I can slowly work my way forward underneath.
Love this thing! Taking it to Rising Sun tomorrow for them to do a post mortem I mean post purchase inspection.

 

[mudgudgeon]

I have LOW expectations. I don’t even ask how many owners.

thing is gonna be ragged out!

Ok let’s open the doors and find a reason to go home

Ok time to look under the hood and see how crusty the underside is.

I hate it when things don't go to plan!!

Wait, what!?

Sounds like you found a good buy

 

[geo5]

Pretty quiet week for the 450, got the spark plugs and wires replaced and brake fluid changed out.

Recent rain really highlighted these rust spots, so m going to get with a couple body shops to see what can be done.