Custom HZJ79 from parts, built in the US! (11 Viewers)

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cruiserdan said:
Keep that up and it won't run very good. :eek:
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:doh:

It's my first diesel, old habits die hard.

I actually had to go for gas a couple days ago. I needed it for my snowthrower, filled up a 20L jerry can. Two people approached me to ask about the truck. Was kind of fun driving away with fairly full tanks of diesel after two weeks of driving. I think I have about 600 miles of range.
 
changes

Yooper, now that you have been driving this truck for a while, are there any changes you wish you would have made? Anything you should have added or deleted? Your comments and observations would be very appreciated!
Thanks
 
Assuming I did not overlook them somewhere in this thread, can you post photos of your rear bed?
Thanks......1978HJ45
 
1978HJ45 said:
Assuming I did not overlook them somewhere in this thread, can you post photos of your rear bed?
Thanks......1978HJ45
Click to expand...

It's factory except for the rack and it's bedlined. The soft top frame is built to match and is bolted to the factory headache rack .

I have these pics with me here at work. Is there something else specific you wanted to see?

2q5RN.jpg


RwZo5.jpg
 
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Cmoney said:
Yooper, now that you have been driving this truck for a while, are there any changes you wish you would have made? Anything you should have added or deleted? Your comments and observations would be very appreciated!
Thanks
Click to expand...

Frankly most of the things I'm a little unhappy with are things the shop didn't ask me about or did slightly differently than I asked. It is mostly detail stuff though.

- I asked for freewheeling hubs, they didn't install them. I installed them myself at greater expense.

- I wanted the side windows on the soft top to zip open so I could get into the bed from the side. They do not. That would be a really nice feature.

- I'd rather have a Toyota steering wheel. The shop made the final decision to put in an aftermarket wheel. I found out about it the day I took delivery. We had discussed it once and they were supposed to get back to me with comparative prices so I could make a decision but that never happened.

- I'd like to have a second full fuse box for the added electrical stuff (inverter, four 12V sockets, driving lights, bigger stereo, etc.) I didn't specifically ask for this and they ran all the new circuits direct to the battery. I will have to fix this myself.

- I don't like the way they built the roof rack (the black one that goes on top over the soft top). It's not what I really wanted but I let them talk me into this design so it's my own fault. I really wanted a set of cross bars that I could easily take off and carry in the bed but they built a one piece halo rack. It's a nice rack, just not what I wanted. They mounted the CB and 2M antennas on the rack so I have to leave it on if I want to use the radios. I will be moving the antennas to the front bumper next summer.

- I wish the bed and the soft top frame had some tie down points to attach straps to for securing cargo. When the soft top is installed I have nothing to secure cargo to.

- The interior needs more storage. I will be adding door pockets and probably seat back pockets and will be building a custom center console. For now I am using a small console I got at Walmart and modified to fit on the tranny hump between the shifters and the passenger seat.

- I would really like to have a tachometer. I assumed that 70 series trucks all had one. I will figure out a way to add one. I will probably mount it on the A pillar if I can find a gauge pod that works there. I already have a dash pod with EGT, boost, and oil pressure (there is no factory oil pressure gauge).

- There is no clock. I will be adding an OEM dash clock - there is a blank in that slot on the dash.

- I'll add some more stuff here as I think of them.
 
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P.M. sent.................Thanks

"- There is no clock. I will be adding an OEM dash clock - there is a blank in that slot on the dash." ........... Crocodile Dundee could just look at the shadows and tell what time it was.
 
i like the soft top hoops, light weight and looks almost factory.
i did up a soft top like this which had the zippered sections that also had velcro bug screen inside panels. i liked it but the workmanship was crap.

it is difficult to build a truck from a distance for a customer. time frame and details can be over looked, ooopsed or missed easy enough. it looks like a pretty intense build and i can understand both sides of the issues.
final shot drivers rear.jpg
final shot pass rear.jpg
 
crushers said:
i like the soft top hoops, light weight and looks almost factory.
i did up a soft top like this which had the zippered sections that also had velcro bug screen inside panels. i liked it but the workmanship was crap.

it is difficult to build a truck from a distance for a customer. time frame and details can be over looked, ooopsed or missed easy enough. it looks like a pretty intense build and i can understand both sides of the issues.
Click to expand...

I like that top. :cool:

Yeah it's just a communications issue and it's difficult to balance time/money/etc. I understand that a shop can't call the long distance customer every five minutes to make decisions or they'd never finish the project. On the other hand there were some specific things I asked to be involved with or specifically asked to be included on the truck and important decisions were made without my consent. There were also more than a few things that were just plain done wrong, which I haven't brought up here, I have no desire to bash the shop; I've talked to them about those things and I think/hope they will learn from it so those things won't happen to other customers in the future.
 
yooper said:
It's factory except for the rack and it's bedlined. The soft top frame is built to match and is bolted to the factory headache rack .

I have these pics with me here at work. Is there something else specific you wanted to see?

2q5RN.jpg


RwZo5.jpg
Click to expand...

Hey Yoops can I ask what tires you're running on that bad boy? Tall and skinny. I like em.

Ole Wayne"O" knows building trucks that's for sure. Nice job all the way around. Ive built a couple air planes before. I can only imagine it must be like that.
 
i do hope my post came across neutral as intended ...:hmm:
yooper said:
I like that top. :cool:

Yeah it's just a communications issue and it's difficult to balance time/money/etc. I understand that a shop can't call the long distance customer every five minutes to make decisions or they'd never finish the project. On the other hand there were some specific things I asked to be involved with or specifically asked to be included on the truck and important decisions were made without my consent. There were also more than a few things that were just plain done wrong, which I haven't brought up here, I have no desire to bash the shop; I've talked to them about those things and I think/hope they will learn from it so those things won't happen to other customers in the future.
Click to expand...
 
BJ74Guy said:
Hey Yoops can I ask what tires you're running on that bad boy? Tall and skinny. I like em.

Ole Wayne"O" knows building trucks that's for sure. Nice job all the way around. Ive built a couple air planes before. I can only imagine it must be like that.
Click to expand...

BFG KM2 M/T 255/85x16
About 33.2" diameter. I like them a lot except in snow. I will be putting some dedicated snow tires on soon, Proffitt's sold me some really cool 16x6 OEM split rims for that purpose.
 
hks3sgte said:
Awesome build... can't wait to hear your impressions now that winter is rolling in.
Click to expand...

So far I'm not impressed with the snowy road performance, but I think it's mostly a mud tire issue and a rear wheel drive pickup truck issue. I drive in 2WD with the hubs locked mostly in the winter and switch into 4WD only when necessary. In the summer I leave the hubs free most of the time.

Last night I put 300 lbs of sand bags over the rear axle and I hope to have real snow tires in the next week or so. Both things should help.

I had to replace the heater blower fan, the 2004 mine truck fan failed a few weeks after I got the truck. It was all rusty inside with no lube left. I suspect they ran the fan 100% of the time in the mines. I took it all apart and cleaned and lubed it but it only lasted a few more weeks. The new Toyota fan blows twice as hard and now my windshield doesn't fog up every morning, which is pretty nice.
 
I know your getting badgered with a million questions...but I'm in the building mine right now and have a few moer questions.

How do you like the rear bumper/sliders?I am building some thing similar but don't plan on using all tube in the rear.

On your sliders...what is the distance between the rectangular tubing and the outside of the round tube. I have a set of sliders that were meant for another truck but they would probably work on this one. I just think to stick out a little to far so i may build some new ones.

If you get a chance could you take a picture of how your clutch master cyl and clutch pedal bucket mounts. I'm having a hard time figuring out why the one I have won't work.

thanks in advance,
matt
 
true ice radials help in the snow immensely.
keep the air pressure down a bit in winter for better traction.
the 1HZ is an excellent winter engine, once you are used to the torque then starting off in 2nd with no gas being applied is a hoot.
if you have locking hubs then having them locked for shifting on the fly is a nice feature

but then you probably know all this stuff already.
 
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