"I Want My Taco--Pronto!!" Major surgery/rebuild of 2002 Tacoma

[CruiserClay]

Well y'all, I don't know where to begin this thread. The work that's been done on this truck is just incredible; I can hardly believe how far it's come over the last month and a half. I guess I'll begin at the beginning: About 3 months ago I decided that I wanted a Tacoma. I knew a few things that I had to have, and more things that I did not want. I wanted a standard transmission, 4x4, regular or xtra cab. I preferred to have the 2.7L (for efficiency's sake) over the 3.4. I absolutely did not want a double cab (way too little bed), automatic transmission (I prefer transmissions made for men) or a 5 lugger (also prefer trucks made for men). With a budget of $10k, I wanted the lowest mileage Tacoma I could find for the money. Luckily, I'm patient and waited for the perfect "deal." Well, as it ultimately turned out, this "deal" wasn't as great as I was expecting. Coming up next is the "point of no return." Be back soon .

 

[CruiserClay]

Well, after a few weeks of watching the market closely for a solid used truck (emphasis on solid, or lack thereof, as you'll later see) I came across an eBay listing of what seemed to be the ideal truck. I had found a 2002, 4WD, 5 speed, 2.7L xtra cab Tacoma with only 70xxx miles on it. And what a steal at $8500!!! I checked and rechecked pictures, the description, and even requested more pictures from the seller just to make sure this one was going to be okay. Now, before I proceed, please no one lecture me on the stupidity of buying a vehicle across the country (this one was in Delaware) without seeing it in person. I know, I know, that'll make may people cringe, but I was confident in this purchase. But now I have learned my lesson and paid my dues. Never again! Anyhow, not to give too much of a sense of foreboding, here are a few of the pictures from the original ad. I was assured that this truck was 95% rust free and very clean. Certainly it appears so in the following pictures:

 

[CruiserClay]

Well, thank you. That means a lot. I'm also glad to hear that your experience was good. Upright people are getting harder and harder to find than they used to be. It's definitely turned into just about the perfect truck for me. I'm happy with it for sure. Speaking of which, its been way too long since I've posted on this thread (still need to bring it up to speed). Might as well do it now...

I'm afraid that this stage of the narrative isn't very well documented (certainly less so than other parts are), but I do have a few pictures to share. After several seemingly never ending days, the transport service finally rolled up in front of the driveway with my black 2002 Tacoma on the flatbed. I immediately saw that it was not nearly in the clean condition it was described as being in. But, I figured it's a truck anyway, it doesn't need to be perfect. Well, perfect it was not. Advertised as a non-smoking truck, that claim was dashed to pieces the instant I opened the door. Again, something I have no problem overlooking (by the way, as I'll later find out, the product called "Ozium," an odor eliminator, works fantastically to kill the smokey smell). Other than that the truck seemed fine; it started right up and ran with no problems. It arrived late in the evening, so I didn't feel like inspecting it more closely and decided to be content for the night. The truck arrived on a Friday, so I was up bright and early on Saturday giving it a real deal once-over. Everything seemed passable, until, lo and behold, I spotted perforations along the frame. And I don't just mean little ol' quarter sized holes. No sir, I'm talking holes the diameter of my fist and a foot long. Not good...at all...

Luckily only, as the seller stated: "A little minor surface rust in a few areas."

The seller must be a comedian. MINOR SURFACE RUST?!? That's just plain dishonest.

Check out the spray painted wheels (see the overspray on the tires?). Just covering up rust.

I didn't take a picture of the frame at this point; I was just too darn angry. But don't worry. Pics of serious frame cancer are soon to come.

 

[Mudder]

If you want you could always file a claim to get somr money back.

 

[CruiserClay]

@Mudder -- Believe me, I'm strongly considering legal action. In Texas (where I'm from), you can get up to $5000 in small claims court. Don't know if it's like that in Vermont, but it may very well be worth a shot.

 

[Kris]

That big-time sucks. I drove 3 hours once to look at a tdi jetta. Before I drove out, I asked the guy 2-3 times if it was smoked in or if it was missing anything. He said it had not been smoked in and was only missing the passenger headrest. I get in the car and only the driver headrest was around, the rear seat was missing, and there were cigarette burns in the driver seat and the a-pillar. Not to mention how nasty it was inside - I think a nudest colony commuted in it for how many curly-whirlies I found.

Long story short - people these days.

 

[White Stripe]

Have you contacted the seller and confronted them? I hope you only paid 4grand or less for that.

 

[Brake Weight]

Out of state deals get complicated. Id go through eBay first but be looking for a lawyer or some legal route to take it through the court system as well.

The body rust is minimum, but frame rot isn't to be played with. Also, see if you could still get in on a frame recall with that. But beings it's from the salt belt, I personally would've passed.

 

[ClevSix]

I don't know about TX or VT but in IL is is illegal to sell a car with safety issues without clearly disclosing them prior to the sale. A dealer cannot let you drive it off the lot with a safety issue. Bad frame rot, flat tire, broken seat belt or even the horn not working... The seller can get in big trouble in IL.

 

[Zimbwanabe]

Glad I live in the desert!

 

[mexellent]

That is terrible. Any updates?

 

[CruiserClay]

UPDATE/SPOILER TIME-- Just this weekend I finally got it inspected and registered, so it's legal and finished up. I'll get back with pics of the work, but it is finally complete! Some of the things (besides installing a new frame) include a Flowmaster 40 series muffler and a whole new exhaust system routed like stock, an AAL (long story there), new wheels and shortly new tires. Thanks for the replies everyone. It's hard for me to post on here very often, as school work keeps me busy. As for legal action, none will be taken. What's done is done; I now have a very reliable truck that ought to last a good while. I'm pleased with it and am just glad that I can find some satisfaction in the fact that, with the help of some family members, I successfully completed a whole frame-off build of a now fantastic truck! It's hard to say how proud I am just to be able to cruise down the road. It's a great feeling. Anyway, I'll be sure to fill in the gaps on this build thread as soon as I can. Thanks again folks!

 

[CruiserClay]

Having attempted to go through Toyota for a new frame, I discovered that the PO was notified 8 times about warranty service on potentially rust-plagued frames. The owner took not action, and thus, the truck is no longer under any sort of warranty (being a 2002 model). So, we loaded the truck on a trailer and hauled it to my uncle's machine shop in Dallas to see what he thought needed to be done. I owe him the credit for approaching this undertaking with a positive air and having the guts to say that we, with the the help of some other family members, could replace the frame. That's exactly what we did. The truck went back on the trailer and we hauled it to Houston, where my grandad has an automotive lift. Up on the lift it went and the disassembly process began. The bed was easy enough to remove and came off first.

Here are some close ups of the damage and severe putting on the frame.

Be back soon with some cab removal tech. Stay tuned.

 

[ClevSix]

I'm getting ready to tackle a frame swap on my 01 DC. It will be a huge project for me. Good luck finishing up yours!!!

 

[CruiserClay]

@ClevSix -- Thanks brother. It's finished up; been driving it for the past week and I love it. If you need any help with anything on tackling your upcoming project, definitely feel free to shoot me a PM. I'd be glad to help, and having done it before, might be able to give you some pointers if you'd be interested. Good luck with it either way though, and when you're done, it'll definitely be something you can be proud of.

 

[ClevSix]

I'm going to wait until spring to get started probably March or April (If I can get everything I need together by then). It's getting a little cold up here and I don't have a heated garage so I'm not even going to get started for a few months anyway, LOL. I have never taken on a project this big but I will have a friend or two around for help. I'm working on getting all the parts together. I should have a frame in my possession before the new year. I hope to upgrade a few things while doing the swap. I'd listen any pointers you have. PM'd you...

 

[CruiserClay]

Advice for people considering a frame swap or really any major rebuild (@ClevSix ):

1. Most importantly, LABEL EVERYTHING. I cannot emphasize this enough! Take the time to do it upfront; it'll save you a lot of grief in the long run.
2. Take your time. Also very important. It may seem inconvenient in the short-term, but in the long run, it will keep there from being much weeping and gnashing of teeth (a little of this is unavoidable, but we want to keep it to a minimum).
3. During disassembly, treat it like a man! Don't treat it like a Faberge egg...use cutting torches and hand sledges as you see fit (all things in moderation, mind you). A few sturdily built friends are always handy too.
4. Don't get discouraged! It's hard work, but it can be done. Luckily it's not too terribly technical, it's just labor-intensive. Bear down on it hard and keep pressing onward, and I promise you'll be pleasantly surprised how quickly it goes.
5. Study up...there are lots of guys on this forum and countless others who know an awful lot about these trucks. Give them a shout and read anything useful you can on the topic. Staying informed is crucial to getting your rig back on the road safely and quickly.
6. When it's time for it all to go back together, hopefully you've taken pictures and made notes which will guide you in the reassembly process. Get it right the first time and be careful. There's always a risk for injury, but this is a stage where you can make a mistake which might not show up for several thousand miles. Others can be harmful immediately. Be sure of proper fit, correct torque specs, etc.

It's a daunting task, I know. Just keep all this in mind and have fun with your project. It's rewarding when all's said and done.