Builds Let's build a 79 Series from parts...

[coldtaco]

the thing I found about the factory bumper and the license plate holder is that the license plate gets bent back I think due to water hitting it while driving "fast", so I could see that also happening with your plate, or not since yours does not hang down in the free air as much. Also, your truck will probably always be inside a nice climate controlled garage at all times so no worries there

 

[c2dfj45]

the thing I found about the factory bumper and the license plate holder is that the license plate gets bent back I think due to water hitting it while driving "fast", so I could see that also happening with your plate, or not since yours does not hang down in the free air as much. Also, your truck will probably always be inside a nice climate controlled garage at all times so no worries there

Ha.....not going to be in a climate controlled garage.....most of the time

On my other truck, the plate gets the snot beat out of it but about 75% of it hangs out in open air......this one not so much and it's not in the direct path of tire...it's off to the side. I'll probably double stick tape the lower section of the plate to the bumper just to keep it from moving around. Might even creatively bend that lower portion to match the contour of the bumper.

I had a Samurai when I was a kid that I insisted on driving thru every form of water I could find....the front plate on that car would get bent at a right angle to the bumper in the smallest of puddles. Got me in trouble with my pops a couple of times if I didn't catch it and bend it back before I got home. Ha.

 

[c2dfj45]

We finished updating the gauge unit.....took a little time to figure this one out.

The EGTs were reading in Celsius despite being set in Fahrenheit.....apparently there was some type of equation that had to be done to get the numbers happy. The C to F conversion worked in all other screens....just not in this EGT screen. We were having a issue with boost too....it was holding boost at various numbers on the gauge(when it should have been 0. Something about a reset that wasn't being done. We contacted the company(Poland) and told them what was going on....they made an update to address both things. Installed the update and both things fixed. Really a great company to deal with.....I posted the link to it in a previous post....I'd be happy to post it again for anyone needing it.

 

[Loober]

@c2dfj45 please post link, very clean setup

 

[c2dfj45]

This is what we are using....the UTComp PRO version.

UTCOMP-PRO All-in-one Gauge

Onboard computer for vehicles with OLED display. Connect external sensors such as temperature and pressure senders, set alerts and record data with data-

www.reveltronics.com

I think the UTComp-3 might be cool for the old school steel dash....maybe. I was thinking that installing one(maybe 2 displays even) in an altimeter/tilt pod would be cool.

We should have probably done more with mine....fuel level, more sensors, etc.....but I'm happy with what we have. Having an outside temp to me is really cool for some reason

 

[Loober]

Wow looks like a good product, very cost effective, considering one quality gauge could run ~$200. I am curious how accurate/quality are the sensors, especially over time. I am a big fan of the multi gauges to reduce clutter, been using these, for a few years now and really happy with quality and accuracy, but they can only do 2 items per gauge.

Products - VEI Systems

www.veisystems.com

 

[c2dfj45]

Wow looks like a good product, very cost effective, considering one quality gauge could run ~$200. I am curious how accurate/quality are the sensors, especially over time. I am a big fan of the multi gauges to reduce clutter, been using these, for a few years now and really happy with quality and accuracy, but they can only do 2 items per gauge.

Products - VEI Systems

www.veisystems.com

Those VEI gauges are really nice. 4 displays would be great.

From what I can tell....everything that we're monitoring is exactly where it should be on the Reveltronics. I used their supplied senders...I think you can use any sender you want if it is in the range that they want it in. It will be perfect for my application and what I'm needing.

Their customer support has been excellent and super responsive. Can't say enough good stuff about them.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

@c2dfj45 .... "Having an outside temp to me is really cool for some reason."
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I thought there were only two outside temps in Florida.... Hot and Damn Hot.

 

[c2dfj45]

@c2dfj45 .... "Having an outside temp to me is really cool for some reason."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I thought there were only two outside temps in Florida.... Hot and Damn Hot.

 

[c2dfj45]

79 got very little love this week.....we really don't have much big stuff left except for the exhaust which we worked on this week.

Measured shock travel on the front axle(wanted to check driveshaft clearance at full compression) so we could get those on order. Need to do the rear next.

Finished rear wiring of the truck and sprayed some Raptor on my rear step.

Exhaust is a pretty custom affair since we are staying in the frame and were using a flex joint like factory and we're using 3" tubing...lots of welding.

Downpipes has come a long ways...

This comes off the downpipe....needed a tight 90 on this one to keep it above the bottom of the frame.

This pipe routes along the frame and up around the transfer case...we have a slip fit so we can use a low profile clamp...not a lot of room around the driveshaft. We'll use a clamp off a Mercedes most likely for the slip fit. Great clamps that are slim.

 

[c2dfj45]

Rear step turned out pretty cool with Raptor on it....

 

[c2dfj45]

I'm practicing with a new camera....so what better thing to take a pic of than this motor. Must have had the #2 battery out for some reason apparently.

 

[c2dfj45]

Shop was had a pile of cars in it this week so the 79 got put outside....I'd snap my neck trying to get a look at that thing if I drove by and saw this parked outside

 

[LeRoy Cordova]

Thank you for taking the time and showing me around your place. The best way I would describe your shop to anybody asking would be as follows;

"Are you familiar with the (5) minute rule when eating? C2D's shop is so well kept that the item dropped is likely to expire before you'd consider NOT picking it up and eating it!".

Exemplary in every way, a testament to enthusiasm for ones craft. Of all the things to be learned, and there are many, the most notable is the importance of sound deadener. This 79 is an absolute vault, I'm not joking in the least! Again, thank you to no end. Great experience, L.

 

[c2dfj45]

Thank you for taking the time and showing me around your place. The best way I would describe your shop to anybody asking would be as follows;

"Are you familiar with the (5) minute rule when eating? C2D's shop is so well kept that the item dropped is likely to expire before you'd consider NOT picking it up and eating it!".

Exemplary in every way, a testament to enthusiasm for ones craft. Of all the things to be learned, and there are many, the most notable is the importance of sound deadener. This 79 is an absolute vault, I'm not joking in the least! Again, thank you to no end. Great experience, L.

Really glad you were able to come over and it was great meeting you. We always keep it clean in the shop....most people don't believe we build them in that building. 15 years and LOTS of cars/trucks have been built in there.

And yes....the sound deadening is amazing. I dare say the #2 truck is as quiet as a Lexus...with a diesel under the hood. Ha.

Second Skin Audio.....I've used a lot of stuff in a lot of projects over the years. I'm sold on their product lineup and their customer service/knowledge. They are top notch.

 

[c2dfj45]

Things got busy at the shop now that we're slowly getting back to normal. We've been picking at #2 here and there but waiting mainly for the exhaust to get finished up. There is some minor stuff here and there but it's all easy stuff.

I figured today was the day the new steering wheel would go in. I usually wait until everything is done but I couldn't wait any longer. Ha. So this steering wheel is a bit special and took some planning to make work.

Since this an airbag truck and there weren't going to be any airbags....the first thing to do was to find out how to get rid of the airbag but not wanting to take the easy way out, I wanted to try something. I needed a non airbag steering wheel center for a wheel with steering wheel controls for the stereo as I was going to try and retrofit them in.

Steering wheel is an OEM LC7X wheel. The steering wheel controls are from a Tundra I think....these are aftermarket units.

A lot of Toyota steering wheels are interchangeable with regards to air bags and steering wheel controls so it was pretty easy to figure out what parts I needed....finding them was a challenge. I needed an airbag cover from a 4 spoke steering wheel with controls. Found one online...maybe in Eastern Europe. Why they make airbag covers I don't know....maybe airbags can be repacked after they deploy with a new cover? Never could figure that out. I would imagine a lot of steering wheels are "airbag less" without their owners knowing. I think the cover was $80 shipped. WAY cheaper than a $800 air bag and thus the reason why some cars don't get airbags back in them.

Air bag cover....you can see how much smaller it is than the OEM airbag one on the left due to the steering wheel controls.

Horn assembly, air bag and old cover. The detonator is missing in this pic.

New cover gets assembled and installed like an airbag center. We had already wired up the steering wheel controls during the wiring portion of the build. A little tricky but not horribly bad. We used a clock spring from a later model Tacoma I think.....it fits a huge amount of Toyotas. I think Toyota does them 2 ways.....with steering wheel controls and without.

All done and installed. Most all the buttons work....a few don't. I wanted volume and track up and down. That's all I care about. It will answer calls and make them. Bonus. Display and mode don't work. The Pioneer is really cool....you can program the buttons to do what you want. No module was needed to make it work...directly wired to the stereo.

Not sure if Toyota offers steering wheel controls on any of the 70s....I was never able to find them. All I know is that this 79 has them

 

[c2dfj45]

I also deemed this was the day to install this. Not the dog.

What a face.

 

[abuck99]

Quite a contrast from post#1- it looks great!! Nice work. Beautiful truck.

 

[c2dfj45]

Quite a contrast from post#1- it looks great!! Nice work. Beautiful truck.

A whole lot of man hours(and $) from post #1 until now

 

[bottombracket]

It was The Time for the Satoshi grill.

Congratulations on an epic build.