Builds Live in Texas, drive a pickup: HDJ79 single cab build

[bottombracket]

@Spallet is a good friend.

In addition to being a bottomless source of Cruiser and diesel information, he’s got a Hotsy and has been kind enough to let me borrow it for an extended period of time.

 

[c2dfj45]

In addition to being a bottomless source of Cruiser and diesel information, he’s got a Hotsy and has been kind enough to let me borrow it for an extended period of time.

I believe someone once said, "A friend with a Hotsy is a good friend indeed"

 

[bottombracket]

The Hotsy is gonna get another workout soon...today I emptied the cab of the 79.

I stopped at the Texas state surplus store and scored a stainless steel work table, then grabbed a set of shelves from Home Depot, creating the 79 quadrant of the shop.

@Unoman stopped by to change his oil (on the lift! Two 60 oil changes in two days!) and helped me sort out the mess. We sat in the bare cab as a test fit. It’ll be years before I’m in there behind the wheel...

I was having major reservations about the project, kind of ‘what have I gotten myself into’ when I saw the massive parts sprawl....

Then I got home and found a package from @lowenbrau: the cowl harness!!! Major hook up: he threw in an ignition switch with keys, an ignition subharness, and a pair of taillight lenses. DUDE.

The presence of that harness just lifted my spirits at least 110%.

 

[bottombracket]

Part numbers for posterity:

The ignition switch is 84450-60250, fits trucks from 1990-2016.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

The Hotsy is gonna get another workout soon...today I emptied the cab of the 79.

I stopped at the Texas state surplus store and scored a stainless steel work table, then grabbed a set of shelves from Home Depot, creating the 79 quadrant of the shop.

@Unoman stopped by to change his oil (on the lift! Two 60 oil changes in two days!) and helped me sort out the mess. We sat in the bare cab as a test fit. It’ll be years before I’m in there behind the wheel...

I was having major reservations about the project, kind of ‘what have I gotten myself into’ when I saw the massive parts sprawl....

Then I got home and found a package from @lowenbrau: the cowl harness!!! Major hook up: he threw in an ignition switch with keys, an ignition subharness, and a pair of taillight lenses. DUDE.

The presence of that harness just lifted my spirits at least 110%.View attachment 2194295View attachment 2194296View attachment 2194297View attachment 2194298View attachment 2194300

I sit in mine every now and then. It gets me motivated when I feel overwhelmed.

 

[bottombracket]

Good. So I’m not the only one.

 

[OGBeno]

Awesome.

 

[OEMGUY0720]

Awesome build!

 

[bottombracket]

Something else awesome arrived today:

I texted @Onur before I posted it here, and his reply kind of sums it up:

“BONUR”

Yes indeed.

But if the instructions are only in Japanese, how will I be able to install it?

 

[OGBeno]

Sometimes even I have to cackle and laugh at my parts BONUR

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Something else awesome arrived today:

View attachment 2194979

I texted @Onur before I posted it here, and his reply kind of sums it up:

“BONUR”

Yes indeed.

View attachment 2194982

But if the instructions are only in Japanese, how will I be able to install it?

View attachment 2194981

That truck in the photo needs an alignment.

 

[OGBeno]

^^^ ****er right here.

 

[bottombracket]

I'll bet if I straightened out the paper it'd magically fix that camber.

I was so concerned with peeling the single-sided sticky brown paper (seriously, genius move, Toyota) that I didn't even glance at the instructions.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

Is the mesh grill metal or plastic? I’m glad Toyota is bringing back the “TOYOTA” grill on trucks.

 

[OGBeno]

Is the mesh grill metal or plastic? I’m glad Toyota is bringing back the “TOYOTA” grill on trucks.

Plastic. They have to save weight anywhere they can.

 

[bottombracket]

Ah, the gleam of the dorkel in the afternoon sun...

 

[Mr Cimarron]

When does the grill go on?

 

[bottombracket]

2021 or so.

I hid it in its box way up on top of the shelves so I wouldn’t be tempted to mess with it.

 

[c2dfj45]

2021 or so.

I hid it in its box way up on top of the shelves so I wouldn’t be tempted to mess with it.

The special grille going on should always be the last thing....probably some kind of bad luck to put it on before the build is done

Mine is up on a top shelf too.

 

[bottombracket]

@c2dfj45 I sucked it up and bought the under dash A/C components from Partsouq yesterday. Did yours bolt straight up? I was reading your build #2 and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

My cab is a 3/2009 build.