Picking up a 89 4Runner

[USMCracing]

89 4Runner project

I'm going to pick up another 4Runner tomorrow. This one is a 89 that's got a new engine but the trans has a bent shift fork. The owner says it's really clean and there isn't any rust. I'm getting it for $1k and I have two R150's and a center force clutch to fix it. I'm sure that clutch that's in now is still good with the engine only having 15k miles on it. I'm only getting it because it's cheap, I already have the trans to fix it, and I can flip it and make atleast $2k on it. I also thought about keeping it and my daughter would a classic 4Runner in good condition to drive in 9 years, LOL.

Steven

 

[USMCracing]

We left Beaufort yesterday around 1530 and due to road work on I95 we didn't get to Due West, SC till around 2030. Everything with the 4Runner was good but not as good I hopped. I knew the interior was rough and the clear coat was flaking off. The good news with the 4Runner is that it is 100% rust free that's on both the body and frame. The engine runs great, as it should because it's a new long block with around 15k miles. The bad is the speedo doesn't work and hasn't worked in two years, so it's very hard to believe the 15k on the engine. Another bad note is that it's a 3.0 v6, which I already knew. I did look the engine over very good, the block is still shiny black like a newish engine would look. It has a slight oil leak coming from the drivers side valve cover, easy fix. I knew the trans was bad, it has a bent shift fork or something. The guy has been driving around his in-laws farm for the past year using 4low and starting off in 3rd. The trans jumps out of 1st and 2nd gear, I drove it down the road and actual got it going in 2wd using 1st but couldn't go to 2nd, it drove very good and had more power then my 91's 3.0. The battery is dead and I don't it's going to hold a charge and there isn't a radio. It has 3rd gen 4Runner wheels on it, I think they also came on 1st gen Taco's. There is a 1 inch body lift and the wore out tires are 32" mud rovers.

Overal I feel that it for a $1k 4Runner that's over 20 years old, I got a great deal. I already have a R150 trans to swap into it. The clutch that's in it should be good cause a new one was installed when the engine was installed.

I plan on changing out the trans this week.

Steven

 

[USMCracing]

Took some pics of the 89 4Runner today. I also brought my spare R150 trans and chain drive t-case back to Beaufort with me. I plan on swaping the trans out this Thur night, lucky for me the shop I work at on base allows us to use the shop and vehicle lifts. We also have a nice trans jack so it should be a lot easier then the time I changed the clutch on my 91 4Runner in my driveway. I'm still unsure on if I'll be changing the clutch out, I have a new center force dual friction that I was going to use on my 91 4Runner but I will not be using it. The guy I got the 89 4Runner from said that the clutch was changed when the engine was installed, roughly 15k miles ago. It feels good, I crawled up a few hills on his farm and the clutch didn't slip or do any chatering. I almost bought some 34 9.50x15 TSL's but I don't think I'll like the narrow 9.5" tires, the tires where new and cheap at $300. For the interior I'm going to look for either some 2nd gen 4Runner SR5 seats or some that I find in a u-pull-it that feel/look good. I will all be on the look out for some door panels and carpet, but if I can't find the door panels I'm going to make my own. I'm going to remove the carpet and attemp to pressure wash and clean it but I don't think it's going to look any better. Later on I'm going to do a light sanding on the body and rattle can it red with some rattle can clear coat. I've rattle canned a couple body parts and a old jeep I owned with good results.

Here's the first pics I've taken of it,

Not bad looking for a $1k classic 4Runner with a new long block and everything works, even the AC (well there isn't a radio but some 6x9's and 1 10" sub mounted in the rear)

Still unsure on what I'm going to do with this after I get on the road. I've had a couple guys I work with tell me that they would buy it after I changed the trans for $3k.

Steven

 

[Brock]

cant wait to see your progress...

 

[USMCracing]

I didn't get to swap the trans like I wanted. It'll have to wait till next week. I orded some ball joint spacers and BDS shocks and will try to fit a 33" tire.

 

[S.CarolinaFZJ80]

Nice! Good score for a grand. I had two of those. My 1st was an '88 with the 22RE / 5 speed manual after that was stolen I got an '89 SR5 V6 3.slow Auto. That engine really needs a manual. If you can find one, it would make that truck alot nicer to drive IMHO

Good luck with the build.

 

[USMCracing]

I'm going to change the trans out this weekend. I already had the 5spd trans for it, I had an extra one as a back for my 91 4RUnner. The 5spd in my 91 was started to get hard to shift into a few gears. I'm looking for a good deal on a set of tires right now, I got the ball joint spacers and the guy I got them from was running a 33.

 

[S.CarolinaFZJ80]

Awesome. That will be a great ride then. Reading this thread made me nostalgic about my last 4Runner. I loved that thing. All except the auto transmission. Here's a pic I dug up from 2005. All original.

 

[USMCracing]

Swaped the trans out today. I kept the clutch that was in it and if it doesn't hold up I'll swap it out with my center force clutch. There was a lot of oil leaking and I thought it was coming from the rear main but it was coming from the oil pan. Every one of the oil pan bolt was only finger tight, I know they are only suppose to be tq'd to less then 10 ft pounds but they weren't even 1 foot pound. I hope this stopped the oil leak, if not I'm going to have to pull the pan and re-seal it. When I was removing the trans I found that all the bell housing bolts and starter bolts were very loose as well. On the 3.0 v6 there is two low trans supports that bolt to the block and then to the lower section of the bell housing, well the drivers side support was broken, as in the only part that was there was the part that bolts to the engine block. This isn't a major problem cause I have the support from my 91's 3.0 back home.

So now I have to get some tires, the ones that are on it are worn out. Then I have to get the exhaust fixxed, if I haven't said it yet the exhaust is cut off right after the cat. There isn't anything after the cat, no muffler or tail pipe. This isn't a major problem either, I have a stock Mustang Cobra muffler that only has 40k miles on it. This is from my old Cobra that I wish I still owned. Once I get the tires and exhaust I'm going to start daily driving it and fixxing up the interior.

 

[USMCracing]

I short update on the 89.

I've been driving it for a couple weeks and it runs and drive very good. The ac works great and is really cold. I had to replace the rear shocks and I couldn't believe how worn the shocks were. I took the muffler from my 91 4Runner and bolted it to the cat on the 89 and it almost fits perfect, had to rig up the rear muffler mounts but it works great. I picked up some Tundra 17" wheels and found some cheap 245/70/17 BFG tires. The tires are smaller then I wanted at 30.5" tall and they are E load rating tires but they were only $100 with well over 75% tread. If I hang onto the 4Runner I'll up to some 265 or 285's later on but the smaller tires ride good for a stock 4Runner. I pulled and put the factory carpet in the trash, I got some new gray carpet that I'm going to put in this week. I also got some seats out of a honda civic to go in it. Here's how it looks with the Tundra wheels.

Steven

 

[dbenke]

Looks good, but you're right, it could use some bigger tires

 

[89s rule]

looks good. liking the tundra rims. I hear you on the cheap tires as well. 255/75/17 is what i am running and they are about perfect. If you run into a spare rim let me know as I need one for a spare. Obviously want one cheap. Keep me posted on your projects.

 

[USMCracing]

Put all the interior in today. The 4Runner looks 100% better now with new carpet. The only thing I have left to do is fix the door panels. I'm also going to get a cheap radio and put in it. I need to find the pass. side kick panel, the panel that covers the computer. I also need the rear cargo area side panels but I'll make those when I do the door panels. I would like to get the bumper end cap for the front bumper. I'll take some pics of the interior tomorrow.

 

[mylene]

SAS!!!! And CHOP, CHOP, CHOP!!!!

 

[USMCracing]

I don't need to SAS it, I have a SAS'd 4Runner sitting right beside it. It's been rolled a couple times too, I will say that I have thought about SAS but there isn't a need for two.