Planning A Project: Round Fenders (1 Viewer)

[legion]

I'm thinking about picking up a roughly '82 or '83 SWB before they're all completely trashed and cleaning it up to nice daily driver status. Moderate lift... probably OME with a set of 255/85-16's for a tall skinny stance that's useful in the snow country I live in.

As a baseline I'd like it to turn out a little like this truck but maybe dial out a little lift. I haven't had one since the days of buying new off the lot in about '85 so I don't recognize specs that well but do know what I think looks good.

Help me here. Anybody know roughly what the lift is on this truck and roughly what size tires these might be?

 

[ttrmike]

Looks like a 6in lift in the front and Chevy 63's in the back. Tires look like 35's to me.

 

[skully3]

You are in a good part of the country to find one of those. Here in the northeast they don't really exist.

 

[legion]

You are in a good part of the country to find one of those. Here in the northeast they don't really exist.

Unfortunately we've wailed on 'em pretty good.

 

[bigdaddy1]

I have seen a few of them for sale in western Colorado lately. I know its a long ways, but it might be worth the trip. Tell the misses it's a "vacation"

 

[bigdaddy1]

Looks like a 6in lift in the front and Chevy 63's in the back.

I would say she is ridin on 33's though, you should definately think about doin gears with anything over 31's

 

[legion]

I have seen a few of them for sale in western Colorado lately. I know its a long ways, but it might be worth the trip. Tell the misses it's a "vacation"

My wife... she kinda funny.

The woman's got a sense of humor but it can be hard to find when the conversation turns toward picking up a new project.

 

[meigsrock]

I would say that truck has 4-6" with 33-35's.

If you want one for a daily driver I would stay with as little lift as you can and stay with 31-33's. 33's usually require re-gearing to 4.88's if you stay with the original engine.

I had a 2.5" lift on my 92 pickup with 33's and it was nice. A little tall for a DD for me but it worked. You have to think for a daily driver the taller it is, the harder it is to get in and out of all day long. It will also be harder to get snow off and scrape the windshield in the winter.

I just put a 4" lift and 35's on mine and now I am wondering what I have done to my sweet little daily driver. It is cool but I may regret it come winter. Good thing I have another truck for a DD if need be.

My neighbor had a nice early 80's model back when I was in High school in Idaho. He had slightly taller springs on it, maybe just good new stock ones and was running some skinny aggressive tires on it. 31's maybe. It sure looked good, wish I had some pictures.

 

[legion]

I've been watching your work, meigs, and I wish I had your skill.

 

[meigsrock]

Thanks, I appreciate that. I wish I could work at a faster rate but life holds you up a bit at times. I should be getting back to my camper project this month. More parts arriving tomorrow.

Sometimes it is just as much Balls as skill. Sometimes you just need to commit to it and do it. I find myself looking at stuff and analyzing a lot but in the end I just have to go for it and it turns out. If it does not work out you can always take it to some one else to work on it if you have money.

Here is a sweet early 80's long bed to drool over. It just goes to show you that you don't need a big lift to make the truck sweet. Just nice rims and tires.

 

[skully3]

got this pic from here on mud somewhere. One of the best looking trucks ever made.

 

[Combat Chuck]

got this pic from here on mud somewhere. One of the best looking trucks ever made.

Slacker's truck is getting around the boards these days.
Really a cool truck, the build can be found on the Toyota Trekker message board.
Custom fiberglass fenders, hood, rear tub and top, and a 5VZE and R-series transmission.

 

[skully3]

thanks for the Info chuck..I will be looking this up. I too have been looking for a 79-81 pick up to restore (I prefer the round headlights). I saved this pic as reference.

 

[legion]

I've found what looks like an xlnt candidate but it's got some things I don't recognize. Like:
...Is this glass roving or whatever this surface material is, normal? It definitely isn't anything I remember from the period but I never looked this closely either.

 

[legion]

I too have been looking for a 79-81 pick up to restore (I prefer the round headlights).

It's not a round headlight truck, Skully, but there is what looks to be an xlnt one in your back yard. Check out this CL ad for an '82:

1982 toyota pickup 4x4 58k original miles classic

If the ad is accurate the truck would be an outstanding example and a perfect platform for a top drawer resto. Sadly, the guy that's peddling it seems like he might have the lying sack gene. I only spoke w/ him briefly but he's definitely not a guy I'd feel comfortable buying sight unseen from. If he were anywhere in my vicinity though I'd be on him like a bad rash.

Coincidentally that same dude has a bunch of other vehicles that it looks like he curbs from his house. Reverse lookup showed that the number was somewhere around Tom's River, NJ.

 

[unorthodox]

I was told that bumpy stuff is just body insulation to help keep noise down. Its all over the back of my 83 and on the transmission tunnel. I havent bothered to look under the carpet of my '79 dd though to see if its the same

 

[skully3]

It's not a round headlight truck, Skully, but there is what looks to be an xlnt one in your back yard. Check out this CL ad for an '82:

1982 toyota pickup 4x4 58k original miles classic

If the ad is accurate the truck would be an outstanding example and a perfect platform for a top drawer resto. Sadly, the guy that's peddling it seems like he might have the lying sack gene. I only spoke w/ him briefly but he's definitely not a guy I'd feel comfortable buying sight unseen from. If he were anywhere in my vicinity though I'd be on him like a bad rash.

Coincidentally that same dude has a bunch of other vehicles that it looks like he curbs from his house. Reverse lookup showed that the number was somewhere around Tom's River, NJ.

Legion, I have seen that one on CL for awhile now. 4500 is out of my price range. I would need to be around 2k for that truck. I think he asking too much but .

 

[Combat Chuck]

thanks for the Info chuck..I will be looking this up. I too have been looking for a 79-81 pick up to restore (I prefer the round headlights). I saved this pic as reference.

Do what I did: buy a later first-gen, and then acquire the round lights and assemblies from a scrapyard. It's alot easier to make one than to comb the countryside to find one.

 

[Combat Chuck]

I just had a thought:
I've played with my first gen alot, and loved it to death. I think the biggest complaints about these trucks to surface are about the L-series transmissions that came native to them. I really think alot of this was just web-chatter. The L52 transmission specifically has the makings of a great transmission because of its cast-iron housing, straight-cut gears, and compact size, it just has weak bearings.
If you get a first-gen, the first major thing to do would be to press in new bearings or clearance the housing to accept the bearings from a G-series transmission. With that done, you'll be set for all kinds of fun.


Personally, I opted to install the later-style bearings in my L52 and it rocks; it's quiet, shifts nicely, and it's in a nice compact package, leaving room for a doubler without placing the t-case shifter all the way out in the bed.

 

[meigsrock]

You might want to check out this one.
81 Toyota pickup great running
There is also a long bed for sale on CL in Anch.