Potential New Owner of 1981 4x4 Pickup

[mefizto]

Greeting all,

I had been offered the vehicle identified in the subject, but the cabin is rather damaged, please see the pictures:

The damage was sustained about two years ago, when a branch broke of a tree due to heavy snow coverage and flattened the roof of the cabin. My friend wanted to fix it for his son, so he straightened the roof, but then abandoned the project and offered it to me for free. It is rather rust free, the engine starts and runs, and it is moving under its own power.

The problem is that although I had been working on my cars, I know nothing about this Toyota. As such, I have done some research, e.g., I understand a cabin from 2WD will not fit without modification, found a company that makes replacement fenders, hood, and bed, but not a cabin. So, I want to ask the members:

1. What years of cabins would fit, so that I have a little wider choice. In that respect, I can do simple modifications, e.g., relocated the mount points, modify the central section for a shifter and transfer-case stick, and the like. Would an Xtra cab fit with such minor modifications and either shortening the bed or making it a flat-bed?

2. Where should I look for such a cabin? I tried the usual suspects, Craigslist, e-bay. I have a junk yard about 1.5 hours drive away, but they will not list the vehicles that they have, so every trip there is a gamble, and considering that I would need to ask a friend with truck to go along, so this option is rather difficult

3. Is there a good resource showing removing a cabin, so that I can estimate the time if I were to find a junk-yard one?

4. Anything else that I might be missing?

Kindest regards,

M

 

[msahr]

It it were me, I'd absolutely jump on that, especially for free. Think outside the box and make it a buggy! Remove the doors, cut off the roof, put in a roll cage, and you're all good!

To answer your question though, without knowing where you are in the country it's hard to say what your cab options are. Yes a 2WD cab will fit, except the 2 front mounts are different (there are 6 total mounts). Doors are the same, fenders are not, the 4x4 fenders are flared.

Check on YouTube there may be a video of doing a cab swap. It's really not terribly hard, just time consuming and quite a bit of heavy stuff (like a cab). Remove the doors , fenders, grille, bumper, bumper valance, hood, seats, ALL the interior of course, steering wheel, remove the steering column, the shifters, etc.

Hardest part is the electrical. There are several seperate harnesses. remove them methodically and document everything.

Speaking of documentation: Get a Factory Service Manual. This is essential. Not a Haynes or Chilton or something else, a genuine Toyota one. Look on eBay.

Get a big box of large ziploc bags and some paper. When you remove a bolt or bolts or a bracket or whatever, put this stuff in a bag and write down on a piece of paper what the parts are. Put the paper IN THE BAG. Do not write on the bag or use blue tape or whatever. You WILL forget where things go and this will help immensely.

Good Luck!

 

[msahr]

The front core support (radiator support, it's also where the headlights attach) are different according to Toyota.

The cab was never offered as a complete unit. It's made of a bunch of individual parts. Since your core support looks like it's probably OK from the pictures, you could have a body shop swap out the parts from the 4WD to the 2WD cab.

Of course the best scenario is to find a 4WD cab.

 

[mefizto]

Hi mshar,

thank you for the answer.

Think outside the box and make it a buggy! Remove the doors, cut off the roof, put in a roll cage, and you're all good!

Well, since I am in SoCal, Escondido area., I would get likely arrested and shot. I wish my friend still lived in AZ, he found a lot of parts on the junk-yards there and brought them over when he visited.

Get a big box of large ziploc bags and some paper. When you remove a bolt or bolts or a bracket or whatever, put this stuff in a bag and write down on a piece of paper what the parts are. Put the paper IN THE BAG. Do not write on the bag or use blue tape or whatever. You WILL forget where things go and this will help immensely.

Ha, ha, you are absolutely correct; I learned this technique when I was working on my 4Runner. Unfortunately, only after I was about half-way through. ;-(

Kindest regards,

M

 

[msahr]

Then you're in an area with a lot of spare trucks then. Shouldn't be too hard to find something. I'd check Facebook groups, namely 1979-1983 Toyota Pickup 4x4 is a good resource

 

[mefizto]

Hi mshar,

thank you for the recommendation. Sinccee I do not have Facebook, I did not know about it.

Kindest regards,

M

 

[aztoyman]

I'd also be all over that truck. Even if you decide it's too much to deal with, it has value as parts or someone else would gladly take on the whole project.

I know where I could get a cab here in AZ. IDK how much it would be though. Sometimes it's cheaper in the long run to get another truck and sell what you don't need or keep spares since they are getting scarce.

 

[mefizto]

Hi aztoyman,

thank you for your reply.

If you could inquire about the price, I would appreciate it. Since I had been offered the truck this weekend, I had been looking, the problem, apart from the price is, that if I brought another one - you and msahr convinced me to take it, my landlady would likely evict me on the spot. ;-(

I will ask a friend if I could park it on his property for the time it would take me to replace the cabin.

Kindest regards,

M

 

[aztoyman]

PM sent

 

[mefizto]

Hi mshar,

thank you once again for the recommendation for the Facebook group, literally within seconds, I had several responses. A gentleman in my area offered me an SR5 cab with sunroof from a 82 2wd in the same color as the truck.
Kindest regards,
M

 

[msahr]

Hi mshar,

thank you once again for the recommendation for the Facebook group, literally within seconds, I had several responses. A gentleman in my area offered me an SR5 cab with sunroof from a 82 2wd in the same color as the truck.
Kindest regards,
M

That's good to hear. Keep in mind though, the 2WD cab is different in the core support area. Mainly because the frames are different. So while it may seem to be a good deal, the amount of work required to change out the core supports (if you can even find someone willing to do the work) will be significant. So, if you can find a 4WD cab that would be preferred.

 

[msahr]

FYI I just acquired a complete 1980 4x4 (minus engine etc) it has a good rust-free cab. I'm in Phoenix, which may be an issue but just to let you know.

 

[mefizto]

Hi mshar,

thank you for your reply.

Keep in mind though, the 2WD cab is different in the core support area.

Yes, I found drawings of the 2x2 and 4x4 frames in the 1983 FSM. If I interpret it correctly, the rear and middle mounts are identical, just as some commentators noted, but the front are in different position both length-wise (494 vs 575) and width-wise (904 vs 800). So, it would seem that relocating the mounts should not be that difficult. Or, am I missing something?

FYI I just acquired a complete 1980 4x4 (minus engine etc) it has a good rust-free cab. I'm in Phoenix, which may be an issue but just to let you know.

Thank you, but can you elaborate what you have in mind? I take it that you would not want to dispose of the cabin.

Kindest regards,

M

 

[msahr]

Hi mshar,

thank you for your reply.



Yes, I found drawings of the 2x2 and 4x4 frames in the 1983 FSM. If I interpret it correctly, the rear and middle mounts are identical, just as some commentators noted, but the front are in different position both length-wise (494 vs 575) and width-wise (904 vs 800). So, it would seem that relocating the mounts should not be that difficult. Or, am I missing something?


Thank you, but can you elaborate what you have in mind? I take it that you would not want to dispose of the cabin.

Kindest regards,

M

Yes the cab would be available.

 

[mefizto]

Hi msahr,

thank you for the reply.

Yes the cab would be available.

Great. All the cabins I found are about 7 hours drive. I will try to figure something out. Can we take the discussion about details to PM or e-mail?

Kindest regards,

M

 

[msahr]

Hi msahr,

thank you for the reply.

Great. All the cabins I found are about 7 hours drive. I will try to figure something out. Can we take the discussion about details to PM or e-mail?

Kindest regards,

M

Yup, PM sent