ROTW: kevinmrowland

[Dave-T]

Simply an amazing truck. I really enjoyed reading the Toyota Trails article about one of your trips.

How much modification did it take to get the Impreza seats in there?

 

[kevinmrowland]

For the folks who have weatherstrip coming, They are boxed up and will leave in the mail tomorrow.
I am pretty swamped right now, but if the people who get weatherstrip are as happy with it as I am then I can just order another roll since there seems to be plenty of interest.
Now, no more weather strip talk in my ROTW thread.

Looking over your pics again, what do you use for a jack? If you tote a hi-Lift where do you stow it?

Thanks
-Wyo

I primarily use the OE bottle jack (which lives in the passenger quarter panel) since it is safer and easier to use. The high lift lives across the floor behind the seats when it is in the truck.

Simply an amazing truck. I really enjoyed reading the Toyota Trails article about one of your trips.

How much modification did it take to get the Impreza seats in there?

The seats where originally mounted to the stock towers. The modification was not too bad, but I did have to make custom legs. Now with the underseat boxes the seats just bolt right to the lids.

 

[Ducks]

In the Toyota Trails article, you mentioned that the rear was sagging. I can't remember, did you have more leafs added to the rear? Was it the OME heavies that you modified or are they new since the trip? Have you considered air bags?

 

[kevinmrowland]

That trip was a pretty long time ago, I had some crappie springs that I paid WAAAY to much for from $OR. (I have that reaction to everything I bought from $OR)
I had two heavy add-a-leafs made at a spring shop and went from there. As soon as we got back (and got money back in the bank) I ordered a set of OME and have never looked back. The OMEs seem to be built for my purpose, I haven't needed to think about air bags since.

 

[cfdlighthouse]

shifter lock

great ride. i am interested on the shifter lock. where did you get it and how much did it cost?
Thanks
Dan

 

[macneill]

Beautiful!

Thanks for the inspiration!

 

[kevinmrowland]

great ride. i am interested on the shifter lock. where did you get it and how much did it cost?
Thanks
Dan

Great product, got it here: http://simjack.com:8185/
$55, I was amazed at the quality of the product for the money, and being the constant cynic that I am, I figured the lock must not actually be hardened, took it to my metal band saw, and nothing, couldn't even scratch it.

 

[sandcruiser]

I sense a group buy in the near future

Great product, got it here: http://simjack.com:8185/
$55, I was amazed at the quality of the product for the money, and being the constant cynic that I am, I figured the lock must not actually be hardened, took it to my metal band saw, and nothing, couldn't even scratch it.

 

[kevinmrowland]

I sense a group buy in the near future

I thought it was your truck that I first saw the shift lock on?

 

[woytovich]

Turns out these guys, simjack, are just a few miles from my house. I am going to contact them on Monday regarding a group buy/dealer pricing. If I get anywhere I'll post back here and start a new group buy thread. Probably can't save much but $5 or $10 off is better than full price...

I'm buying one in either case.

 

[cfdlighthouse]

group buy

sounds great. i am also going to buy one either way, but if we can save a few $ together that would be cool.

Thanks for the info and thanks for checking on the group buy deal.
Dan

 

[pismo62]

Awsome build and a true inspiration. There are so many ideas I would love to implement.

The kitchen draw idea I have been toying with for about 2 months. I'm wondering if the tupperware ben is like a true sink, or is it a pull out. I've been trying to find a sink I could plum in, in a similar set-up.

Thanks for posting up the build.

 

[sandcruiser]

I've got one on my 60. The company that sells them here is "Mul-T-Lok" and they are a premium-priced outfit. It would cost me about $175 to get another one installed on my 80. They won't sell it without installation.

I'd just as soon save $100+ and buy it through the guy in the USA.

The one advantage to buying it here is that the key setup they use here is bulletproof... but then, I just don't see someone taking a lot of time to pick the key lock on the shift lock. If they have that kind of time, they are going to get the truck one way or another!

I thought it was your truck that I first saw the shift lock on?

 

[kevinmrowland]

Turns out these guys, simjack, are just a few miles from my house. I am going to contact them on Monday regarding a group buy/dealer pricing. If I get anywhere I'll post back here and start a new group buy thread. Probably can't save much but $5 or $10 off is better than full price...

Jack Simian is a really nice guy, and was very helpful on the phone. His product was a great deal even at the full price.
Couple things to keep in mind, I installed mine in a rather unorthodox manner. I did not like where it would be if I bolted it to the trany tunnel. The normal place seems to be at the bottom of the shift pattern toward the console, since my console is gone and I use that space as a pass-through, that would have been in the way. Bolting on to the tunnel at the top of the shift pattern would get in the way of things I like to place there when on trips. So I mounted it to the dash. I do not know if that would work on a 62, on a 60 the metal dash structure is very strong there, and the two bolts that hold the shift lock on straddle one of the dash braces. I made sure that even if the the plastic part of the dash were broken/removed, that it would still be very difficult to get the nuts off the supplied carriage bolts. You can not get to them with a wrench or pliers, you actually need a short socket and a ratchet with a wobble. Then the last thing is that there is not much space between the dash and the shifter (remember that you can always bend the lower part of the shifter to put it wherever you want) so that made for a complicated bend on the mounting bracket, it also allowed the shifter to be moved out of first (the gear it is locked in) and into neutral. Not a big deal except when you are parked at a trail-head and someone breaks in to steal your truck, gets pissed that they can't, and decides to put it in neutral and push it off the cliff you are parked next to. Since I loved the mounting spot I just milled a block of nylon into a spacer and epoxied it in place. Now it is stuck in first gear. If you pull really hard you can just barley get it into neutral since the dash will flex a bit, but it will not stay in neutral on its own.
I am attaching pics of the spacer.

The one advantage to buying it here is that the key setup they use here is bulletproof... but then, I just don't see someone taking a lot of time to pick the key lock on the shift lock. If they have that kind of time, they are going to get the truck one way or another!

I think this is the same key here, I can pick most locks and I would have a hard time with this one. Double set of tumblers come in from the sides rather than the top, kind of like a low tech version of a BMW key. I'll post a pic of the key.

I'm wondering if the tupperware ben is like a true sink, or is it a pull out. I've been trying to find a sink I could plum in, in a similar set-up.

Just a rubber tub, nothing special. I like to have everything modular and easily moved/re-moved. The way I store water on trips (Scepter cans on edge behind the front seats) means that all I have to do is walk to the side door, crack open the jug and gravity does the rest.

 

[woytovich]

You milled that insert!!!?? You truely are a talented and out-of-control individual!

 

[Winter Swell]

That thing is redonkulous, nice work!!

How much is the rent, because, I would live there.

 

[cfdlighthouse]

i like the location you selected and am planning to mount in the same place. can you duplicate that spacer?

 

[sandcruiser]

not the same.... I'll snap a photo of mine later--- much, much more intricate. Great key. But not worth a bunch of extra $$ IMO.

 

[kevinmrowland]

How much is the rent, because, I would live there.

No thanks, I don't want a room mate in my dog house with me.

i like the location you selected and am planning to mount in the same place. can you duplicate that spacer?

Uhh, maybe? If you have a 4 speed shifter they tend to tip down more than the 5, you may not even need a spacer. Or if you are willing to bend the shifter a bit (you do this below the boot, can't see the bend, Toyota makes them that way) you could make it sit wherever you want.

not the same.... I'll snap a photo of mine later--- much, much more intricate.

Yeah, well, mine only cost $55.

 

[cfdlighthouse]

okay, i have the 4 speed. i will try it alone.
thanks