Scion radio into a First Gen?

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CMY4XGO

CMY4XGO

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Feb 28, 2010
Threads
13
Messages
109
Location
El Dorado Hills, Ca.
Okay okay, before you start calling me names let me answer the question: Yes, i did use the search function but couldnt find an answer to my question, so here it is;

I just purchased this ultra clean low mileage (135k) 1988 SR5 1st gen 4Runner. More on that later because ive never built a 4Runner and ive got lots of questions.

Ive got a transplanted Scion head unit in my FZJ80, and i'd like to install the same thing into the "new to me" 4Runner.

I found plenty of info regarding the 80 install, but not for the 1st gen.

Heres a picture or two for inspiration:

Meet Squishy. My wife called it that upon pulling into the driveway for the first time. I'm kind of a big guy and she thought i looked a little squished.

Sqwishy driver front.webp

Squishy drivers side.webp
Sqwishy driver front.webp
Squishy drivers side.webp
 
Hey, no name calling here, we're all good folks here on The Dark Side! :cheers:

what I would do, is track down the necessary wiring diagrams for the runner's sound, and the same for the scion unit, and go from there.
It may be easier to lay in your own speaker wires.
 
Yea i kind of fiqured i'd have to do that, no biggie. The Scion into the 80 was practically plug n play.

Theres a new Pioneer thats a DIN thats actually pretty nice installed at the moment, but its all chrome and shinney and its not how i roll baby.

Its just got to go. ;p
 
I'm pretty high up on the anti-chrome contingent, I totally understand.

it was almost a plug-in swap for the FZJ?
Wow, that's cool.
 
Please explain. Why a Scion radio? What is special about them? Teach us.

Nice 4Runner. Looks like an SR5, but with manual hubs. Even though the truck is super clean, and well taken care of, I would inspect under the chrome trim around the wheel wells. They tend to trap junk and become rust magnets.

What are your plans for it? From the description of your FZJ80 you have already succumbed to the sickness. Gen1 4Runners rock! I'm almost back in love with mine, a 1985 bought in 1988.
4Runner in Baja.webp
 
Last edited:
KLF said:
Actually those are the dreaded automatic hubs. Get those things swapped out ASAP.

Nice truck, I'm jealous.
Click to expand...
Good eye.
 
Thanks guys, and yes those are the factory auto hubs. just how i came to own the truck is a cool story.

I live in northern Calif. and my parents live down south. I almost always take the back route home up hwy 395. I stopped at a rest stop. I NEVER stop at rest stops, but, for some reason i did this time.

As i was walking back to my 80, this older guy like 70+ pulls in next to me in this 1st gen 4runner. I have always wanted one of these things since the day they first showed up in the good ol' USA.

We start to talk about his truck. "Its not for sale", Hes says, "everywhere i go people want to buy this thing from me, but its the most reliable vehicle ive ever owned". I filled him in on why they were so sought after. Then i convinced him to take my number just in case he changed his mind someday.

Two weeks later i got a call.
He test drove a new 4Runner and bought it, and his was mine if i wanted it!!! Booya!

Original owner, 136k, Calif. car, dealer maintained, and he just spent $3,800 at the dealer getting all the fluids changed out, new timing chain, hoses, belts, master cylinders, brakes, etc. He was asking that i just pay the amount of what the dealer had charged him for this recent work and i agreed.

Pappy - Your truck is a good example of what im shooting for. SAS, lockers, some tube work, etc. My wife's DD was an older 323i until she took a trip by herself in our 97 FZJ80. She called half way down to SoCal and said that we need to get one of these for her!

I calmly responed, well i guess its time to build me a 1st gen.

Thanks for the insight on the chrome/rust issues. Im actually going to just drive it to work like maybe once a week, and in the meantime save-purchase-collect all the stuff for the buildup and then park it long enough to let the transformation happen all at once. Ive never been able to build a rig like that so im pretty stoked that i get too.

I think the best part about it is all is the super people that you come in contact with on this forum during the process. I looking forward to sharing and hearing all your ideas. Your the experts.

One other thing - i thought my 80 was slow until i drove this!
 
Oops, you asked about the Scion radio. It seems that a quite a few of us 80 guys roll with them due to the simplicity of installation. I also like that it came as a factory radio from Toyota even though its a Pioneer i think.

Its more of a asthetic thing than anything else. When i had my FJC, i had the display set up to show orange. I like orange.

I also changed all the dash lamps in the 80 out to orange so it matches the radio. Other than that, its just a normal head unit that is MP3 compatable which is nice for us older 40+ guys that thought the cassette tape would never cease to exsist. :confused:
 
SR5, 22RE, 5 SPD., manual windows, no CC, no sunroof. Its what i was looking for. It doesn't have the rear seat but im meeting up with a guy from Yotatech tomorrow to swap his near perfect seats and belts for my delete panel.
 
Hey pappy, any idea where i can get one of those Front Range bumpers like yours?

It doesn't look like they make them any more.
 
CMY4XGO said:
Hey pappy, any idea where i can get one of those Front Range bumpers like yours?

It doesn't look like they make them any more.
Click to expand...

Yep, DISCO'd. Unless you can find somebody willing to part with one you might be SOL. You just keep the wrenches away from mine. :flipoff2:
 
3g4r

I put one scion head unit in my 4 runner after i pulled out a factory unit, replaced with a single din JVC unit (hated it). I love the scion unit as it was very easy to install in terms of plug and play. Just a bit of bezel trimming and now I can use my iPod player:)
 
WOW!

If that thing is as clean as it looks in the pics, I would really think twice about cutting it up to make a wheeler out of it.

Have seen similar trucks go for, well lets just say put a 1 in front of what you paid for it.

Throw it up for sale with a $10k plus asking price, you might just be surprised, even moreso if you keep the rear seat delete in it (they are rare).

Edit: Hell, if you want something to cut up, I will trade you my truck for it.
 
Pics of rear seat delete panel:



































iPhone 038.webp

iPhone 039.webp

Thanks for the input on the Scion install. I hope to get to it soon.
My plans on the buildup wont involve any cutting, and im going to incorporate tubing to protect it. Not so much an exo cage, but more along the lines of protecting the fenderwells. Ill levave the chrome wheelwell strips, and probalbly black out the grille.

Picked up some rear seats out of a 2nd gen over the weekend: :clap:

iPhone 040.webp
iPhone 038.webp
iPhone 039.webp
iPhone 040.webp
 
Your correct, they dont line up perfectly. The seat brackets for the seat bottoms needed the holes enlarged to fit like they should, and the seat back latch catch doesnt line up with the 1st gen latches. I'm working on a remedy for that. In the meantime made some stand-offs so i can fab something up.I'll post up what i come up with when i start working on that fix. :hhmm:

Ive got all the 2nd gen hardware and seat belts, and there all in pretty good conditiion. I looked everywhere for decent seat of 1st gen seats but everything i looked at was POS.

Not ever having owned a 1st gen 4Runner its like a whole new world of mods to get to! I just dig this forum! :D

iPhone 037.webp

iPhone 038.webp
iPhone 037.webp
iPhone 038.webp
 
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