New 83 project--New Photos(Finally)

[cmmg]

I used to have a suped up 83 toyota short bed and have been kicking myself for getting rid of it. Today I ran across this 83 for $1750. After beating him down to $1200 we now have a new range vehicle. It doesnt' look like much now. Next step will be stripping it down, adding a custom stepside bed and appropriate internal and external gun racks, re-doing the interior, painting flat desert tan, blah blah blah.

We began work on the Toyota this afternoon. We were able to get is stripped down within a couple hours. Frame is solid and no major rust anywhere. This is gonna be a good one[]





With it mostly apart I am having a terrible time trying to find little things. I need a windsheild wiper(complete) and a fan shroud. Any suggestions where to look?

[fourwd1]

I don't have those parts but I do have other stuff for an 83.
A complete dash in perfect condition for one thing.

[mudwiser316]

wow this sucks! a few weeks ago i cut up and scraped my 83 truck. i'm sure it had the parts you needed!

[cmmg]

Thanks for the reply. If you would like to email a list of parts to [e-mail] I will take a look at what you have. I just ordered a dash but would possibley still be interested in yours.

[ccrider]

SWEET! My '83 is at the same point. I'm considering a full frame-up resto job, since it belonged to a close friend who passed away. Dash-wise, I can't help you: I stripped the interior down to nothing, including the heater box. Dash is history; I'm planning a race-style all aluminum getup, with new gauges of course. I'd like to eliminate the tilt-steering column too, it's pretty hinky after all these years.

Funniest thing is, even with the entire dash out, she starts up and runs fine. I made sure the appropriate boxes were intact, but it was a snap.

I'm planning to locate the battery(ies) under the bed and add a dump kit, for the coolness factor more than anything. Still shopping for bumpers, rear disc conversion, etc. etc. etc...

c.

[cmmg]

We got the cab off, engine compartment mostly cleaned out, and began work on the cleaning up the frame.









I would be interested to see what you do with the cab. I have plans for the exterior but am clueless where to begin inside the cab. The only plans I have at this point are bucket seats, new dash, and steering wheel. How are you going to go about the steering colum and aluminum dash. Is it a kit or something you are fabricating?

[82yota]

Hey there. I've got an 82. For the bucket seats thing I put buckets in my truck from a 91 Acura Intega. They were about the same size as the stock buckets and IMO look really good. I built a center console too. Havent done much dash wise other than clean it up to make it look nice as this is still an old beast. But here is a picture of the interior to give you an idea of what it will look like.

I wish my box would have looked that good when I started with the old beast. I even had to do frame work it was rusted out so bad. And I made a box. Right now I'm in the middle of an engine rebuild. Tomorrow I'm grinding the valves and doing the seats and will have the motor back together and Friday it will run again. If you have some questions about this year of trucks I have the factory service manual and I've done a fair amount of stuff to mine.

[speedy]

If only I would have had a garage big enough to put the beast in when I first got it I would have been able to do a frame off. I'm jealous, good luck!

[slacker]

sweet ... I love these rigs ..

I just did a frame up a while back .

"WET" blasted the frame ..


and POR-15 inside and out .. also new glass bed in the background www.toyotafiberglass.com



I only did a STOCK interior .. but I did install a 22re into it



ANY QUESTION YOU HAVE .. I WILL TRY ANSWER been doing this now for 26 years ..

[82yota]

That looks the the style valve cover on a pre 84 22R. Did you convert the 22R to EFI. I just finished rebuilding my motor and got it in today and thought mine looked clean but it doesnt compare to that. Its looking good.

[slacker]

Yep ... I used an 84 EFI .. no speed sensor necessary . If memory serves me .. only 7 extra wires .
also I could utalize the double chain ..
you can see some pics here www.members.shaw.ca/slacker502/technical.htm


sorry .. dont mean to hi-jack ..

[fourwd1]

slacker said:

Yep ... I used an 84 EFI .. no speed sensor necessary . If memory serves me .. only 7 extra wires .
also I could utalize the double chain ..
you can see some pics here

That's pretty amzing, since Toyota didn't offer EFI until 85, and then only in 4Runners. And the double row TC was only on a 22R (carbed) until 82. Or did you use a conversion kit ?
Give us the details.

[slacker]

That's pretty amzing, since Toyota didn't offer EFI until 85,

Wrong O ....

First years of the 22re were in the 84 celica .. and 84 2WD's pickups (optional) .

This early EFI is an "analog" system .. 85--> is digital .
these systems , like the engine blocks are NOT compatable with each other .
Original pic of this engine


The blocks are completly interchangable up to /84 .. thus a factory double chain is compatable .

[83 toy]

this truck is gonna look amazing. nice to see one of these old trucks getting some love.

[ccrider]

cmmg: hope work is progressing well... I don't know WHAT I'm going to do with the interior. I'll probably fab a dash and gauge panel. Steering column? maybe scavenge a non-tilt, or just bolt the existing into one position. Need new steering wheel too; Summit carries Grant but the ones I've seen at Pep Boys look cheap. Considering Summit's poly bucket seats, so I can hose it out if necessary. Maybe rhino-line the whole interior?

Slacker, what is 'wet' blasting? Water added to the sand? I'm about to buy a pressure pot blaster, but I'm torn between taking the frame to someone or blasting it myself. Nice work on the POR-15! Did you brush or spray? I like the glossy black. Is it just the POR-15 or did you do a topcoat? They've got lots of products and I don't know which one(s) to use.

Can't wait to see the progress; mine is still in the planning stages...

Happy Motoring!

c.

[94cnytoy]

I'd like to back up a little in the post for those who are blind....
Anyone notice the military vehicle that the stripped cab is setting on in the picture......
That's a MULE.
WWII Era Pacific Island Airstrip Munition/Maintainance vehicle.
Swing away steering column....
4wd.....
I believe a v-twin...
Bad-ass little machine.
They were used on island airstrips all over the pacific
(dirt strips/bomb-outs)
Also as Medical transports to airlifts.

NICE.

Stew

[cmmg]

The project got put on hold for the last week. I am down in FL for Shot Show. Once I get back we are going to blast the frame and begin bedlining everything. I am going to do the frame, cab interior, inside of bed with black bedliner and do the rest of the truck in a desert tan bed liner. I am going to utilize part of the old dash and fab some improvements into it. I am soooOOoOoOOooOooo ready to get back to work.

The mules are great little machines. It is a real work horse. They run great and will go anywhere.

[cmmg]

It has been a couple weeks since I got to work on this but it is time to hit it hard. We should have the rest of the frame blasted first of the week.

[scalvin]

Hi cmmg,
Great post and pics!
I have a '82 long bed that I'm getting ready to start work on. I think I may go all the way down to the frame, but still contemplating if I want to go that far. I'm sure you may motivate me with your awesome progress pics, so keep 'um coming and hopefully I'll have some of my own soon. In one of your earlier posts on this thread, you said that you were going to install bucket seats. What are you planning on doing with the bench seat that you removed? I am looking at converting my bucket seats to a bench.
thanks for the info.

[cmmg]

I can tell you I never had any intention of going as far with this project as I did. I kept seeing pictures of people who did and that sure motivated me. I took abot 350 hi-res digital pics so I can remember how to put the thing back together ;D.

I have no plans for the bench seat. Make me an offer. I could use the space. Good luck with your project. This has been more fun than I could have ever imagined.