Post by Sponge Bob Square Fenders on Jan 19, 2005 12:01:06 GMT -5
Is this what you call a blog? I guess so, but I just call it killing time on a cold winter day and letting my mind wander to past joys with my various Toyota 4X4s. If you are still interested, here is the final chapter....
I don't know why I never got into the "new" version (1990 and up) of 4Runners. Maybe it was the loss of the removable top - maybe it's an addiction to the square fenders look. I don't think I will ever own one, as long as there are plenty of 1st generation 'Runners still kicking out there to keep me happy.
The "new" 1989 SR5 V6 5-speed was home from North Carolina, and the 1988 SR5 V6 auto was out the door. Sorry, honey. The first thing I do with all used vehicles I buy is detail them to the max. Seats, carpet, and all trim comes off down to the bare metal for scrubbing, carpet shampoos, etc. I assume it is just the illusion I get when I'm done that I've bought a new vehicle instead of just cleaning one 9 years old.
Before it really got cold here, I got started swapping some of the salvagable "goodies" off of the wrecked '86 on to the new truck. The ARE Outlaws and Smittybuilt double tube rear bumper were first, along with some interior pieces - but the new truck was a grey interior, while the parts truck was tan. Not much of the stock panels would come over.
Just before winter hit, I got the leaf springs off the '86 (with the add-a-leaf) and swapped them to the '89, along with the Ranchos on all corners. I was dismayed to find out that the Rancho steering stabilizer mount on the '86 wouldn't swap out to the '89, but pleasantly surprised that the add-a-leaf and RS5000s were still going strong after nearly 11 years of duty. I didn't do the double shock mod on the rear at this time, but did put the axle truss on.
Over the next few years, I went through the sometimes excruciatingly slow process of building up and customizing the new truck. The first purchased addition was the Smittybuilt double tube front bumper that performed so well in my t-bone crash. The only problem that I have ever found with these units (and the rears, too) is the rusting that occurs at the point where their plastic end cap meets the tube ends. Knowing this, I took the still unmounted bumper to my local body shop and had them weld in flat end caps and repaint the whole thing. The rear bumper was modified years ago when on the '86 with the sealed end caps and the addition of a couple of light tabs for auxilliary back up lights.
Next on the list was some engine mods, which were performed when I decided it was time to stop all the leaking gaskets. It wasn't using any oil, just dripping it - which is a pet peeve of mine. All my vehicles MUST be dry! My local mechanic (the "crew chief") took on the task of sealing up the engine and putting in a new clutch. With the engine out, I ordered a set of NWOR headers for the V6 and a K&N filter. I was well over 150K miles now, but there was no need for a rebuild or engine work of any kind. I mated the headers to the stock cat and exhaust, for the time being. One note to make on the NWOR V6 headers for you considering them - there is some trimming involved on the header in order for it to clear one of the mounting brackets on the engine (A/C pump or alternator?) that isn't in the instructions, and trust me, if you can afford the extra cost doing the installation with the engine out is the ONLY way.
The new Centerforce clutch, headers, and K&N made a huge difference in road manners, and I was anxious to see what difference it made at the track. I had been racing a little with the Columbia Hill Climbers of southern PA, especially at the flat drags held every September in Kingsdale.
Most of their races are for specially prepared trucks according to EC4WDC rules, but some featured "street drags", and I searched those out as best I could. I have my time slips from the past few years, and I saw a big difference in 100 yard time the first race after the engine mods. I went from the low 7 second range (best of 6.94) to the mid-6s (best of 6.64). I hadn't been beaten in my class yet even before the mods, and after there was a huge difference. Admittedly, there isn't a lot of competition at most of these races, usually local kids with stock trucks, mostly because of lack of advertising for the event. I know there is a lot of interest in this area for "run what you brung" racing, if the word would just get to the right people. That's one primary reason I joined the club a couple of years ago.... I can get the word out here in Maryland to people who normally wouldn't hear about this PA club's activities.
My best "kill" in recent racing was a late model Explorer with the 4.0 V6, a decent lift and good sized tires. I wasn't sure how my little 3.0 would stack up against the newer technology engines, but whatever I lacked in HP, Toyota made sure I had the advantage in transfer case reduction. A good jump off of the light and I never saw him.... Booya!
Other than the occasional racing, my four wheeling consisted of playing around on the property after good snows, and the annual family trip to OBX. I married into a Ford family (the wife and I are currently restoring her '66 Mustang convertible), and although the main point of our summer trips to NC were beach ops and riding the SeaDoos, we all have 4X4s and always find time to take a day or two to go to Oregon Inlet.
One year, the family caravan from Maryland to N.C. consisted of me and the '89 4Runner, the wife driving the new '00 Tundra Limited 4WD and pulling the double SeaDoo trailer, my brother-in-law's new F350 SD diesel, my father-in-law's 80's full size Bronco, and a friend of the family with his F350 SD diesel pulling a 20' flatbed trailer with my brother-in-law's "hoopty" truck - a 1979 monster lifted F250. The lowlight of the trip to Oregon Inlet that year at the beach house was that neither of the new F350 owners would put their trucks in the sand ("they are brand new!"), and I couldn't even convince the better half that the Tundra would be fine.... Sheesh! It was just Dad, me, and the Hoopty. The highlight was when my brother-in-law snapped the transmission shaft in the Hoopty truck when he punched it in one of the soft sections. Dad had small tires and a stock 302 on the Bronco, and couldn't budge him from the soft sand. They all laughed when I backed up to the Hoopty and hooked up the Snatch-um-strap, but stopped laughing and jumped back in the truck when my 31X10.50R15s (aired down to about 5psi) started pulling that beast. There is video floating around the family of that ultimate of embarassments - a rice burner towing out all-American iron - and it comes out regularly at family dinners.
It was about this time that I heard about another 4Runner in the family - this one an '88 SR5 manual that belonged to the wife's uncle. I saw it a few years ago at a family event just after it had a fresh coat of red paint applied, and was amazed talking to the owner that the odometer had over 400,000 original miles on it! I told him to call me if he ever wanted to get rid of it. The call came a couple of years ago, when the transfer case started giving him problems and he didn't want to fix it. He asked if $600 was too much to ask, and it was all I could do to restrain myself. Too good to be true was exactly what it was, though. Since it wasn't drivable, I borrowed the family flatbed trailer to go get it with my brother-in-law. The truck we saw when we showed up looked nothing like the one I had seen before - the paint was all bubbled on the front fenders and they were rusting through (seems he got the $199 paint job that didn't include any body work!), the engine was blowing oil everywhere, and the drivetrain only made a real nasty sounding clang when the clutch was let out. I went ahead and bought it anyway for the parts, especially the grey interior pieces, but for the most part it has sat down next to the barn since then. The odometer shows 465,000 miles, and I vow to let it live again some day.
Whew!
I'm almost done! Read on......
I don't know why I never got into the "new" version (1990 and up) of 4Runners. Maybe it was the loss of the removable top - maybe it's an addiction to the square fenders look. I don't think I will ever own one, as long as there are plenty of 1st generation 'Runners still kicking out there to keep me happy.
The "new" 1989 SR5 V6 5-speed was home from North Carolina, and the 1988 SR5 V6 auto was out the door. Sorry, honey. The first thing I do with all used vehicles I buy is detail them to the max. Seats, carpet, and all trim comes off down to the bare metal for scrubbing, carpet shampoos, etc. I assume it is just the illusion I get when I'm done that I've bought a new vehicle instead of just cleaning one 9 years old.
Before it really got cold here, I got started swapping some of the salvagable "goodies" off of the wrecked '86 on to the new truck. The ARE Outlaws and Smittybuilt double tube rear bumper were first, along with some interior pieces - but the new truck was a grey interior, while the parts truck was tan. Not much of the stock panels would come over.
Just before winter hit, I got the leaf springs off the '86 (with the add-a-leaf) and swapped them to the '89, along with the Ranchos on all corners. I was dismayed to find out that the Rancho steering stabilizer mount on the '86 wouldn't swap out to the '89, but pleasantly surprised that the add-a-leaf and RS5000s were still going strong after nearly 11 years of duty. I didn't do the double shock mod on the rear at this time, but did put the axle truss on.
Over the next few years, I went through the sometimes excruciatingly slow process of building up and customizing the new truck. The first purchased addition was the Smittybuilt double tube front bumper that performed so well in my t-bone crash. The only problem that I have ever found with these units (and the rears, too) is the rusting that occurs at the point where their plastic end cap meets the tube ends. Knowing this, I took the still unmounted bumper to my local body shop and had them weld in flat end caps and repaint the whole thing. The rear bumper was modified years ago when on the '86 with the sealed end caps and the addition of a couple of light tabs for auxilliary back up lights.
Next on the list was some engine mods, which were performed when I decided it was time to stop all the leaking gaskets. It wasn't using any oil, just dripping it - which is a pet peeve of mine. All my vehicles MUST be dry! My local mechanic (the "crew chief") took on the task of sealing up the engine and putting in a new clutch. With the engine out, I ordered a set of NWOR headers for the V6 and a K&N filter. I was well over 150K miles now, but there was no need for a rebuild or engine work of any kind. I mated the headers to the stock cat and exhaust, for the time being. One note to make on the NWOR V6 headers for you considering them - there is some trimming involved on the header in order for it to clear one of the mounting brackets on the engine (A/C pump or alternator?) that isn't in the instructions, and trust me, if you can afford the extra cost doing the installation with the engine out is the ONLY way.
The new Centerforce clutch, headers, and K&N made a huge difference in road manners, and I was anxious to see what difference it made at the track. I had been racing a little with the Columbia Hill Climbers of southern PA, especially at the flat drags held every September in Kingsdale.
Most of their races are for specially prepared trucks according to EC4WDC rules, but some featured "street drags", and I searched those out as best I could. I have my time slips from the past few years, and I saw a big difference in 100 yard time the first race after the engine mods. I went from the low 7 second range (best of 6.94) to the mid-6s (best of 6.64). I hadn't been beaten in my class yet even before the mods, and after there was a huge difference. Admittedly, there isn't a lot of competition at most of these races, usually local kids with stock trucks, mostly because of lack of advertising for the event. I know there is a lot of interest in this area for "run what you brung" racing, if the word would just get to the right people. That's one primary reason I joined the club a couple of years ago.... I can get the word out here in Maryland to people who normally wouldn't hear about this PA club's activities.
My best "kill" in recent racing was a late model Explorer with the 4.0 V6, a decent lift and good sized tires. I wasn't sure how my little 3.0 would stack up against the newer technology engines, but whatever I lacked in HP, Toyota made sure I had the advantage in transfer case reduction. A good jump off of the light and I never saw him.... Booya!
Other than the occasional racing, my four wheeling consisted of playing around on the property after good snows, and the annual family trip to OBX. I married into a Ford family (the wife and I are currently restoring her '66 Mustang convertible), and although the main point of our summer trips to NC were beach ops and riding the SeaDoos, we all have 4X4s and always find time to take a day or two to go to Oregon Inlet.
One year, the family caravan from Maryland to N.C. consisted of me and the '89 4Runner, the wife driving the new '00 Tundra Limited 4WD and pulling the double SeaDoo trailer, my brother-in-law's new F350 SD diesel, my father-in-law's 80's full size Bronco, and a friend of the family with his F350 SD diesel pulling a 20' flatbed trailer with my brother-in-law's "hoopty" truck - a 1979 monster lifted F250. The lowlight of the trip to Oregon Inlet that year at the beach house was that neither of the new F350 owners would put their trucks in the sand ("they are brand new!"), and I couldn't even convince the better half that the Tundra would be fine.... Sheesh! It was just Dad, me, and the Hoopty. The highlight was when my brother-in-law snapped the transmission shaft in the Hoopty truck when he punched it in one of the soft sections. Dad had small tires and a stock 302 on the Bronco, and couldn't budge him from the soft sand. They all laughed when I backed up to the Hoopty and hooked up the Snatch-um-strap, but stopped laughing and jumped back in the truck when my 31X10.50R15s (aired down to about 5psi) started pulling that beast. There is video floating around the family of that ultimate of embarassments - a rice burner towing out all-American iron - and it comes out regularly at family dinners.
It was about this time that I heard about another 4Runner in the family - this one an '88 SR5 manual that belonged to the wife's uncle. I saw it a few years ago at a family event just after it had a fresh coat of red paint applied, and was amazed talking to the owner that the odometer had over 400,000 original miles on it! I told him to call me if he ever wanted to get rid of it. The call came a couple of years ago, when the transfer case started giving him problems and he didn't want to fix it. He asked if $600 was too much to ask, and it was all I could do to restrain myself. Too good to be true was exactly what it was, though. Since it wasn't drivable, I borrowed the family flatbed trailer to go get it with my brother-in-law. The truck we saw when we showed up looked nothing like the one I had seen before - the paint was all bubbled on the front fenders and they were rusting through (seems he got the $199 paint job that didn't include any body work!), the engine was blowing oil everywhere, and the drivetrain only made a real nasty sounding clang when the clutch was let out. I went ahead and bought it anyway for the parts, especially the grey interior pieces, but for the most part it has sat down next to the barn since then. The odometer shows 465,000 miles, and I vow to let it live again some day.
Whew!
I'm almost done! Read on......