Toyodaaddict's 1980 Toyota "The Blue Truck"

[toyodaaddict]

I started this project about 10 years ago and intended to start a build page but due to a wiped out memory card in my camera that never happened. Considering that this place might not be around all that much longer I figure it's time to stop procrastinating. I hope you guys can handle the hardcore tech and innovative **** you are about to witness :flipoff:

The truck has been down for the last year for an engine rebuild, as well as an overall freshening up, so there will be a lot of catching up.


I acquired this truck about 10 years ago. The truck was a mess when I got it, especially considering I had no real knowledge of automotive repair and fabrication at the time :silly7:. Other than some horrible bolt on 4" pro-comp springs it was all stock. The truck had a strong running 20R engine, 4speed transmission, busted blownout drivelines, bad wheel bearings, leaky axle seals, basically everything under the frame needed major attention. Just getting this thing on the road was a bit of a battle for me.

These are a couple of the earliest pictures (digital pictures anyway) that I can find of the blue truck. You can tell they where taken somewhere around the second maybe third year I had the truck by the pro-comp spring/pushpull steering.

 

[toyodaaddict]

The tires that came on the truck had the steel belts showing so I bought a new set of 33"x12.5" Toyo MT's and began trying to get the truck road worthy. My original goal was just to get the darn truck to the local trails. Back in the good ol days we had miles of nice local trail starting 5min from home (not so much anymore) . Anyway, when I finally got the truck on the road I realized those pro-comp springs where not cool, especially the rear. This was a problem because I didn't know how to weld. I was also having vibration issues due to poor pinion/driveline angles (I knew nothing about that stuff). Eventually I figured out how to make those pro-comps ride smooth and flex great, that lasted about one run :redneck:. It was around this time that my good friend Jack taught me to weld. (if you drive truck or just enjoy a good story from an old timer checkout his book, its pretty good)

 

[toyodaaddict]

I spent a lot of time learning on the forums. I bought a miller 211 and got to work

Suspension- RUF/63's,Bilsteins
AllPro highsteer
W56 5speed swap
Dual cases (23spline Marlin)
HighAngle drivelines
Rebuilt the front axle/knuckles with marlins kit
Yukon 5.29's
rear spool
87 IFS rear axle
1.5" wheel spacers front
It was a completely different truck after that.

Here it is right after all the work

 

[toyodaaddict]

I found this picture from when I built the front bumper. Its a tough bumper but I'm starting to think about trying something different, something tube. This picture also gives a glimpse of the ol 20R

 

[toyodaaddict]

At this point the truck was tight and reliable. The local trails where pretty well shutdown and I was running the truck up into Greenwater and over to Naches pretty regularly. The truck was doing great but the 20R was a little slow going up the steep on road hills and the carb wasn't all that fun on the steeper offroad climbs.

 

[toyodaaddict]

My Dad had started taking interest in what I was doing with my Toyota's and decided he wanted me to build him a truck. He bought a run hard and put away wet, caged up trail thrasher 4runner. It was a mess but it had a lot of good parts on it. The ring and pinions where both shot though.
Odie "my gear guy" had moved out of state, so he sent me to a friend to set up the new gears for my Dad. The guy had some nice Toyota's sitting around and I had to have a look at the Trekker on 37's. When I saw it had a 22RE under the hood, we got to talking and he agreed to help me out with the wiring end of putting a 22re in my truck. My dad also managed to buy a clean stock 86 4runner for $1500 before we left.
I cant find any pics of the 22re swap but it all went real smooth, other than the 22re turned out to have a nice rattle and uneven compression. The EFI was real nice though

We scrapped the cage 4runner and this is what I ended up building for my Dad.

My 20R found a new home in my Toyota leftovers samurai side project

 

[toyodaaddict]

So now with the 1990 EFI under the hood I continued running the truck all over the mountains. Even with the rattly motor I considered the swap an upgrade. I also picked up some Longfields, Bobby Long Longfields . Hub gears and ARP knuckle studs as well

 

[toyodaaddict]

And... I kept running the truck like this with few changes for a couple years. I eventually gave in and started half way trusting the noisy engine, it just wouldn't die.

 

[toyodaaddict]

Bought a new set of 35'' MTR's

 

[toyodaaddict]

The 22RE never did fail but it had to go.

Test results from the last compression test Dry #1-150psi, #2-160psi, #3- 100psi, #4- 160psi
and with some oil #1-150psi #2-170psi #3-100psi #4-160psi.

 

[toyodaaddict]

I decided to redo the steering box mount while the engine was out.

 

[toyodaaddict]

 

[toyodaaddict]

I cut out some rust and replaced the battery tray. I may eventually relocate the battery to behind the cab.

 

[toyodaaddict]

I've wanted to put a 3RZ in this truck for a long time but could never seem to find one with the harness etc. for a reasonable price. Most of the yards I have talked to had already pulled the motors and wanted to nickel and dime me to death for the rest of the parts, if they where even available. I'm still keeping an eye open.

Anyway I bought a used 22RE and ran into some bad luck, so I sent this off to the machine shop.

 

[toyodaaddict]

My intake was a little dirty :eeek:

All cleaned up

 

[toyodaaddict]

I eventually got the block/crank shaft back. Bored .040, decked .012.

 

[toyodaaddict]

After a long wait the head finally arrived. 22REPerformance.com stage 2

"New cylinder head casting (resurfaced to the proper RA)
Harder powdered metal exhaust seats installed
Intake and exhaust ports hand machined and blended at valve side
Reground performance camshaft from OE cores (our design, matched to your year/fuel system)
45.5mm (1mm oversize) stainless steel swirl polished intake valves
37.5mm (1mm oversize) stainless steel swirl polished exhaust valves
75lb. valve springs (custom made just for us, specifically to our specs)
chromoly valve spring retainers, new machined keepers (custom made just for us, to our specs)
5-angle intake valve seat cut (our custom profile using our Serdi 3.0)
Fully radiused exhaust valve seat cut (our custom profile, using our Serdi 3.0)
Metal clad OE valve stem seals"

All parts that went into this build are OEM Toyota or 22REPerformance.com (Jim and Jerry are awsome, answered all my stupid questions in detail) oh, and a LCE header

 

[toyodaaddict]

Rebuilt the rocker assembly

 

[toyodaaddict]

Head installed with ARP studs

 

[toyodaaddict]

Because the block had been decked .012" I went with an adjustable timing gear.
I don't have a degree wheel but I"m of the understanding that .010" removed works out to retard the cam timing about one degree, so I set the gear 2* advanced. I dont really know if its worth having the cam degreed in the future or not :scratchhead: