Decided to finally start chopping up my 4runner and redo the exo cage.
Originally started wheeling with a Taco and then moved onto the 4runner. Thus, the build thread on the runner thus far was on ttora. Check it out if your interested.
After wheeling my 4rnr for some time with the exo, have always seemed to get hung up on my B pillar and after smashing my tailgate in and ripping the bob at the welds decided to start cutting.
Before shot
Smashed tailgate at Nazi rock in Farmington, NM. Ran out of propane climbing and just fell back into the boulder. Patched it back up for the time being to make it to Chile Challenge.
Started cutting at the beginning of winter and hoping to have it back together for spring time wheeling. Plan so far is to dove the rear, but only keep the panel skins. So basically the rear will all be tube. Going to have to figure out a way to mount the tanks again and some room for tools and a cooler.
Started cutting and got the dove pretty much outlined and dropped a good amount of weight. Cut the fender wheels higher up for some clearance, will need to go back and patch those up later.
New rear bumper in place and plated in. Was going to put a hitch right in the center but leaning towards some weld on D rings.
That is the plan Mr Stubs, rear shock mounts will be getting redone along with tank mounts. I do like the way you mounted your tanks recessed, but in my case that would place the tank mount straight down from the bumper rather than the nice angled approach you got. So leaning towards raising them up flush mount with the frame.
Got my bender in and all set up. Finally able to start working on the cage. Never was to happy with the way my old B pillar came out, in theory the hump it had before was suppose to help push off or around rocks, but I occasionally would get anchored by it. So this time wanted to keep it as tight as possible to the body.
Got the sides bars top and bottom all bent and in place. Should give you a better idea of how the dove looks. Will be mounting the doved panels to the tube from the inside. Mocked up the rear cross tubes, but getting tanks in and out looks like it is going to be a pain. Do like the idea of adding a tailgate but would need to figure out a solid latching system.
Was going to have the harness bar intersect the node that leads to back of the cage but there was going to be no way to fully weld backside. Ended up raising it a few inches. Should be plenty strong with the cross supports. Tied single bar from the harness to the horseshoe cross member that is directly above the driveshaft. This leaves plenty of leg room for rear passengers, and I can still fold the seats up.
Finally got around to patching up the fenders. Lots of pie cuts and a BFH then some seam sealer to patch it all up. Will paint with undercoating to finish it. Both sides at some point.
Yea its 3M dynatron seam sealer you can find at local autoparts stores. Works well to fill the large gaps with less effort than welding it all back together.
I like to think its less than ugly than before but do agree Exo's come with some varying degree of ugliness.
With the fenders all patched up, welded on the lower bar. You can kinda see the support pieces going through the panel to the c pillar. Followed similar idea to Mr Stubs on the propane mount. Single strap on each tank.
Wrapping the cage up. Decided to finish out the top of the cage and add cross tubes above the rear section. Put a slight bend in them to give plenty of head room for the back seats. Pretty exciting to finally drive the 4rnr again even if it was just outside the garage.
Getting tanks in out was looking to be a pain, so I went with a T for the rear bar rather than the /\ angled pieces I had mocked up. This lets me slide the tanks right out from the rear. Plan is to make a panel that will cover it up but easily removable with some quarter turn fasteners.
Ended up using some scrap tube that already had a bend in it for the shock mounts. Think the lines flow pretty good with the support bars not that it really matters.
Had a few ideas for the back panel but liked the idea of keeping the 4runner tailgate look. Ended up cutting out a piece of the original tailgate. It has a recessed section in it for the license plate that was not going to work with the cage, needed it to sit flat. Ended up cutting out the recess and folding it flat and added some round led taillights.
Figured I should start a thread to archive my build progress, and to allow myself to get roasted by the rest of y'all 😆
1981 Toyota Pickup I bought off of CL
22r, Carb'd, Manual, Stock Gearing and TC, Body Lift, previous owner said new motor was dropped in and only has around 100,000 miles...
Figured I should start an actual project thread on my poo pile, the Turdburglar
Here are some more details of the car as it was when I purchased it...
1986 Extra Cab
rebuilt 22re (about 1,000 miles on the motor since rebuild)
Bomb Proof motor mounts
Big ol' stinger up front with a 9000b...
Well this revamp sucks but i think i can post pics because of it so going to document my build of the last 10 years. Warning not all pictures are going to be high quility. I dont have hrs to devote to making this thread right away so it will probably take a couple weeks to get cought up with...
Decided it's time to finally do a build thread on the buggy. Finally got a shop of my own. Started life as a 85 4 runner and has gone through many phases as my love for the hobby has grown. Plans for this phase are 3 link front, 3rz and to finish tube work finally. I back half ed it and linked...
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